What is QMaster for?

Qmaster allows multiple networked computers to work on the same render,
thus speeding things up.

For example, if you have a long DVD compression to do with Compressor,
Qmaster will automatically copy the original file to all networked computers,
then organize the computers to compress different frames, and finally put
all the frames together at the end. Many processing cores means that the
job will get finished much faster.

There are a couple of caveats, however. You need fast computers and a fast
network, and you a lot of patience to actually get it all running smoothly.

Les

The Qmaster documentation is already installed on your Macintosh with the Final Cut suite. Interesting reading.

bogiesan

Qmaster is designed for distributed rendering but I think it's worth mentioning that Compressor uses Qmaster even when it is rendering on a single machine.

Jon Chappell wrote:
Qmaster is designed for distributed rendering but I think it's worth mentioning that Compressor uses Qmaster even when it is rendering on a single machine.

True, Jon, but don't you have to actually set up the cluster first?
See some of these for some help that isn't readily apparent in the Qmaster setup instrucitons so lovingly provided by Apple.

http://www.kashum.com/rbf.pl?c=blog&i=1152611689&referer=r
http://visionstudios.ca/RenderFarm/RenderFarmleft.html
http://provideocoalition.com/index.php/apple/story/compressor3_a_virtual_cluster_makes_an_impressive_speedboost/
http://fcproducer.com/2008/09/how-to-encode-faster-in-compressor-with-apple-qmas ter/
http://www.produxion.net/tag/qmaster/
http://www.macworld.com/article/49047/2006/01/marcchreateside.html

bogiesan

True, Jon, but don't you have to actually set up the cluster first?

It's my understanding the QMaster is the actual encoding frameworks that Compressor interfaces with. Once you click "submit" QMaster handles the encoding, not Compressor, whether it be locally or on a Distributed Encoding Network.

Michael Trauffer wrote:

True, Jon, but don't you have to actually set up the cluster first?

It's my understanding the QMaster is the actual encoding frameworks that Compressor interfaces with. Once you click "submit" QMaster handles the encoding, not Compressor, whether it be locally or on a Distributed Encoding Network.

Michael is correct. Use Activity Monitor to shut down everything to do with qmaster and then try submitting a Compressor batch. You can't even see "This Machine" as an option - the list is completely blank.

Just shows to go ya, learn something new all the time. Thanks, boys.

bogiesan