Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!AERO4.LARC.NASA.GOV!blbates
From: blbates@AERO4.LARC.NASA.GOV ("Brent L. Bates AAD/TAB MS361 x42854")
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi
Subject: (none)
Message-ID: <9004121501.AA00258@aero4.larc.nasa.gov>
Date: 12 Apr 90 13:01:54 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 21


   Have you looked into Pixar?  I think they may have a solution for
80% of your problem, that is showing stored images at a fast rate.
I have seen demonstration where they load a couple dozen images into
memory and then flip through them very fast.  Your type of problem needs
lots of memory.  How much memory was in the machines you tested?  SGI
machines all come with 8Mb standard and that is just enough memory for
the OS and not much more.  For your type of problems, I would fill the
machine to its maximum amount of memory, because you take a large
performance hit when you have to swap off to disk.
   You gave the impression you though your PC-AT was faster than a 4D
machine.  I can't see any way that could be, even with poorly written
software.
--

	Brent L. Bates
	NASA-Langley Research Center
	M.S. 361
	Hampton, Virginia  23665-5225
	(804) 864-2854
	E-mail: blbates@aero4.larc.nasa.gov or blbates@aero2.larc.nasa.gov