Renderman Pro Server for OS X

[MacRumors]

Pixar officially announced (https://renderman.pixar.com/products/news/G5_release.html) that Renderman Pro Server will be released for the Macintosh.

The Renderman Pro Server includes RenderMan 11.5 and should be available in the 4th Quarter of 2003.

RenderMan Pro Server includes all the tools required for rendering images for film and video productions. RenderMan Pro Server is able to turn any server or artist desktop into a rendering machine

RenderMan Pro Sever includes: Pixar's Renderman (https://renderman.pixar.com/products/tools/renderman.html), Irma (https://renderman.pixar.com/products/tools/irma.html), and Alfserver (https://renderman.pixar.com/products/tools/alfserver.html).

RenderMan has been used for visual effects in numerous movies (https://renderman.pixar.com/) -- including Finding Nemo, Matrix Reloaded, and Terminator 3.

[theipodgod16]

awsome. im surprised to find out that they didnt always use macs, considering their relationship with steve jobs.

[Abstract]

BOOYAH!!

This doesn't help me at all, but good for the people who do.

[mattmack]

Originally posted by Abstract
BOOYAH!!

This doesn't help me at all, but good for the people who do.
Something tells me that pixar is about to abandon linux all together

[dricci]

Originally posted by mattmack
Something tells me that pixar is about to abandon linux all together

Yes.. right after they just bought a bunch of Xeons

[tpjunkie]

They go through renderfarm set ups fairly frequently....they need to remain on the bleeding edge

[xone]

I think a closer relationship is inevitable, which is a good thing!!

[Nebrie]

Originally posted by dricci
Yes.. right after they just bought a bunch of Xeons

That was months ago. Those Xeons are obselete With wads of cash from nemo and a need to stay cutting edge in one of the most processor intensive industry on earth unlike normal companies or us, they should be on yearly upgrade cycles which would mean whole new machines early next year.

[shadowfax]

this sounds like yet another tool by which i can heat my powerbook to ungodly temperatures.

[nagromme]

Aren't those Xeons leased? If so, and if they know anyone at Apple willing to negotiate a good price, a G5 render farm could replace those Linux boxes.

However, rendering in my experience wokd great cross-platform, and if all they need is the cheapest box than can run their app, that may well be Linux machines. That's great if so. Do the real work on Macs, then let the unattended math occur on whatever's cheapest.

In other words, I see Pixar moving to Macs, but it need not be a drastic, dump-everything-else kind of move.

[thedude]

pro server is great news. I just hope that RAT with MTOR soon follows.

[balconycollapse]

my guess is pixar will set up shop in virginia and offer to pay the tuition and salary of all employees of virginia tech with all the profits from "the incredibles" just so they can use that sweet little system they are building...forget cancer research/dna sequencing




---------------
howard dean in 2004

[LimeLite]

Originally posted by nagromme
if they know anyone at Apple willing to negotiate a good price, a G5 render farm could replace those Linux boxes.
You're kidding, right? Steve Jobs is CEO of both Apple and Pixar.

[actionslacks]

Originally posted by mattmack
Something tells me that pixar is about to abandon linux all together

No. But they are probably getting a sweet deal on some new hardware and I bet they will begin implementing Macs more heavily in their workflow.

Steve also really wants them to cut one of their films on FCP, but that won't happen for a long time.

Anyway, this is great news for me. Now maybe I will be able to convince our producers to switch over to ALL mac next season. I have been waiting for this release for a while.

[me_17213]

I'm just curious.
How much exactly does this Renderman cost?

[SpaceMusic_Guy]

Originally posted by nagromme
Aren't those Xeons leased? If so, and if they know anyone at Apple willing to negotiate a good price, a G5 render farm could replace those Linux boxes.

However, rendering in my experience wokd great cross-platform, and if all they need is the cheapest box than can run their app, that may well be Linux machines. That's great if so. Do the real work on Macs, then let the unattended math occur on whatever's cheapest.

In other words, I see Pixar moving to Macs, but it need not be a drastic, dump-everything-else kind of move.

I totally agree !! Definitely the best way to go IMO..........do the work on Macs and let the rendering be done on the cheaper PC processors (AMD or Intel).......which has the best bang for the buck with Raw Speed for rendering.

[Stike]

Originally posted by me_17213
I'm just curious.
How much exactly does this Renderman cost?

RenderMan price list (https://renderman.pixar.com/products/pricelists/index.htm)

Not too expensive, if you ask me... for the pro user, that is.

[Analog Kid]

Originally posted by Stike
RenderMan price list (https://renderman.pixar.com/products/pricelists/index.htm)

Not too expensive, if you ask me... for the pro user, that is.

I like the contact email address... :D

[mBox]

Ive been evaluating Renderman for the last 5 years between Irix and Windows. Last time I tested (Nov 2002 - Jan 2003), I ran into some tech problems. I got to know one of the tech heads and I couldnt resist asking about the possibility of Renderman on Mac. He stated that it would never happen cause the Velocity part of the chip is faux and could not handle the FPU that Renderman needs. Well times are changin I guess.
What exactly happened here? Is the G5 that much different than the G4? In the end, I still use Macs (waiiting for my Dual G5) for Digital Video, DAW and DVD Authoring. Windows for my 3D work. Not that I dont want to use it on the mac, but the costs of me moving apps across platforms (Maya is expensive), then wasting up the time space on that G5 would lead me to buying another G5 and throwing the Windows BOXX away.
Hehehe, not that theres anything wrong with that:O)

[x86isslow]

I dont see why anyone would find this as bad news. 1 negative rating? some ppl are

[macrumors12345]

Originally posted by mBox
. He stated that it would never happen cause the Velocity part of the chip is faux and could not handle the FPU that Renderman needs. Well times are changin I guess.
What exactly happened here? Is the G5 that much different than the G4?

Yes, it is. The Pixar guy was probably referring to the fact that the Velocity Engine does not support double precision floating point ops (i.e. two 64-bit FP numbers...right now the highest accuracy it does is four 32-bit FP numbers). Presumably Pixar needs double precision floats, so they cannot use Altivec.

Therefore, they revert to using the chip's FPU(s). The G5 has TWO high performance 64-bit FPUs. The G4 has one not-so-high-performance 64-bit FPU. That is a big difference.

[SpaceMusic_Guy]

Originally posted by nagromme
Aren't those Xeons leased? If so, and if they know anyone at Apple willing to negotiate a good price, a G5 render farm could replace those Linux boxes.

However, rendering in my experience wokd great cross-platform, and if all they need is the cheapest box than can run their app, that may well be Linux machines. That's great if so. Do the real work on Macs, then let the unattended math occur on whatever's cheapest.

In other words, I see Pixar moving to Macs, but it need not be a drastic, dump-everything-else kind of move.

I totally agree !! Definitely the best way to go IMO..........do the work on Macs and let the rendering be done on the cheaper PC processors (AMD or Intel).......which has the best bang for the buck with Raw Speed for rendering.

[MacRonin]

The Xeon renderfarm is leased...

There was a comment made by one of the Pixar folks at the last conference call/stockholders meeting about Pixar intending to switch their workstations over to G5s, and their renderfarm over to G5s when suitable hardware became available...

Make of it what you will, but it screams out G5 Xserves to me...

If not G5 blades, since they are replacing Xeon blades...

Gotta keep the footprint/heat index down...!

[Mr. Anderson]

Quite cool - I haven't played with renderman in years and I won't be getting it anytime soon. I'd like to see it become a more mainstream app, like Lightwave and Maya, though.

But at least its a start.... ;)

D

[agreenster]

Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
Quite cool - I haven't played with renderman in years and I won't be getting it anytime soon. I'd like to see it become a more mainstream app, like Lightwave and Maya, though.

But at least its a start.... ;)

D

I hope so too, but all must remember that RenderMan is a renderer only, and few people outside of the industry (meaning major CG geeks and hobbyists) would even care about using RenderMan.

Again, all of this doesnt necessarily mean Pixar is switching to the Mac platform, they are just selling RenderMan. (and lemme tell you, they make a killing. Studios have to have a liscence for RenderMan on EVERY renderbox, and at 3,500 bucks a pop, that aint cheap) I think there is a pretty good chance this will happen, but Pixar doesnt have any loyalties. If a Mac will do the job better than a Linux box and Xeon proc., then so be it. It amazes me every time people assume that Pixar uses Apple. They just use whatever works the best.

I know I post this pic all the time, but I feel its appropriate. Gotta gloat when the G5 beats a Xeon. (small number is better)

[MacRonin]

Originally posted by agreenster
...Again, all of this doesnt necessarily mean Pixar is switching to the Mac platform, they are just selling RenderMan...

...It amazes me every time people assume that Pixar uses Apple. They just use whatever works the best.

Correct, this (being the press release) does not mean they are switching to Macs...

But the statements made at the recent Shake Users Group @ Siggraph this year do...

And the statements made during the latest Pixar stockholders meeting/conference call also support the plans to move workstations to PowerMac G5s & eventually move the renderfarm to 'appropriate Apple hardware'...

I still say G5 PowerMacs on every desk, and either G5 Xserves or G5 blades for the next renderfarm; as soon as Apple can provide the boxes...

Great PR, all around!

[agreenster]

Originally posted by MacRonin
And the statements made during the latest Pixar stockholders meeting/conference call also support the plans to move workstations to PowerMac G5s & eventually move the renderfarm to 'appropriate Apple hardware'...


No *****? Got a link?

I'd like to see G5's on every desk as well. What I'd REALLY like to see is ME behind a desk at Pixar...... ;)


<-------- aspiring 3D artist

[MacRonin]

Not offhand, but check the message boards over at the Yahoo Financial section, under the PIXR listing (duh)...

Would love it if someone could come up with minutes of the meeting...

[garymm]

I thought the matrix reloaded was done with mental ray, not renderman. I read this in "wired" magazine.

[SumDumGuy]

I like the educational pricing! From $3500 down to $875. LINK (https://renderman.pixar.com/products/pricelists/educational.html)

[agreenster]

Originally posted by garymm
I thought the matrix reloaded was done with mental ray, not renderman. I read this in "wired" magazine.

Yeah. Um, I mean no. Right now 6 (six) different studios are working on Revolutions and its ALL renderman.

This is absolute fact. Maybe some shots are mental ray. But 99 percent is renderman