Advice on graphics system for visualization

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1

Hi, I'm looking to build a new workstation system to be used for interactive real-time 3D rendering... visualization stuff created with OpenGL... little or no video recording or editing. It's for use in a research lab rather than for home use ...so ideally, quality graphics and fast enough to expand in the future to stereo viewing.

I haven't put together a system before, I'm new to hardware and I could really use some advice please...

I've figured out that I need a single PC with probably 2 graphics cards in order to render one large scene across 3 monitors. Any suggestions?

I think my biggest problem is that when I read the specs on various hardware components, I'm not sure which numbers are important for my application and which aren't so key...

Any enlightenment would be muchly appreciated - thanks!

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depending on where your research goals lie; you may want to have some discussions with SGI about your needs.
It sounds to me like your average PC workstation won't suit your needs.

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Thanks! I agree, SGI's are good for that. The lab has one, but now we are looking into having a PC-based workstation.

Any recommendations for something other than an average PC workstation?

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CPU wise; a couple xeons; maybe even an opteron.
what sort of data are you dealing with?

maybe 3dlabs has a card to suit your needs?

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Go Geforce (or any game card of your choice) if you are thinking one Pc only. Or the new 512M WildcatVP if you use lots of textures
From my experience the extra stuff from the pro cards is not used very often in simulation unless u hava a hud or other things that uses imageplanes.

If u are thinking multidisplay try a Pc-cluster. That will smoke away any SGI machine for a much cheaper price tag. Even A multipipe Onyx 3 doesnt stand a chance against a couple of PC's.
But in this case Go with the wildcat card, so that you can use the genlock as sync between the machines.
There is commercial SW that can run over multiple PC's don't know how hard it is to do if u write your own ogl code.

The ease of writing code for highres multidisplay on just one big machine is the only benefit with SGI as I can see it.

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"If u are thinking multidisplay try a Pc-cluster. That will smoke away any SGI machine for a much cheaper price tag. Even A multipipe Onyx 3 doesnt stand a chance against a couple of PC's. "

Yes and no.
Yes in that on 32 bit integer math the onyx wouldn't stand a chance..
if your needs are greater than what a 32 bit consumer part can do for you though; then the PC wouldn't even make it to 2nd place.