Using the standalone Denoiser tool (VDenoise.exe)

Overview

The V-Ray installation includes a standalone denoising tool called VDenoise. It can be used to denoise still images or animations post-rendering, outside of the host platform. 

VDenoise is part of the recommended workflow for denoising animations due to the tools consideration of previous and subsequent frames, which in turn produces better results. It provides more control by leaving the denoising process open for experimentation without the need for re-rendering.

Setup in the host platform

1. Enable the Auto-Save / Image file output / V-Ray raw image file output

2. Choose a path and format: .exr or .vrimg

    

   Where to find the option:

   V-Ray for 3dsMax: Render Setup > V-Ray > Frame Buffer > V-Ray Raw Image File

   V-Ray for Maya: Render Settings > Common > Image File Output

   V-Ray for SketchUp / Rhino:  Asset Editor > Render Output > Save Image

   V-Ray for Revit: V-Ray > Settings > Renderer > Auto-Save

   V-Ray for Cinema4D: Render Settings > Vray > Common > V-Ray Output System

   V-Ray for Houdini: V-Ray > Render Settings > Images

   V-Ray for Blender: Properties > Output Properties > Output
    

3. Add/Enable the VRayDenoiser

    

   Where to find the option:

   V-Ray for 3dsMax: Render Setup > Render Elements > Add > VRayDenoiser

   V-Ray for Maya: Render Settings > Render Elements > Denoiser

   V-Ray for SketchUp / Rhino:  Asset Editor > Render Parameters > Denoiser

   V-Ray for Revit: Render Settings > Channels > Denoiser

   V-Ray for Cinema4D: Render Settings > VRay > Common > Denoiser

   V-Ray for Houdini: V-Ray Render Elements node > V-Ray > Render Channel > V-Ray Denoiser (RE)

   V-Ray for Blender: V-Ray Node Editor > World > Add menu > Render Channels > Denoiser

    

4. Choose a Denoising engine

   Each denoising engine has a different collection of supplementary elements that it generates. Only the chosen engine can later be used in the VDenoise tool.

   

    

5. Unhide the "Advanced" rollout

6. Set the Denoiser Mode to “Only generate render elements”

    

   Where to find the option:

   V-Ray for 3dsMax: VRayDenoiser > Advanced denoiser parameters

   V-Ray for Maya: Denoiser > Mode

   V-Ray for SketchUp / Rhino:  Denoiser > Mode

   V-Ray for Revit: Denoiser > Mode

   V-Ray for Cinema4D: Denoiser > Advanced Denoiser

   V-Ray for Houdini: V-Ray Denoiser (RE) > Mode

   V-Ray for Blender: Denoiser > Advanced

    

3. Render the image/animation

Using the standalone denoiser tool

• Windows

  1. Start the vdenoise.exe tool

      

     Where to find the tool:

     V-Ray for SketchUp: C:\Program Files\Chaos\V-Ray\V-Ray for SketchUp\extension\vrayappsdk\bin

     V-Ray for Rhino: C:\Program Files\Chaos\V-Ray\V-Ray for Rhinoceros\vrayappsdk\bin

     V-Ray for Revit: C:\Program Files\Chaos\V-Ray\V-Ray for Revit\Libraries\vrayappsdk\bin

     V-Ray for 3dsMax: C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins\VRay3dsMax20XX\bin

     V-Ray for Maya: C:\Program Files\Chaos\V-Ray\Maya 20XX for x64\maya_vray\bin

     V-Ray for Houdini:  C:\Program Files\Chaos\V-Ray\Houdini_XX.X\appsdk\bin

     V-Ray for Cinema4D: C:\Program Files\Maxon Cinema 4D <version>\plugins\V-Ray\res\libs\win64

     V-Ray for Blender: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\<Blender version>\scripts\addons\vray_blender\bin\VRayZmqServer\appsdk\bin

      

  2. Browse to the location where the rendered frames are saved

     

      

     V-Ray will process the entire sequence. You can edit the frame interval by enabling the "Specify Frame Interval" checkbox.  By default, the VDenoise tool will denoise the RGB render element only. Additional render elements could be selected from the Select denoise elements button.

     Learn more about the Denoiser tool's options.

     3. Match the Engine with the one chosen in the host platform

     

      

     4. Press the Denoise button

     5. Once the process is completed, the output files will be saved in the same location, with the _denoised suffix

      

• macOS

  The VDenoise tool can be found under Applications > ChaosGroup > V-Ray for XXXX > Extension > Tools > vdenoise.bin

  To start it:

  1. Open the Terminal
  2. Type ”sudo chmod +x” and drag-n-drop the vdenoise.bin over the Terminal window
  3. Press Enter
  4. You are asked for your password. (Please note that there is no visual input when typing the password)
  5. After typing in the password, press Enter and drag-n-drop the vdenoise.bin file once again
  6. Browse to the output files
  7. Match the Engine with the one chosen in the host platform

  8. Edit the options and click Denoise

     Learn more about the Denoiser tool's options.