Discreet Combustion and your Computer:
A Hardware Primer
Written by Jack Pfeiffer, MCI-Videotronic, Denmark
September, 2002
Many people ask questions about which Computer and what video hardware should used to run Discreet Combustion Version 2.0 software. Specifically, there are three primary issues: the Computer CPU and RAM, the graphics board and the video engine (frame buffer.) This paper will address each of these hardware alternatives, and, at the end, include some basic and helpful background tips and tricks. Please note that the technical information, comments, specifications and notes listed below are assumed to be accurate at the time of writing, but are subject to change, modification, or alteration without notice at any time by any of the listed manufacturers.
Combustion runs on either Windows or the Mac platform, and the individual Combustion licenses are dedicated to one platform by an included hardware lock, also known as a dongle. The PC version uses a parallel port lock and the Mac a USB lock. As for using Combustion, the GUI (graphic user interface) is virtually the same on both platforms, as well as jobs or projects (known as CWS files - Combustion Works Spaces) can be loaded and opened on either platform. Note: there may be additional limits with regards to certain codecs that are specific to each of the computer platforms.
This paper is divided in to two sections: the Windows platform, and the Apple Mac Platform. This will allow users to study the sections that pertain to their specific platform interest. Note: is can be helpful to read both sections so that you better understand the hardware differences.
First, we should understand the elementary workflow of combustion: Discreet Combustion is a compositing program that can take your existing video, still or media files, and allow you to mix, modify, assemble and output them. Combustion is resolution independent which allows mean it will work with both film and video resolutions, even mixing all resolutions in the same project. Combustion supports bit depths up to 32 bit (float) depths. In any project, you can add text, various visual effects, color corrections, chroma keys, as well as add particle effects and position items in 3D space. Within 3D space, you can add lights and create shadows, as well as manipulate a virtual camera. Your finished project will then be rendered out (and you can use the included RenderQueue network renderer) at a variety of file formats, pixel sizes and bit depths, at qualities ranging from high-end Film and HDTV files all the down to low resolution web-capable formats.
Graphics Accelerator Card, or Display Board
The Display Board is what displays your GUI (graphic user interface) on your computer screen. Combustion v2 takes advantage of the newest technology of display cards that use OpenGL. OpenGL is a graphics API that was originally developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) for use on professional graphics workstations. OpenGL subsequently grew to be the standard API for CAD (Computer Aided Design) and scientific applications and today is also extremely popular for consumer applications such as PC games. Note that API stands for