Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!bbs!ddsw1!karl
From: karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Real-time graphics via computer - custom hardware?
Message-ID: <1990Dec08.075337.10213@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Date: 8 Dec 90 07:53:37 GMT
Reply-To: karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Karl Denninger)
Organization: Macro Computer Solutions, Inc., Wheeling, IL
Lines: 45

Consider the following problem:

I would like to build a graphics display which can display high-res color
images from a computer-generated list of objects (ie: the screen has xxx
objects, here are their coordinates, and apparent sizes) in real-time.  To
me, real-time means something better than 10-15 frames per second; 30 would
be ideal, I'll settle for 10-15.  I'm willing to pipe in the coordinates via
some kind of shared-memory scheme, direct DMA, or whatever.

Resolution requirements are fairly high; perhaps as high as 1280x1024 in 256
colors (yes, I know this is getting to be a tall order!)  I'll settle for
PC-VGA resolution (it really isn't bad; 640x480x256 colors).  Display will
be a 27" color tube.

I'm willing to build custom hardware if needed.  My >preference< is to buy
something off the shelf, but I don't want 30 MIPS of general-purpose
computer on this one; what I'm actually looking for here is a board or
chipset which can take as input a list of object indices, position vectors
(x, y, z with "z" being distance away) and render them in realtime.
Needless to say, the list will change at that same 30 times per second.

Does such a board or chipset exist?  Does the technology exist to do this
and keep the display board cost reasonable?  I don't want to spend $25,000
per unit; I may need as many as 20 of these things, and ideally would like
to keep the board cost under $5k/unit in small quantities.

It's obvious that at 1024x1280 this is going to be a hell of a problem.  At
640x480, or even 400x300 it's not going to be easy.  I can't see resolution
being worse than this though and still being crisp enough for what I need.
VGA-style resolution (and color mapping) is probably the bottom of the line
on this one.

Points to where to start looking for this kind of harwdare appreciated.  I
>know< this is a tall order; that's ok, I expect it to be.

PC-based graphics cards (or entire machines) are best, followed by custom
hardware and chips.  

Can an Amiga 3000 handle this kind of graphics load?  I know they have some
darn nice graphics capabilities, but are they up to something this nasty?

--
Karl Denninger (karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM, <well-connected>!ddsw1!karl)
Public Access Data Line: [+1 708 808-7300], Voice: [+1 708 808-7200]
Macro Computer Solutions, Inc.   "Quality Solutions at a Fair Price"