Anyone recommend a training DVD explaining how the Vray renderer works and how to mess around with the render settings? I’ve been using Vray for about a year now and figured I need to start understanding why and how the settings do what they do. 
I agree. Just one afternoon working along with these DVD’s (and I’d advise taking notes to refer back to on your own projects) and I was flying. I’m certainly far from being an expert, but we had a freelancer in recently who’s been using VRay for years, and after watching these DVD’s I, a mere novice, was able to tell him how to improve his renders. 