Hi guys,

I use SimLab Composer trial for 5 hours.
Yes on this computer are also HyperShot, KeyShot , HyperMove...

But I think SimLab Composer "brings" advanced/add. materials.

I think it is not a secret ;)
Therefore,.... two licenses ordered in the last minutes. :)

Hi Ralf & Burr, so I see what Grendel is asking about.

So note on this page here:
http://www.simlab-soft.com/3d-products/simlab-composer-screenshots.aspx

Which mentions:

    "Simlab Composer contains state-of-the-art, fast, global illumination renderer"


And also note the ring and vehicles on the bottom of that page, they look a lot like HyperShot/KeyShot type output.

On top of that, on this page here:
http://www.simlab-soft.com/3d-products/simlab-composer-whats-new.aspx

    "Version 2.0 adds new exporters including FBX, STL, and KeyShot (bip) "


So that's very interesting that it exports to KeyShot .bip format - I was looking into that myself for a while and it seemed at that time there was not really any documentation for .bip format available, instead it was easiest to write it by using the Luxion libraries directly.


So all of that seems to imply that SimLab contains a licensed version of the Luxion engine as its new render engine.


Ralf, you are really familiar with HyperShot/KeyShot, right? Are you able to get the same kind of render results directly inside of SimLab Composer ?

- Michael

Hi Ralf, so your latest post there certainly seems to indicate that the Simlab renderer is the Luxion render engine.

That may be interesting, because that's a lot less expensive than KeyShot.

That may be temporary though, from here:

http://www.simlab-soft.com/3d-products/simlab-composer-licensing.aspx
    "The limited time, introductory price offer of a single commercial license is $149."


Ralf do you notice any big differences between rendering in Simlab versus HyperShot/KeyShot ? Like are the materials different, does Simlab not come with HDRI environments while KeyShot does, stuff like that.

- Michael

Hi Michael,

All my screenshot`s are inside of SimLab Composer.

Please take a look "SimLab Render Settings":

Hi Ralf, does the renderer feel generally similar in operation to KeyShot to you?

Any there any major differences or things missing as compared to KeyShot?

- Michael

I just received a reply from their support:


"Yes, the render engine is close to HyperShot/KeyShot, this is an accurate statement.

SimLab Composer does not include a real time ray tracing which gives you instant feedback, but other than that you should get very close rendering quality.

There is no resolution limit to the final image.

Output images are saved as jpeg.



I think the best thing for you to do is to take SimLab Composer to a test, download the trial and request a trial license. As you are familiar with HyperShot/KeyShot it should be easy for you to make such a test."


So I will be getting the trial because as you say Michael $149 is cheap for the unlimited resolution. I do wish their was an output format for images that carried an alpha channel though tiff or psd.

Thanks Ralf, excellent find!
Will check out.

Cheers

It does look promising. I loaded it and it crashes on "run as demo (save disabled)". I requested an eval license hoping it is just a bug in the licensing Utility for disabled save option. Waiting for that from Amman.

Anybody else loading it up I would appreciate feedback. The forum site for simlabs is pretty non-existant with 2 or 3 posts from the development team.

Anyway.....

Hello all,

i buyed this software and make some test...

i export the z1000 cockpit from moi in different ways:

1. the 3dm import of moi models (export as 3dm) doesn´t work for me...
look at the image... the hierachie is lost too...

2. the step import works very well, but the hierachie is a bit lost... every named group in moi splits up in single objects with the groupname

3. the obj import doesn´t work... there is only a single line (?) visible... but the hierachie is like in moi... that would be cool... but... no objects visible.
i´m gonna contact the simlab guys for this...

the 3d pdf export is very cool and works very well with the step model... and thats the reason why i needed this software:-)

the render quality and speed is not bad..i like it... the use of any hdr image is possible.. but no alpha output.. just "simple" jpgs...
(there is a "alphamask" button in rmb renderview...but it doesn´t work),

maybe usefull informations

best regards,

tijai

tijai,
With the obj export from MoI, did you try some of the other options like "No n-gons/no weld/Triangles only"?

tijai,
ALso, how about a pdf of the part? can you post it without giving away your model?

Hi tijai, the renderings look nice!

Like Burr mentions, for OBJ export, try setting "Output: Triangles only" and also uncheck "Weld vertices along edges" when exporting from MoI and see if that transfers better.

- Michael

hello

i have to correct my last post...

i don´t know why, but i restart SimLab and the obj import now works perfect...
no more "just a line"... it works and the hierachie is like in MoI... thats very good!!

sorry for the "bug!" shouting..

attached a simple 3d pdf of an moi-obj

works cool

I have just been having a look. The 3DM import is a no-go. The obj import is OK if the obj exported from MOI is with quads/tris (well, up to now)

It does look like the Luxion render engine, I found their 3dm to obj converter is not very strong and that's what you get, the sliver effect all the time.
Obj import should be fine, don't bother with quads/tris just use triangles option in MoI because the Luxion converter will just split the quads into triangles anyway.
Step should work well, iges is hit and miss.
Looks like I'll have to download the demo and have a play seeing it's only US$149 with no res restriction, it'll better value than the 800X400 limit I have now with Hypershot/Keyshot.

Thanks tijai, the PDF looks great!

Cheers

Can anyone who is familiar with Keyshot / Hypershot say for sure what the render features & differences are? Real time window snapshots or just full renders? Same material library?

Even if it has some restrictions, that's a very good price.

I like the 3D PDF. I'll have to see if I can integrate a 3D PDF into a web site for product views.

Ed

As an update to my crashing post, I hit the breakpoint of it and it was crashing on my ati stuff. I enabled tripple buffering in the opengl settings and the program launched! I disabled the tripple buffering and now it runs.... Demo-ing it and will probably by it also for the 3d pdf output!

Thanks ralf.

Also, on another computer, antivirus is reporting the installer as suspect? I wonder if this is the licensing stuff doing "machine reading" at launch of the installer?

Hi Burr,

I'm getting a bit sus with these antivirus software these days they seem to pick up stuff from launching programs, saying that this process is acting like a Trogan or a keylogger and I've had this stuff running for years without problem.
It's either reassurance that the antivirus is doing it's job, so keep buying me, or antivirus software has evolved that much that it's developed a personality and has become a super paranoid hypochondriac......Modern Antivirus process in action...........WHAT'S THAT! WHO'S THERE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! YOU'RE GOING TO INFECT ME! GO AWAY! ALERT, ALERT!

Sorry for the subject change.

Cheers

No, thats a good response Danny. I use Norton, which doesnt bother me too much. Most programs dont do machine specific stuff, thats not documented with them. The company(simlabs) may be using some product that isnt recognized yet ( A good look at the license key kindof points to that). Most of the free antivirus stuff are the ones that have to prompt you for "Any Action". Couldnt see myself loading one of those :o

With that being said, you kindof have to evaluate the source then. The website is kindof non existent (kindof a red flag). But some of the other users here in the MoI forum are using the product now also, so I decided to go ahead and load it. (A slight risk). Amman Jordan isnt really a hotbed of cutting edge development, but may be some smart guy's down there.

Anyway, may be a great find for the forum by Ralf. Always hopefull!