Monitors and workflow setup.

[anthonyh]

Hello all,

 

This is my first real post, I tend to skunk around the forums and don't contribute much as you guys are all so much more technically capable than I am yet!

 

This maybe a very silly question, but Im basically looking into adding an extra machine as a render node. Im ok with sorting out the specification etc, but just wondered what you guys all did for the display? Im assuming that for 90% of the time a monitor attached to the render node would be redundant, so do you just switch monitors over?

 

At the moment I run two machines separately:

 

- A mac pro for the material creation/postproduction work as it allows me to work whilst rendering

- Render client with two monitors as my vray workhorse.

 

Thanks guys, apologies if this is basic stuff, its a bit of a minefield to a relatively newbie! :confused:

[RyderSK]

Remote Desktop Connection (native in Windows, no app) works best.

[anthonyh]

Thanks Juraj - thats something I hadn't considered but makes sense.

 

In terms of network and material libraries, is it a problem to just keep all my materials on my master machine and share folders with the slave?

[RyderSK]

No it's not issue. It will actually make your life easier and faster for now.

 

Network storage provides better access to few 'users' without hogging your workstation, plus safer back-up.

But you definitely don't need to store anything on network.

[Dimitris Tolios]

As Juraj said, Remote Desktop Connection is the best option for managing multiple computers.

I have no idea how to set it up in OS X outside buying relative apps from Apple & Microsoft.

 

 

The easy, old-school way to manage 2 PCs, in any combination of OS, is a KVM switch. It connects to USB/PS2 inputs for mouse & keyb + display for monitor on both machines and with a hotkey function you an switch between them seamlessly. Actually there are KVM switches for more than 2, but the whole deal becomes too cumbersome as all machines should be within few feet / 1m or so for the cables to reach = already over the LAN connections are more flexible & you can have practically as many render nodes (or workstations, you can "work" remotely too) as you want, even in different rooms or floors (whatever your network infrastructure reliably allows).

[anthonyh]

Thanks guys.

 

Dimitris - don't need the remote desktop from the Mac, that is basically just used for post production. I'll use Remote Desktop from my master pc to control the render node. .

 

Machine on order - now I'm dreading having to get distributed rendering setup! Assuming all plugins etc will need to be on there too?

[notamondayfan]

Personally I like Teamviewer as I find it easier than MS remote desktop, and I can control a PC anywhere, even from my phone or tablet, which is great for checking on renders!

[anthonyh]

Hi Guys, I'm back with more problems I'm afraid!

 

Ive installed everything fine and gone through the whole setup process (including running a job with back burner), I've set up the correct servers etc within vary and tested them. Ive also renamed the paths of my materials to network paths, and made sure that the user root to material folder is saved in max. My network settings are all fine and all folders accessible from each machine.

 

The problem Im having is that when I come to render using DR, if i set to use only the node to render -the frame buffer just stays black, but the dialogue box time ticks away like its actually rendering (its not). When I tick the box for client render (in distributed render setup) it shows the buckets for the client, but none for the render node. Anyone any ideas?