FAQs | Chip Render Farm - CPU & GPU Cloud Rendering Solution

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Welcome to the Chip Render Farm technical documentation.
This documentation is intended to guide and advise you in your use of our rendering service.

General questions

What is Chip Render Farm?

Chip Render Farm is a friendly and efficient CPU & GPU cloud rendering solution for all 3D artists. It is based on an IaaS render farm and optimized for CPU & GPU Rendering in Unreal Engine, Twinmotion, Lumion, Enscape, Blender, 3ds Max, Daz 3D, Redshift, Octane, Cinema 4D, Houdini, Maya, and more.

What is an IaaS Render Farm?

IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) is a model of cloud computing and cloud rendering.
An IaaS render farm allows you to connect to render farm’s servers and use them like your own computer. You have complete control over your projects and workflow: ideal for large projects or projects with a unique pipeline.

Why Chip Render over other SaaS render farms?

SaaS render farms are the traditional model and are popular because of their ease of use and convenience. While IaaS render farms like Chip Render are newer models that give you complete control over your workflows and projects.

The advantages of Chip Render over other SaaS render farms are:

Supporting all 3D applications and plugins, including real-time rendering software such as Unreal Engine, Lumion, Twinmotion, and more. Complete control over the servers and workflow.
Better quality and consistent output.
Ideal for large projects or projects with a unique pipeline.

What is Chip point?

Chip points (CPs) are the currency in which you pay for any use at Chip Render. $1 = 1 Chip Point. After the server is shut down, you’ll get a billing statement of how many CPs were deducted.

Is Chip Render secure?

Chip Render stores your projects and renders outputs on our internal servers that are secured from any outside access. We will always ask for your permission in case we want to use your machines to provide better customer support and a better user experience. We will never share your files with anyone outside of Chip Render without your written consent.

By system design, Chip Render users are not allowed to access any other data than their own. Each client is allowed to access only his data. Data access is highly secured against unauthorized access.

We do not share personal information with companies, organizations and individuals outside of Chip Render.
We work hard to protect you from unauthorized access to or unauthorized alteration, disclosure, or destruction of information we hold by encrypting our services using SSL and a mandatory verification upon Account registration.

Please learn more in (13) Privacy here!

Do you offer to sign an NDA?

Yes, we offer to sign an NDA. Download our NDA form here. We can also sign the NDA provided by you after our legal department reviews the document and approves it.

Why is Chip Render Farm the cheapest service in the long-term for you?

Chip Render Cloud Workstation harnesses solar power for our rendering services. In Vietnam, we have 80% sunny days of the year, this consistent solar energy source becomes a sustainable advantage, enabling us to offer customers the best low-cost prices over the long term.

Typically, the electricity expenses for operating a Data Center constitute around 30% to 35% of the overall costs. By effectively optimizing this expenditure, we are assured of reducing prices or maintaining them in the long run. This benefits our customers, allowing them to fully leverage our services at the best prices.

Software & Plugin

What are the supported 3D applications and plugins?

Chip Render supports all 3D software, renderers and plugins in any version. Install any application you wish on Chip Render Cloud Workstation as if it were your computer.

Can I install specific software?

Yes, you can install any specific software you need. Chip Render is an IaaS render farm, so you fully control the remote workstation and use it like your own computer.

Do I need to provide my own licenses for software?

You will need to provide your own licenses for any software that requires it. We provide the workstation, what you do with it is up to you.
You can purchase an additional license or simply transfer your current license to Chip Render.

Make sure you release any licenses that you have activated on the workstation every time you have finished using it (before shutting down the remote workstation).

Pricing & Billing

How am I charged? How is my render billed?

The billing starts as soon as the machine starts running. You will pay at least 1 hour, after 1 hour, the system will only charge you for the time you use (by the second). The pricing is all-inclusive, there is no extra or hidden fees.

How can I get cost estimate?

Each project is different. To estimate the cost accurately, please render a few frames on Chip Render and see how long it actually takes.

How can I pay for the service?

You can pay via PayPal, OnePay, or Bank transfer.

Does your price include tax/VAT?

Our prices have included the tax/VAT.

What are your refund policies?

We refund by render points if the fault is from our infrastructure or system. We will not refund if the fault is from the software. Refunds are considered on a case-to-case basis.

Please learn more in (7) Refund Policy here!

When does the billing starts?

The billing starts as soon as the machine starts running. The billing ends when you shut down the machines.

How are educational promotions applied?

If you are a student or teacher, don’t hesitate to send us your student information. By doing so, you’ll receive a 50% bonus on all transactions.

To qualify for the student bonus, follow these conditions:

You are a student, teacher, or teaching assistant and register for an account using your school email.
Provide sufficient documents to prove your current status as a student or teacher. Examples of acceptable documents include Student IDs, Teacher IDs, and certificates of enrollment,…. If possible, include documents that mention your course completion date.

Using the service

How to use Chip Render services?

To use the Chip Render services, you can follow 03 easy steps:

1. Install Chip Render App: Download and install Chip Render App.
2. Create your account. Log in and choose a suitable package for your needs.
3. Set up your work environment and render your projects.

To get the detailed step-by-step guide, please learn more here!

How to upload & download my projects?

You can transfer files to and from the server using our Chip Render app or third-party cloud drives, FTP services (i.e. Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive, WeTransfer, etc). Files can be transferred even when the server is turned off.

Where should I install my software?

For best performance and stability, please install your software, render and save your output on C: (desktop).
Then you can transfer your output to Z: and download it to your computer.

Will I need to install my applications and data each time I access the server?

No you won’t. All applications you installed and your data are saved and safely stored after each session. You can access your data stored on Z: and Y: at any time without turning on the server.
Your machine (including installed applications and files) will be stored within 30 days from the last working session.
Your files on Z: and Y: will be stored within 2 months from the last working session.