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    "title": "Render your first frame",
    "description": "Go from a saved Blender scene to a verified Superluminal render and downloaded output.",
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    "body": "Start with one representative frame. One test frame confirms that scene packaging, render-time add-ons, output settings, and the selected Blender version all work before you pay for a full animation.\n\n## Before you begin\n\nYou need:\n\n- a Superluminal account and organization\n- a positive [render-credit balance](/docs/web-ui/billing#balance-and-add-credits)\n- a supported Blender version and the [current Superluminal add-on](/docs/blender-addon/install-and-connect)\n- a saved `.blend` file that renders locally\n\n### Save first\n\nThe add-on cannot submit an unsaved Blender file. Save the file to a stable project folder before you configure the upload.\n\n## First-render checklist\n\n### Install the current add-on\n\nDownload the release ZIP from [superlumin.al/blender-addon](https://superlumin.al/blender-addon), then use Blender's **Install from Disk** flow. Keep the downloaded archive zipped.\n\n### Connect your account\n\n    Open **Render Properties → Superluminal Render** and choose **Connect to Superluminal**. Complete the browser flow, then return to Blender.\n\n![The Superluminal Render panel before sign-in with the Connect to Superluminal button](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/blender/addon-connect.png)\n\n*The panel before sign-in. Password sign-in stays collapsed as a fallback.*\n\n- [Annotation 1: Open the browser sign-in flow](/docs/blender-addon/install-and-connect#connect-to-superluminal)\n\n- [Annotation 2: Password sign-in fallback](/docs/blender-addon/install-and-connect#if-connection-fails)\n\n### Create or select a project\n\nUse the project picker in Blender. If you do not have a project yet, choose **Create Project**, finish that step in the web app, and refresh the picker.\n\n### Fund the organization\n\nOpen **Billing**, choose **Render Farm**, and add credits. The balance belongs to the selected organization.\n\n### Submit a still\n\n    Keep **ZIP** selected for the most self-contained first test, choose the intended image format and Blender version, then click **Submit Still** and pick a useful frame.\n\n![The Superluminal Render panel with project, job name, frame range, render pattern, format, and submit actions](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/blender/addon-submit-panel.png)\n\n*A configured job seconds before submission.*\n\n- [Annotation 1: Project and job name](/docs/blender-addon/job-submission#name-and-project)\n\n- [Annotation 2: Frame range and render pattern](/docs/blender-addon/job-submission#frame-range)\n\n- [Annotation 3: Image format](/docs/blender-addon/job-submission#image-format)\n\n- [Annotation 4: Submit a still or the animation](/docs/blender-addon/job-submission#what-happens-after-you-click-submit)\n\n- [Annotation 5: Optional automatic frame download](/docs/blender-addon/manage-and-download#download-output)\n\n### Watch registration and rendering\n\n    A terminal window opens and reports tracing, packaging, uploading, and registration ([how to read it](/docs/blender-addon/submission-terminal)). Once it reports success, open the job in the browser to inspect frames, previews, timings, and logs.\n\n![The job workspace with header, frame details, frame grid, preview, job details, and charts panels](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/web/job-overview.png)\n\n*The job page: frames on the left, preview in the middle, details on the right, charts and logs below.*\n\n- [Annotation 1: Job status, progress, and actions](/docs/web-ui/job-details#workspace-panels)\n\n- [Annotation 2: Selected-frame details and re-render](/docs/web-ui/job-details#frame-grid-and-selection)\n\n- [Annotation 3: Frame grid](/docs/web-ui/job-details#frame-grid-and-selection)\n\n- [Annotation 4: Sequence preview](/docs/web-ui/job-details#preview)\n\n- [Annotation 5: Job and scene details](/docs/web-ui/job-details#job-and-scene-details)\n\n- [Annotation 6: Operations chart and render logs](/docs/web-ui/job-details#charts-and-logs)\n\n### Download the result\n\n    In Blender, expand **Manage & Download**, select the job, choose a download path, and click **Download job output**.\n\n![Manage & Download with the job list, download path, and the Download job output action](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/blender/addon-manage-downloads.png)\n\n*You download original frames from Blender, not the web page.*\n\n- [Annotation 1: Job list with status and progress](/docs/blender-addon/manage-and-download#refresh-and-select-a-job)\n\n- [Annotation 2: Download path and job output](/docs/blender-addon/manage-and-download#download-output)\n\n## Choose a first test frame\n\nA useful test frame uses the same features as the production range: linked files, simulations or caches, geometry nodes, render-time extensions, compositing, view layers, and file-output nodes. Rendering frame 1 proves nothing when those features only appear later.\n\n### Then submit the animation\n\nOnce the downloaded test output is correct, switch to **Submit Animation**. Confirm the scene or custom range, step, and render order before submitting.\n\n## Where to go next\n\n- [Install and connect](/docs/blender-addon/install-and-connect): Local compatibility, farm version choices, upgrades, browser auth, and password fallback.\n- [Choose an upload mode](/docs/blender-addon/upload-settings): Understand ZIP, PROJECT, project roots, relative paths, and cross-drive limits.\n- [Configure a job](/docs/blender-addon/job-submission): Still versus animation, image formats, frame ranges, and render order.\n- [Troubleshoot](/docs/blender-addon/troubleshooting): Fix missing assets, registration delays, frame errors, and downloads.",
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        "title": "The best Blender render farms, ranked",
        "description": "4 Blender scenes, 9 render farms, and 43 recorded runs. Compare render-pipeline times, recorded charges, qualified estimates, failures, and workflow outcomes."
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