Diamond Multimedia Announces Fire GL 1000 Accelerator Setting a New, Low-Cost, Price/Performance Standard for Professional 3D Graphics; Features OpenGL, Heidi and Direct3D Acceleration for Windows-Based Applications.SAN JOSE San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 12, 1996--Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc., (Nasdaq: DIMD DIMD Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary ) today announced the Fire GL 1000 accelerator as a new low-cost professional 3D graphics solution for the PC that is ideally suited for Microsoft Windows See Windows. (operating system) Microsoft Windows - Microsoft's proprietary window system and user interface software released in 1985 to run on top of MS-DOS. Widely criticised for being too slow (hence "Windoze", "Microsloth Windows") on the machines available then. NT 4.0 workstations based on the Pentium Pro The sixth generation of the Intel x86 family of CPU chips. The term may refer to the chip or to a PC that uses it. Introduced in 1995 as the successor to the Pentium, models from 150 MHz to 200 MHz were released. . With support for OpenGL, Heidi and Direct3DO, the Fire GL 1000 provides accelerated 3D for animation, authoring and CAD applications under both Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. and Windows 95. Available in 4MB or 8MB SGRAM (Synchronous Graphics RAM) A type of dynamic RAM chip that is similar to the SDRAM technology, but includes enhanced graphics features for use with display adapters. memory configurations, the Diamond Fire GL 1000 utilizes the high-performance PERMEDIA NT chipset, including the PERMEDIA rendering and GLINT Delta geometry processors, from 3Dlabs, Inc. With prices starting at $499 estimated retail price (ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) An integrated information system that serves all departments within an enterprise. Evolving out of the manufacturing industry, ERP implies the use of packaged software rather than proprietary software written by or for one customer. ), the Diamond Fire GL 1000 is expected to be available in December through Diamond Multimedia's worldwide network of distributors and from selected OEMs, systems integrators and VARs. "The Diamond Fire GL 1000 delivers a new level of price/performance to the market, especially with the emergence of Windows NT as a workstation standard," said David Watkins David Watkins may refer to:
"Microsoft Direct3D and OpenGL API technologies combined with our platforms provide interactive developers with a powerful solution," said Kevin Dallas, group product manager of DirectX at Microsoft. "The Diamond Fire GL 1000 complements our technologies by providing professional interactive developers with a low-cost, high-performance 2D and 3D acceleration solution." Increased Functionality for 3D Applications With support for OpenGL, Autodesk's Heidi, and Direct3D application programming interfaces (APIs), the Diamond Fire GL 1000 is designed to accelerate 3D animation, authoring and CAD applications as well as 3D VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) A 3D graphics language used on the Web. After downloading a VRML page, its contents can be viewed, rotated and manipulated. Simulated rooms can be "walked into." The VRML viewer is launched from within the Web browser. web browsers The following is a list of web browsers. Historical Historically important browsers In order of release:
"3D Studio MAX users can experience tremendous productivity gains with texture mapping In computer graphics, the application of a type of surface to a 3D image. A texture can be uniform, such as a brick wall, or irregular, such as wood grain or marble. The common method is to create a 2D bitmapped image of the texture, called a "texture map," which is then "wrapped around" in hardware," said Phillip Miller, 3D Studio MAX product manager at Kinetix. "The Diamond Fire GL 1000 offers a cost-effective solution for accelerating interactive 3D graphics that does not compromise on performance." "Macromedia's Extreme 3D and the Diamond Fire GL 1000 represent a complete and cost-effective 3D authoring solution for the desktop," said Rix Kramlich, senior product manager for 3D products at Macromedia. "Our customers can achieve workstation-level performance when using Direct 3D, found in Extreme 3D 2 which is due out this month, and a hardware accelerator such as the Diamond Fire GL 1000." 3D Rendering, Texture Mapping and Geometry Acceleration Using the PERMEDIA NT processor, the Diamond Fire GL 1000 is capable of rendering up to 600,000 texture-mapped polygons per second in real-time. The Diamond Fire GL 1000 features fast Synchronous Graphics RAM Synchronous Graphics RAM - Synchronous Graphics Random Access Memory (SGRAM) memory that offers high-powered performance. The base configuration of 4MB SGRAM (upgradeable to 8MB) includes 2MB of display memory and 2MB of 16-bit Z-buffer memory for $499 ERP; an 8MB SGRAM version for $599 ERP is also available. Double buffering A programming technique that uses two buffers to speed up a computer that can overlap I/O with processing. Data in one buffer is being processed while the next set of data is read into the other one. support at resolutions up to 1152 x 870 is provided. In addition to 3D rendering, the Diamond Fire GL 1000 provides 2D acceleration and digital video playback. The GLINT Delta 3D setup engine included in the Diamond Fire GL 1000 acts as a front-end processor front-end processor - (FEP) 1. A small computer necessary to enable an IBM mainframe using SNA to communicate beyond the limits of the dinosaur pen. 2. A small computer controlling the screen and keyboard of a Symbolics 3600 LISP Machine. to the PERMEDIA rendering engine. By processing the setup calculations for lines, polygons and other 3D primitives, the GLINT Delta improves overall system performance by freeing the CPU CPU in full central processing unit Principal component of a digital computer, composed of a control unit, an instruction-decoding unit, and an arithmetic-logic unit. from demanding 3D calculations. "With the PERMEDIA and GLINT Delta processors, 3Dlabs has created technology that makes it possible to deliver professional-class 3D acceleration at a price point that leaves the competition in the dust," said Osman Kent, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of 3Dlabs. "With the Fire GL 1000, Diamond Multimedia has now turned that technology into a market-leading accelerator that brings high-quality 3D acceleration into the reach of a whole new class of 3D users." Customized Software See custom software. Tools Included with the Diamond Fire GL 1000 are customized software tools that enhance the productivity of AutoCAD users. Based on OpenGL, the 3D Win viewer software provides for the rotation, manipulation, rendering and customization of an AutoCAD 3D image in real-time under Windows NT. The Big Focus display-list driver, customized for AutoCAD releases 12 and 13, features a simplified interface with a toolbar A row or column of on-screen buttons used to activate functions in the application. Many toolbars are customizable, letting you add and delete buttons as required. Toolbars may be fixed in position or may float, which means they can be dragged to a more convenient location in the menu for easy access to commands, close-up views and a birds-eye window that offers a number of user-defined zoom levels under Windows and MS-DOS MS-DOS in full Microsoft Disk Operating System Operating system for personal computers. MS-DOS was based on DOS, developed in 1980 by Seattle Computer Products. Microsoft Corp. bought the rights to DOS in 1981, and released MS-DOS with IBM's PC that year. . -0-
Product Specifications
3D Application Programming Interface OpenGL Heidi from Autodesk,
(API) support Direct 3D
Supported operating systems Windows NT 4.0, Windows NT 3.51
and Windows 95
Supported software Advanced Visual Systems'
AVS/Express, Autodesk's
AutoCAD r12/13, Caligari's
trueSpace, Kinetix's
3D Studio Max, Macromedia's
Extreme 3D, Microsoft's
Softimage, NewTek's Lightwave
3D, Sense8's World Up and
other leading applications
Diamond software tools 3D Win viewer software and
Big Focus display list
driver technology
Maximum resolution up to 1600 x 1200
Maximum refresh rate up to 100Hz
Maximum color depth up to 24-bit True Color
Maximum 3D resolution up to 1152 x 870, 16-bit
double-buffered, 16-bit
Z-buffer
Pricing 4MB SGRAM $499 ERP
8MB SGRAM $599 ERP
Warranty three-year parts and labor
-0- Fire GL Series Diamond Multimedia's line of Fire GL accelerators offers solutions for a wide range of professional 3D users that spans from entry-level to high-end. The Diamond Fire GL 1000 is an integrated solution with 3D rendering, 2D graphics and digital video acceleration. For more demanding needs, the Diamond Fire GL 2000 is a single-slot, dual monitor solution with 3D rendering and geometry acceleration as well as memory upgradeability up to 24MB. In addition to these features, the Diamond Fire GL 3000 offers real-time texture mapping in hardware and upgradeability to 40MB. Diamond Multimedia Diamond Multimedia is driving the Internet multimedia market by providing interactivity and connectivity solutions for home, business and professional desktop computer users, enabling them to create, access and experience compelling new media content from their desktops and through the Internet. Products include the Stealth and Monster 3D series of media accelerators, the Fire GL series of professional 3D and CAD accelerators, and the Supra A relational DBMS from Cincom Systems, Inc., Cincinnati, OH (www.cincom.com) that runs on IBM mainframes and VAXs. It includes a query language and a program that automates the database design process. series of modems and NetCommander ISDN adapters. Diamond also markets sound cards and multimedia and Internet upgrade kits. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Diamond has sales, marketing and technical facilities in Vancouver (Wash.), Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Starnberg (Germany), Clichy (France) and Winnersh (U.K.). Diamond's products are sold through regional, national and international distributors as well as to major computer retailers, mass merchants and OEMs worldwide. Diamond's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market Nasdaq stock market The first electronic stock market listing over 5000 companies. The Nasdaq stock market comprises two separate markets, namely the Nasdaq National Market, which trades large, active securities and the Nasdaq Smallcap Market that trades emerging growth companies. under the symbol DIMD. How to Contact Diamond Multimedia There are many ways to reach Diamond for sales support, technical assistance, driver updates and general information: Internet Web Site: http://www.diamondmm.com Diamond Multimedia's Headquarters and Visual Systems Division: 408/325-7000; Fax: 408/325-7070 Communications Division (Supra brand modems) Main Phone Number: 360/604-1400; Fax: 360/604-1401 European Division (Germany): +49-8151-266-0; (UK): +44-1189-444400; (France) +33-47561157 Korean Division (Seoul): +82-2-551-2700; Fax: +82-2-551-2710 Japanese Office (Tokyo): +81-3-5695-8401; Fax: +81-3-5695-8403 Asia-Pacific Sales and Support (Singapore): +65-254-3163; Fax: +65-254-3407 Support Information Line for Communications: 800/774-4965 Product Support (Voice), Visual Systems: 408/325-7100; Communications: 541/967-2450; Europe (Germany) +49-8151-266-330; Europe (UK) +44-1189-444444; ISDN ISDN in full Integrated Services Digital Network Digital telecommunications network that operates over standard copper telephone wires or other media. Support Center 408/325-7110; Fire GL Support Center 408/325-7120 Product Support (Fax), Visual Systems: 408/325-7171; Communications: 541/967-2401; Europe (Germany) +49-8151-266-331; Europe (UK): +44-1189-444445; (France) +33-1-47561139 Pre-sales Information, Visual Systems: 800/468-5846; Communications: 800/727-8772 Investor Relations Investor relations The process by which the corporation communicates with its investors. : 408/325-7476; Fax-On-Demand: 800/346-3329; International Fax-On-Demand: 201/433-1778 24-Hour Fax-On-Demand Service, Visual Systems: 800/380-0030; Communications: 541/967-0072 FTP sites: ftp FTP in full file transfer protocol Internet protocol that allows a computer to send files to or receive files from another computer. Like many Internet resources, FTP works by means of a client-server architecture; the user runs client software to connect to .diamondmm.com; or Supra: ftp.supra.com BBS (1) (Bulletin Board System) A computer system used as an information source and forum for a particular interest group. They were widely used in the U.S. for Visual Systems 408/325-7080 (to 14.4 Kbps) or 408/325-7175 (to 28.8 Kbps) or 408/383-0551 (ISDN); Communications BBS: 541/967-2444; Europe (Germany) BBS at +49-8151-266333 (to 28.8 Kbps) or +49-8151-266334 (ISDN); Europe (UK) at +44-1189-444415 -0- Note to Editors: Monster 3D, NetCommander and Supra are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. GLINT is a registered trademark and PERMEDIA is a trademark of 3Dlabs, Inc. OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Heidi is a trademark of Autodesk, Inc. Microsoft, Windows and Direct3D are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks referenced are the service mark, trademark or registered trademark of their respective manufacturers. The statements made herein regarding the Diamond Fire GL 1000's pricing, availability and configuration are forward looking statements and actual results could differ materially due to component availability and regulatory approval. CONTACT: Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. Joan Huang, 408/325-7236 Email: joan@diamondmm.com |
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