If you could have your dream system? 2

[Razberryjones]

I have the opportunity to purchase/build a system of my choice. I currently have the need to produce the best high end renderings possible it the shortest amount of time possible. I am looking for input on what the best OS/ and hardware system would be to run Solidworks and any information on 3rd party rendering softwares.
Thanks in advance for any input!
Craig

 

[rockguy]

If your rendering a lot there is no substitute for processing power. All the cores you can squeeze into one machine (or multiple machines if the rendering software has network rendering capabilities) will make your renderings lighting fast. I just purchased a Dell 390 with a core 2 quad processor and it has greatly cut my rendering times.

Depending on what you're rendering PhotoWorks (included in SolidWorks Office Proffessional) may work well for you. Of course there are the common rendering softwares, 3D Studio, Maxwell, Alias Studio, etc.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP

http://www.axiscadsolutions.com

http://www.robrodriguez.com

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/rob_rodriguez/

Eastern Region SWUGN Representative

http://www.swugn.org

http://www.nvtswug.com

SW 2007 SP 2.0

 

[Razberryjones]

Thanks Much, I need as much advice as I can get, I'm not going to have networked rendering capabilities or be able to set up a "farm". I also have been very dissapointed with Photoworks this year and will likely resort to using Alias Studio and hopefully be able to purchase adobe creative suite for final touch ups. My company is interested in having me produce rednered animations for sales and marketing, and I've had a difficult time explaining than my single processor Dell 490 just isn't going to meet their demands. Can you tell me what your opinion is on AMD vs Xeon processors? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Standing]

Even More Graphics Power
NVIDIA sends us its most powerful graphics board ever.
By David Cohn

Check out the article, DE online at:

http://www.deskeng.com/ME2/Sites/di...B25756&AudID=2FC31F0C0A2E42978C555C9CA2D3F0EA

or look at NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600


Bradley
SolidWorks Premim 2007 x64 SP4.0
PDM Works, Dell XPS Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 5 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400

 

[Ripper2009]

I'd get all the above mentioned suggestions, plus a few of my own...then figgure out some sneaky way to make my company pay for the thing......

Thanks,

Rip


SolidWorks 2007
SP 4.0

 

[kcarpenter]

If money is not object, a new Dell 690 and an nVidia Quadro Plex. Load up the Dell with dual quad CPUs, lots of memory, and a set of fast SATA 10K RPM drives in RAID 5. If it even breaks a sweat doing your renderings you might as well start renting usage of a supercomputer at MIT.

See here:

http://www.nvidia.com/page/quadroplex.html

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Administrator
Invacare Corp.

 

[JMirisola]

I'll just take HAL...

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
SW '07 SP2.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

 

[kcarpenter]

Sure thing Jeff. But don't ever try to turn HAL off or else.

You have been warned.

Kevin Carpenter
CAD Systems Administrator
Invacare Corp.

 

[Ripper2009]

On second thought...I believe I would take R2D2.
I mean, he's just sitting around getting loaded on WD-40 now that all the Star Wars movies are done.
Maybe throw in C3P0 for comic relief!

Thanks,

Rip


SolidWorks 2007
SP 4.0

 

[Eltron]

I'd take Marvin (The Paranoid Android). Brain the size of a planet... 'Course you'd have to feed him a constant stream of Prozac...

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

 

[JMirisola]

Do you suppose Cherry 2000 could render?

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
SW '07 SP2.0, Dell M90, Intel 2 Duo Core, 2GB RAM, nVidia 2500M

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

 

[keepinitcool]

Boxx Technologies will sell you a 16 core machine if you need it:

http://www.boxxtech.com/

And as mentioned, Nvidia offers Quadro Plex for massive realtime rendering. Depending on your rendering program you may be able to capture the realtime render for you usage. Or at least realtime previews would be very useful and impressive.

 

[Razberryjones]

Thanks, I did have the opportunity to check out the Quadro Plex Box's. After wiping the puddle of drool from my desktop, I then checked the prices, 17,500 for the base model is sadly out of budget. It appears I will be allocated 10 K for a system, but this must include a new (Nurbs based) Modeling package/ and Rendering software of my choice. Although I do agree that R2-D2 is the way to go... !
Basically, my employers think that photorealistic rendering is a push a button and your done process, and I've done my best to educate them as where expectations meet reality. As for me, even If I do get this "dream" system. I really don't see where I will have the time to the rendering because I pretty much spend all my time working on designs for new product development. Anyway, they want Hollywood, on a Hooterville Budget, and don't want to hire anyone else. If it keeps up I will probably be looking for a new job, because I'm to the point where I'd like to say. "IF" I new how to do what they are askign me to do, I certainly wouldn't be workign here..."

 

[mx2street]

Details for my dept's new machines that I spec'd:

Dual Xeon 3.0Ghz
8GB ram (expandable up to 32GB)
64-bit os
Quadro FX 4500
RAID 0 SAS 15K drives

Price was ~$8K for the IBM Intellistation Z platform. Other vendors may vary.

And Spacepilots for all!

Tony

HP NW9440
2 GB RAM
Quadro FX 1500M (84.88)
Solidworks 2006 SP5.0
Solidworks 2007 SP4.0

 

[Razberryjones]

Thanks Mx2street, actually, that is very close to what I had configured on Friday for the potential system. But I think I need to throw in the spaceball too! Forgot about that even being on my wishlist.

 

[Theophilus]

I think if you could get Stefan to comment here, it would be well worth your while. He turned in some crazy benchmark numbers a while back (1-2 months ago with the new benchmark thread--from Anna, methinks, perhaps Scott). Fairly inexpensive, too, which would allow a bit more flex in the budget for the other items.

Meanwhile, I'm a big fan of Xi Computers because of the great systems and service I get from them. (They also do very well in the Cadalyst.com benchmarks.)



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.

 

[Razberryjones]

Thanks for the info, leaving room for software is a big issue, I'll check out the Xi systems as well. This whole process has opened a huge can of worms. The Marketing Dept, thinks everything can be solved by using a MAC... Oh brother. Thanks to all of the comments and research I've gotton a good grasp of the systems limits I can afford, but now I'm swimming when it come to the software end. No lack of Nurbs modeling packages to choose from. Does Anyone Use Lightwave 3-D? And if so, how steep did you find the learning curve, and is the rendering engine decent, or unruly and complicated? Best Solution? More Opinion needed.

 

[Theophilus]

Have you checked into Rhino? Lots of ID guys like that (although the output can be a bit. ..sketchy--at least in terms of final engineering documentation--with such programs), plus it has an acceptable rendering engine (not as good as PhotoWorks' Mental Ray engine, but acceptable). I think you've got lots of plug-in availability with Rhino, but that info might be outdated.





Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.

 

[Razberryjones]

Yes, I have tried Rhino, I like it for the most part, but as you have pointed out already, the rendering engine is sub par even to photoworks.
What I'm trying to find is something better than photoworks, a rendering engine that allows real time previews and does not abrubtly end your workflow.

 

[dgowans]

What I'm trying to find is something better than photoworks, a rendering engine that allows real time previews and does not abrubtly end your workflow.

You mean SWX2008 with its real-time rendered views? Sorry, couldn't resist..........