Hello,
I am learning Houdini using the non-commercial edition. I would like to purchase the $100 license to render in HD.
My question is would it be better to run Houdini on Ubuntu or Win7?
I have a computer built for video editing with a 64G ssd boot drive, 1TB storage drive and 64G ssd scratch drive. I have the Adobe Creative Suite on it, and a lot of other software as well.
Houdini seems to run a bit buggy on it sometimes which can be confusing since I am learning.
I plan on putting in a 120G ssd boot drive and making the machine dual boot Ubuntu / Win7. Would you recommend buying the license to run under Ubuntu or Win7? Any opinions welcome.

Also, does anyone have an opinion regarding the VizyAcky vol100 course byGarman Herigstad. I like it but the videos quit streaming quite often.

Thanks

Just choose Ubuntu or Mint !
I have both (Ubuntu & Win7) But Houdini in Mantra rendering & Simulation time is faster than Win7

Ram usage in simulation (like FLIP) on Ubuntu lower than Win7.

In one of my tests about FLIP simulation ,Win7 used 9.5 GB ram But Ubuntu just used 6.3 GB ram !

SSD drive on ex4 format is so faster than SSD drive on ntfs ,so write and read cache files in the dynamics and simulation is faster than Win7.

You can use Linux Mint instead Ubuntu ,Because it's so pretty and user friendly.

If you plan to use other non Linux software on a daily basis it doesn't make sense to use Linux at all and switch couple times a day from one OS to other. It will be more frustrating than it's worth it.

Get Mint it's great

I'm running dual boot win and mint 15 xfce, your right it is a pain rebooting into windows just to run premiere, but the houdini, nuke, 3d equalizer , hell even sillhouettefx experience in mint is so much better it's a joke - and so worth it all the way.


The first time I ran houdini in mint the speed benefit and overall feel was immediately obvious.

sparkyrex
I have the Adobe Creative Suite on it, and a lot of other software as well.

Well, it looks that he uses more than just one program in Windows. So switching to Linux just for Houdini for me would be a “no, no” option.

As for Linux, don't get this childish ditro that is called Mint. It's for babies that are afraid of serious Linux experience. Use OpenSuse.

Is there a difference using dual monitors in :
Ubuntu
Mint
openSUSE ?

I would love to be a serious linux user, however, learning to be competent in several software packages - Houdini, Premiere/AE, Nuke, Zbrush - will keep me busy for years. I'd also like to learn a little Python.
I've been in construction for 30+ years and I won't get out of it unless I can find another way to pay the bills. I am hoping to learn enough computer skills to do so, but it looks like a long road to get there.
It's tough to learn new skills while working full time.
I'm sure that I'll learn more linux as time progresses and I can switch from one OS to another if needs be.
That being said, I want to run Houdini under Linux on stable distro.
Would you recommend an LTS distro?
Any opinions are welcome.

Hah - a linux baby I am, and Mint is awesome for people starting with linux. Dual screen is easy and works no problem. Stability is great, and installing nvidia drivers is simple. Wacom works perfectly I'd highly recommend the linux course on cmivfx. Also fxphd has a great course on sys admin stuff using the shell.

And whatever problems you come across, there's usually people on here or odforce that can help you. Go for it. LTS is good but I prefer version 15 on xfce.

Thanks for your advice.
I'll go with Olivia xfce.
Linux on cmivfx looks good too.
Regards

Neil78 or any other savy Mint users
– I am super newbie Linux person and had troubles getting apprentice running on Mint (all issues with me nothing with apprentce or mint). I finally worked that out and have Houidini apprentice running but now the whole driver thing.
I tried to get the latest nvida drivers for my geoforcce 650gtx and install them –following a bunch of suggestions found on the web and well ——-have not been able to figure this one out yet. And without latest drivers Houdini and well lots of things are going to not work well at all.

So does anyone have a link or notes to go from downloading the drivers which I think are Bin files ? (guessing) to actually getting the drivers installed.

A couple of times I think I got as far as aggreeing to terms by NVIDIA and then it was installing and it stopped saying I was running a x server and could not proceed. So I then tried to research all that –and still have yet to figure it out.

This is my first adventures with Linux –and if I could get my driver issuer figured out —I have to say —-Linux Mint is pretty darn nice indeed.

Rich

Hey - I can confirm ive had a lot of these adventures, its always something siily in the end. ive had to reinstall the OS a number of times in learniing linux

To learn how to install and set up - i highly recommend the linux film on cmivfx - its great for getting going and installing houdini, Nuke and Nvidia drivers.

Im on Mint 15 - ive just installed Houdini 13 with no problems. The only issue i had was pointing Houdini to its python libs with some global variables. I just notcied sidefx now supports Mint, which is great and probably means that more and more issues will be ironed out for the future.

I have never installed the source Nvidia drivers, ( so your already way ahead of me ) as the driver manager in Mint does the trick for me - ive got driver 310 on quadro k5000 - and works a treat. But i know there are a ton of links out there for installing the latest drivers for your cards - so just keep searching.

Oh and to add my previosu post - i recommend using ARandR for setting up dual screen. It works perfectly without bugs, and you can save a config file so as to load up dual screen at boot time….

Yes ,the Mint 15 is great for Houdini .I working Houdini 12.5 on it and I don't have any special problem or need to back on Windows.But don't forget to update your VGA with last version (Specially for ATI).

Just maybe ,you may encounter with some problem about cinnamon on mint 15 for ATI HD7XXX VGA or others after each update mint and you can fix it by reinstalling driver.

about dual monitor if you have ATI ,then just use Catalyst software to do it (Not Default Display option on the Mint)

If you want to work with HDK on mint later ,It's ok and you can simply compile and make your codes !

Also I installed other VFX softwares like Nuke 7.0 and Maya2014 on it and all of them works better than Win 7.

If you have SSD drive ,don't forget to format this with ex4 type and I suggest you to set Houdini_Temp_Dir to this drive for caches and etc.

Hey Joker386

I just noticed you installed maya 2014 on Mint. Do you have any pointers or advice on this ? - as I've so far steered away from converting to deb files. Houdini, Nuke etc install so easily but Maya for Mint looks like a trip into insanity.

mantragora

sparkyrex
I have the Adobe Creative Suite on it, and a lot of other software as well.

Well, it looks that he uses more than just one program in Windows. So switching to Linux just for Houdini for me would be a “no, no” option.

As for Linux, don't get this childish ditro that is called Mint. It's for babies that are afraid of serious Linux experience. Use OpenSuse.

Wow man, that a bit harsh.

I use computers since I am 6, hell i learned the alphabet from a C64, but still find my way easier on windows than , linux, yes I have dual boot also, ubuntu 12.04, I do all my overnight sims and renders on linux, and I game on windows .

But not everybody needs to be a linux wiz, even thou most of us are FX TDs, we still dont have to know the OS to the bones.

A good and easy linux distribution is Manjaro. Based on Arch Linux, it's very fast and with the excellent Arch Wiki, you will always find a solution in case of trouble. It is like Arch linux, a rolling distribution, so you will always up to date with last version of all packages/softwares.

How much is the difference of Houdini crashing on Windows7 and any other linux versions?

advaitk8
How much is the difference of Houdini crashing on Windows7 and any other linux versions?

I have no problem with Houdini on Linux Mint 15 with nvidia GTX series ,Exactly like Windows works perfectly without any special crashing ,But I have some different problem on the Linux with ATI HD77XX series ,e.g sometimes My Houdini crashing immediately ,I updated my VGA ,But no chance !

I have Linux however installing OTL's doesn't work for me. I don't know why, but any OTL I try to install just wont appear in the asset browser or the hip file. Any suggestions on this?

OTL's on linux…

I have no problem here…how are you installing the otl and where?

I use a an environment variable but have also installed with just the file instal digital asset option on centOs and Ubuntu with no issues.

http://www.sidefx.com/index.php?option=com_forum&Itemid=172&page=viewtopic&t=30623&view=next&sid=96bd105895391351343a11e1509a41d4 [sidefx.com]

Yes that sounds like file permission errors; i got no probs with otls here on Mint

Yes ,I had same problem ,But it solved after I corrected my file's permissions !