SGI Delivers a Fully Integrated Windows OS-BASED Workstation With SD Video I/O And Real-Time Graphics-to-Video Out
Story Filed: Monday, April 23, 2001 12:00 PM EST
Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE Visual Workstation With DMediaPro DM1 Makes Advanced
Desktop Digital Media Accessible, Versatile and Powerful
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 23 /PRNewswire Interactive Press Release/ -- SGI (NYSE: SGI), a leader in high-performance desktop visualization, solidifies its position as the leading Windows(R) OS-based technology innovator for the digital content creation and video markets with today's announcement of the first in a family of cross-platform SGI(TM) DMediaPro(TM) products-the Silicon Graphics Zx10(TM) VE visual workstation with DMediaPro(TM) DM1. The Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE workstation with DMediaPro DM1 combines uncompressed standard-definition (SD) video I/O and integrated real-time graphics-to-video output (GVO) to deliver an affordable Windows OS-based workstation. This unprecedented combination provides broadcasters and post-production houses unparalleled price/performance for real-time graphics, virtual sets, virtual characters, editing, compositing and weather graphics applications. The only Windows OS-based platform to deliver integrated 32-bit GVO in a fully integrated hardware solution, Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE with DMediaPro DM1 is built on top of SGI Wahoo Technology(TM), which delivers unparalleled system throughput and I/O bandwidth with system-level acceleration for the graphics pipeline. Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE with DMediaPro DM1 is also compatible with OpenML(TM), enabling content application developers to more easily integrate video and graphics capabilities into their application suites. SGI debuts the new Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE visual workstation with DMediaPro DM1 in the SGI booth (S4132) at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas, April 23-26.
Offered as a fully integrated, media-rich workstation in either a 5U rack-mount or tower configuration, Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE with DMediaPro DM1 running Windows NT(R) or Windows 2000 on dual Pentium(R) III processors will be available through SGI's value-added reseller channel in summer 2001, starting at $23,995 (U.S. list).
"With the introduction of Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE with DMediaPro DM1, SGI now offers a phenomenal combination of price and performance to the desktop digital content creation community," said Greg Goelz, vice president of volume products at SGI. "We expect the Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE workstation with DMediaPro DM1 to be enthusiastically embraced by broadcast graphics producers, and the unique GVO capability will be extremely attractive to virtual set makers."
What Customers and Providers Are Saying
Many industry-leading digital media development providers have lined up behind SGI DMediaPro enhanced systems with a variety of digital video applications and hardware/software solutions, including 5D, Kaydara, vi[z]rt and Orad.
"SGI is well-known as a leader in high-performance computing solutions," said Marc Dando, sales and marketing director at 5D. "The speed, quality and reliability of SGI DMediaPro enhanced platforms are without question in today's film and video post-production marketplace. SGI platforms enable 5D to provide customers with a useful choice of hardware solutions and operating systems across the whole price/performance spectrum. This approach also lets us deliver proven, turnkey solutions to customers, giving them great peace of mind."
"Having real-time graphics-to-video output and SD input and output on the same card is a revolutionary development for the Windows platform. This will greatly benefit Kaydara's FiLMBOX and broadcast systems customers who are working in mixed-media content creation," said Michel Besner, president of Kaydara, which will feature Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE with DMediaPro DM1 at NAB, Booth S3263. "We congratulate SGI on delivering the only Windows OS-based platform to deliver 32-bit GVO in an affordable turnkey solution. This is a great opportunity for our customers, particularly those in the television and Internet broadcast markets."
"We are excited by the arrival of a new hardware platform that will enable us to deliver our solutions at broadcast quality," said Greg Petroff, vice president of marketing at vi[z]rt. "The Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE visual workstation with the DMediaPro DM1 capability of digital video out-and especially graphics-to-video out-provides the market with a low-cost, broadcast-quality graphics engine that gives our users a lot of creative freedom and performance for their money. It fits into our strategy of offering the highest quality real-time graphics at different price points, not only for broadcasters, but also for corporations that, for example, might want to Webcast their financial results in an attractive way."
The DMediaPro DM1 Technology Advantage
In line with the company's mission to bring high-end features, functionality and performance, regardless of platform, to the desktop, Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE with DMediaPro DM1 is a media-rich, fully integrated SD system. Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE with DMediaPro DM1 is a cost-effective platform for professional-level SDI (digital) video input and output for the video editing and compositing, video broadcast production, virtual set, and weather graphics markets. Advanced digital media capabilities for Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE include support for:
-- NTSC or PAL timings
-- 8- or 10-bit per channel YCrCb (with alpha) SD video I/O
-- Dual serial digital video inputs which enable the capture and
monitoring of two independent uncompressed SD video streams or a
dual-link signal with video and alpha
-- Integration with 3Dlabs Wildcat(TM) 4210 VIO graphics to provide
real-time GVO
-- OpenML
Availability and Pricing
The Silicon Graphics Zx10 VE visual workstation, bundled with 3Dlabs Wildcat 4210 VIO high-performance graphics and SGI DMediaPro DM1, is expected to begin shipping in summer 2001 starting at $23,995 (U.S. list price). For more information or the nearest SGI reseller call 800-800-7441.
About SGI
SGI provides a broad range of high-performance computing and advanced graphics solutions that enable customers to understand and conquer their toughest computing problems. DMediaPro represents SGI excellence in digital media products by making advanced digital media functionality easy, accessible, versatile and powerful regardless of platform operating system. Media Commerce(TM) solutions from SGI enable telecommunications, broadband Internet, media and entertainment customers to create, manage, deliver and transact content over a vast range of networks. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., with offices worldwide, the company is located on the Web at www.sgi.com. |
