CompuServe Thread

#Dream System or Dream'n

14 messages in this thread
#172625From: James J. LaPlanteMay 30, 1995 1:57 PM
Hey there everybody, I've got this great opportunity to purchase a custom system for use as a graphics workstation and I've got some great ideas, but what I wnat to know is. Could this be a 3D studio dream system or am I just dreaming? I'm looking at a dual pentium system that could be upgraded to a DEC ALPHA chip and really scream, but this all hinges on whether or not 3DS goes windows NT or another OP SYS that will handle that kind of a system. I could start with just a single chip and upgrade later, but is this NT thing really going to happen? I'm also looking at video cards with 3D accelerated chipsets. I've heard that Autodesk may support these cards in the future to allow for that SGI like, live rendered working environment. Does anyone know which cards might be supported and if any are available now? I just want to buy into a technology that I can grow with instead of scrap in a year because it's out of date.
#172628From: Jonas Ruikis [ADESK]May 30, 1995 2:05 PM
Hi James, <<.. 3DS and NT?.. >> Please review the following.. File Info for 3DNT.TXT Section: Autodesk 3D Studio Contributor: 74601,3525 Size: 5338 Submitted: 4/11/95 Type: Text Accesses: 625 Title: Autodesk Announces Windows NT Direction Keys: AUTODESK PRESS RELEASE MULTIMEDIA NT 3DS 3D STUDIO ANIMATION 4/10/95 – Autodesk Announces Windows NT Direction for 3D Studio–Leading Professional 3D Animation Software to Move to Next Generation Operating System (Approx DL at 2400 baud: :30)
#172698From: Bradley J. ArtigueMay 30, 1995 8:04 PM
Howdy. I have a Digital Alpha AXP workstation that runs Windows NT, and I have a workstation with two processors running Windows NT (P90, HP Vectra). Both machines are screamers; the Alpha is unbelievably fast. I think if you have a great deal on an Alpha machine, get it. I have a DEC machine (they invented the Alpha) and am very happy with it. I have seen the "clone" Alpha machine (I don't remember who makes it) and it is very close to the DEC. I paid a whole lot of money for the DEC; if you get a good deal, get it.
#172894From: James J. LaPlanteMay 31, 1995 6:44 PM
<<I paid a whole lot of money for the DEC; if you get a good deal, get it.>> Well it looks like I'm on the right path and I've been hunting around for a good deal and was wondering what you would consider a good deal for that type of system (this will be my first one). If you could E-mail me a rough guess I would appreciate it and if I find a great deal on one I'll let you know. Thanks, JaMeS
#172900From: Bradley J. ArtigueMay 31, 1995 7:27 PM
Well, the first one I got was an older model…they used to advertise them with NT Advanced Server 3.1. By the time it was all over, with an AXP150, 32mb RAM, an NEC 5D (the old 19" — super monitor, by the way — ) and a 1.2gb drive, with NT Server 3.1 was running close to $7000.00. Now they cost much more; I would expect to pay close to $10,000 for a real hot one…
#173052From: Tyler ColwellJun 1, 1995 10:40 AM
James, I have a DEC pcXL 590 that I will be upgrading to an Alpha station as soon as 3DS NT is available. I can do this with a simple daughter card swap. (simple, yet $1500). I currently have a spare ziff socket for a second P90 processor, but this does me no good since 3DS can't currently take advantage of parallel processing. I say this because you mentioned going parallel now and upgrading to alpha later. You may want to wait and go with parallel alpha's! <BIG g>
#173777From: Rich SchwartzJun 5, 1995 4:10 PM
Tyler, Has Autodesk announced 3DS for NT on the Alpha? I understand it is supposed to be a "simple recompile" of the code to run Alpha NT, but I have not seen any anouncement by Autodesk on the issue. I sure hope it will be avalable, as the Alpha should make a great platform for 3DS NT. Rich Schwartz
#173793From: Tyler ColwellJun 5, 1995 6:22 PM
>>Has Autodesk announced 3DS for NT on the Alpha? I haven't heard a formal announcement on this. But with the number of 3DS users running XL's, I think it is inevitable (I have "bet" a lot of money on it in the way of hardware investment). -Tyler
#173884From: Jeffrey LererJun 6, 1995 7:50 AM
Tyler <Alpha> Sunday I visited a someones' shop who runs an in-house 3-D software on Alpha with twin 325 chips and 256RAM to Raid Disc-Array. YICKS!!!! Smoke'n. 40mg/sec min throughput with real-time prev. If 3-DS R5 will run on Alpha there's gonna be some outrageous new envelop around project designs. Jeffrey
#173958From: Rich SchwartzJun 6, 1995 2:11 PM
I agreed with your decision Tyler, I hope that Autodesk agrees. Good luck with the Alphas. Rich Schwartz
#174214From: Tyler ColwellJun 7, 1995 3:57 PM
>>I agreed with your decision Tyler, I hope that Autodesk agrees. Good luck with the Alphas. Let's all get a little chant going…start low and by Siggraph it will be deafening… alpha…alpha…alpha…ALPHA…ALPHA…ALPHA…
#174262From: Robert C. RitgerJun 7, 1995 11:18 PM
AAAA L PPPP H H AAAA ! A A L P P H H A A ! AAAAAA L PPPP HHHHH AAAAAA ! A A L P H H A A A A LLLL P H H A A !
#174415From: Tyler ColwellJun 8, 1995 4:45 PM
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#174494From: Robert C. RitgerJun 9, 1995 12:37 AM
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