Network Rendering

scottbrickert wrote on 7/28/2007, 1:49 PM
I have two machines, and one more on the way.

TDZ2000- dual P3-500, XP-Pro ($5grand in 2000)
COBRA- P4-HT, 3.2Ghz, XP-Home ($1grand in 2005)
on the way-C2D, E6320, Vista ($.6grand, yesterday)


Hoping to leverage the ol' P3 dual boat anchor I created a Gigabit network (NICE, fast, like all computing should be), and have begun wrestling with the Sony Vegas Network Rendering Service.

I've shared all appropriate folders, and in Network Places see all folders on both machines. On COBRA I entered TDZ2000 in the host field, and the Status reads 'Ready'.

Using Distributed Rendering, both PC's show a load variation 30-100%, and Page Filing levels off.

I had hoped to shift all the CPU work onto the boat anchor. Reading the instructions (!!) it appears that if I want to shift all the CPU workload off the editing mochine, I need to deselect "Enable Rendering" on COBRA, and use non-distributed rendering (deselect "Distribute Rendering") in the Network Render pop-up.

The above results in a message: "Network render service not enabled>COBRA's tcp address<" and the process fails.

When I select "Enable Rendering" on COBRA, and deselect "Distributed Rendering" in the pop-up, its CPU shows a load (50-100% ), but TDZ2000 shows nothing (1%).

I was hoping to completely free up the editor. What else could be done?

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 7/28/2007, 3:19 PM
If that's really what you're after, why not just render on the ol' boat anchor? Why bother with network rendering?

Then again, the COBRA has enough guts to render and edit simultanously, and do it faster than the TDZ2000 will.
TheHappyFriar wrote on 7/28/2007, 6:48 PM
i'd say edit on the anchor & use the other two to render. :)
scottbrickert wrote on 7/29/2007, 11:26 AM
HaHa, you guys crack me up...is how I initially reacted.

In my chasing of 29.97 fps Preview, I thought a faster moshine would help, but actually, all it does is provide faster rendering (??). [Which might be cool if it was real time or faster than real time. That would pragmatically get me to 29.97fps Preview.]

Currently, ie on the COBRA, if anything is rendering, whether an AVI to New Track in Vegas, or a project in DVDA4, Preview bogs down to 5fps or less, and work becomes cumbersome.

Pondering your tongue in cheek suggestions, the question remains, how would I do it?

Les say I did start editing on the boat anchor. How would the work flow look? My reading of the license agreement (OK, I never actually read it in detail) was that we're allowed three copies installed on three moshines, one for active work, the others for network rendering. If this reading stands, the problem remains, namely, how to offload all the rendering from the editor onto the renderers using NRS, thus saving the Preview rate. Or, maybe you're suggesting an approach like opening a copy of V7 on the renderer, opening the veggie there, pointing it toward the appropriate directories, and using say RtNT, which I like anyway, to get the job done. The gigabit network brings this near the realm of 'do-able', although, it would create interruptions in the workflow. Too bad Render to New Track doesn't have the option for Network Rendering with full export of the CPU workload to another moshine.

If I want to create tack-sharp work, I gotta have a real time look at things while editing. Since our Preview function is CPU driven, minimizing the load on the CPU is essential.

Ram Preview is too limited, and that's speaking in SD terms. Have not tried it yet in HD. Plus I hate giving up half the RAM to XP.


Or maybe I'm missing things or misunderstanding what factors are involved.
Chienworks wrote on 7/29/2007, 3:32 PM
Set the priority level of the render to 'below normal' and the rendering process will have practically zero impact on editing and previewing.

I'm not sure what you mean about giving up half the RAM to XP. What does XP have to do with dynamic RAM rendering?

I also have no idea what RtNT is, but whatever it may be it's definitely not necessary. Just run the render on the other computer and connect to where the files are over the network. Windows "out of the box" does this without adding anything at all. Of course, keep in mind that having the editing computer act as the file server will put a small load on it's resources too. If the absolute fastest response on the editing machine is your primary concern then it may be worth the few minutes first to copy the files to the rendering machine and access them from there rather than from the editing machine.

Since you've stated that you really only want one computer running the render, there's no need for network rendering.