***QuickNews
1997 Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics
Registration is now open for the 1997 Symposium on Interactive 3D
Graphics, which will be held from April 27-30 in Providence, Rhode
Island. Registration is limited to 250 participants. For more info see:
www.research.microsoft.com/research/Symp3d.htm
1997 Siggraph/Eurographics Workshop on Graphics Hardware
A call for papers has been issued for the 1997 Siggraph/Eurographics
Workshop on Graphics Hardware. The workshop, which is being held in
conjunction with this year’s SIGGRAPH in Los Angles from August 3-4, is
seeking paper submissions of “high-quality contributions to all aspects
of computer graphics hardware describing either proven and tested
solutions or novel ideas and concepts.” Registration for the workshop
is limited to 120, with registration information being made available
after March 1.
SCHEDULE
Apr 1 Deadline for paper submission
May 5 Notification of acceptance
May 26 Camera-ready copies due from authors
Aug 3+4 Workshop
www.cs.unc.edu/Info/Events/Conferences/hwws97.html
Specular & Apple Seminars
Specular International and Apple Computer have announced a series of
nationwide seminars, currently scheduled for stops in eight cities
across the U.S. The seminars “will focus on creating 3D graphics for
digital video using Specular Infini-D with the Media 100 non-linear
editing system and Apple Power Macintosh Personal Computers,” utilizing
Infini-D 3.5 (which will also be available to attendees for the special
price of $299).
Tour Locations & Dates:
Los Angeles, CA February 25
Cupertino, CA February 27
Boston, MA March 4
Philadelphia, PA March 6
Denver,CO March 11
Chicago, IL March 13
Reston, VA March 18
New York, NY March 20
www.seminars.apple.com
Permedia NT Ships in Diamond FireGL 1000
Diamond’s FireGL 1000 accelerator, which sports 3D Labs’ Permedia NT
chipset, is now shipping in several retail and distribution channels.
The FireGL 1000 is available in both 4MB or 8MB SGRAM configurations,
with prices starting at $399.99. The reported performance and stats for
the card are:
Performance: 600K bilinear filtered, texture-mapped, polygons/sec
30M bilinear-filtered, texture-mapped pixels/sec
Memory: 4 or 8 MB SGRAM
Resolutions: up to 1600x1200
Features: VGA acceleration, MPEG acceleration, GLINT Delta
geometry accelerator
www.diamondmm.com
GLyder MP Promotion
This week Symmetric announced special promotional pricing for their new
GLyder MP 3D accelerator. They are offering the card for a quantity-1
retail price of $2,395 (reportedly up to $1500 less than the price
through other retail channels) through February 28, after which the
price will rise to $3,495. The card’s reported performance and stats
are:
Performance: 750K polygons/sec
40M pixels/sec
Chipset: Dual GLINT 500TX, GLINT Delta
Memory: 40 MB total:
8 MB VRAM frame buffer
32 MB DRAM Z-buffer/texture memory
Resolutions: up to 1600x1200
Frame buffer: 24-bit color, 8-bit alpha channel
APIs: OpenGL, Heidi, QuickDraw3D for Windows
Features: Gouraud shading, anti-aliasing, alpha blending,
stenciling, fog/depth queuing, texture mapping
www.symmetric.com
Online 3D Market Research
NFO Research (“the world’s largest panel-based market research firm”),
in conjunction with Live Picture Inc., have announced a strategic
alliance to combine LivePicture’s RealSpace and FlashPix technologies
with NFO’s Internet-based market research offerings. Live Picture’s
virtual reality software, which is based on FlashPix imaging, VRML 2.0
rendering and audio/video playback, will allow users to interact with
3D representations of market research and studies. The Realspace
technologies are optimized for use with Netscape Navigator 2.0+ or
Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0+, and are currently available for
select studies.
www.nfor.com
www.livepicture.com
New Shape Animation Plug-in for 3DS MAX
Platinum Pictures Multimedia Inc. and GlyphX Inc. have announced
MorphMagic, a Shape Animation plug-in for 3D Studio MAX. Working alone
or in conjunction with Character Studio, MorphMagic allows users to
perform complex facial, hand and other shape animation. The plug-in was
designed by GlyphX and programmed by Platinum Pictures Multimedia.
Features include: 100 weighted morph channels; the ability to predefine
limits of motion on each channel; a compound channel generator; a new
progressive animation system to simulate bone-like animation; and
others. MorphMagic is scheduled to ship on March 1. For more
information and sample animations see:
www.3dcafe.com
Consumer Video Editing from Pinnacle
Pinnacle will begin shipping their new VideoDirector Studio 200 system
for the consumer video market starting next week. The system will allow
home users to perform video editing with a common PC, VCR and/or
camcorder. VideoDirector Studio 200, which will retail for $295,
consists of three components: the VideoDirector Suite Software, which
includes VideoDirector, Title Editor and Audio Editor; SmartCable, for
connecting the PC’s serial port for controlling the camcorder and VCR;
and StudioMixer, a video processor that connects the PC’s parallel
port, camcorder and VCR. Features include: video editing; title and
graphics; special effects; audio editing; video snapshots; and a clip
media library. VideoDirector Studio will begin shipping February 21.
www.pinnaclesys.com
Correction – Newfire – Heat Available in March
In our last issue (#702), in our story on Newfire Inc. (formerly Axial
Systems) we stated that Heat, their VRML 2.0 player and authoring tool,
was available now. Since then we have been contacted by Newfire and
been informed that Heat will actually not be available on their Web
site until March. Once the exact date is determined, we will inform the
readers of WAVE.
www.newfire.com
First DVD-ROM Mac
This week in France at the Milia 97 presentation, Apple Computer
publicly displayed the first DVD-ROM Macintosh prototype, and announced
that the first available DVD-ROM Macs would appear as early as the end
of the year.
www.apple.com
Division Introduces Two New 3D VR Modules
Division Inc. has introduced two new modules to their integrated
Universal Virtual Product line. dv/Pilot, which is available as a
plug-in for Netscape Navigator and Microsoft IE, is an entry-level 3D
Web player for viewing virtual environments created with dVISE modules.
dv/MockUp is an interactive design module that “enables designers and
engineers to create a full-scale virtual mock-up of a product.” Both
new products will be available later this spring; dv/Pilot will be
available free for downloading from Division’s Web site, while
dv/MockUp will be available for $10,000.
www.division.com
Progressive Networks User Conference in March
Progressive Networks, the makers of the popular RealAudio Internet
software, will be holding the first RealMedia Users Conference on March
3 & 4 at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco. The conference will
feature hands-on experience with the RealMedia architecture,
Progressive’s technology for supporting multimedia applications over
the Internet. Developers may register for the RealMedia User Conference
for $695, which will cover access to all of the keynote speeches,
exhibits, technology sessions and sneak previews. Registration can be
done online or by calling Progressive Networks at:
www.realaudio.com
800/765-3705
Sony Community Place Offered For OEM Sales
Sony Corp. has announced that their Community Place VRML 2.0 software
is now being offered in the U.S. on an OEM basis to Internet/intranet
system integrators, service providers, 3D graphics vendors, PC
companies and others. It is being offered as a bundle that includes
both the browser software and multi-user server software, and can be
purchased directly from Sony ITC in Japan. OEM prices are dependent on
volume.
Currently Sony’s focus is on PC manufacturers and 3D board
manufacturers, with the intent that Community Place will be bundled
with PCs and 3D boards. Sony’s new home PC, PCV-100 and PCV-120, which
are available in the U.S. market, bundle Community Place v.1.0.
In addition, Imageworks (Sony Pictures Entertainment) has a team who
develops the content for Community Place.
The browser software can currently be downloaded for free from the CP
Web site at:
vs.spiw.com/vs
OEM customers wishing to inquire about purchasing CP can contact:
Fax: +81-466-30-4200
Email: cp-oem@sm.sony.co.jp
Microsoft – Multimedia Strategy Day Cancelled
Microsoft has cancelled this event which was announced in the last
issue of WAVE (WAVE #702 2/3/97) and scheduled for 25 February.
Microsoft has decided to roll out its strategy in other ways to the
press and analysts.
Microsoft – Next Meltdown ’97 Event Scheduled
The next Meltdown will be held July 9–11 in Bellevue, Wash. For more
information on registering, refer to the Microsoft Developer Web site
at:
www.microsoft.com/hwdev/meltdown.htm.
3D Labs Q4 & 1996 Results
This week 3D Labs released their Fourth Quarter and 1996 financial
results:
Q4 1996 Revenues: $8.61 million
Q4 1995 Revenues: $2.69 million
1996 Revenues: $19.69 million
1995 Revenues: $6.59 million
Q4 1996 Net Income: $2.15 million
Q3 1996 Net Income: $1.38 million
1996 Net Income: $2.63 million
1995 Net Income: -$1.36 million
www.3dlabs.com
DeBabelizer Pro Showcases MMX
Equilibrium has announced that DeBabelizer Pro 4.0 for Windows 95 and
Windows NT is one of the first applications to be optimized for Intel’s
MMX technology. As a result, Intel is using DeBabelizer Pro to showcase
MMX at the MILIA multimedia trade show in Cannes, France.
www.equilibrium.com
Wave Issue 9703 2/17/97 Article 1-01