NoelCan unlike previous versions of Poser, P8 breaks the buckets up based on the number of threads you give it. So if you have a character with transmapped hair in the scene it seems to hang as you describe on the hair. But while your screen is not updated it has gone ahead and rendered the buckets past the head where the transmapped hair isn't. That is why you see the pause, rush ahead, pause. rush ahead. Why the last row seems to take longer then others I can't explain.

Gary

"Those who lose themselves in a passion lose less than those who lose their passion"