Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!cornell!batcomputer!itsgw!steinmetz!uunet!mmlai!burzio From: burzio@mmlai.UUCP (Anthony Burzio) Newsgroups: comp.graphics Subject: Re: Hardware for animation?? Summary: HP hardware graphics Message-ID: <398@mmlai.UUCP> Date: 4 Sep 88 16:48:12 GMT References: <1203@luth.luth.se> Organization: Martin Marietta Labs, Baltimore, MD Lines: 46 In article <1203@luth.luth.se>, sow@eru.mt.luth.se (Sven-Ove Westberg) writes: > We are going to build a CIM(Computer Integrated Manufacturing) laboratory > at the University. In this lab we need some powerful graphics to do > simulation and animations on. The main use will be presentation of > different calulation results. > You should look at the Hewlett Packard TurboSRX graphics engine. I had the opportunity to compare various platforms running SDRCs' GEOMOD solid modelling program at SIGGRAPH two years ago, against HPs' then top of the line SRX. For the money, HP blew away such machines as the Apollo DN590Turbo, DECs' GPX boxen, and others. The TurboSRX is 3-10 times faster than the SRX, which we are getting as an upgrade. The computer itself is a 9000/350 and I have had no problems at all, including networking to VAX/VMS (Wolongong & Excellan), SUN, and ULTRIX. For people with ULTRIX, this is quite a statement :-) I plugged in the cartridge, selected which packages to install, and then the HP did it all... The best thing I like about HP, which firmed our decision, is their ability to upgrade their computers without charging you mucho-bucks for a basically new machine. For example, the upgrade to the TurboSRX is $15K and the 350- 370 CPU upgrade (~2-3x speed) is a $5K board switch. Trade in programs are available between model lines if necessary. Our HP platform (a 350 CPU (~3VAX MIPS), 16 MEG RAM, SRX graphics, 32 bit plane graphics,450MB disk, cartridge tape drive, LAN box, mouse, knob box (9 knobs), Various system programs (UNIX V, NFS, TCP, X Windows etc.) came in around $65K. The trick is to get a consignment sheet from your HP rep. This equipment is from HPs' demo rooms, but I have had no problems, and all equipment is covered like new equipment. A plug should be put in for the HP sales force. Our local Baltimore rep is EXTREMELY* quick answering my questions. He has been very helpful getting our system up and running in astonishing time (2 weeks from order!). Our DEC rep has not called me or returned my calls in over 3 months. Sometimes I don't see him more than once a year... I am a former VAX man who has been dismayed by a uVAXIII with disk running +100k. Try out the HP equipment, they are giving DEC a run for your money..... :-) ***************************************************************************** Tony Burzio * You want HOW much? Martin Marietta Labs * - Heard from DEC offices all over... Integrated Concurrent Engineering * *****************************************************************************