Return-Path: Received: from mout.perfora.net ([74.208.4.195] verified) by media-motion.tv (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.2.10) with ESMTP-TLS id 4897242 for AE-List@media-motion.tv; Mon, 12 Nov 2012 22:08:18 +0100 Received: from [192.168.1.107] (rrcs-24-43-70-42.west.biz.rr.com [24.43.70.42]) by mrelay.perfora.net (node=mrus4) with ESMTP (Nemesis) id 0MdaXE-1TxGpm0pZM-00PR2g; Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:11:29 -0500 User-Agent: Microsoft-MacOutlook/14.2.4.120824 Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:11:20 -0800 Subject: Re: [AE] Semi OT: Yet another mac mini render farm thread From: Tony Romain To: AE list Message-ID: Thread-Topic: [AE] Semi OT: Yet another mac mini render farm thread In-Reply-To: Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: multipart/alternative; boundary="B_3435570688_1220399" X-Provags-ID: V02:K0:FTMMLDk88n6x0TONQUdLJwnTKU86smFOYXzeWBdL00c g5aL55B0YNBqc21Wu+c/uw/WgTgj9AqVANVLMtKc61d2cPxSZ7 y7f9aVU5cjI3gB09sV1CIVha0c4dnnybD0mamd+t/Y+oj21s5E p5PBsIrJhG/o/QyO+9Xlz3ZEnE38wIIJTunciMkCDjPHXWb65H MjcivrIhlulDYMk6OEfimNVsptnuApYf1djGXWLxlrGttJd+Fp MZyO0d1Jbo+rpGYJsf/lfBpBkxcDskcDTkJB5AwNOBeiVzc7rA T1zIyzmjxZk5d9aRMVRetiM9IYUhO4C2PY+6+9D86rSXZ9wJrN 8cpx0lyLfH3zSQOAK2PQu/x47LsON9yB4EYyWMWUz6lMHPH7lV to7hpaWeGjN1w== > This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. --B_3435570688_1220399 Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable This is EXACTLY my same rationale. And just as you have said, the main pluses are low power consumption/heat and ease of implementing into a mac based workflow. RE: reliability. I think part of the budget factor would be getting applecare for all of them=8A again, it drives the cost up above a comparable setup. But I think the benefits may outweigh the added cost=8A --=20 tony romain | principal/creative director trance motion graphic animation and design 323 651 1114 www.trancedesigns.com From: Nathan Shipley Reply-To: AE list Date: Monday, November 12, 2012 1:02 PM To: AE list Subject: Re: [AE] Semi OT: Yet another mac mini render farm thread True. If I went this way, I'd mainly be thinking about something simple an= d on the smaller end that I could set up here in my studio and expand if needed. Frequently I could use a few more machines cranking on a 3D render= . For heavy rendering jobs, I usually just use Render Rocket (cloud rendering= ) and work that into the budget. But there are enough times that it would be helpful to have some extra juice that I'd consider spending $2 - $3,000 for some more machines here. The plusses versus a PC setup being that everything else I have is already OSX, they're small, they're quiet, low power consumption, they'd network together easily. Enticingly, the Geekbench score recorded for the late 2012 i7 Mini (11,656) is almost as good as the 2010 2.4 GHz 8-core Mac Pro I'm using (14,158 as m= y workstation). By that metric, adding three Mac Minis to my setup would be like having more than two additional Mac Pros to render with for about $2500. One of my main concerns would be about reliability if they're pegged at 100= % CPU usage for extended periods of time without some additional cooling/ventilation... --B_3435570688_1220399 Content-type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
This is EXACTLY my= same rationale.

And just as you have said, the mai= n pluses are low power consumption/heat and ease of implementing into a mac = based workflow.

RE: reliability.  I think part= of the budget factor would be getting applecare for all of them… agai= n, it drives the cost up above a comparable setup.  But I think the ben= efits may outweigh the added cost…


=


--
tony romain | principal/creative director

trance
motion graphic ani= mation and design
323 651= 1114
www.trancedesigns.com

From: Nath= an Shipley <nshipley@gmail.com>= ;
Reply-To: AE list <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
Date: Monday, November 12, 2012 1:02 PM
To: AE list <AE-List@media-motion.tv>
Subject: Re: [AE] Semi OT: Yet another mac mini render farm th= read

True.  If I w= ent this way, I'd mainly be thinking about something simple and on the small= er end that I could set up here in my studio and expand if needed.  Fre= quently I could use a few more machines cranking on a 3D render.  For h= eavy rendering jobs, I usually just use Render Rocket (cloud rendering) and = work that into the budget.  But there are enough times that it would be= helpful to have some extra juice that I'd consider spending $2 - $3,000 for= some more machines here.  The plusses versus a PC setup being that eve= rything else I have is already OSX, they're small, they're quiet, low power = consumption, they'd network together easily.

Enticingly, the Geekbenc= h score recorded for the late 2012 i7 Mini (11,656) is almost as good as the 2010 2.4 GHz 8-core Mac Pro= I'm using (14,158 as my wor= kstation).  By that metric, adding three Mac Minis to my setup would be= like having more than two additional Mac Pros to render with for about $250= 0.

One of my main concerns would be about reliability if they're = pegged at 100% CPU usage for extended periods of time without some additiona= l cooling/ventilation...
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