http://www.sgi.com/products/8Onyx-Product.html (Silicon Surf Promotional CD, 01/1995)
Comprehensive Development Environment
A Complete Advanced Graphics Solution
Onyx is augmented by an array
of graphics libraries and development environments. It all begins
with the IRIS Development Option (IDO), which includes OpenGL (tm) the
Silicon Graphics industry-standard, multi-platform environment for
developing 3D graphics applications. Specialized toolkits such as
Open Inventor (tm) simplify 3D graphics application development by
automating basic programming tasks.
IRIS Performer (tm) and ImageVision Library (tm), designed
specifically for 3D graphics databases and fast pixel processing,
let users achieve maximum performance from the graphics hardware.
Performer: Rendering Made Fast and Easy
IRIS Performer is a software development environment that provides
high-level support for visual simulation, virtual reality and
graphics-intensive tasks. As an economical and productive starting
point for application developers, Performer provides advanced image-
generation functions layered above the IRIS GL.
The outer layer of Performer implements functions such as culling,
controlling many different display channels and performing fast
intersection tests with simulation databases. The inner core of
Performer, meanwhile, is a rendering executive designed for maximum
performance. The two layers work seamlessly together in parallel,
providing users with a flexible advanced simulation-oriented
development environment.
Additionally, Performer automatically handles the control and
coordination of the multiple CPUs. The result is blinding-fast
graphics.
- Performer Allows the User to Customize the Scene
- Users can adjust scene and environment variables and instantly
see the results. The scene field of view, visibility range and frame
rate can be fine tuned using slider bars provided on the user
interface.
- Environment variables can be changed simulating different times
of day and weather conditions
- Level of Detail Management
- Ensures that only items which contribute significantly to
the scene are rendered. If they do not contribute, they should be
eliminated or reduced.
ImageVision Library: Off-the-Shelf Image Processing
The ImageVision Library (IL) toolkit is an object-oriented
extensible library for creating, processing and displaying images.
Its robust core set of image-processing functions includes color
conversion, arithmetic functions, radiometric and geometric
transforms, statistics, spatial and non-spatial domain transforms,
edge, line and spot detection. These capabilities help simplify the
extension of standard function sets to suit specific image processing
needs.
The IL toolkit's demand-driven, page-oriented execution model is
well-suited for the Onyx symmetric multiprocessing architecture.
ImageVision Library takes advantage of all available processors
during program execution, without requiring users to make any changes
in program code. Each individual CPU can process a different aspect
of the image, with shared memory providing multiple CPU access,
eliminating the need to manage multiple copies of the image.
All the Pieces In Place
With its open systems architecture, the Onyx graphics supercomputer
provides the flexibility, compatibility and investment protection
that today's advanced graphics application developers require. The
MIPS microprocessor architecture is an open and scalable RISC
architecture. The Silicon Graphics Open Graphics Library (GL) offers
true platform independence, paving the way for users to easily
integrate a multitude of different computing platforms into their
application environments. Onyx is also backed by superior service
and technical support. At Silicon Graphics, we've always understood
that no amount of technological leadership can meet customer needs
without also including a responsive, well trained, worldwide service
and support infrastructure. As the established leader in visual
computing, we provide our global customer base with the kind of
technical and applications support required to ensure that Onyx
continually meets the needs of the most advanced graphics application
development environments in the world.
Advancing the Graphics Frontier
By combining multiprocessing power with the world's most advanced
graphics architecture, Onyx stands alone as a flexible, highly
integrated, open-computing platform, providing today's most advanced
graphics users with a single solution to meet the wide variety of
their demanding needs.
No other graphics supercomputer can make such a claim - because no
other advanced graphics solution is quite like Onyx.
For more information on how Onyx can help you to deliver the ultimate
in advanced graphics applications, call Silicon Graphics now at
1(800) 800-7441. Or contact
Information on Development Environment Libraries and Toolkits
