Arnold Gallardo

Huh? What's 'eScape'? Im talking abot LSRAD (command line) and LSCAPE (GUI). There is a big difference always if you use LSRAD vs LSCAPE. I have yet to see in my 10 years of use of LVS that is isn't a difference no matter how small or big the geometry is or how many luminaires there is.

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Arnold Gallardo
Visual Content Creator
Technical Writer

Author:'3D Lighting: History,Concepts
and Techniques'

del82

Another goodie from the Great Seismograph
http://www.cgtechniques.com/goodies/escape/

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del82

Tried it?

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del82

Can you explaint this a little?
Your saying that radiostity processing isnt posible using LSnet?

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Arnold Gallardo

By nature 'progressive refinement' which is the type of radiosity used in LVS with some proprietary routines implemented by Lightscape is not multi-threaded and will be hard to make multi-threaded without using a different kind of radiosity calculation. This is why MAx/Viz using a different kind so it can be multi-threaded.

In short LSnet is for raytracing only and for accelerating the generation of a frame render but won't help for 'solution processing'. Sorry this is a limitation of the render engine routine used. You have to remember that LVS is a two pass 'global illumination' solution meaning the 'indirect illumination' is handled by radiosity and the direct illumination plus reflection is handled by raytracing. The rendering of a frame AFTER solution processing is the part that LSNET helps a lot specially if you do alot of serial single frame animation output (i.e serial .tgas).

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Arnold Gallardo
Visual Content Creator
Technical Writer

Author:'3D Lighting: History,Concepts
and Techniques'

del82

Here is the first sentense from LSnet guide:
"LSnet is a utility you can use to split the processing of
images across multiple CPUs or across multiple
computers on a network."
Heres another one:
"You can also increase the ray tracing speed of single views by using
each node on your network to render a portion of the
view"
This somehow doesnt match to your story:
"but won't help for 'solution processing"

Are you shure you know what your saying, Judge?

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Arnold Gallardo

YUP! You can read all you want the way you want it. The nature of progresive refinement as implemented in LVS is not multi-threaded. You can wish but it wont happen. Generation of 'image' means rendering 'frames' and yes LSNET will help there but solution processing NO!!!!!

How many times will I have to explain this one again and again? There is a big difference between 'rendering' an image vs 'solution processing'. FYI I talked to the people who made Lightscape along time ago privately about these matters and sadly LSnet wont work with solution processing.

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Arnold Gallardo
Visual Content Creator
Technical Writer

Author:'3D Lighting: History,Concepts
and Techniques'

del82

Maybe I didnt understand you well, but heres my way of interpretating Lightscapes work.
There is radiosity processing and when its "finished" there is RayTracing.
Wonderfull thing abouth Lightscape is that you need to calculate radiosity only once and then you can RayTrace any view you want thus A BIG advantage for making animations.

Using LSnet, WILL cut down your RayTracing job and yes, it WILL cut down your processing time (radiosity calculation).

Yes, Im saying this because I spent whole day making tests and yes when you have 1GB memory in your computer and you use LSnet for processing with other 2 compters that have each 512MB ram, you become twice faster, like in my case form 21 minutes to around 11 minutes.

The real question is, are you experienced working with LSnet, JUDGE?

Also Lsnet takes advantage of CPUs Hyperthreading. It recognizes your CPU as two CPUs.
Raytracing job using HT, from 7:20 to 6:00 min.
Its not drastic but its there!

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Arnold Gallardo

Look I am not going to argue this with you anymore. In all the tests I have done LSnet will not accelerate 'solution processing' and yes I have only Dual CPU computers here (altho no HT ones). HT processes subroutines differently than traditional single core but dual cp setups. As much as you want to belive that LSnet does speed up solution processing what you might be seeing is the benefit of the OS being muli-threaded when using apps with GUI. My work flow is limited to using LSCAPE (GUI) for preparation and using the MS-DOS COMMAD/CMD of LSRAD to process solutions then use LSnet to reder frames out.

__________________
_ _ ______________ _ _
Arnold Gallardo
Visual Content Creator
Technical Writer

Author:'3D Lighting: History,Concepts
and Techniques'

del82

Sorry man!
Did tests, saw results, i jebem te u dupe tope, Lightscape and LSnet ROCKS!

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