Help with network rendering

Sebaz wrote on 8/12/2009, 8:03 AM
I'm trying to setup network rendering for the first time, and I don't think it's working correctly.

I get the two Vegas network render apps to see each other, I made sure that the working folder and subfolders are properly shared and seen by the renderer machine, and the file mappings are correct. I checked "distribute rendering" and selected the main machine as the stitch host. The job started, but it was clear that only the main computer was rendering, as the other wasn't showing any extra CPU load, and when I went to the details of the job, under "job segments" it showed only one segment being rendered at a time, when I believe it should be two segments at a time, one for each machine, right?

I tried encoding to different codecs because I had read that network rendering works best with non-temporal codecs such as DV, so since the project is a 1080-24p I tried rendering to AVI DV 24p (just for testing purposes) and also to an AVI module consisting of 1920x1080 23.98 with the Lagarith codec.

In all cases the render job starts, but only one segment at a time and the second machine is not working, and if I check the network status in the main machine it's clear that no bytes are being uploaded or downloaded to and from the network.

I read the whole section in the manual about this but I think I followed all the steps. Perhaps it could be my router? One thing that is different for me than the manual is that for the network render apps to see each other I have to type in the IP address of the other computer, not the computer name. If I type the latter it gives me an "unavailable".

Comments

LJA wrote on 8/12/2009, 8:19 AM
I always type the IP addresses; not sure it even works using the computer name. I do not use distributed rendering, only network rendering, because I render only to mxf, mp2, and mp4 files. So I cannot help you there. But, to check your connection, try network rendering on the other machine. Make sure that works before trying distributed rendering. Also search this forum for older threads on this topic. There are several. There have been many who have had considerable difficulty making distributed and network rendering work, but it can be done.
musicvid10 wrote on 8/12/2009, 10:10 AM
You have to type in the IP address of the remote machine every time you connect. The saved connection will not work even though it says it's connected. It's an old bug that they never got around to fixing.

Also, distributed rendering isn't going to be very effective unless you have two very fast CPUs with nearly identical speeds. It takes extra time to create and stitch the pre-render files
Sebaz wrote on 8/12/2009, 10:27 AM
But, to check your connection, try network rendering on the other machine. Make sure that works before trying distributed rendering.

I did, and it doesn't work. Here's what shows on the log:

Log: Starting Vegas Network Render Service: (tcp://10.0.0.3:53704/NetRenderService.rem)
Error: Render job '10.0.0.3:53704/1' failed: The requested address is not valid in its context 255.255.255.255:53704

First thing that seems strange to me is that 255.255.255.255:53704. In my home network the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0

I do not use distributed rendering, only network rendering, because I render only to mxf, mp2, and mp4 files

Right, but even if you are encoding in the end to a temporal format, distributed rendering should still help with the processing of filters and masks and all that, correct? As long as I clear the "Use final render template" and choose and uncompressed module, the two CPUs should make rendering faster, but the encoding will take the same time because it's done by the stitch host, correct?




Tom Pauncz wrote on 8/12/2009, 11:46 AM
This has been discussed many times before.

Check out this link. It refers to another thread as well.

There is also a whitepaper in the downloads section that is very useful.

HTH,
Tom
Sebaz wrote on 8/12/2009, 12:34 PM
I read the threads you referred me to but I couldn't find anything on my specific problem. Most people that have a problem with network render seems related to not connecting at all, such as the renderer computer unavailable. I can connect, but the rendered doesn't do anything.
LJA wrote on 8/13/2009, 8:56 AM
"The requested address is not valid"

In my experience this signals that the location of the final rendered file (and by default) the temporary .veg, is in a directory/drive that is not shared.