Pixel Plow
Initial Setup
Windows Users
Download http://www.pixelplow.net/o297hfwegfga/PixelPlowAgent.zip
Extract the .zip file to an empty folder on your machine.
Run the “Pixel Plow Agent.exe” from inside that folder.
Mac Users
http://www.pixelplow.net/Mac/PixelPlowAgent.zip
Move the auto-extracted .app file to your Applications folder.
During the installation, you’ll be prompted for your agent identifier. Your agent identifier is: 160278644137094526717331
PLEASE take a moment to read through the “Getting Started” page before submitting your first render job: http://www.pixelplow.net/getting-started/
Other info
Cannot submit via plugin for Corona w/ R22. Can open in R21 and submit or upload in the Agent app and submit.
Redirecting Output
Output redirection gives you the ability to change where rendered results will be delivered. This is handy if the output directory you specified when you submitted the job runs out of room or is no longer available. It’s also great for scenarios where you want to submit a job from one machine, yet have the results delivered to another. Last, if the machine you submitted your job from dies in the midst of the job, another can snag the un-delivered results.
To use this feature, select your job in the queue viewer from the machine that you wish to have download the output. Then, simply choose the new output folder in the explorer/finder window that opens. All of the same output folder options are available: internal drives, external drives, mapped drives, and UNC paths. After picking the new output folder, any results that are created by that job that have not started delivery to the old machine/folder will be delivered to the new location. It’s important to understand that results that have already been delivered to the original location, or results that are being downloaded by the agent (in-flight), will not be moved/copied/redirected to the new location. Only un-touched, un-downloaded job output will be directed to the new agent/folder. Please allow a bit of time for the server-side changes needed to redirect output after making a change. It can take a minute or two for the new agent to start downloading output.
You are free to redirect the output of any job at any point of its progress. Output file handling remains the same on any and all agents that download output, with the output being purged from our system the moment your agent verifies successful extraction to your local machine.
You need to have the Pixel Plow Agent installed on her machine and logged in with your GUID.
Once logged in, you’ll see the jobs you have rendering and can right-click (apple-click) on the job and choose “Redirect Output” – she’ll be able to select a folder and then the output will be directed to her machine. She’ll need to remain logged in under your GUID until the job has finished downloading. This is how customers of ours who work in teams do it. You can also store multiple GUIDs in a agent installation, which is helpful for freelancers or team members who need to switch back and forth.
Takes:
- When submitting a job through the plugin, our system will detect the multiple takes and create separate jobs for each take.
- To install the plugin, click on the plugin tab in the agent, click on “set target folder” for the version of C4D you’re using.
- Navigate to the source of your C4D plugins folder on your machine, click “select folder” and then click install.
- Please note, that if you have C4D running while performing these tasks, you will have to close and restart C4D.
- Takes require setting render setttings in the take window.
- Only checked takes will be rendered
SuperRendersFarm
Advantages:
- Dropbox connectivity — all projects are already on their site. No uploading 🙂
- Good support
- Decent pricing
- You can select takes
Disadvantages:
- Clogs up dropbox with renders
- Renders are slow and a little mysterious in when they appear in DB
- Interface not reliable
- Don’t support tokens
- Don’t fully support takes (you can manually enter)
Notes
- Use frames per node = 1
- must enter take name manually
PixelPlow
Advantages
- Flexible pricing
- Feels powerful
- Fast download / upload
- Can send renders to another machine
Disadvantages
- Old school GUI
- We must upload each file, and each take seperately
- Does not support takes!
- No after hours support
- Must upload OCIO files with each project
- Totally illegible website
Notes
More:
MULTI-COMPUTER AGENT INSTALLATIONS
One of the unique features of our client software is that it enables you to install it on any machine, all using your one agent ID. Nothing special needs to be done or setup after installation for this to work. Jobs submitted from machine A will have their results delivered to machine A, jobs from machine B back to B, and so on. Output can be delivered to a machine that did not submit the job by use of the Redirect Output option in the Job Status tab. There is no limit to the number of machines you may have our software installed on, and you may have a mix of Windows and Mac agents deployed simultaneously. While this function was initially designed for studios, it is also handy for solo artists who have multiple computers.
List of Render Farms
https://www.findrenderfarm.com/filter/c4d+arnold/
PixelPlow
Drop and Render
Must have Drop and Render App and Plugin installed. Plugin to be placed in Maxon Plugin folder in Applications.
For Rendering in ACES:
Change filepath in Render Settings > Arnold Renderer > Color Manager > Config to OCIO config\\dar\dar\ACEC FILE\OpenColorIO-Configs-master\aces_1.0.3\config.ocio
sRGB color space and Render color space should now be set to Auto.
In Advanced Settings of Drop and Render plugin, type “OCIO” into Custom Plugin Version slot.
For Rendering Takes:
Create takes in C4D file and make sure they are all on/selected. Must have Token: $take applied in File Output directory to keep images from saving over each other.
Ranch Computing
Ranch Computing supports ACES 1.0.3
Install RANCHecker :
- Menu > Cinema 4D > Preferences, Click on Open Preferences Folder
- Unzip the RANCHecker contents into the plugins folder
- Restart C4D
- Input email + API key to Extensions > RANCHecker, find API key in user settings on ranchcomputing.com
We have experienced issues with banding, color space, over-exposure.
To avoid these issues, select 1 Node Rendering when rendering.
Downside to this is it causes very long render times.