Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : 3DFX -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Joe C. who wrote (5289)	7/13/1998 9:56:00 PM
From: Joe C.	Respond to of 16960

CrystalGraphics has announced a 3D plug-in for PowerPoint. For those that don't know, PowerPoint is probably one of the most popular packages that is used to create presentations. If you've seen as many as I have, one overriding pattern is that people want to jazz up the presentation as much as possible - usually to cover up for a lack of content :) Anyway, even though 3D acceleration is probably not needed it is a nice baby step towards wider use of 3D in corporate environments. By the way, got this from voodooextreme.com: <<PowerPoint gets 3D - 5:10pm MDT- Billy "Wicked" Wilson>> <<CrystalGraphics, Inc., a leading developer of 3D graphics software, today announced the release of 3D Sensations(TM) For Presentations, the first and only plug-in for Microsoft(R) PowerPoint(R) 97 that adds television-style 3D special effects to presentations. Developed in cooperation with Microsoft, CrystalGraphics' 3D Sensations enables presentations to stand out from the crowd with unique and innovative 3D transition effects. 3D Sensations, along with an introductory set of two popular 3D effects, can be downloaded for free at www.crystalgraphics.com.>> Joe C.

To: Joe C. who wrote (5289)	7/13/1998 10:07:00 PM
From: Stephen J. Schmidt	Respond to of 16960

To All: Put TDFX on my portfolio to monitor in February and I was checking it against it's 12 and 26 day ma last night which showed it to pop up this morning. For a change it actually worked. I did not take a position till it hit 18 1/2. Just thought it to be about time as the earnings interest approached.......see a level around 25 short term as back in April.Even though there were 96 million insider trades to sell on June 10 and 11 took it to the lowest 15.125. For every action there is a....................... Stephen J. Schmidt

To: Joe C. who wrote (5289)	7/14/1998 12:39:00 AM
From: Jay Fisk	Respond to of 16960

ELSA is a very highly regarded company in the CAD/CAM/pro3D markets, here's the "other" pr from today biz.yahoo.com <<The new HP Kayak XU PC Workstations feature the ELSA GLoria Synergy graphics boards and the latest Intel 400MHz Pentium(R) II Xeon processor. The HP Kayak XU PC Workstations include state-of-the-art features for unparalleled system and graphics performance in top-of-the-line PC workstations. The ELSA GLoria Synergy is equipped with an AGP bus, the 3Dlabs PERMEDIA 2a processor clocked at 90 MHz, and 8 MB SGRAM. The 250-MHz pixel clock powers this board to resolutions of 1920 x 1200 in HighColor and so also supports 16:10 wide format 24'' monitors. To date, this board has won seven international awards, recommendations and citations in Germany, Great Britain, the United States and Taiwan. The integration of multiple GLoria Synergy graphics boards enables the HP Kayak XU PC Workstation to be operated with up to four monitors. The ELSA WINman Suite allows each monitor to be controlled individually. New multi-screen tools allow full flexibility in distributing the display across the screens. >> Hmmm.... maybe switch to Banshee instead of TDDDF's Permedia2, wonder how they compare ??? The same board was announced by Compaq last Wednesday: biz.yahoo.com Odd that HP and CPQ chose the Permedia2, when Permedia3 was just announced, ah, it's "futureware - shipping in the second half": biz.yahoo.com

To: Joe C. who wrote (5289)	7/14/1998 1:21:00 AM
From: Stuart C Hall	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 16960

I am by no means a 3D expert but I am willing to share my impressions on the ELSA link. From my understanding of ELSA their cards generally appear on Compaq, Dell and HP high end Workstations. These workstations are designed to compete with SGI and Sun boxes (isn't someone at TDFX an ex-SGI employee?). The graphics cards Dell and Compaq (also known as OEMs, get my point?) use on these workstations are specifically designed for certain CAD (Computer Aided Design) software packages. These are not your father's workstations. They are generally 10k plus and these cards are specifically made to accelerate these special CAD programs. I also believe in most cases they are proprietary. In other words, this 3D card will only work with this certain CAD program. (Does part of that paragraph jar the memory of how you explain to your friends that your TDFX card is dormant until you fire up a 3D acclerated game? I think there is a strong comparison to the CAD cards and the current 3D game market. However, TDFX is not proprietary to any certain game platform!) Whew! So, knowing that Banshee is being adopted by ELSA is a good thing. It makes a statement to OEM boxmakers that this high end OEM card maker is getting on the TDFX train. A while back there was debate on this thread about 3D's killer app. CAD is by no means our saviour. After all, this is 3D labs territory (shudders like the Hyenas in Lion King when they hear Mufasa's name). But, if TDFX can somehow generate support for themselves in the CAD area they have added another market in search of a reliable product without alienating their core audience. Addtionally, CAD guys are used to working with proprietary software (and hardware) and may find a GLIDE type program a blessing rather than a curse. I believe one of our fellow SI members wondered aloud why TDFX is not cleaning up in the 3D modeling light work of programs like Fractal Design's Poser. Personally, I believe this was below the capability of our noble chipset to address. Something juicy like honest 3D modeling might be worthy of bearing the Voodoo name. (Amazing how cocky I get after a 2 point jump ;-) Again, I am by no means an expert and this is all IMHO. All corrections or elaborations are welcome. No FUD intended. This all raises more questions in my mind. What is possessing ELSA to adopt Banshee, which is a game card, when they are known to be high end CAD pros? Has TDFX something up their sleeves in the form of an API for CAD users? Can anyone clear the air on ELSA as a company or further delve into their product line? Regards, Stuart (hey SI, I need a free membership!!) Hall

To: Joe C. who wrote (5289)	7/14/1998 3:09:00 AM
From: Mark Carson	Respond to of 16960

Read over on the fool that ELSA is strictly high end profesional graphics. Anyone here know anything more about them? It seems that they may see a market for the Banshee outside of gaming/home use. Any insights anyone? Joe C. >>> Yes - ELSA is high-end. Mostly the 3Dlabs chipsets in the past. They produce cards from the low-end Gloria ($200) to the dual Glint boards w/80+ megs for around $2,000. Mostly designed for Pro-E, Solid Works and similar high-end mechanical engineering packages. Mark