Hi All, 
I am not terrible  computer savy, but I am thinking of getting a computer for rendering only.
What I can't work out is what it needs to have.   I assume it doesn't need a sound system, but does it need a graphics card?  does it need much memory? you see my drift I hope.

thanks for any help, Susan

Any computer that is at least a P4 (any speed) makes an OK cow.  A faster P4 with 1 to 2GB memory makes a great cow!  Memory helps, but as long as it's a cow only, you only need enough memory to meet the minimum specs for the operating system.  You need a graphic card, but nothing fancy.  Also add into the price the network setup.  You need a router and a network card for the cow.  If you don't want /need a monitor for the cow, then get a KVM switch.  You need to be able to boot up the cow and be able to install software on it, so that means you need a monitor and keyboard.  A KVM switch just allows you to switch between your main computer's monitor and keyboard and the cow. 

peggy, thanks so much!!  that answers my question!

A few points: While the closer in speed to your main system the renderboxes are the better, with Vue the rule pretty much is that if a system can run the OS needed, it's acceptable. When I started my garden, the smallest box in the system was an Athlon 700 (the slot A Sega card type), with a glorious 384 megs of PC-100 SDRAM. It was slow, but it was stable (running Win2kPro). A router isn't needed (unless you are on DSL or Cable). Much of the networking info is already set in Vue and the cows. If you have multiple boxes, all you need is one of the 5 port switches. The HyperVue manager should find the external boxes just fine. If the box you are getting has a NIC port on the back, you don't need the network card; it already has one built onto the motherboard. Not only do you not need sound, uninstall any sound drivers; they will slow you down, as they demand a certain % of your resources that could be used elsewhere. If there is onboard video, then pull the video card, uninstall the drivers for that, and use the integrated solution. Unless you are planning to use the renderbox for other things, you don't need more than a minimal video capability. Once the OS and rendercow is installed, you don't need the CD/DVD drive and can disconnect or remove it. If you plan on having multiple renderboxes, you may want to invest in that KVM setup, only snag a cheapy 14" LCD to go with a separate mouse and keyboard. Most KVM switches have circuitry that fools the unselected computers into thinking that the mouse and keyboard are still attached to it, but the slightest power flicker can cause that mess up, locking up some or all of your unselected boxes.

Dale, thanks, thats very helpful!!!!!

Good info! Ive just posted a question similar. Could i ask a stupid question(my pc knowledge is small!) If you have 3 pcs, one for creating a 3d scene, and the other 2 for rendering, can you render on just 2 of the machines and not the main one, so i can continue to create scenes?

Thanks for this subject!

Yes, you can always choose which computer renders what. 

I also keep my workstation free from rendering as when vue renders i can barely do anything else.