SGI Revolutionizes Low-Cost Immersive Visualization
dg> Tom , you have been pretty quiet about SGI lately??
Story Filed: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 7:01 AM EST
Launch of SGI Graphics Cluster Series Opens New Doors in Visual Simulation
LILLE, France, ITEC 2001, Booth 420, April 24 /PRNewswire Interactive News Release/ -- SGI (NYSE: SGI), the world's leader in visualization technology, launched its new graphics cluster systems at the ITEC simulation trade show in Lille, France.
The SGI Graphics Cluster(TM) high-performance visualization product family takes a revolutionary approach to providing low-cost, high-resolution, multichannel immersive visualization by combining the functionality of a single system with the economics and practicality of a component-based PC cluster.
"SGI is excited to announce SGI Graphics Cluster systems for the visual simulation market," said Jan Silverman, vice president of marketing, Advanced Systems Division, SGI. "Its use of PCs and powerful, commercially available PC graphics combined with synchronization cards and software interfaces developed by SGI heralds a new age of economical scalable graphics solutions."
The entire system is composed of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) componentry, with innovative add-in boards and layered software to achieve superior functionality and performance while preserving low-cost and open upgrade paths. The system's graphics are powered by SGI(TM) VPro(TM) VR7 graphics cards based on NVIDIA graphics technology.
SGI Graphics Cluster systems will support advanced real-time 3D requirements through a suite of innovative technology modules such as SGI DataSync(TM) which provides the global cluster data synchronization, and SGI ImageSync(TM) precision channel synchronization technology, which works in conjunction with the SGI VPro graphics card based on NVIDIA graphics to provide true video-locked multichannel synchronization. Bundled free of charge with certain configurations are robust software packages such as OpenGL Performer(TM), the world's leading scenegraph API, and SGI SynaptIQ(TM) software, which provides the ease, administration and functionality of a single-system image machine on a low-cost cluster.
"SGI is one of the world's leaders in immersive visualization, and NVIDIA is thrilled to provide the graphics power behind this latest innovation," said Dan Vivioli, vice president of marketing, NVIDIA. "SGI is breaking new ground with technology modules like SGI ImageSync and we are thrilled to be a part of this new development."
SGI set the bar in the advanced graphics marketplace when it introduced the Silicon Graphics(R) Onyx(R) family product line, the most advanced visual computing system available. The SGI(TM) Onyx(R) 3000 series delivers the most computer power and realism available today and continues to be the leader for high-fidelity imaging and large problem visualization. With the introduction of SGI Graphics Cluster, SGI continues to innovate by offering the most powerful, affordable multichannel visual solution. The combination of the two platforms, together with SGI's established worldwide support and Professional Services, delivers a wide array of price/performance options to the market.
About the SGI Graphics Cluster Series
The SGI Graphics Cluster series offers several models to meet diverse cost and performance requirements, with an entry-level price point of $9,500 per visual channel. The series supports both Linux(R) and Windows NT(R) as well as today's leading off-the-shelf graphics subsystems, API, and accelerators. Product deliveries are planned for summer 2001. |
