Rendering - speed up processing time

[ajtrahan]

I need to render a file that is 250 MB. I have not applied any materials and the only light source is a distance light to replicate the sun. It is a basic render with shadows. Are there other programs that can speed up processing time, i.e. Viz, Revit, Bryce etc... I am currently using AutoCAD 2004 Vanilla.

PC specs: Pent 4 3.4GHz with 3GB RAM

Thanks.

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

I think you will find the biggest "time" factors are Rendering output type (Photo Real / Photo Raytracer / etc); complexity of Model to Render; Hardware configuration.

I think you will find software plays a lot smaller part in the "time" factor when compared with the above factors.

Have a good one, Mike

[ajtrahan]

Is a 3D file that is 250-500mb unheard of for AutoCAD? Should I use another program?

I was told to get a machine the will handle these size files but want to make sure AutoCAD can handle them first.

Thanks.

[jaberwok]

Probably the best solution but not one that is available to everyone is to render using 3dstudio and multiple pcs connected as a render farm (only one copy of 3dstudio is required).

As Mike says, it is all very compute-intensive so fast processors and large amounts of ram are the order of the day.

[gbelous]

i've had some trouble rendering high quality images although my computer is fairly new and powerful, how is a "render farm" built? I've heard of people using multiple computers to render but how would I go about hooking them up?

[jaberwok]

i've had some trouble rendering high quality images although my computer is fairly new and powerful, how is a "render farm" built? I've heard of people using multiple computers to render but how would I go about hooking them up?

I've not kept up-to-date on this but (if things have not changed) you require a network of machines - as in most offices. Only one machine has to have 3dstudio installed and that machine divides up the workload and passes batches to other machines on the network that have been specified as available for this use.