3DS4 Workstation
>> what type network, (Novel Net, Ethernet, Lan???<<
Lantastic, Novell, any networking protocol that gives you file-sharing
capability.
<< these stations are rack mounted, and share a single keyboard and monitor.>>
Who puts this together?
We do!
<< The DPS PAR card will compress …>> Someone suggested to wait for the new
PVR card, any news when it's out? The PVR is supposed to start shipping –
TOMORROW? My, how time flies. When we placed our initial order for stock back
in early May, the estimate for our delivery at that time was mid-July. DPS says
that they have really ramped up production due to the volume pre-release
orders. We'll see.
<< We like the Matrox Impressions board >> Diamond Stealth seems popular and
acclaimed !!( unlike the ATI )
Look at the threads on this and on the ACAD forum, and you will find users at
both ends of the satisfaction spectrum, no matter which card you choose. I look
at the Impressions board from the modeling standpoint, and it fits a need –
error-checking my models without having to wait for my computer to render even
a simple scene. Add in an inexpensive scan converter like the AverKey, and I
can do d&d walkthroughs to videotape without foring up a renderer!
<< we really recommend Pentiums to our clients that require processing power>>
And, depending on whether 3dSr5 support SNMP, we may start switching to dual
Pentiums.
>>Clients???<<
Yes . . . we are resellers as well as service providers.
>>while talking it over with friend they said, for the price get a Sun
SparcStation.<<
From my perspective, the SparcStation is an all-or-nothing solution that
entails much more expensive hardware and software than a PC-based solution.
There is no question that a RISC workstation will render much faster than a
Pentium PC, but the cost of growth in that world is measured in increments of
$3-4k, vs. $100s – $small 1Ks for PC solutions. And (heaven forbid), if your
workstation goes on the fritz, you are SOL. With a "rendering farm", you are
minorly impacted if one of your machines goes down, plus parts and repair
services are readily available and affordable. It's a matter of perspective,
resources, and production methodology.