Just a quick question here. Why does Bryce(5.5c) use only 94% CPU when no programs are running in background,
and then use 100% when I turn on my MP3 player. This % is as I've sorta calculated around 6min time saved
in every hour of render(bad math maybe). Ive posted about this in Daz forum but no one seemed interested.Even
having Doom3 windowed in background running in game gave me a little back in render time(I was not playing though:)).I know Daz site said its better to run full screen in program than minimized. I think Bryce or my computer setup is the cause. Anyone else notice this. The render times reported were confirmed with my desk clock and report time in Bryce which were never off more than a second.My comp is AMD 3200+(754) w/1Gig 400ddr, Audigy 2, and nothing overclocked at all,no network. Ive read here that people are not getting 100%
use out of dual-cores maybe this might help as sure enough I get it when I run my MP3 in bacground. Task manager atleast says its 100. Sorry if this has been covered already, I did a search maybe I missed...
Thanks.

Got no problems here. Bryce uses 98%-99%, and the "system idle" ping-pongs the 1%-2% difference back and forth. My Winamp will spike a 3-5 percent when it accesses another mp3, or I double-click on a different one to play, but then when it is just playing, it shows 0% cpu usage. "Ive read here that people are not getting 100% use out of dual-cores" From what I have read, a program needs to be optimized to use dual cores(?), and Bryce 5.5 has not been so programmed. That's just what I have read on various forums. I am not versed in dual core tech. But, I do know from beta-testing that B5.5 didn't have any optimizations for HT, 64-bit, etc. AS

Dual cores are the same as dual processors effectively, and bryce can't take advantage of either. It helps multitask tho, because you can continue doing whatever and your bryce render will not slow down at all :)

What's frustrating is that DAZ was actaully showing images and speed comparisons between SP and MP renders before Bryce 5.5 was released. For some (as yet) unexplained reason they droped it from the final version. I too was a beta tester and I just loved the Mac SMP support. Even though it only reduced render times by about 33% that was really significant. It was rather annoying to go from -33% beta render times to + 15% final render times when 5.5 Mac was released. I'm still hopeful DAZ will offer a "dot" update to address this as well as all the other bugs they introduced. Best; Dan

Thanks all for answering,
I was just setting up my computer and trying to keep windows xp as clean as possible for
doing 3d apps when I found that the program was bouncing the render times. Agent Smith, Hi, I too have 98-99% usage but only when MP3 is playing music. When Im idle(no other progs running) I peak at 94% in Bryce, which falls inline with 186% for dual cores I was reading in a thread here(I meant to say 100% for each core).This would mean a good amount of render times being lost in dual cores even if the program was written for duals IMHO. Then again well have to see when they do code for dual core, but I was just going by threads Ive read here and there for people that got it working. This might be a little picky I know but my games use 100%(ok 99%)so why not 3d programs where processor helps the most?

well bryce probably leaves a bit of headroom for doing other things like word processing and internet browsing, because otherwise the computer would be completely unusable while rendering, because it would be 100% maxed out. When you play games you don't need that headroom, because the game is all-encompassing and you can't browse the web while in the middle of doom or halo. So IMO it's actually a nice little benefit that it leaves a bit of the CPU free for other minor tasks, if it didn't, you'd practically be without a usable computer for hours or days while your scened rendered.

We both forgot to mention what OS we were using. I see now you are using XP, I am using 2000 Pro (SP4) I also use the "Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Services" to disable absolutely anything from starting up with my computer that I don't need/use. I make my PC run very lean. These might make differences, not sure, but thought I would mention it. p.s.- I run an AMD 3000+ w/1Gig 400ddr, and an older Creative SB Live/Value, with drivers only installed (none of the extra sound utilities going) AgentSmith

Yes I believe, madmax you are correct, Daz, or somewhere I read, Bryce does this for that purpose, to free some room for programs to be run on the side. My bad I forgot to mention that I have 2 computers, 1 for render, 1 for internet and such. And that dedicated comp I wanted to be at 100% or close then just leave it and switch to other comp (maybe dual CPU time for me, that would work too if I had the $$:). As for the OS , yes there are differences as I used to have 2000pro (SP4) as well Agent Smith(it was an upgrade). Are systems probably run very close, but I noticed XP was far more responsive than 2000 IMHO. Im much happier w/XP and have only 16 processes running total in services.I guess I got critical ON these issues ever since I go to friends houses and see their superior systems running like a dog. I use very minor tweaks anyone can do and use Fix-It-Utilities to speed up my cleaning house. I hope my trip down Bryce road leads to people as helpful as you all have been and sites like this.Thanks again.

I decided not to upgrade until I decide to take the leap into a 64-bit OS. But, by the time that happens, lol...Windows Vista will probably be out, Bryce 6 will be out or on its way (which better be optimized for 64-bit, HT, dual core), and I will probably have purchased a dual core 64-bit AMD, since they are already becoming affordable right now. For these days, though...I'll most likely end up doing what you have done, in that I will take my old PC (AMD Athlon 1800+), re-build it, and use that for internet and general use, and this PC will be my main dedicated renderer. YES, Fix-It-Utilities! I've used that a LOT in the past years to keep my registry clean/defragged. I use Registry Mechanic these days. Good program also. AS

Here's my CPU and RAM stats on a dual 2.0Ghz powermac G5 with 2.5GB of RAM: I'm running bryce, quicktime, a web browser, word, excel, and itunes, it's staying between 120-130% no matter what i do. Woah...when I hit render my cpu usage DROPS to 110%...bryce is using more cpu to idle than to render...weird lol

I'll get a little techy - to utilise more then one processor the program has to be written so that it multi-threads, i.e. the overall program says cpu1 - work out this chunk of math, cpu2 - work out this other chunk of math, put your answers over there and come back when you're done. Without multi-thread the program just steps sequentially through every item on it's list of to do's and doesn't ever speak to the other cpu (or 3 or 4...). The switch in programming ethos is very likely to introduce bugs, which is I why I guess DAZ didn't include it in their 5.5 Bryce drop - they were probably trying to debug that code branch.