Licensing issues aside...

Because of the file structure of Mpeg, it is problematic to render segments across different machines and then stitch them together (which is how network rendering works).

To create Mpeg files using network rendering, you would first have to render to an intermediate format such as AVI, then render the Mpeg on one machine.

Gary

The "manual" (it's a stretch to call it that) only goes to page 106. Are you referring to the online documentation? I believe that's where it indicates there must be two different licenses for network render. Both installs have been registered with Sony.

I'm thoroughly confused. I could try support but I've read mixed reviews about getting a response. Surely someone here can clarify? I can figure out the operation on my own. I just want to make sure it's not a licensing issue that's causing it before I waste countless hours tinkering with it.

Sorry Gary, I didn't see your post until too late. Someone here (maybe it was you) mentioned that network rendering is best suited for short projects. Specifically, I'm archiving VHS tapes of water wells for a company. They are all about thirty minutes in length. There are MANY of them so I'm trying to speed the process. In your opinion, is there any benefit I can realize with network render in relation to this project?

(Update)
I read through the online documentation again and have a better understanding of the licensing. I'm still left wondering how network rendering speeds up a project. If it's inefficient for MPEG, what is the use of network rendering to AVI? I assume for projects that are heavy on effects in order to speed up preview and make workflow easier? Does anyone have a real-world example of how they use it to improve their workflow?

Network rendering is good for AVI renders that would take a long time because of duration or heavy processing. Since the last step, which is to stitch together the segments that have been distributed, takes some time, the advantages are usually lost on short projects.

Gary

"I don't recall a specific render-only install. Am I missing something here? If I can't render MPEG on more than one machine with the same license, it should be made more clear. As a side note, I don't recall DVDA3 clearly stating that Macrovision was only flagged for mass duplication which was another disappointment."

With regard to network rendering, but without addressing DV/MPEG rendering issues: You don't remember a render-only install because that technique isn't applicable to Vegas 6, as it was in Vegas 5. With 6, you do a full install of the program to utilize network rendering.

With regard to the DVDA/Macrovision issue: Macrovision requires a (very expensive for casual users) license and is integrated into DVDs that are replicated. I don't see any deception here, but perhaps they may be faulted for presuming that DVDA-3 users would know all the requirements.

Thanks for the responses. I don't feel deceived but I think they could do a better job of explaining things. Considering Vegas has always been considered "simple enough for the beginner but powerful enough for the professional" (and I wholeheartedly believe it is) they should address the lowest common denominator in their documentation. When a novice like me sees Macrovision copyright protection in DVDA3 and network rendering in Vegas 6, I can justify the $300 upgrade. It seems both those features are worthless to me. That aside, DVDA3 is far superior to its predecessor and I'm quite happy with the new features. I just wish things like Macrovision were s-p-e-l-l-e-d out instead of buried in fine print.

All complaints aside, I assume then that network rendering is not going to assist me on this particular project. Perhaps the next time I partner with Lucas, we'll edit on Vegas 6.

I don't know how many pc's you're rendering with, but one solution would be to farm out each 30 min mpeg render to a different pc. For example, on your main edit machine load up a veg that is ready to render to mpeg and assign it to pc #1. Load up veg 2 and assign it to pc #2, etc. That way, you've got multiple renders to dvd-ready mpg files going on at the same time.

Definition of terms would be useful for this thread:

Rendering: Creating new pixels by applying transitions, fX, etc.

Encoding: Converting those pixels into a specific file format (MPEG-2, MPEG-1, DV, Huffyuv, etc.)

The network rendering feature only covers the creation of new pixels. The encoding portion of this process, except for DV encoding, is not included. Thus, you cannot use network computers to speed the MPEG-2 encoding process. This is not an end-user license issue: it is the result of a technical (and possibly business decision -- since they license the MPEG-2 encoding from MainConept -- by Sony. Thus, you cannot speed MPEG-2 encoding by using networked computers, no matter what license fees you are willing to pay.

In addition, because Sony still requires stitching of the final result (an unnecessary step in most situations, as has been pointed out in other posts), and since this takes a tremendous amount of time because files must be moved across disk drives and networks two times, instead of one (once TO the render computer, and once BACK to the main computer for stitching), much of the speed improvement on long-duration projects can be eaten up by stitching.

Where network rendering really shines -- and what it was really designed for -- is that ten-minute gem that contains compositing, motion blurs, fX galore, etc. and would otherwise take two days to render. If you can harness the power of "n" computers, you can divide your rendering time by almost a factor of "n" (e.g., five computers would cut render time down to 20% of the original time).

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I don't know how many pc's you're rendering with, but one solution would be to farm out each 30 min mpeg render to a different pc. For example, on your main edit machine load up a veg that is ready to render to mpeg and assign it to pc #1. Load up veg 2 and assign it to pc #2, etc. That way, you've got multiple renders to dvd-ready mpg files going on at the same time.
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Now thats the simplest solution I've seen in a long while for "network rendering" mpegs. (maybe I just haven't searched enough)

Now why didn't I think of that!