Hi. Simple and stupid question.
Maya now comes with free seat of MentalRay. So I am wondering if Mantra ROP with RAY in Render Command line will interface with version of Mental Ray that comes with Maya 4.5?

Same question for Entropy plug-in renderer for 3DS MAX.

The reason I am asking, is that at Digital Sculpture, one of my clients, I set up a MAX based pipeline. Working with DigitalFauxtagraphy on Chtorr, their pipeline in Maya with Entropy.
While I don't own Maya, I do own a seat of MAX. So if I install Entropy for MAX, which is in form of MAX plug-in. Can I then hook to it from Houdini, without having to get a different non-MAX version of Entropy.
My understanding on MAX-Entropy plug-in, is that it is an Entropy ‘RIB’ exporter, which just sends Entropy RIBs to the Entropy renderer. So logically it should be possible for Houdini to use Entropy. With Maya's Mental Ray I am not sure. I don't know if MR2 for Maya is tuned to accept only Maya's MR files.

Thanks
Dave Rindner

I don't think it works with Apprentice, but if you have Houdini Master commercial….

Entropy: Mayabe because I think the renderer is actually standalone with just a plugin interface to Max.

Mental Ray for Maya: Not a chance because the free version is a plugin renderer. It doesn't intstall a MR Renderer that any other software could find or use, the renderer is actually contained within DLLs within Maya.

For what I've seen, to use Mental Ray, Renderman, Entropy and so on with Houdini you just have to configure the variable in Houdini.
Since the three renderer use a service based install, they are accessible from any program and any computer(meanwhile the service aren't used)

So you can use the entropy renderer without any problem, it's just a problem of configuring Houdini to use it(And I don't think it's too hard)

For Mental Ray Maya, it need maya to install… And it didn't work with the apprentice. But you can buy a two node licence from Softimage at 500$ I think, without any plugin you don't need! The Mental Ray demo that come with some book can be used too, but it have some limitation.