GridIron X-Factor enables AE grid computing
updated 11:05 am EDT, Fri September 10, 2004
GridIron X-Factor for AE
GridIron Software today announced for Adobe After Effects Professional 6.5. In addition to faster preview processing, X-Factor 1.5 now speeds rendering of the Adobe After Effects Render Queue, and enables the use of large, high-resolution digital video files on network drives and Storage Area Networks (SANs). The software extension uses grid computing technology to increase the speed of the preview and rendering capabilities of Adobe After Effects Professional 6.5 by distributing the processing load among several computers. Version 1.5 will be available in October in free, Plus (per CPU licensing), and unlimited editions.
X-Factor's ability to process the Adobe After Effects Render Queue provides the same linear performance improvement for processing of the Render Queue that it provides for preview processing, allowing users to leverage the computational power of several inter-connected machines. GridIron X-Factor 1.5 will be available in October 2004. Render Queue processing will be included as a feature of X-Factor Unlimited edition.
Current users can upgrade from version 1.0 to 1.5 at no charge. The Basic edition, which allows use of X-Factor with Adobe After Effects Professional 6.5 on two additional computers to double the speed of preview processing and rendering, is free. X-Factor Plus edition is available for $100 per CPU, which allows X-Factor to run on more than two computers and provides additional features to efficiently manage multiple remote computers, such as selecting which computers to use, checking for the availability of plug-ins and fonts, and distributing or deleting source footage.
X-Factor Unlimited provides all the features of X-Factor Plus, and allows an Adobe After Effects workstation to use X-Factor for significantly improved performance with an unlimited number of additional computers. It is $2,000.
