CompuServe Messages

Rick, I did some more tests on another machine at my office and your times aren't that far out of line. I suspect your cache type is reponsible for a slight 4-10% speed increase over my system. I remember Gary Yost saying that that new cache design could boost performance up to 10%. I think the RAM speed is less significant. I've tried 70ns versus 80ns with no speed difference in 3ds. Here's my times next to yours (yours are in parentheses): Asus P100; P54C w/512k write-back cache; 196mb of 70ns ram 2 cpu's installed (no difference in DOS). File: Chevy.3ds/936,668kb/1-15-95 @ 12:00am Pixel Size: 1.1 Display: Null Save File: No Shading: Metal Mapping-Off Mapping-On 640x480x1 (1:07)1:10 (1:32)1:40 1024x768x1 (2:17)2:22 (3:05)3:23 Interestingly, with mapping off your speeds are only 4-5% less, but with mapping on they are 8-9% less. I have a fast disk sub-system (Seagate Barracuda 2.1gb Fast and Wide on a Adaptec 2940W PCI controller) but no disk cache (hardware or software). Are you using any disk caching software? (smartdrive) Hardware? (eg. on the controller board). What type of disk sub-system do you have? Caches might help on repeat renders of the same scene As a guide to disk access and it's effects, my HD light shows my hardrive is working for about 6 seconds when I render with mapping on. Course, it doesn't go on at all with no mapping (no disk access at all). Food for thought, eh? Martin