IMPACT (computer graphics)
Encyclopedia
IMPACT refers to a 3D computer graphics
architecture and a family of implementations of the aforementioned architecture developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics
from 1995 to 1997. Introduced on 10 July 1995, it was a high-end desktop graphics option used in Silicon Graphic's workstation
s. IMPACT graphics provides the workstation with real-time 2D and 3D graphics rendering capability similar to that of even high-end PC
s made well after IMPACT's introduction. IMPACT graphics consists of one or two geometry engines and one or two raster managers in various configurations http://www.futuretech.blinkenlights.nl/i2info.html#3.3.
IMPACT graphics consists of five graphics subsystems: the command engine, geometry subsystem, raster manager, framebuffer
and display subsystem. IMPACT graphics can produce resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 pixels with up to 36-bit color http://www.sgistuff.net/hardware/graphics/impact.html and can also process unencoded NTSC
and PAL
analog television
signals.
IMPACT graphics subsystems come in three configurations for SGI Indigo2 IMPACT workstations: Solid IMPACT, High IMPACT, and Maximum IMPACT. The equivalent configurations also exist for the SGI Octane
workstation but are referred to as SI, SSI, and MXI (I-series), though the Octane options either had zero or 4 MB TRAM (Texture RAM), compared to High/Maximum IMPACT in Indigo2 which could have 1 MB TRAM. There was also no equivalent of SSI for Indigo2. The Octane options are the same architectural designs, but built with completely different board layouts. All the designs for Indigo2 and Octane are referred to as the MGRAS series graphics options. Later Octane workstations used a similar configuration but with updated ASICs and are referred to as the SE, SSE, and MXE (E-series). MGRAS uses Rambus
RDRAM
for texture memory. http://www.futuretech.blinkenlights.nl/octnarch.html
IMPACT uses the GE11 and GE12 geometry engines. The GE11 was used in all the Indigo2 options and the SI, SSI and MXI. The GE12 was used in the SE, SSE and MXE options. The GE11 can achieve 480 MFLOPs (960 MFLOPs in the SSI and MXI as they both use two GE11s) and the GE12 is rated for 672 MFLOPs (1.344 GFLOPs in the SSE and MXE as they both use two GE12s).
The IMPACT graphics architecture was superseded by the SGI VPro
graphics architecture in 1997.
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
architecture and a family of implementations of the aforementioned architecture developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
from 1995 to 1997. Introduced on 10 July 1995, it was a high-end desktop graphics option used in Silicon Graphic's workstation
Workstation
A workstation is a high-end microcomputer designed for technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by one person at a time, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating systems...
s. IMPACT graphics provides the workstation with real-time 2D and 3D graphics rendering capability similar to that of even high-end PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s made well after IMPACT's introduction. IMPACT graphics consists of one or two geometry engines and one or two raster managers in various configurations http://www.futuretech.blinkenlights.nl/i2info.html#3.3.
IMPACT graphics consists of five graphics subsystems: the command engine, geometry subsystem, raster manager, framebuffer
Framebuffer
A framebuffer is a video output device that drives a video display from a memory buffer containing a complete frame of data.The information in the memory buffer typically consists of color values for every pixel on the screen...
and display subsystem. IMPACT graphics can produce resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 pixels with up to 36-bit color http://www.sgistuff.net/hardware/graphics/impact.html and can also process unencoded NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
and PAL
PAL
PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
analog television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
signals.
IMPACT graphics subsystems come in three configurations for SGI Indigo2 IMPACT workstations: Solid IMPACT, High IMPACT, and Maximum IMPACT. The equivalent configurations also exist for the SGI Octane
SGI Octane
The Octane and the similar Octane2 are UNIX workstations marketed by SGI. Both are 2-way SMP-capable workstations, originally based on the MIPS R10000 microprocessor. Newer Octanes are based on MIPS R12000 and R14000. The Octane2 has four improvements compared to Octane, a revised power supply,...
workstation but are referred to as SI, SSI, and MXI (I-series), though the Octane options either had zero or 4 MB TRAM (Texture RAM), compared to High/Maximum IMPACT in Indigo2 which could have 1 MB TRAM. There was also no equivalent of SSI for Indigo2. The Octane options are the same architectural designs, but built with completely different board layouts. All the designs for Indigo2 and Octane are referred to as the MGRAS series graphics options. Later Octane workstations used a similar configuration but with updated ASICs and are referred to as the SE, SSE, and MXE (E-series). MGRAS uses Rambus
Rambus
Rambus Incorporated , founded in 1990, is a technology licensing company. The company became well known for its intellectual property based litigation following the introduction of DDR-SDRAM memory.- History :...
RDRAM
RDRAM
Direct Rambus DRAM or DRDRAM is a type of synchronous dynamic RAM. RDRAM was developed by Rambus inc., in the mid-1990s as a replacement for then-prevalent DIMM SDRAM memory architecture....
for texture memory. http://www.futuretech.blinkenlights.nl/octnarch.html
IMPACT uses the GE11 and GE12 geometry engines. The GE11 was used in all the Indigo2 options and the SI, SSI and MXI. The GE12 was used in the SE, SSE and MXE options. The GE11 can achieve 480 MFLOPs (960 MFLOPs in the SSI and MXI as they both use two GE11s) and the GE12 is rated for 672 MFLOPs (1.344 GFLOPs in the SSE and MXE as they both use two GE12s).
The IMPACT graphics architecture was superseded by the SGI VPro
SGI VPro
VPro, also known as Odyssey, is a computer graphics architecture for Silicon Graphics workstations. First released on the Octane2, it was subsequently used on the Fuel, Tezro workstations and the Onyx visualization systems, where it was branded InfinitePerformance.VPro provides some very advanced...
graphics architecture in 1997.