Cubix GPU-Expander for Octane Render

[andrian]

I thought I had commented on this earlier, but I must have screwed something up. Anyway, wouldn't an animation import format like collada/fbx/rib fix some of the import/voxelising issues as it would load the animation at once versus separate obj files for each frame?

it would still need to voxelise, and, importing animation from collada into octane is no easy task. i don't think we will have that in v1.0

Radiance

Well at least can we expect camera animation in further updates (not after 1.0) that will not require re-importing meshes, arch viz animation with changing light intensity of materials (when we got emitters) , sun/sky animation and camera path animation inside octane?

off-topic : And what happens after v1.0 till v 2.0 in matter of cost? free updates or charged ? just out of curiosity.

[radiance]

we'll see what we do in v2.0 for built-in animation.
upgrade prices will be available for v2.0.
however where's still far away from v2.0...

Radiance

[ROUBAL]

Just a short message to come back to a question ask previously : I have just found in my box an e-mail from EricNV, who has currently some difficulties to login here. I quote his message below :

I wanted to let you know there are currently 2 different bus connections available: PCIe x8 and PCIe x1.

The differences we have found in Octane Render performance have to do with file loading times, but rendering performance itself should be equivalent once the file is loaded on to the GPUs.

Hope this helps clear up any confusion.

[EricNV]

PCIe x 8 slots, not PCIe x1 ! This has to be confirmed, but it is written.
But I read PCIe x1 connector card here:

Yes, the description at the Cubix Visual online store is correct. For there are now x8 options in the Xpander for Octane Render product upgrade page. I will add a x16 option when available. All are PCIe 2.0 spec.

Eric

[ycarry]

Well EricNV
I can at least add 3 Xpander with 2 GTX480 each to my cheap pc! (about $6500)
... now just need to find how/where find the money for such config

[EricNV]

FYI - Cubix is now shipping a PCIe 2.0, 16-channel version of the GPU-Xpander....starting at $1995 (no NVIDIA content) Keep in mind most current Octane Render users will be happy with the performance from the x8 and x1 channel versions which have already been shipping for the past 2 months. However, for those of you considering running Octane Render on multiple Tesla C2050s, the Xpander for Octane Render with 16-channel PCIe extension and 2 x C2050 cards is a bargain compared to what Quadro Plex with the same cards will run you....with the base unit's 8-channel extension.

We'll have a 16-channel version running Octane Render animation demos at SIGGRAPH, booth 1126 if you plan to attend.

EricNV

[crazyhorse666]

i thought the current nvidia drivers have an upper limit of 8 gpus that can be seen by the system is this true ?

also are there any othe manufacturers of pci expander boxes out there so we can chain 8 double slot cards together ??
Crazy

[EricNV]

i thought the current nvidia drivers have an upper limit of 8 gpus that can be seen by the system is this true ?

Cubix has had 10 GPUs running Octane Render on one workstation. The limitation is more OS-related than NVIDIA related, in my opinion.
EricNV