The Mac FAQ

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  • EsemwyEsemwy Posts: 578
    Totte said:
    Scavenger said:

    Not yet...I've been meaning to look at the eGPU stuff in it, see what it all means..haven't had a chance.

    With 10.13 (which I still haven't put into any system yet), there are built in drivers for GPU expansion over Thunderbolt, so no moren  hacky KEXT to get it to work according to those who knows.

    Still a bit of hacky KEXT stuff since the Nvidia Web Drivers don’t support the new eGPU API yet. The method I used is simpler than in the past, but you still have to disable some protections to make it work.

    As a bonus, macOS 10.13 will no longer load the Nvidia driver on old mac pros (tower) unless you allow it under “Security & Privacy” first. 

  • MBuschMBusch Posts: 547

    I posted this benchmark results in Daz 3D Introduces dForce Physics Engine thread, but I think is a more useful information in this thread.

    I am pretty sure that the latest web driver for macOS 10.12.x (NVIDIA Web Driver 378.05.05.25f01) doesn't speed up the simulation. I am running DS on my Mac Pro (early 2008), Dual Quad-Core 2.8Ghz with NVidia GeForce GTX 1070 and ATI Radeon 5870. Radeon is driving my 2 displays and GTX is reserrved just to rendering. The simulation is very slow compared to DS running on Windows in the same Mac Pro using Bootcamp. Below a table with some benchmarks which shows a very poor simulation perfomance in DS on macOS. Seems to me, that GTX is not being used at all in the simulation on macOS.

    dForce Simultaion Benchmarks
    Scene 01
      macOS 10.12.6 Windows 10 v.1709
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 16:32 1:15
    ATI Radeon HD 5870 9:52 6:13
    Intel Xeon Dual Quad Core 2.8 Ghz 18:42 11:58
    Scene 02
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 37:09 1:51
    ATI Radeon HD 5870 22:56 17:55
    Intel Xeon Dual Quad Core 2.8 Ghz 37:09 32:48
    Scene 01
    Scene 02
  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,972

    Interesting indeed. 

  • Geminii23Geminii23 Posts: 1,327
    edited November 2017
    MBusch said:

    I posted this benchmark results in Daz 3D Introduces dForce Physics Engine thread, but I think is a more useful information in this thread.

    I am pretty sure that the latest web driver for macOS 10.12.x (NVIDIA Web Driver 378.05.05.25f01) doesn't speed up the simulation. I am running DS on my Mac Pro (early 2008), Dual Quad-Core 2.8Ghz with NVidia GeForce GTX 1070 and ATI Radeon 5870. Radeon is driving my 2 displays and GTX is reserrved just to rendering. The simulation is very slow compared to DS running on Windows in the same Mac Pro using Bootcamp. Below a table with some benchmarks which shows a very poor simulation perfomance in DS on macOS. Seems to me, that GTX is not being used at all in the simulation on macOS.

    dForce Simultaion Benchmarks
    Scene 01
      macOS 10.12.6 Windows 10 v.1709
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 16:32 1:15
    ATI Radeon HD 5870 9:52 6:13
    Intel Xeon Dual Quad Core 2.8 Ghz 18:42 11:58
    Scene 02
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 37:09 1:51
    ATI Radeon HD 5870 22:56 17:55
    Intel Xeon Dual Quad Core 2.8 Ghz 37:09 32:48
    Scene 01
    Scene 02

    It's pretty dissapointing that iRay rendering seems so slow on ATI for iRay renders.  I recently got a 2013 Mac Pro 8-core with the Dual D700 GPUs.  For just about everything except DAZ the system works pretty good.  I still haven't tried using Reality yet as an alternative to Iray, but it is on my to-do list.

    Now that Mac is allowing for native eGPU support, I really am wanting to go that route to get a boost for DAZ if possible.  I am hestitant to upgrade to the new DAZ though and more hestitant to upgrade to High Sierra yet.

    Post edited by Geminii23 on
  • MBuschMBusch Posts: 547

    Well, my post it's not about Iray, which runs fast and smooth in my Mac Pro early 2008. When rendering, using my NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, there are no difference in performance between DAZ Studio on macOS or on Windows 10, both OSes running in the same Mac Pro. dForce is another story.

    There are a huge difference in performance between OSses, doesn't matter which device you set to run the simmulation. As the simmulation engine don't use CUDA, the problem seems OpenCL implemantation in the NVIDIA driver for macOS, but it also doen't explain why the perfomance in macOS is slower when using the Xeon CPU or my ATI Radeon card.

    Iray is a NVIDIA product licensed to DAZ Studio, so it's optimized to run on NVIDIA cards and their CUDA processors. You ATI D700 cards never will gonna get better performance with Iray. Lux, the render engine used by Reality, can be faster because it uses OpenCL to accelarate the render calculations, but it's a completly different beast. A good beast by the way.

  • Geminii23Geminii23 Posts: 1,327
    MBusch said:

    Well, my post it's not about Iray, which runs fast and smooth in my Mac Pro early 2008. When rendering, using my NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, there are no difference in performance between DAZ Studio on macOS or on Windows 10, both OSes running in the same Mac Pro. dForce is another story.

    There are a huge difference in performance between OSses, doesn't matter which device you set to run the simmulation. As the simmulation engine don't use CUDA, the problem seems OpenCL implemantation in the NVIDIA driver for macOS, but it also doen't explain why the perfomance in macOS is slower when using the Xeon CPU or my ATI Radeon card.

    Iray is a NVIDIA product licensed to DAZ Studio, so it's optimized to run on NVIDIA cards and their CUDA processors. You ATI D700 cards never will gonna get better performance with Iray. Lux, the render engine used by Reality, can be faster because it uses OpenCL to accelarate the render calculations, but it's a completly different beast. A good beast by the way.

    Yeah, I definitely am going to explore Reality and Lux.  That and probably just stick with 3Delight and postwork in Photoshop.

  • Is there a way to recover Iray canvases after a crash? My Mac froze while rending a big projct—and because I don't have a Nvidia card, this was over 24 hours of rendering lost. I was using canvases. Are those recoverable? Or the image file sent to the rendering viewer? After rebooting, DS started to reopen, but I forced it to quit before it finished in hopes of preserving whatever cached files might remain. (I'm using the DS 4.10 on High Siera)

  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,972

    Best guess in somewhere in ~/Library/Application Support/DAZ 3D/Studio4

    I don't really know how canvases are stored though.

  • Totte said:

    Best guess in somewhere in ~/Library/Application Support/DAZ 3D/Studio4

    I don't really know how canvases are stored though.

    /Temp/Render, I think - same as the r.png file for the main render.

  • That was it—canvases and all. Thanks! I still lost a lot of rendering, but not was able to recover something and work with it.

  • Hello,

    I have an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2048 MB.

    Is there any way of changing to an NVIDIA graphics card? Not too hopefull here.

    Alternatively I could work on the iMac and render on a Windows machine - how can I connect both machines to the same external drive?

    I am no expert in this stuff, any help or suggestions from someone knowlegeable would be gratefully received.

  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,972
    Patroklos said:

    Hello,

    I have an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2048 MB.

    Is there any way of changing to an NVIDIA graphics card? Not too hopefull here.

    Alternatively I could work on the iMac and render on a Windows machine - how can I connect both machines to the same external drive?

    I am no expert in this stuff, any help or suggestions from someone knowlegeable would be gratefully received.

    There are expander bozes available via Thunderbolt, not that I have dabbled with that (I stick with my old 2012 MacPros), och you setup a Linux box with an Iray server on and GPUs and render through that ;-)

  • Totte said:
    Patroklos said:

    Hello,

    I have an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2048 MB.

    Is there any way of changing to an NVIDIA graphics card? Not too hopefull here.

    Alternatively I could work on the iMac and render on a Windows machine - how can I connect both machines to the same external drive?

    I am no expert in this stuff, any help or suggestions from someone knowlegeable would be gratefully received.

    There are expander bozes available via Thunderbolt, not that I have dabbled with that (I stick with my old 2012 MacPros), och you setup a Linux box with an Iray server on and GPUs and render through that ;-)

    That might be ideal, if it means what I think it means, can you (or anyone) explain a bit more for a non techie like me.

    Thanks

  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,972

    Which of the options?

  • The expander sounds the simpler option, I have chatted to Apple, but their man seemed not to know much about it and mentioned a Cubix Xpander, this is physically rather large and costs around $3800, which is a fair amount more than I want to pay.

    I wonder if you know which hardware I might consider, or where I might go to get advice?

    Thanks

  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,972

    All I know, they are costy, and some require some "hacking" and cheap one can burn your graphics card (I know two people who have set them on fire, litterly)

    I know there was a thread about that..

  • That sounds a little less hopeful.

    Possibly I will get a windows pc for Daz.

  • Maybe file sharing would be done using memory cards moved between the machines?

  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,972
    Patroklos said:

    Maybe file sharing would be done using memory cards moved between the machines?

    As you need the content installed on both machines to be able to render it, (and remember you cannot move files using the old .daz format between systems), only poser formats of  DS .duf items. 

     

  • Thanks

  • Geminii23Geminii23 Posts: 1,327
    Totte said:
    Patroklos said:

    Hello,

    I have an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2048 MB.

    Is there any way of changing to an NVIDIA graphics card? Not too hopefull here.

    Alternatively I could work on the iMac and render on a Windows machine - how can I connect both machines to the same external drive?

    I am no expert in this stuff, any help or suggestions from someone knowlegeable would be gratefully received.

    There are expander bozes available via Thunderbolt, not that I have dabbled with that (I stick with my old 2012 MacPros), och you setup a Linux box with an Iray server on and GPUs and render through that ;-)

    I would love to know how to setup an iRay render box.  I have my old Hackintosh (i7 6-Core with Dual Nvidia GTX 760 4Gb cards) just collecting dust here.  Didn't know if I shoudl install Windows on it or just sell it.

  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,972
    Geminii23 said:
    Totte said:
    Patroklos said:

    Hello,

    I have an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2048 MB.

    Is there any way of changing to an NVIDIA graphics card? Not too hopefull here.

    Alternatively I could work on the iMac and render on a Windows machine - how can I connect both machines to the same external drive?

    I am no expert in this stuff, any help or suggestions from someone knowlegeable would be gratefully received.

    There are expander bozes available via Thunderbolt, not that I have dabbled with that (I stick with my old 2012 MacPros), och you setup a Linux box with an Iray server on and GPUs and render through that ;-)

    I would love to know how to setup an iRay render box.  I have my old Hackintosh (i7 6-Core with Dual Nvidia GTX 760 4Gb cards) just collecting dust here.  Didn't know if I shoudl install Windows on it or just sell it.

    Iray Sewrver works on Windows or Linux (it do cost / year ):
    http://www.nvidia.com/object/iray-server.html

     

  • Geminii23Geminii23 Posts: 1,327
    Totte said:
    Geminii23 said:
    Totte said:
    Patroklos said:

    Hello,

    I have an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2048 MB.

    Is there any way of changing to an NVIDIA graphics card? Not too hopefull here.

    Alternatively I could work on the iMac and render on a Windows machine - how can I connect both machines to the same external drive?

    I am no expert in this stuff, any help or suggestions from someone knowlegeable would be gratefully received.

    There are expander bozes available via Thunderbolt, not that I have dabbled with that (I stick with my old 2012 MacPros), och you setup a Linux box with an Iray server on and GPUs and render through that ;-)

    I would love to know how to setup an iRay render box.  I have my old Hackintosh (i7 6-Core with Dual Nvidia GTX 760 4Gb cards) just collecting dust here.  Didn't know if I shoudl install Windows on it or just sell it.

    Iray Sewrver works on Windows or Linux (it do cost / year ):
    http://www.nvidia.com/object/iray-server.html

     

    So if I am reading it correct, iRay Server itself (is that all DAZ requires?) is $295 a year.  Hmmm.  Do you know how it works?  IE - Would it be like having both the client and server rendering together?

  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,972
    Geminii23 said:
    Totte said:
    Geminii23 said:
    Totte said:
    Patroklos said:

    Hello,

    I have an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014), AMD Radeon R9 M290X 2048 MB.

    Is there any way of changing to an NVIDIA graphics card? Not too hopefull here.

    Alternatively I could work on the iMac and render on a Windows machine - how can I connect both machines to the same external drive?

    I am no expert in this stuff, any help or suggestions from someone knowlegeable would be gratefully received.

    There are expander bozes available via Thunderbolt, not that I have dabbled with that (I stick with my old 2012 MacPros), och you setup a Linux box with an Iray server on and GPUs and render through that ;-)

    I would love to know how to setup an iRay render box.  I have my old Hackintosh (i7 6-Core with Dual Nvidia GTX 760 4Gb cards) just collecting dust here.  Didn't know if I shoudl install Windows on it or just sell it.

    Iray Sewrver works on Windows or Linux (it do cost / year ):
    http://www.nvidia.com/object/iray-server.html

     

    So if I am reading it correct, iRay Server itself (is that all DAZ requires?) is $295 a year.  Hmmm.  Do you know how it works?  IE - Would it be like having both the client and server rendering together?

    Look under the Advanced Render Settings Iray / Bridge Beta, there is how you conenct DS to it, You send stuff to itm, it renders.

     

  • can any one give me a link for downloading hexagon 3d modeling software for MAC 64bit ?

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,583

    can any one give me a link for downloading hexagon 3d modeling software for MAC 64bit ?

    Currently Hexagon is only available in 32-bit.  64-bit is being worked on.

  • Geminii23Geminii23 Posts: 1,327

    can any one give me a link for downloading hexagon 3d modeling software for MAC 64bit ?

    Currently Hexagon is only available in 32-bit.  64-bit is being worked on.

    So Hexagon is being made to work on new Mac now?  From what I understood it hasn't worked on the last few versions of MacOS.  Would be nice to finally give it a try.

  • zug22zug22 Posts: 73

    I have a Mac Pro (2012) with dual 6 core CPUs and I bought a GTX 980 Ti from Macvidcards.com (flashed to work on a Mac) for it so I could use Iray. This worked okay while I stuck with OSX 10.10 and 10.11 with DS 4.8 but every time I tried to update DAZ it seems to not install a CMS or would not let me create or recreate my content filing system. The only way I got a new CMS that worked was when I installed 10.13 but then for some reason the Nvidia card would not work with it despite having the updated drivers. This has forced me to choose either DAZ or Apple and I know who's going to lose.

    Having seen the above post and noted how much faster iray runs on Win 10 (and the problems I have had with getting a Mac to talk nice with its Nvidia card)  it looks like my next computer will be Windows. 

    How hard is it to transfer all my existing content (both bought files and my own work made using those fles) to a Windows format drive?  Is it even possible for my created files ? I know I can download pretty much all of my purchased content again but it would be nice not to need to recreate everything again.

    Thanks

     

  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,972
    zug22 said:

    I have a Mac Pro (2012) with dual 6 core CPUs and I bought a GTX 980 Ti from Macvidcards.com (flashed to work on a Mac) for it so I could use Iray. This worked okay while I stuck with OSX 10.10 and 10.11 with DS 4.8 but every time I tried to update DAZ it seems to not install a CMS or would not let me create or recreate my content filing system.

    CMS update - is that the postgres CMS update failing? What CMS did you run under 4.8? Were you still stuck with the Valentina one? That should not be a problem at all. it can be that after you installed DS, a system update changed the privilegies on certain folders. 

    zug22 said:

    The only way I got a new CMS that worked was when I installed 10.13 but then for some reason the Nvidia card would not work with it despite having the updated drivers. This has forced me to choose either DAZ or Apple and I know who's going to lose.

    Stranger indeed. nVidia driver (WebDriver) works with 10.13, just needs to get the correct one, and first install the driver, then update Cuda. There is some issues some people have experienced There is a thread here about that and the solution, look at it: with updating nVidia drivers. https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/3009901
     

    zug22 said:

    Having seen the above post and noted how much faster iray runs on Win 10 (and the problems I have had with getting a Mac to talk nice with its Nvidia card)  it looks like my next computer will be Windows. 

    Those numbers where dForce, not Iray, Iray is the same speed.

    zug22 said:

    How hard is it to transfer all my existing content (both bought files and my own work made using those fles) to a Windows format drive?  Is it even possible for my created files ? I know I can download pretty much all of my purchased content again but it would be nice not to need to recreate everything again.

    I would recommend staying with OS X, and sort out the CMS installation.
    The upgrade is in two steps:
    (1) Install the postgres CMS
    (2) Run the updater that updates the CMS from Valentina to Postgres. If that one fails (can be that it has problems with the CMS changes in 4.9, I don't know), just install the Postgres CMS and then run the Import Metadata (exporting the Userdata first), this usually do the trick.

    if you need help, you know where I am ;-)

     

    zug22 said:

    Thanks

     

     

  • whfieldwhfield Posts: 47
    edited December 2017

    Hello All, 

    I'm trying to sort out two issues:

    First, I upgraded to OS 10.13.2.  Since then, DIM and Studio has given me great issues.  DIM will not download executable files (even Studio).  Studio' CMS will not function.  All worked perfectly before 10.13.2 now they don't.  Any one else having an issue?

    Second, I manually installed Studio, but now it does not recognize my 1080 ti for rendering.  In the preferences, Studio recognizes the 1080ti, but in the render window settings it only has CPU as an option.  

    I appreciate your recommendations.

    Bill

     

    Update:  I fixed the issue with Studio recognizing my video card.  I needed to download and install the CUDA driver.  Still, CMS is broke and I am not able to resolve this issue.  Any suggestions?

    Bill

    Post edited by whfield on
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