Cineversity

I much preferred the old system of a Net Server and Net Client, as it just worked and I didn’t have to constantly sit here scratching my head wondering why it isn’t working right.  Here’s my problem:  I have the Team Render client installed on a couple of machines.  I can fire them up, load a project in the Render Queue, tell it to render to Team, and start rendering.  My machine will start rendering, but most of the time the others just sit there and do nothing.  They show up as active and ready.  I’ve disabled the firewall on them, made sure Bonjour was working, with little to no success.  Sometimes they’ll work, other times they won’t.  I can’t find any rhyme or reason to it.  Also it’s quite stupid about keeping track of what’s been rendered.  Numerous times over the past couple of days once I can actually get it to render on some machines, it’ll re-render frames that have already been rendered!  Even earlier today when I thought I’d bust out a couple of frames while I was away from my desk, I got my machine cooking, only to come back and find it rendering the first few frames again!  At this rate this animation will be done rendering this time next year!

Also, like the old setup, can a project start rendering across the network, then when another machine loads up the client, will that client jump in and start rendering?  Seems that’s not working so well either.

Hi Kenn,

Team Render is tough to troubleshoot via a forum, because it requires a bunch of log files and sometimes test files. Your best bet is to contact MAXON tech support.

We’re hoping to get a tutorial put together on troubleshooting tips for common issues, once we’ve had a chance to collect a list of some of the more common issues.

For now, I’ll tell you what helps tech support most when you submit the case:
- OS version of the “server”/“quarterback”/machine queuing the job
- OS versions of the clients/slaves/wide receivers
- network connection type (wired, wifi, speed)

For RENDER issues:
- provide a simple scene file that reproduces the issue

For NETWORK issues:
- enable TR logging in C4D by adding a text file called “c4d_net_debug.txt” to the application directory
- When you reproduce the issue
—Open the C4D Console (Shift-F10), right-click the console and choose “Copy All”, paste into the report
—right-click the clients and choose “Copy All”, paste into the report

Kenn - 01 November 2013 08:01 PM

Also, like the old setup, can a project start rendering across the network, then when another machine loads up the client, will that client jump in and start rendering?  Seems that’s not working so well either.

Missed this part the first time around. If you have a client already verified in your TR Machines list and it’s just offline there should still be a checkmark next to the machine. If it’s checked and then comes online, it’ll be added to the job. If it wasn’t checked or wasn’t verified in the TR Machines list prior to starting the job, it can’t be added in to the running job.

Rick Barrett - 01 November 2013 08:59 PM

Kenn - 01 November 2013 08:01 PM

Also, like the old setup, can a project start rendering across the network, then when another machine loads up the client, will that client jump in and start rendering?  Seems that’s not working so well either.

Missed this part the first time around. If you have a client already verified in your TR Machines list and it’s just offline there should still be a checkmark next to the machine. If it’s checked and then comes online, it’ll be added to the job. If it wasn’t checked or wasn’t verified in the TR Machines list prior to starting the job, it can’t be added in to the running job.

No, that doesn’t work.  I can’t even remove the “server” from the render job when I need to free it up without stopping the render, and the same with adding it back if I started the render without it checked.  Same goes with any of the network machines most of the time.

I’ll get with support and see if they have any suggestions.  I still think the old system was better.

I’m in he same boat as you Kenn
I have a hell of hard time had my render done ! for my parts is the skipping frames issue, the Team render skipping me like 200 frames over 500 ! and have no error or stuff like that in the render queue.
I agree 200% the older system (net render was way more efficient ! I hope Maxon will bring them back for R15, I fact it should work , I have open a lot of R15 file in R14, and if you dosen’t use any news features such as the grass grower, should work perfectly, don’t forgot to have a copy of your plug-ins on the slave machine !. But this is just a theory didn’t try it yet
I hope the tutuorial will be lunch soon,!!. I have send a email to the support but didn’t go further ! In fact my last request to the services didn’t end up very far !
Anyway Good luck

So far I’ve had some better luck with TR.  There may be a bug in the Render Queue that makes it act up.  So far I have two TR clients and my machine up and running, and doing single frame TR test renders all three machines are doing exactly what they’re suppose to do, no issues.  I wonder if rendering an animation using the Picture Viewer instead of the Render Queue would make a difference.  Still a bit ridiculous if that’s the case, but it’s a start.

Team render has worked great for me. I have four machines, all PC - Windows 7 Pro.

I did at one time have an issue verifying the machines. I opened windows firewall settings and allowed all communications with Cinema 4D. It solved the problem.

The only other issue I have had is updating textures. It seems the other machines sometimes don’t update properly if you modify or change textures. This has only happened on a few occasions. I simply restart the client on all machines to solve this.

I also ALWAYS, before I team render, open the “Team Render Machines” dialog box and verify all are ready to render.