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| Architosh News Reports | |
| Architosh Staff (info@architosh.com) |
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RenderDrive Hardware Appliance, Macintosh Support Notes
Architosh noted the new RenderDrive hardware rendering appliance in our earlier Mac AEC Siggraph report. Since that time Advanced Rendering Technologies, ART, has shared more information about RenderDrive and the Mac with us. Here is what we have learned. First, RenderDrive is a hardware rendering box that consists of ART's ray tracing processors. The "Rendering Appliance" as they call it, interfaces with workstations over an Ethernet network where a rendering program such as 3D Studio Max would access the device for accelerated rendering work. RenderDrive is meant as a substitute for a rendering farm. The device hardware is platform independent and thus could theoretically support Macintosh workstations. ART told us that at the moment RenderDrive only supports PC's running 3D Studio Max and 3D Studio Viz:
When asked if there were any Macintosh supported software developers interested in the RenderDrive technology -- like form-z, Electric Image, Strata Studio Pro, etc., they responded:
"At one time or another, we have spoken at length with most major 3D application developers. However, I can't provide any specific details at this time other than AliasWavefront and ART have committed to working together to develop a seamless interface for Maya." Technically RenderDrive is fully independent of the hardware and software a 3D professional is using because it sits on a standard TCP/IP network (no classic AppleTalk support) and "therefore (rather like a printer) is capable of running along side" various workstations like Irix, NT, Macintosh, UNIX, etc.. RenderDrive uses the RenderMan scene description language -- "which is rather like a 3D version of PostScript" -- and can be used with any application which can support this file standard. Many 3D applications, including Mac applications, support the RenderMan file standard. ART mentioned:
The Push Toward Cross-Platform Networks ART reiterated that it is important that RenderDrive be platform independent because more and more studios are using combinations of 3D design applications on different hardware. RenderDrive provides a common way to harness the power of a rendering farm in one simple appliance on the network, thus allowing studios and designers to use whichever 3D application and hardware best suits their rendering task. RenderPipe, which is the software that makes the RenderDrive work with your 3D applications is application specific (not OS specific) and can be developed by either ART or the application developer or third party. Mac users looking for the power of a rendering farm in one simple device should contact their software developers and request this support. Lastly, ART admitted that they are seeing a lot of interest in RenderDrive from the A/E/C market, so this powerful device is not just for entertainment studios but also for any firm in AEC that specializes in high-end renderings and advanced multimedia work. For more information on RenderDrive click here. Other Architosh News Architosh Survey: Reader Help Requested [aug 26] RenderDrive Hardware Appliance, Macintosh Support Notes [aug 26] AppleCool: What's Cool at Apple.com Now! [26] Multimedia Training for MiniCAD VectorWorks [26] Macintosh AEC at Siggraph '99 - Part 2/2 - page 1 [aug 23]
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