What the . . . Render help!
 

Okay, I'm stuck.

I've got 1 file, I'm trying to render it on 3 machines. The only difference I've made is in the Render Globals I've divied up the frame numbers, so CPU 1 is rendering 1-100, CPU 2 is doing 101-200, etc.

Well, CPU 2 is working fine. It's cranking 'em right out.

CPU 1 and 3 are hanging up on the first frame they try to render. It starts, it even creates the file (1k), and then it stayed hung up on 0%. I've let them sit and they just stay there.

I'm at work, so the 3 machines I'm using are identical in performance/setup.

I'm not getting any errors, so I have no idea what's wrong. All three machines render just fine with Maya Software, but 1 and 3 get hung up with MR. What gives?

P.S. I've tried rendering the same frame set as CPU 2 on others, and that's not working. So we know it's not just certain frames that it likes or doesn't like.

I'm now trying to do this on a 4th computer (my own, at home). This time, when I try to batch render, it gives me:

"// Error: Could not create command port : jeff:7835"

My name is Jeff, so I'm not sure what it's trying to access here but it sounds like a permissions thing? Ugh. Help?

First off, try rebooting your computer. If that doesn't work, you may have a firewall or anti-virus program blocking the port so you wanna straighten that out. You may want to disconnect from the internet and disable your anti-virus stuff while rendering. If that doesn't work rendering from the comand line should do the trick.

Thanks, I'll look into the firewall/anti-virus stuff.

Is there a way to render from the command line when rendering with Mental Ray? I've been looking for a solution to that all day. Everything I try, I still end up with images rendered with Maya Software renderer.

Batch Rendering Farm: http://www.lamrug.org/presentations/...nder_farm_.htm

As for he command line render go Start->Run and type cmd. Go to your scene directory and then type
render -r mr FILENAMEHERE.mb
-r tells the comp that you're gonna pick a render type and mr is mental ray. Good luck.

Seriously, thanks so much. That saved me a lot of time. Here goes nuthin!