jxr@thumper.bellcore.com (Jonathan Rosenberg) (05/03/91)
A few weeks ago, I posted a query to this newsgroup. I've received several helpful responses & I would like to return the favor to the newsgroup by posting a summary of the responses I received. First, here's a copy of the my original query posting: > In support of a project we are beginning, we are in the market for > some high-end graphics and imaging support for a PC (-compatible, > actually a Compaq 486). > I would appreciate recommendations from people about hardware support > for the following requirements. It is not essential that all of these > capabilities be satisfied by one product (fat chance, anyway) -- we'll > buy as many boards as we need. By the way, price is (almost) no > object for this exercise. > Here's our requirements: > - support for screen size of about 1,000 x 1,000 pixels > - at least 8-bit color (24 bit desirable) > - excellent font support (we don't need lots of fonts, but we > need a catalog of several good-looking fonts; arbitrarily > scalable fonts desirable) > - ability to store several different screens on board (known > as "multiple planes", I believe) > - fast, high-level geometric graphics operations > - JPEG image compression/decompression support (images up to > about 512 x 512; must be able to decompress such an image in > under 1 second [is this possible?]) > - MPEG full-motion video support (yeah, I know this ain't > available yet, but we're going to need it eventually) > - Desirable: special effects (wipes, disintegrating images, > fade ins, etc.) > I appreciate any suggestion you have, even if your recommendations > only cover part of the requirements. > By the way, we are familiar with the Matrox line of boards. > Also, please e-mail to me (jxr@thumper.bellcore.com) as I don't > normally read any of these newsgroups. And, here's the responses: ------------------------- Check out the SGI IRISVision board set. Basically it is PersonalIRIS graphics on a PC. Available in 8 or 24 bit formats with Zbuffer and full GL support. Cost is about $3500 - $5000. -- Jeff Hanson - Scientific Graphics Programmer and Workstation Administrator NASA Lewis Research Center, MS 86-4, Cleveland, Ohio 44135 Telephone - (216) 433-2284 Fax - (216) 433-2182 tohanson@gonzo.lerc.nasa.gov - ViSC: Better Science Through Pictures ------------------------- You might try calling Texas Instruments. They produce the TMS340 series of microprocessors and microcontrollers which have been optimized to do really fast graphics operations (they even have bresenham's line algorithm in the hardware). You should be able to get from them a list of the OEM's using these processors. I have an NEC MGE-256 board which is good enough for what I have need for (1,024x768x8 bits). Many of the other things can be dealt with using software. TI should be able to help you out better than I can here. Give them a call at (713) 274-2340. They are highly knowledgable about their product line here. Enjoy... -Andy ******************************************************************************* * Harold G. "Andy" Andrews II * "Many the man whose punctuality * * andrewsh@lonex.radc.af.mil * serves only to warm his chair." * * Rome Laboratory/IRRE * * * Griffiss AFB, NY 13441-5700 * - M. Kabrisky * * (315) 330-7788 (DSN Prfx 587) * (Not an official USAF viewpoint) * ******************************************************************************* ------------------------- After a 4 monthes search for high end PC graphics, the clear winner was IPS at 3075 14th Avenue, Markham Ontario (416-940-0300). They make a 1K by 1K board based on an 8514 that costs only about $1000 US. They also make a 1K by 1K board that has 32 bits per pixel for about $6500 US. I bought some boards and I'm very pleased. They are also a easy to deal with, which I've founnd is major problem in the market. I think that they have US distributors. Good luck. Marc Green Assistant Professor Trent University ------------------------- G'day, I am replying you by mail because I am not sure about the following information. I think SGI and Compaq are coming up with just such a card. The card will have the graphics capabilities of the current 4D/20 i.e. 5000 gouraud shaded INDEPENDENT polygon per seconds and multiple-bitplane, at least 24-bit. Also Z-buffer. Look back at comp.graphics, I remember seeing the article there. I am quite sure the article was this year. Hope This Is Helpful nicholas@cs.uwa.oz.au ------------------------- This is very similar to the requirements of the system we are developing right now. Unfortunately, it won't be completed until mid-1993. Yes, it will support real-time (30fps) JPEG and MPEG compression. If you can wait that long, I can give you some more info (except the confidential stuff). Woobin Lee ----------------------------------------------------------------- || Image Computing System Lab || woobin@u.washington.edu University of Washington || Seattle, WA 98195 || (206) 543 - 1017 ------------------------- From: brand@janus.Berkeley.EDU (Graham Brand) Try a company called Portacom Technologies. They have a very nice product (at least the specs seem so) which seems like it may satisfy all your needs. Their telephone number is: 415-857-1734 (voice) 415-493-5032 (fax) Good luck, -Graham ------------------------- From: Joe Huffman <joe@proto.COM> I have been writing a driver for the Number Nine GX board. I've been quite impressed with it's capabilities. I have been writing to the TIGA (Texas Instruments Graphics Architecture) interface which is supported by a number of different boards, Number Nine Computer Corp. just happens to be the manufacture of the board I am useing. >Here's our requirements: > - support for screen size of about 1,000 x 1,000 pixels 1024 x 768 is quite common for TIGA, I think higher resolutions are available. > - at least 8-bit color (24 bit desirable) 8 bit is available maybe more with different models. > - excellent font support (we don't need lots of fonts, but we > need a catalog of several good-looking fonts; arbitrarily > scalable fonts desirable) Lots of fonts but I haven't got into those and can't authoritatively comment. > - ability to store several different screens on board (known > as "multiple planes", I believe) My board doesn't have enough memory to do this with 1024 x 768 x 256 colors, but at 16 colors it has 2 screens. Other boards probably support multiple screens with 256 colors (we are begining to talk about a LOT of memory here). > - fast, high-level geometric graphics operations VERY FAST!! I am very impressed with it capabilities. > - JPEG image compression/decompression support (images up to > about 512 x 512; must be able to decompress such an image in > under 1 second [is this possible?]) I'm unfamilar with JPEG. > - MPEG full-motion video support (yeah, I know this ain't > available yet, but we're going to need it eventually) Same as previous. > - Desirable: special effects (wipes, disintegrating images, > fade ins, etc.) Wipes? I'm not sure what you mean. I have implemented what I call a 'dissolve' but I'm not satisfied with it on this board. It's too slow because I have to do it one pixel at a time rather than it haveing a 'native command'. But I think one could program in a 'native command' for this that would speed things up to an acceptable level. --- joe@proto.com ------------------------- I have a PixelWorks UltraClipper 1280 board that provides up to 1280x1024 24bit colour and has all the standard grphics PHIGS+ type stuff in harware (too many too mention -- I could dig out the manual and list them for you if you want). It also does very fast, very high level geometric operations. It doe snot do JPEG or MPEG but it does have the ability to do full motion stuff and special effects. It comes with a C library for many different platforms. They're going to be coming out wiht a board that specifically supports the Windowing enviroment (X, motif, Windows 3 etc) It does have a "plane" model -- the board I have is a 8 plane board. It does have some built in fonts but you can design your own easily enough. It's increibly fast. It was given the nod by several Graphics magazines last year when I bought it. It's expensive (> $3,000). They are coming out with a new board that gives up to 1600x1200 24 bit (TRUE Color? -- that's what the Director of Engineering said) ability. If you're interested let me know and I'll dig out the book and the name of the director of Engineering for you. Kevin -- Kevin "auric" Crocker Athabasca University UUCP: ...!{alberta,ncc}!atha!kevinc Inet: kevinc@cs.AthabascaU.CA -------------------------