I have a dual core processor. Just recently I was rendering a video that, by calculation, should take about 40 hours. I wanted it to be done sooner. By using this method the video got done in 26 hours.

So I looked at my Task Manager and discovered that POV-Rray was using, at max, 50% of my processing power. This is because any program not written to use two cores will only use one. The processor can switch programs between cores, but unless the program was written specifically to utilize both cores, one program can only use 50% of the processing power.

So, basically, if you have a dual-core processor, you can render videos twice as fast by following these steps:

1.) In POV-Ray, in the Options menu, un-check "Keep Single Instance"
2.) Prepare your .inc(s) and .pov to be rendered, and save each BEFORE opening second instance of POV-Ray
3.) Open two instances of POV-Ray
NOTE: Only do this JUST BEFORE starting the render, and make sure you close one of the instances before you make ANY CHANGES to currently open .incs
4.) Set the initial_frame and final_frame on each so that the first half of frames are done by one instance, and the second half by the other
i.e.: if you are rendering from frame 15 to frame 345, on one instance set initial_frame=15 final_frame=180 and the other initial_frame=181 final_frame 345
5.) Start both renders

It is normal if one instance finishes before the other, because some frames would normally take longer than others even if running one instance. In my example, my first half of the frames got done in 20 hours and second half 26 hours. This is because the second half of my frames featured the belt case in dojo.inc.

Very nice. Too bad I don't have a dual core.

I dont even what my computer is xD

swwet nice trick man!

I tried this out, and it works brilliantly.
all hail volt!

One might want to make note that this works with Dual Threading processors as well, being that they act like Dual Core processors.

One might also want to make note that this will suck all processing power, rendering not only the images, but your computer all but useless.

And a question; What if someone were to have a Quad Core processor? Would we be able to run 1, 2, 3, or even 4 instances of POV-Ray at once, rendering simultaneously?

I prefer the way it is because it only eats half my processor while I do other shit.