Topic: Question about dedicated rendering computer

[JNieman]

I guess this gets split into two topics;

Software: 
O/S:
I assume the easiest approach is to install Windows and then the appropriate rendering software.  Is there any way it could have a more barebones operating system and just open files on our server and render to an output file? 

Rendering:
This will be Naviskworks and Autocad specific, and my question is this: is there /any/ way to get around the necessity of Autocad/Navisworks being installed on the actual machine, to be able to render Autocad drawings?  I see there is a standalone version of Mental Ray but it does not profess any interoperability with Autocad.

Hardware: 
More Cores, More Better, I figure.  I've never seen a machine have the bottle neck as anything /other/ than CPUs during rendering.  So would a single top-end processor be better, or would a multi-processor server board be better, to up the number of cores in a more budget-conscious manner?

[Matt__W]

Can you render in the cloud with AutoCAD??  Revit 2013 gives you the ability to render in the cloud (slightly lower resolution than the program itself) but you can continue to work.  I'd be surprised if AutoCAD doesn't have that.

http://rendering.360.autodesk.com/

[dgorsman]

Navisworks still renders with a single processor, so straight-line speed is the computer of choice (heaps o' RAM won't hurt either).  You shouldn't need AutoCAD on the computer to just use Simulate for rendering.  You won't get into render farm set-up without something higher end like Maya.

[JNieman]

Can you render in the cloud with AutoCAD??  Revit 2013 gives you the ability to render in the cloud (slightly lower resolution than the program itself) but you can continue to work.  I'd be surprised if AutoCAD doesn't have that.

http://rendering.360.autodesk.com/

Shoot, I forgot about that feature of theirs entirely.  Thanks for the reminder.  I shall try that for an animation test this afternoon.

[JNieman]

Can you render in the cloud with AutoCAD??  Revit 2013 gives you the ability to render in the cloud (slightly lower resolution than the program itself) but you can continue to work.  I'd be surprised if AutoCAD doesn't have that.

http://rendering.360.autodesk.com/

Just uploaded an etransmit zip file and it only does still image renderings, no animation.

I might see if a 'panorama' is desirable, but I don't see it being very helpful for me.