GridIron Software has released GridIron X-Factor 1.5, the newest version of its Adobe After Effects extension that increases preview processing and rendering speeds by distributing the workload across several computers on a network. This upgrade features the application of grid computing technology to the render queue, increasing final rendering speeds, especially for HD projects. It also offers support for network drives and Storage Area Networks (SANs), increasing available storage capacity for projects and enabling faster rendering and processing speeds.
This is a free update for current users. The Basic edition of X-Factor continues to be free, although projects processed with more than two computers will receive a watermark on each frame. The Workstation license, which is fully functional, is $1,995. Mac OS X v10.3.2, a G4 or G5 processor, 256MB RAM (512MB recommended) and 50MB of available hard drive space are required. Adobe After Effects Professional 6.5 must be installed on he After Effects workstation, with the After Effects render engine installed on each grid computer.