Multi Instance Renderer for Blender
Multi-Instance Renderer (MIR) Blender Add-on Script
The MIR (Multiple Instance Renderer) add-on, developed by KerkBOT / KerkLord, is designed to enhance Blender's rendering performance by leveraging multiple instances running in the background. This script introduces several features that allow for a more efficient rendering process by utilizing various GPUs and parallel processing. Below is a detailed explanation of how the add-on works, its features, and its implementation.
MIR Video Walkthrough
Features
1. Multiple Instances for Rendering:
- The add-on allows the user to specify the number of instances to be used for rendering, distributing the workload across multiple background processes.
2. Output Path Override:
- Users can set a custom output path for the rendered frames, enabling better organization and management of output files.
3. Frame Rendering Steps:
- The script supports rendering frames at specified steps, allowing users to skip frames or render them in a sequence.
4. Custom Frame Rate:
- Users can define a custom frame rate for the rendering process.
5. GPU Management:
- The add-on can split the GPU workload among instances, supporting both CUDA and Optix rendering technologies.
- Users can select the type of GPU to use and whether to split the GPUs among the instances.
6. Render Engine Selection:
- Users can choose between Cycles and Eevee render engines for their rendering tasks.
7. Clean Configuration Option:
- The add-on provides an option to run instances without any other plugins installed, ensuring a clean and isolated environment for rendering.
8. Preferences Panel:
- A dedicated preferences panel allows users to specify the path to the Blender executable, which is essential for running background instances.
9. Completion:
- The total render time is calculated and saved in the output directory once all instances complete their rendering tasks.
Updated Version Features
1. Use Single GPU:
- You can use this option to render using only one GPU. Go to the 'Single GPU' section in the MIR menu to choose the GPU. Press 'Update GPU List' to display all GPUs connected to Blender, then use the up or down arrow keys to select the GPU you want. Finally, press 'Set Single GPU' to make the selected GPU the active one for rendering with MIR.
2. Check the License Key:
- To use MIR, please enter your license key in the addon's preferences. You will receive the key when you purchase the full version of MIR. The DEMO version does not require a license key.
3. Use Separate Instances:
- This option, if selected, will open separate console windows when rendering. If the setting is not checked, then the rendering will all be done in the main Blender window using multiple instances.
The MIR add-on by KerkBOT significantly enhances Blender's rendering capabilities by utilizing multiple instances and GPUs in parallel. Its comprehensive set of features and user-friendly interface make it a powerful tool for artists and animators looking to optimize their rendering workflows.
Installation and Usage Instructions for the MIR
Installation
1. Open Blender:
- Launch Blender (version 3.3.0 or later).
2. Install the Add-on:
- Go to Edit -> Preferences -> Add-ons.
- Click on the Install button located at the top of the Add-ons window.
- Navigate to the location where you saved the Multi-Instance-Renderer--v1.0.2.zip file, select it, and click Install Add-on.
3. Enable the Add-on:
- After installing, enable the add-on by checking the box next to MIR by KerkBOT in the Add-ons list.
Usage
1. Set Blender Executable Path:
- Go to Edit -> Preferences -> Add-ons.
- Find MIR by KerkBOT and click the small arrow to expand the preferences.
- Set the path to the Blender executable. This is usually located in the Blender installation directory. For example, C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender 3.3\blender.exe on Windows or /usr/bin/blender on Linux.
2. Configure Rendering Settings:
- Go to the Properties panel (typically found on the right side of the screen).
- Click on the Render tab.
- Scroll down to find the MIR by KerkBOT panel.
- Configure the following settings as per your needs:
- Instances: Number of instances to use for rendering.
- Output Path: Custom path for saving rendered frames (if Override Output Path is checked).
- Render Steps: Steps between frames to render.
- Frame Rate: Frame rate for the rendering process.
- Override Output Path: Check this to use the custom output path.
- Split GPUs: Check this to split GPUs among instances.
- GPU Type: Choose between CUDA and Optix.
- Render Engine: Select Cycles or Eevee as the render engine.
- Clean Configuration: Check this to run instances without other plugins.
3. Start Rendering:
- After configuring the settings, click the Render with MIR button at the bottom of the MIR by KerkBOT panel.
- The script will save the current Blender file and start multiple background instances to render the frames according to the specified settings.
4. Monitor Rendering Process:
- The script runs multiple instances in the background. Each instance renders a portion of the frame sequence.
- The progress and performance of each instance will be recorded in the specified output directory, including individual render times and a summary of the total render time.
5. Check Output:
- Once the rendering is complete, navigate to the specified output directory to find the rendered frames and the render statistics.
Following these instructions, you can install and use the MIR Blender add-on to enhance your rendering efficiency with multiple instances running in the background.