***Quantum3D Claims World's Fastest Realtime 3D Graphics
Accelerator For Professional Applications
(March 31)
Quantum3D, Inc. announced the Obsidian2 family of realtime 3D
accelerators based on the Voodoo2 chipset from 3Dfx. The first
of the professional models of the Obsidian2 family, the 200SB-
8440 and 200SB-8440V with on-board 2D/VGA support, each contain
24 MB of on-board memory, are targeted at cost-sensitive,
exclusive-mode professional realtime 3D applications including
coin-op/arcade, location-based entertainment, visual simulation
and training.
The Obsidian2 200SB-8440 is powered by a six-chip Voodoo2
chipset using the unique Single Board Scan-Line Interleaved
(SBSLI) design Quantum3D pioneered last year with the Obsidian
100SB family of realtime 3D accelerators. The Quantum3D SBSLI
approach combines two Voodoo2 graphics subsystems in parallel to
provide twice the fill rate -- without requiring dual graphics
boards which consume two PCI slots and require inter-board SLI
interconnection cable assemblies.
With a 384-bit memory architecture and 4.3 Gigabytes-per-second
of dedicated graphics memory bandwidth, the 200SB-8440 can
sustain 180 Megapixels-per-second of textured fill rate, with
perspective-correct trilinear texture filtering with per-pixel
level-of-detail mip mapping, z-buffering, alpha-blending and per
pixel fog enabled. In terms of triangle performance, the 200SB
Voodoo2 floating point triangle set-up engine features support
for triangle mesh, strip, and fan primitives and Pentium(R) II
style write combining, which enables the accelerator to process
up to 2.5 million textured triangles per second.
On Gemini Technology's RealWorld Benchmark Release 2.0, the
200SB-8440, when deployed in an Intel Pentium II 333MHz system,
delivered the highest score ever achieved on a PC-based system.
With an average score of 161.4 frames per second, composite
score at 640x480 resolution in single-buffered rendering mode
with trilinear filtering enabled, the Obsidian2 200SB-8440
delivers approximately 500% greater performance than the Diamond
Multimedia FireGL 4000, which uses the Evans and Sutherland
RealImage chipset, when placed in the identical system. On the
same tests, an Intergraph TDZ-2000 workstation, equipped with a
333MHz Pentium II processor and Intergraph's own RealiZm-II
model VX-113, achieves a score of 40.9-less than 1/4th the
performance of the 200SB-8440.
The 200SB-8440 is capable of displaying resolutions up to
1024x768 with depth and single, double, or triple-buffered
rendering enabled. The Obsidian2 200SB-8440 employs a "VGA
pass-through design" that ensures compatibility with popular
2D/3D primary windows accelerators. For applications where PCI
slots are at a premium, the Obsidian2 200SB-8440V includes
Quantum3D's MGV-2000 2D/VGA daughter card that provides
competitive 2D performance without sacrificing a third PCI slot.
Optimized for multi-channel applications, the Obsidian2 200SB-
8440 driver software supports up to four boards in a single
system.
The 200SB-8440 features Quantum3D's SwapLock capability-enabling
synchronization of up to 16 graphics channels for wide field of
view applications and immersive environments. The Obsidian2
200SB features simultaneous RGB and NTSC/PAL "TV-out" capability
with support for both S-Video and composite formats. The board
also includes a digital video out "pixel port" that enables
simulation, virtual studio, and other advanced integrators to
implement advanced post-rendering techniques with custom video
hardware. For coin-op and location-based entertainment
applications where software piracy is a concern, the 200SB
includes a unique, on-board authentication feature designed to
"lock" content to a specific authentication key that is unique
to each OEM.
The 200SB-8440 has an MSRP of $999 U.S.; the 200SB-8440V, with
on-board 2D/VGA has an MSRP of $1,199 U.S. The Obsidian2 200SB-
8440 and 200SB-8440V will be available directly from Quantum3D
through their new Web Store and through authorized distributors,
VARs and integrators beginning in late April.
A bundle product including the 200SB-8440 and Datapath's
RealiStorm(TM) realtime visualization plug-in will also be
available in Q298. Priced at $1,199, the new bundle is targeted
at animators, architects and other design professionals needing
realtime rendering or accelerated "render to disk" capabilities
from within Kinetix 3D Studio Max, Max2, and 3D Viz, Autodesk
AutoCAD R14 or Bentley Systems' Microstation.
Wave Issue 9811 4/24/98 Article 3-01