Posts made by Shaun Tennant

Really depends man. Some days it'll be gregorian Chant, somedays it's metal type stuff or rock, most days it's hip hop, but I'll listen to pretty much anything, execept perhaps adult contemporary and the radio (yech!)

well, Durant - welcome. I have seen many familiar names hit the roll since this migration began, but for many, I expect a happieness that you are here, welcome and get creative!
(like I had to tell you!) By the way, what is your swollen blast capacity? I think right now I'm running about 42K to 46K SBU's which as I figure is about 0.794 SBC - but maybe I have the math wrong?

This is a difficult task to compare rendering software. I think it may be a better idea to have 1 model, with 1 view, expectation on creating the same materials look, and have everyone render it out using whatever they have at thier disposal.
I use VUE (haven't for about 1/2 year though) and I would think it would be appropriate to run this with normal settings, GI settings, GA settings and HDRI settings, with stock materials. Then set it up the way you would normally set it up, using your custom materials (trying to match what the model is supposed to be) and render your choice.
Times would be also needed for this experiment - how long to set up, how long to render etc.

I have often found that the strenght of VUE is that your render will look about 60% done as soon as you import it, and if you sub materials in, that jumps to about 80%... squeezing the other 20%.. well, that isn't easy, as well - Vue takes a loooong time... I personally feel that Artlantis looks too plasticy, but I've seen some cool renders done by ... Andrew? that change my mind... (forgive me, I've been away for too long). Kerky has always seemed harsh and heavy to me, but I've also seen some amazing stuff there too... and I'm sure Podium looks great when a master works...

This just seems like a lot of work to put together, and at the end.. I don't know what we really will have for comparasin..

Shaun

Chuck - good thread. Taiyo Yuden are generally very good discs, the best media in the world is Mitsui, but they are also more expensive too.

Keep in mind as well that your computer displays more screen area of a DVD than a standard TV does - so when/if you create menus, make sure to leave a safe zone of about 8% (yes I just pulled that number out of my butt!) so that your text and graphics show on every screen.

H.264/Mov files are not the way that you would ultimately like to go, when you create a DVD, you are outputting MPEG-2 - so better to keep it in that format if possible. Do NOT push your bitrate over 8MB/s, or it will not play on all machines - better to have it around 6 or 7 so that you don't get choppy playback on some machines.

High Def. HD-DVD is not really a great idea - it is dying off, Blu-Ray is the way to go if that is really what you want to do. Best not to invest time and money into a dying format. In short HD-DVD has less capacity than Blu-Ray, the main issue though is with the data transfer rate. HD-DVD can only put out about 30MB/s of video (36MB/s total on disc) and Blu-Ray can put out 40MB/s (56MB/s total on disc) - also Blu-Ray isn't restricted on audio, and can go completely lossless - whereas HD-DVD is not as good a format for audio.

Just a bit more info.

Alan, that is freaking hilarious! good on ya.

ha - Jeff- that's a reference I don't quite get - Haven't seen the movie, but I have a couple of friends who have talked about how funny it was? I just think it would be cool to ride a big cat Skeletor-style..

I'd still rather ride a cheetah - now that would be an adreneline rush.. will it be the speed that kills ya or the teeth and claws + animal rage? Safer rides may be a pronghorn antelope or a swordfish - they are both pretty fast..

Nick,Nick, Nick.
Have a great b-day.. I have a tradition on birthday cards of quoting a wise saying, so I will continue it here..(and this sort of goes along with the other thread too!)
"If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason." - Jack Handey

Have a great one..

Gidon,
I don't know if I ever mentioned, but I really enjoyed hearing from you, as you are there, and know more than most of us. I really value the spirit of what you say, and would be really jazzed to meet you someday.. Of course I would also like to tour around Iran and Turkey where humanity really got it's beginnings, but that will not likely happen either

actually I just realised something else too, there are so many knowledgable users here that there are a lot fewer questions.. seriously - I haven't seen too many "how do you do this?" or "where did this go?" or even "what rendering program is the best" type posts.

I can tell you that I am slow right now, not actually working on anything, so I haven't contributed anything really of value for quite some time.. but I still find a way to keep that post count up!

Just your imagination I would assume.. I checked in the view active topics under the last day and found that there were 2 pages.. so, that is positive, it is definitely not as slow as the SU forums though.. sometimes I've gone over there lately and there are 7 or 8 new posts in the last day... usually at least a page before - and sometimes up to 4 pages...

I guess it's time to chirp up a bit more eh? (Nudges Gidon in the ribs)

Thought I'd give a link to my blog - there are some photos of my daughter on there, and some text etc. I just started it earlier this week, so.. don't go expecting too much - I just wanted a place to connect with all my friends!

http://www.wagonlife.blogspot.com

Peace.

___t___p
I would like to buy a "U" please.
___t__Up
hmm, I'd like to solve please

Sketch Up
The lovely Ms. (V)andrea White-Glucker, everybody!

<I Like your Avatar!>

Nope - it's just you Eric.. you have to stop dreaming of Omar Sharif...

wow - Lewis, your skywalker avatar freaking rules!!! - I am laughing pretty hard right now.. thanks for that!

Your friend dresses as a pirate and has a spider hanging off his pirate hat? What about the monacle? He wear that too?? mustache and devil beard as well?

I'll say this - I wouldn't trust him. I wouldn't trust anyone that looks like my current pic either!

I have to say that I enjoy seeing the new images too! - Eric - you change yours almost as much as the sun rises! - it's great.. so here's a new one of me.. after growing a Ross Mac at christmas and then having fun shaving different parts.

Really glad to see you here Todd! Hold it down for Katy.

Don't forget an avatar - let's get a look at'cha - maybe from all those crime reports a while back..

Chuck,

You are about 2 minutes from posting images if you know what's good for you.!

I think you nailed it with your mention of becoming an expert.
Nicely done.