Respower Render Farm

[Jeff Mottle]

Just thought I'd make a post about these guys as their service is truly top notch. www.respower.com

I'm working on a small piece for a TV commercial and while only 5 seconds long each frame in Vray was taking about 20 min (even with a saved irradiance map).

As my lowly computer was not going to cut it at 50+ hours to process all the frames, I decided to use respower. I could not be more happy!

I called in to see if they supported Vray. as it's not listed clearly on their site yet, and they installed the version I needed and all the plugins I needed for the project.

The submission system is fully auutomated, so you just upload your files and use the wizard to submit the file and frame you want rendered. They have 400 computers (1500Ghz) soon to be 600 computers (2700GHz) which meant I could render all my frames in under an hour. Then they have an app that automatically ZIPs or RARs them up and you download from your private FTP site.

The best part of all however is the fact that I was able to call in at 11pm, 2am and 3am to get support when something went wrong with my renders. (No fault of Respower, but a glitch with Vray). I was able to get everything resolved a new DLL deployed and renderred the frames and I was able to meet my morning deadline.

The cost is really good too. I only paid about $125 to render all my frames. About 140 at 20 min per frame on average.

If you create an account and look at the "purchase bulk hours" section you will see the actual cost for rendering, as the prices listed on the site are a bit higher that what you actually pay.

Anyway, I know this sounds like an advertisement, but when I get good service I tell everyone about it. If you need a renderfarm, or are in a crunch I HIGHLY reccomend these guys.

[Ernest Burden]

Originally Posted by Jeff Mottle

I know this sounds like an advertisement, but when I get good service I tell everyone about it. If you need a renderfarm, or are in a crunch I HIGHLY reccomend these guys.

When we must say something does NOT work, its honest discussion, but when we praise a someone/something that is a business we are 'advertizing'. Thank you for posting your experiences with this process.

It could be a very slick solution to ever-more-complex scenes and slower-but-better rendering apps. I don't own a jet to go to California, I buy time on someone else's. I may still be the poor stepchild by not using Max but C4D instead, but I will have a look at what they offer.

Thanks again!

[mbr]

Jeff,

Is that correct? $125? I just got an estimate for a walk through animation that was SUBSTANTIALLY higher. I know you mentioned that their fees ended up being less than the online quote, but the numbers are very different.

Just wondering, as your number seems very inexpensive.

Thanks for the info, either way.

[Fran]

Hi Jeff,

Are you using 1.09 or the beta for VRay? The farm I use has cautioned me not to use the beta for projects I submit to them. I'd be curious if that is the case with these guys.

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

Originally Posted by Fran

Hi Jeff,

Are you using 1.09 or the beta for VRay? The farm I use has cautioned me not to use the beta for projects I submit to them. I'd be curious if that is the case with these guys.

hopefully it won't be beta for much longer.

[Ernest Burden]

Originally Posted by Fran

The farm I use has cautioned me not to use the beta for projects I submit to them. I'd be curious if that is the case with these guys.

OK, Fran, I'll bite. What farm do you use?

[Fran]

Originally Posted by Ernest Burden

OK, Fran, I'll bite. What farm do you use?

EFX One. Gus is a great guy.

[Christopher Nichols]

Hmmm... sounds almost nicer then our farm... I bet they don't call you up an yell at you if your frames are taking to long too, huh?

[Jeff Mottle]

Originally Posted by Fran

EFX One. Gus is a great guy.

I beg to differ. My personal opinion of course based on the fact that Gus defaulted on an advertising contract and has taken months to even pay me back. They still owe me several hundred dollars on the advertising used and have defaulted on several thousand.

[Jeff Mottle]

Originally Posted by Fran

Hi Jeff,

Are you using 1.09 or the beta for VRay? The farm I use has cautioned me not to use the beta for projects I submit to them. I'd be curious if that is the case with these guys.

Hey Fran, yeah there was a problem, but Vlado was able to send me a fix, after I ran into it. The current 1.45.70 beta has a problem when multiple computers try to access the irrandiance map at once. What happens is the frames that get locked out do not get their GI added to the frame, only direct light. The latest version, 1.50 (whenever it comes out) has this fixed (possibly some of the other less pulic betas too) and it does not happen in 1.09. Contact vray if you run into this issue with the current public beta and I suspect they can send you the file.

The respower farm has this new DLL deployed and will be used when you choose the 1.45.70 vray version in the Wizard

Otherwise just use 1.09, all our other Smoothe offices recently downgraded back as they found the beta to be too slow in production for glossy reflections as well as a few other animation issues that I have not yet experienced.