Rendering speeds with faster computer

[SJS 0]

I recently got a new MacPro 8 core 3.0GHz Intel Xeon machine with 32 GB RAM. My other machine is an iMac 2.33 Intel Core 2 Duo with 3GB RAM.

When I render the same file (VW 2009 ??radiosity) on both machines, I don't see a significant difference in the render times. I was kind of expecting twice the speed on the new machine... maybe too optimistic? At any rate I don't see a significant change.

When I run the activity monitor I notice the program doesn't take much of a bite out of the 32GB of RAM. Am I missing something here? Is there a compatibility issue?

[cad@sggsa 0]

http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=109367&fpart=2

http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=105239&fpart=2

[Dave Donley 137]

Hello SJS:

Radiosity processing is single-threaded.

Final gather and raytracing operations are multi-threaded, which is where you'll see the most significant gains in render speed with more cores.

[cad@sggsa 0]

Hi Dave

HUH??

Not quite understanding the Single and multi-thread thing there??

I do know that that they would be different in the the rendering of an image thus used for diferent types of rendering, but.

[monkey 3]

Hang on a minute, you have 32GB of RAM??????????????

what kind of computer can hold yet alone access that amount of RAM?

are you using alien technology?

[panta rhei 0]

Mac Pro:

Configuration Options

* ? Two quad-core processors (8-core) up to 3.2GHz

* ? One quad-core processor at 2.8GHz

* ? Memory up to 32GB

* ? Upgraded graphics cards

* ? Hard drive storage up to 4TB

* ? Up to four SAS hard drives

* ? Mac Pro RAID Card3

* ? Up to two SuperDrives

* ? AirPort Extreme

* ? More options

[Ray Libby 1]

Wow, my first two 4MB memory chips on my Power Mac 6100 were $240 each. I'm sure plenty of people here have me beat on computer history.

[panta rhei 0]

I almost had to sell the kids to pay for the 1.5 MB of extra RAM for my first MacPlus...

[Wes Gardner 117]

My first upgrade on my Mac was a 400K external floppy drive...

My second upgrade was a 30 Meg hard drive for $300 US

I was smokin' back then...

[cad@sggsa 0]

OK. So why have 32G of RAM??

From what I have picked up on the forum is that VW has a limit as to how much RAM it will/can use...like 4G is why more than enough.

[panta rhei 0]

There are other programs in the world... Some even use them.

[cad@sggsa 0]

and, your point is???

Still does not valid an answer as to why you would need so much RAM

[panta rhei 0]

I would not, but a friend of mine regularly works on Photoshop-files of 200MB or so and needs every byte of RAM he can get.

[cad@sggsa 0]

So am I coreect in saying that having 32G RAM will just speed up to process of working in programs like Photoshop as a friend of mine also works with files of that size. She is only running 1.4G RAM and never had it crash or any error "out of memory" issues, just extremly slow.

[panta rhei 0]

I wouldn't know if you're correct or not. Maybe VW & RW are programmed so that they can't use all available RAM, perhaps to be Windows-compatible?

And your point is?

[cad@sggsa 0]

Why have 32G RAM??....

What you are saying is that more RAM is needed with Photoshop, where it runs on 1.4G RAM with no problems other than being slow, does the added RAM increase the speed of other applicatins.

I need more RAM cuase I get a "out of memory" error, but run times are reasonable.

So now I would like to know from SJS, why have 32G RAM?

What needs that amount of RAM to run?

[monkey 3]

I have never ever heard of anyone using 32GB of RAM, ever. it must have cost thousands. And even with 200MB photoshop files, you would never use 32GB of RAM whatever you do, you would have to be using many many programs at the same time with huge files to use that amount of RAM.

[SJS 0]

Guys, please check Other world computing on their RAM prices...$1200 for 32GB, yes expensive, but not Apple's $9,000. Other software does use all RAM such as Cinema 4d R11 which uses all 8 cores and is 64bit. 20 or 30 seconds for a complicated render. not bad.

[mclaugh 0]

I have never ever heard of anyone using 32GB of RAM, ever.

And that proves what?

I have astronomer friends modelling planetary systems who page out 64GB of RAM on a daily basis.

[SJS 0]

Sorry people, I'm not going to involve myself in a pissing contest.

[cad@sggsa 0]

Other software does use all RAM such as Cinema 4d R11 which uses all 8 cores and is 64bit. 20 or 30 seconds for a complicated render. not bad.

Thanks for the explaination there. I understand that when running multipile programs it would be most beneficail to have as much RAM as possible.

To think back, not so long ago 1GB RAM was a break-through and WOW factor, now we have the need for 64GB RAM.

Where will it end?...512GB RAM with 64 cores and 128bit?

[monkey 3]

oooooooooooo, astronomer friends!!!!!