Thanks for all your comments

Because we thought that the G5 was the best machine on our network, and trying the rendercows network rendering before proved reasonably dodgy ( a couple of nights renders messed up ) we have been just using the G5 mac.  We planned to link the new macpro up to the existing G5 to (well at least, we thought, get DOUBLE the render speed)

It looks like maybe our G5 doesn't compare very well to the macpro - is our thinking right that it would be the best to link to the macpro for network rendering?

Would you folks agree that we really need to utilize ALL of the reasonably decent machines on our network for network rendering? ( I think it was before the fix of 5.11 that we had our problems - we didn't really try after that as we had looming deadlines!!)

again, thank you for all your input - it is v. helpful

The two macs that I will have ( the G5 one running OSX 10.3, the other macpro, the intel one, presumably running mac OSX as well ) they will be linked into a windows 2003 server ( our whole office is PC based apart from these two macs.

Will the macs work fine running togther as render farm over the windows 2003 network  -  or can they/should they be linked directly one to another?

Any help really is appreciated  - I do the graphics, draw the pictures, but could do with knowing alot more . . . . 
thanks for help so far

Presumably you'd have to by a new windows xp operating system to stick on it - is that how it works?

So having 4 graphics cards will really do nothing for the renders - what would anybody need 4 graphics cards for then ( coz it can take that many!)

also - will it be beneficial to link the 2 macs together to get faster overall animation renders
( ie macpro does 700 frames  plus G5 does 47 frames!)

Quote - And not to forget, most sense does an Intel Mac make when you run a UB version on it. Which means a Vue from generation 6.

I'm not sure what you mean re. the quote above - could you explain

Also - the mac would have 3 gigs + 2 graphics cards - how would that compare with your 4 gigs

Also also - we already have a G5 powermac - that could be hooked up to get faster renders?

If we buy the pre release now, is it definite that when the full version comes out, we won't be sent the manual, CDs, box etc ?

What is the reason for this?

I work with Clouseau - we're using a power mac G5 with a pretty reasonable processor - we tried to do network rendering over a hybrid network (all the others are PCs) but found it pretty unreliable and not much faster than doing it all on the 1 mac.

Will Vue 6 be any quicker at rendering - we are trying to do 30 second clips at 25 frames per second =750 frames - if each frame 5 mins long, will take 62 hrs (2 & half days)

Also, is Vue 6 'flicker free' even at low quality high speed renders?

( We are taking our AA settings way down ( 2 lowest / 4 highest ), making the picture a bit bigger than we want, and then resizing the frames in photioshop to use ITS anti-aliasing, to get quickest render times) see pic

Will Vue 6 be a big improvement in all this?

Ive found a way to save a "new" file - copy an existing file, open it, delete everything and its a file that has a name and a path, and is saved already.  All well and good in the mean time...

but can I copy a model, or existing objects in an unsaved file over to a file like this....otherwise I'll lose the model

Is there a copy - paste facility?   I haven't found it

Try using materials available in Vue5 itself

What kind of lighting / shadows etc are you trying to get?

Describe your desired final result

Also if you have the purchased version, you could try using one of the example files done by the pros, and delete their objects, and add yours in - Ive done that with satisfactory results

I'm a beginner too!

what kind of results are you trying to achieve?

The technicians at E-on in France, in my experience also, were very helpful and quick in response.

Every issue ive had has been successfully sorted

I have quite a different story - all my dealings with Vue have been very productive

I am based in Scotland, so the nearest e-on software tel number was France ( check their website)[ they speak great english!] - they have been very helpful with every request for help ( I recently had to recover some frames that i thought may be lost but they sorted it all out )

Try giving them a phone call?

I have had the 'sending textures' freeze as well - does 5.10 fix this problem?  I would like to utilize the hypervue as I have a network of 5 pcs that i can use - but i wont use this at the moment coz it has not been very reliable.

I would if it was - maybe 5.10 changes this?

Thanks for all help!

Much appreciated!

can you simulate wind within Poser, which will then be transferred across in your poser animation?