Lumion is a popular rendering software which is developed by Act-3D, used for rendering images, panoramic pictures, and animations. Sometimes when working on Lumion, you may encounter issues such as movies or photos not being saved although you have set the output path. Today we will take a look at the problem and how to solve it.

The reasons why Lumion doesn’t save your movies or photos vary, but here are some potential causes we discovered:

1.1: Overzealous anti-virus software preventing Lumion from saving the file correctly.

1.2: Saving Photos or .MP4 Movie files directly to cloud back-up folders, such as OneDrive. The back-up software might ‘lock’ the files before Lumion is done saving them leading to file corruption.
1.3: Saving Photos or .MP4 Movie files to a network drive. If the connection drops out while saving the file, the file can become corrupted.
1.4: Lack of Windows permissions. For example if the Windows User Account is a ‘Standard’ account instead of an ‘Administrator‘ account.

1.5: Lack of disk space.

1.6: Lumion 9.0 and older: Using a Windows User Account name with non-Latin characters, for example Japanese or Chinese characters.

To avoid save errors, you can follow these instructions:

You should add exclusions to all of the PCs antivirus and security software. Also, add an exclusion for Lumion.exe in all third-party firewalls.

The exclusions should include:

• • • • The installation folder – usually [install drive:\]Program Files\Lumion [version].
      • The exe file in the install folder
      • The folder and subfolders for user data in Documents.  Being Documents\Lumion [version]. Also found at C:\Users\[yourUserName]\Documents\Lumion [version].  Where [yourUserName] is the name of your Windows login account\profile.

You should always remember to save Photos and .MP4 Movie files to a local harddrive. If the final destination is a network drive or a cloud back-up folder/service, you can save it in local harddrive first, after it’s done you move the Photos and .MP4 Movie files to network or cloud drive.

You should verify that the Windows User Account type is an Administrator account. If it is a Standard account, change it to Administrator following these instructions:

• • • • Open Settings on Windows > Accounts > Family & other users
      • Under the “Your family” or “Other users” section, select the user account.
      • Click the Change account type
      • Select the Administrator > OK

If your system administrator does not allow you to use an ‘Administrator’ account, you will have to right-click on ‘Lumion.exe‘ in the Lumion installation folder and select Run as administrator.

Or you can right-click on the Lumion shortcut and select Run as Administrator:

You should check and verify that the Windows User Account has got full read and write permissions for the following folders and that there is enough free space for the Photo and Movie files you are rendering:

• • • • (DRIVE):\…Documents\Lumion(VERSION)
      • (DRIVE):\…Users\(USERNAME)\AppData\Local\Lumion(VERSION)
      • (DRIVE):\…ProgramData\Lumion(VERSION)
      • The destination folder you have selected for the Photo or Movie

Examples:

• • • • C:\Users\Username\Documents\Lumion 12.0
      • C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Lumion 12.0
      • C:\ProgramData\Lumion 12.0

Remember to check and verify that the full path for the following folders does not contain non-Latin characters (e.g. Japanese or Chinese characters):

• • • • (DRIVE):\…Documents\Lumion(VERSION)
      • (DRIVE):\…Users\(USERNAME)\AppData\Local\Lumion(VERSION)

Examples:

• • • • C:\Users\Username\Documents\Lumion 9.0
      • C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Lumion 9.0

If the Windows User Account name contains non-Latin characters, you can create a new Windows User Account using a name that only contains Latin characters. The account type must be ‘Administrator’ (not ‘Standard’).

If you want to use an extra rendering service with powerful RTX4090, iRender is the choice. iRender provide to you high performance and configurable server system for 3D rendering, AI Training, VR & AR, simulation, etc. We believe that design and creative activities are private and personal that only you artists will know what you want with your animation. That’s the reason why we provide remote server so that you can install any software you need and do whatever you like with your project.

You will only need to install your software Lumion for the first time, add your license to render/modify your project as you want. Next time you connect to the computer everything is ready for use.

Our famous single RTX4090 package is one of the most powerful and reasonable packages for Lumion.

We are not only providing you the most powerful graphics card, but also the same level of hardware, such as AMD Ryzen Threadripper processor, 256 GB RAM, 2 TB of storage (NVMe SSD). A powerful processor is for low loading time, snappy viewport, 256GB of RAM is for huge projects, and 2TB of storage is for storing your renders.

Not only those powerful configuration, iRender also provides you more services. Free transferring tool named iRender drive for macOS or Linux users. For Windows users, we recommend using our all-in-one application iRender GPU to work, and you don’t need to come to our website. Our price is flexible with hourly rental which has pay-as-you-go basis, daily/ weekly/ monthly subscription with discount from 10-20%. Plus, you have 24/7 support service with real human who will support you whenever you encounter an issue.

With the price of $23.124 for 3S package (3 hours rental), now you can experience the newest card and enjoy working smoothly in a customized pipeline like you have always done with your own PC.

Don’t hesitate to register right now to render on our new server 1x RTX4090. You just need to update the latest NVIDIA studio driver to get the best out of it.

We are offering the promotion for new users.  For your first transaction within 24 hours since your registration, you will receive a 100% bonus. Contact us via Whatsapp (+84) 916806116 for more support.

Thank you & Happy Rendering!

Source and images: lumion.com

In the ever-evolving world of architecture, staying ahead of the curve means embracing the latest technological advancements. Modern designers are increasingly turning to cutting-edge software to bring their visions to life with precision and creativity. From powerful rendering tools to comprehensive design platforms, the right software can transform the way architects conceptualize, plan, and execute their projects. In this article, we will explore the top architectural software that is revolutionizing the industry, helping designers push the boundaries of innovation and efficiency, let’s delve into it! 

AutoCAD is one of the top architectural Software for modern designers, it is the oldest example of 3D architectural software on the market, and it has many different products for specific use cases or professions. Developed by Autodesk, it offers powerful tools for creating precise 2D and 3D drawings. Its extensive library of tools and commands allows architects to draft detailed plans, elevations, and sections with ease. Additionally, AutoCAD supports a wide range of file formats, facilitating seamless collaboration with other software and professionals.

• Industry Standard: Widely used and recognized in the architectural and engineering fields
• Extensive Toolset: Wide range of features and tools for different needs and goals
• Versatility: Ability to swap between 2D and 3D representation or to use both
• Compatibility: Can be connected with other solutions to further expand its capabilities. Supports numerous file formats, facilitating collaboration.

• The overall complexity of the solution can be somewhat overwhelming at first
• Requires a powerful computer to run smoothly.
• Subscription-based pricing can be expensive for individual users.

AutoCAD Architecture is a toolset that is part of the basic AutoCAD offering. AutoCAD, on the other hand, offers two different approaches to its pricing model.

The first is a basic subscription that can be paid for on a monthly basis, on a yearly basis, or every three years:

• • • $255 per month
    • $2,030 per year
    • $6,050 per three years

The second involves accessing AutoCAD as part of the Autodesk Flex program, a “pay-as-you-go” option that offers a daily price in tokens for a number of Autodesk services. AutoCAD’s Flex cost is 7 tokens per day, and there are at least two token bundles available for purchase:

• • • 100 tokens for $300
    • 500 tokens for $1500

It is also possible to purchase custom amounts of tokens, depending on the needs of a specific company, and the tokens themselves have an expiration period of 1 year after purchase.

SketchUp is a popular architectural drawing software application that can be used in many different ways. It is known for its user-friendly interface and intuitive modeling tools, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced designers. Developed by Trimble, SketchUp is widely used for conceptual design and visualization. Its push-pull tool allows users to easily create and modify 3D shapes, while the extensive 3D Warehouse provides a vast repository of pre-made models.

Additionally, SketchUp offers multiple drawing styles (from photorealistic renders to promotional graphics) and several rendering engines (as extensions). This allows the software to take advantage of everything SketchUp’s extension library has to offer.

• Ease of Use: Intuitive and accessible for beginners and professionals alike.
• Affordability: Offers a free version with sufficient features for many users.
• 3D Warehouse: Access to a vast repository of pre-made models.

• Little to no basic tutorials about the software’s general capabilities
• Functionality can be extended with the help of plugins, most of which are not free
• Not a complete BIM (Building Information Modeling) solution and relies a lot on plugins that rarely, if ever, work together

SketchUp offers four different pricing tiers:

• “Free” is the most basic set of features for all users
• “Go” at $119 per year,  is a rather minor extension of the free version without the limitations on 3D models and cloud storage capacity
• “Pro” at $349 per year,  is a more serious approach, with a desktop application, design insights, 2D documentation, and an entire warehouse of extensions
• “Studio” at $749 per year, is a Windows-only tier with real-time photorealistic visualization, easy file importing from Revit, and many other features

Revit, created by Autodesk, is a leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) software. It enables architects to create intelligent 3D models that encompass the entire lifecycle of a building, from design and construction to maintenance. Revit’s parametric modeling capabilities allow for real-time updates and coordination, ensuring that any changes made to the model are reflected across all views and documentation. Revit is also AutoCAD-compatible and offers both 2D and 3D modeling tool sets, among many other useful features.

• BIM Capabilities: Facilitates intelligent 3D modeling and comprehensive project management.
• Real-Time Updates: Changes are automatically reflected across all views and documentation.
• Massive number of integrations with other solutions and information types
• Collaboration: Enhances teamwork with integrated tools for coordination.

• Higher than average system requirements for the PC version of the software
• Version compatibility works only one way: upgrading older models is possible, but downgrading existing models is not, which can be a problem with some more complicated models that are not updated as often as others
• The solution is not particularly user-friendly and has a rather high entry threshold
• High subscription fees may be prohibitive for small firms or individual practitioners.
• Can be overwhelming for new users due to its extensive features

Revit offers two different pricing approaches.

The first is a basic subscription that can be paid for on a monthly basis, on a yearly basis, or every three years:

• • • $365 per month
    • $2,910 per year
    • $8,730 per three years

The second involves accessing Revit as a part of the Autodesk Flex program, a “pay-as-you-go” option that offers a daily price in tokens for a number of Autodesk services. Revit’s Flex cost is 10 tokens per day, and there are at least two token bundles available for purchase:

• • • 100 tokens for $300
    • 500 tokens for $1500

It is also possible to purchase custom amounts of tokens, depending on the needs of the company, and the tokens themselves have an expiration period of 1 year after the purchase.

Rhino, or Rhinoceros, is a versatile 3D modeling software that excels in handling complex and organic shapes. Developed by Robert McNeel & Associates, Rhino is favored for its precision and ability to create intricate designs. While the majority of CAD applications are tailored to deal specifically with straight lines and shapes, Rhino was designed as a tool for working with curved lines from the get-go. It supports a wide range of plugins, including Grasshopper, which enables parametric design and algorithmic modeling.

Rhino’s robust toolset and compatibility with various file formats make it an essential tool for architects working on innovative and detailed projects. Its flexibility and power are particularly valuable in fields such as industrial design, jewelry design, and architecture.

• Perpetual licenses

• Excellent for handling complex and organic shapes. High versatility in both 2D design and 3D modeling
• Compatibility: Supports various file formats for seamless integration with other tools.

• More detailed models may cause the solution to slow down drastically

• Resource Intensive: Requires a powerful computer for handling large and detailed models.
• Licensing can be expensive, particularly for advanced plugins. No native rendering engine with good quality

Rhino3D’s pricing model is fairly simple: a perpetual license for the software costs $995 for either Windows or Mac version, there are no maintenance fees, and both newer versions and customer support are included in the package.

3D Studio Max (or 3DS Max) is another example of the CAD software developed and provided by Autodesk. Ít is one of the top architectural software for modern designers. The software is highly versatile for general architectural needs, offering robust tools for 3D modeling, rendering, and animation. Its widespread popularity ensures that there are plenty of resources available for learning how to use the software, including numerous free online courses, tutorials, and community forums where users can share tips and troubleshoot issues. This accessibility makes it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced professionals looking to enhance their skills.

• Easy collaboration and integration between disciplines
• Plenty of useful features such as 2D pan zoom snap or 3D animation capabilities
• High-Quality Rendering: It supports high-definition rendering, making it ideal for creating realistic scenes and characters

• High hardware requirements and large size of the software itself
• The software can be challenging to learn, especially for beginners
• Compatibility Issues: Works only on Windows and may need multiple plugins for full functionality

3DS Max offers two different pricing approaches.

The first is a basic subscription that can be paid for on a monthly basis, yearly basis, or every three years:

• • • 235$ per month
    • 1,875$ per year
    • 5,625$ per three years

The second involves accessing 3DS Max as a part of the Autodesk Flex program, a “pay-as-you-go” option that offers a daily price in tokens for a number of Autodesk services. 3DS Max’s Flex cost is 6 tokens per day, and there are at least two token bundles available for purchase:

• • • 100 tokens for 300$
    • 500 tokens for 1500$

It is also possible to purchase custom amounts of tokens, depending on the needs of the company, and the tokens themselves have an expiration period of 1 year after the purchase.

In addition to using the top architectural software for modern designers to streamline your workflow, you can also choose iRender Farm for added efficiency.

iRender powers up your creativity with unlimited GPU rendering resources. Our GPU render farm houses the most powerful 3D rendering machines. Configure from 1 to 8 GPU with top-tier RTX 4090/RTX 3090, AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ PRO 3955WX @ 3.9 – 4.2GHz or AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ PRO 5975WX @ 3.6 – 4.5GHz, 256GB RAM and 2TB SSD storage. 

With our service, you have full control over the server(s) you rent via the Remote Desktop application, allowing you to tailor your creative workspace to your preferences. Essentially, iRender’s server functions as a cloud-based computer accessible from any device instantly, providing you with its full computing power for all tasks. iRender also offers convenient features that enable you to switch between server configurations seamlessly and run multiple servers concurrently to accelerate rendering times, all without the need for reinstallation.

In addition, iRender supports almost 3D software which makes your designs more stunning and realistic. With a diversity of packages, you can choose the most suitable one for your rendering. 

In this video, we will guide you on how to estimate the cost of iRender Farm and give bonus tips for a more time- and cost-effective workflow.

For more detailed information, please contact us via Live chat 24/7 or WhatsApp: +(84)915875500 or Email: vyvtk@irender.vn

iRender – Happy rendering!

Reference: revizto.com

Lumion 2023 finally support ray tracing. Although it’s a great software which is very popular among architects, this feature in version 2023 is still a great leap and will requires you update for hardware, especially GPU. In this article, let’s see a list of graphics card needed for Lumion 2023.

The following guidelines will give you an overview about which graphics cards and minimum passmark points you will need based on the complexity of your project. (You can see the passmark points for GPU here). Please note that Lumion 2023 is equipped with ray tracing, and to run it you will need Nvidia RTX series.

Ultra complex Projects are often project with high-end features like:

• • • • A detailed city, airport, or stadium.
      • A detailed multi-floor building with interiors made up of many models and HD textures.
      • A detailed landscape made with high-end Lumion features such as Fine-detail Nature and 3D Grass.

For example, extreme project like above, we will need a system of:

• • • • Minimum 20,000 PassMark points. Examples: NVIDIA RTX A6000(48GB), NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 (48GB), RTX4090 (24GB), RTX3090 (24GB).
      • With a detailed city or airport, you should use graphics cards with at least 32GB of graphics card memory. It will help loading the scene because of large VRAM.
      • With multi-floor building or detailed landscape, a graphics card with 24GB VRAM is enough.
      • To keep up with your graphics card, your CPU should have as high a GHz value as possible per thread and should exceed a Single-threaded CPUMark score of 2500 points or more.

Complex projects are often one in between, not so complex but not so simple:

• • • • A small park or part of a city made with OpenStreetMap or other simple models.
      • A large home with detailed interiors made up of several models and HD textures but mostly Lumion Library
      • A single residential or commercial model with a single section of landscape using some high-end models such as Fine-detail Nature.

And the requirement for these projects is recommended below:

• • • • Minimum 14,000 PassMark points. Examples: Quadro RTX 5000, Quadro RTX 6000, Quadro RTX 8000, GeForce RTX 2080(Ti), GeForce RTX 3060, GeForce RTX 3070 (Ti), GeForce RTX 3080 (Ti), RTX 4070 Ti.
      • 8 GB+ graphics card memory.
      • To keep up with your graphics card, your CPU should have as high a GHz value as possible per thread and should exceed a Single-threaded CPUMark score of 2500 points or more

Simple project are often project with simple features like:

• • • • A small park or residential building with Lumion models and textures.

This kind of project will need minimum requirement:

• • • • Minimum 7,000 PassMark points. Examples: GeForce RTX 2060, RTX 2060 SUPER, RTX 2070, RTX 2070 SUPER, RTX 2080, GeForce RTX 3050, RTX 3060, Quadro RTX 3000, Quadro RTX 4000, Quadro RTX 5000
      • 4 GB+ graphics card memory.
      • Rendering movies in 4K resolution (3840×2160 pixels) requires a minimum of 6GB graphics card memory.
      • The CPU should have as high a GHz value as possible per thread and should exceed a Single-threaded CPUMark score of 2000 points or more.

You should notice that this configuration would not be capable of processing Lumions’ high-end features such as 3D Grass. Upgrading your hardware is a must if you wanna use high-end features.

You probably also know that Lumion can only support 1 Graphics card. So if you use a computer with multiple graphics cards, it will not increase the efficiency of use, that is why you should invest in a powerful GPU with the largest VRAM possible.

At iRender, we offer you one package with powerful RTX4090, which is GPU server 3S.

Let’s see if it’s a suitable choice for your Lumion project.

Processor or CPU

As recommended by the software manufacturer, Lumion will need a processor with a single core clock as high as possible, and does not need more than 4 Cores, more cores also do not help processing speed in Lumion faster.

CPU is AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 3955WX, with clock speed is 3.9GHz and can reach 4.3GHz with Turbo Boost. With it, your project surely can load much faster.

RAM – Internal memory

Minimum system memory is 64GB (RAM). Obviously, if you just do simple scenes, you can get 16GB of memory, but this isn’t ideal for large and complex scenes. RAM bus is from 2666 or higher.

At iRender, you don’t need to worry about complex scene you will load because our RAM is 256GB, much higher than the the minimum required.

Hard Drive

The speed of your Hard Drive plays a big role in how fast your models and Projects are loaded. The faster, the better. iRender provides you NVME SSD drives, which are the latest technology.

Graphic card – The most important factor for Lumion rendering

The factor decides if rendering is smooth or not, fast or slow is the GPU. Lumion’s hardware specification is that it requires 1 graphic card with many CUDA cores.

The ideal system for Lumion will require a GPU with 11G VRAM or higher, and a PassMark score of 16,000 points or more.

You can see that in this list below, RTX 4090 (also the GPU iRender provides) reaching 39,176 points, the highest points.

More than that, iRender also provides you other extra services. We have useful and free-of-charge transferring tool named iRender drive. Our price for server 3S is 23.124USD per 3 hours, saving you 6% when compared to hourly basis. If you have a large project, a daily/ weekly/ monthly subscription will save you more with discount from 10-20%. Plus, you have 24/7 support service with real human who will support you whenever you encounter an issue.

Let’s see our article about how RTX4090 is the perfect choice for your Lumion rendering How does Lumion perform on RTX4090?

You can create an account via this link to experience our service. And don’t hesitate to contact us via WhatsApp: (+84) 916806116 for advice and support.

Thank you & Happy Rendering!

Source: support.lumion.com

This article is to help you determine how does Lumion perform on RTX4090, and find the best solution for Lumion rendering.

Lumion is a popular rendering software which is developed by Act-3D. In the past 10 years, it has grown so much and made its name in the market. Recently, with the release of version 2023, Lumion is finally equipped with Raytracing. That’s a big leap in technology, and will come with certain requirement for graphics cards which can run raytracing.

Real-time rendering software like Lumion can only use one GPU. With the release of RTX4090, we think it definitely raises a curiosity on how fast it renders Lumion, and if it’s a superior choice compared to other graphics cards.

We have explored and found out some of Lumion test rendering on various graphics cards. They are all powerful representative of consumer and workstation cards, with VRAM varies from 24 GB to 48GB, from old architecture to new architecture.

This video is the test rendering of Lumion 12, where RTX4090 and RTX3090 have to render a scene with different resolution (full HD, 4k and 8k). RTX4090 is faster than RTX3090 from 2.1 to 2.5 times.

Come to video “clip 1”, an city scene with 5 star quality and 25 FPS, RTX3090 took 9m26s to render, while RTX4090 took 5m46s. Surprisingly, this time RTX4090 is only 1.6 times faster than RTX3090.

We have discovered another test for Lumion using RTX4090 and RTX 6000 ADA. Both are built on new Ada Lovelace architecture, one has 24GB VRAM and one has 48GB VRAM. It’s very exciting to see how they can handle Lumion rendering, and if more VRAM is better.

The same city scene is used in this test, but with more frames, means longer video. Resolution is full HD, quality 4 stars and RTX4090 took around 1h12m to render. RTX 6000 ADA, while having more VRAM, took longer to render than RTX4090, standing at 1h31m. That scene is rendered in Lumion 2023, the latest version.

Continue with the test on Lumion 11, the scene used here is Villa Cabrera, resolution 4k. RTX 4090 and RTX 6000 ADA render from exterior, pool area, patio to interior. 47 minutes is the render time for RTX4090, while 57 minutes is for RTX 6000 ADA.

To summarize, RTX4090 is the best graphics card for Lumion rendering now. It’s obvious that RTX4090 is stronger than RTX3090, since it’s the newer generation. However, when you compare it to RTX 6000 ADA, it still shows more power and speed. We can conclude that although RTX 4090 has fewer VRAM than RTX 6000 ADA, it doesn’t really affect the rendering time. More VRAM just means that you can load more complex scene, if your scene can fit into 24 GB VRAM, that’s when RTX4090 shines.

iRender is proud to introduce a new server 3S – single RTX4090, the most powerful cloud rendering server for Lumion.

Let’s see why iRender is your choice for Lumion rendering

Powerful hardware

As recommended by the software manufacturer, Lumion will need a processor with a single core clock as high as possible, and does not need more than 4 Cores, more cores also do not help processing speed in Lumion faster. Recommended clock speed is from 3.5GHz.

Our CPU is AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 3955WX, with clock speed is 3.9GHz and can reach 4.3GHz with Turbo Boost. With it, your project surely can load much faster.

The factor decides if rendering in Lumion is smooth or not, fast or slow is the GPU. Our GPU is RTX4090, the latest one which is just released at the end of 2022. You can check more about the benchmark of video cards here, with RTX4090 being the king with highest score.

About other system requirements, like RAM or hard drive, our server 3S still can meet the demands, with 256GB RAM and 2TB NVMe SSD storage.

Free and convenient transferring tool

iRender offers a powerful and free file transfer tool: iRender drive. With fast file transfer speed, large data capacity, and completely free. You can transfer all the necessary data into our iRender drive tool at any time without connecting to the server. The data will be automatically synchronized in the Z drive inside the server, ready for you to use.

Flexible price

The price of server 3S is $8.2 per hour. However, the server is available for fixed rental when you boot (price at $23.124 for 3 hours rental, about 6% off compared to hourly basis). And you can even find a more attractive option for your big project when you rent it on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, with a discount from 10-20%. 

Real human 24/7 support service

Don’t hesitate to contact our human support via livechat on the website when you encounter any issues. We are available 24/7, helping you to handle the problem quickly, effectively, saving you both time and money.

Render farm supports Single card

When you use iRender render farm, you can free your computer during the hardest and most arduous part – rendering. That is also the reason that Render Farm service is becoming more and more popular and essential. However, as far as we know, iRender is proud to be one of the very few render farms that support single card for Lumion.

With the above advantages and the machine configuration package that iRender has just released, we believe that Lumion users will have the most comfortable, quickest, and most effective rendering time.

Register an account today to experience our service. Or contact us via WhatsApp: (+84) 916806116 for advice and support.

Thank you & Happy Rendering!

Source: lumion.com, Nicolas MILET’s youtube, nzferby’s youtube