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Silicon Graphics Indigo2

Extreme Computing

[Extreme Guide Cover] Silicon Graphics isn't only interested in building faster and lower cost computers. Not only do we want you to be able to do your work faster and more economically, but we also want to make your job easier by improving the way you work. Silicon Graphics' phenomenal hardware technology and digital media tools give you the opportunity to work collaboratively with your team to create higher quality designs and solutions, faster.

So whether you are manipulating a CAD model, rendering a molecular model or performing 3D visualization, you now have the power to achieve your potential in ways you never thought of before - with Indigo2. As the high-end member of the Indigo family of desktop workstations, Indigo2 gives you the most advanced technology available for true collaborative work.

Indigo2 delivers the fastest system throughput combining leading CPU and graphics architecture, for your intensive computing needs. You can choose from three types of graphics to suit your tasks with Indigo2 XL, Indigo2 XZ and Indigo2 Extreme. And of course unprecedented digital media tools are integrated to give you the most natural ways to communicate your work. Quite simply, the Indigo2 is the world's fastest, most feature-rich graphics workstation on the desktop.


A History of Exceptional Technology

The power of the Indigo2 architecture represents a culmination of many technologies. At Silicon Graphics, we have been developing computer systems for the past ten years that easily crunch through large data sets. Our state of the art manufacturing capabilities provide revolutionary solutions at highly competitive prices.

In the past five years alone, we have created seven generations of the Geometry Engine. The Geometry Engine processor now achieves 50 times the performance and occupies one-twentieth the space of the original graphics hardware. This gives you incredible performance for the price of a high-end PC. And finally, our integrated digital media technologies and user environment give you an interactive, highly productive way of working.

[Indigo2 Exposed]
  1. High Bandwidth Bus architecture - High speed 64bit memory bus between the CPU and main memory offers a peak of 400MB/sec while the 64bit system bus offers sustained 267MB/sec.

  2. Upgradeable High Performance CPU - Daughterboards for 100MHz R4000 and 150MHz R4400 CPUs enable an easy upgrade to higher performance.

  3. 1MB Secondary Cache - Enables leading performance by providing the largest cache on a desktop workstation.

  4. Huge Memory Expansion - 12 SIMM sockets allow for a maximum of 384MB RAM [768MB with R8000 or R10000].

  5. EISA Expandability - Four EISA slots allow for a multitude of expansion capabilities with 33MB/sec transfer rate.

  6. Two Fast SCSI-2 Channels - Offer a total of 10 SCSI devices for storage and I/O expansion.

  7. Built-in Networking - Ethernet supplied with every system including both AUI and 10BaseT.

  8. Integrated Digital Media - Up to six simultaneous input and output audio channels, plus an integrated video bus.


[Indigo2 Back]


Extreme Computing

Leading desktop compute and graphics performance makes the Indigo2 workstation the fastest application performer in the industry. Indigo2 is the product of the third generation MIPS RISC architecture built around the R4400 and R4000 processors running at 150 and 100 MHz, respectively. The CPU and memory bus achieve 400MB/sec and the system I/O bus achieves 267MB/sec throughput. Indigo2 also has the largest cache on the desktop and a standard 64-bit data path which accelerates data at record breaking speeds.

If you need immediate results, this incredible architecture and compute power can be used to move large data sets around, or analyze and compute designs. This combination of tight integration and aggressive design gives you a major price/performance advantage over other architectures. And finally, all this phenomenal power is not loud! Two variable speed fans make Indigo one of the quietest systems available.

We've also given Indigo2 unrivaled expandability. So you can choose your configuration. Four industry standard EISA slots or two EISA slots and two high-performance GIO slots are at your disposal. An assortment of industry standard I/O, such as AUI and 10BaseT Ethernet, as well as two serial ports, a parallel port and five audio connections make Indigo2 comfortable as a stand-alone system or in a networked environment. Compliance with industry standards gives Indigo2 the ability to integrate into a multivendor environment. And Indigo2 can read and write Mac and PC files.

Flexible disk and peripheral configuration is facilitated by two independent Fast SCSI-2 controllers. These binary compatible systems also have three internal Fast SCSI-2 bays for disks, DAT, floppy drives and CD-ROM. So you can protect your investment and expand your Indigo2 as your needs grow.

[R4000 and R4400 CPUs]


A Family of Extraordinary Graphics on Your Desktop

Indigo2 is available with a family of graphics subsystem offerings to suit your requirements - XL, XZ or Extreme graphics.


XL Graphics

XL graphics is the entry price point into the Indigo2 product family, giving you the fastest X and 2D graphics architecture on the market. But XL also supports 3D through a software Z buffer and host-based geometry calculations. Image processing, entry CAD and general science problems are solved fast. Indigo2 comes standard with built-in 24-bit color, crisp, 1280 x 1024 high-resolution frame buffer, and an ergonomically comfortable 76Hz screen refresh rate. You also get an incredible pixel fill rate of up to 437 million pixels per second and an industry leading 1.4 million X11 lines per second!

[XL Graphics Board]

  1. CPU Accelerated XL Graphics - REX3 Raster Engine ASIC converts geometric data processed by the CPU into pixel and line data that it then writes into the framebuffer. As CPU power increases, so does graphics performance.

  2. Live Video I/O Slot - A port for video expansion using Indigo2 Video and Galileo Video options.


XZ Graphics

When 2D computing isn't enough, XZ graphics is the answer to your more intensive needs. XZ has two geometry engines in a patented geometry pipeline architecture delivering 64 Mflops of graphics compute performance [later Indigo2 XZs have 4 GEs giving 128Mflops; in fact, the images shown in the document are of the 4GE XZ release]. The Geometry Engine design delivers 250K 3D triangles per second for strong visualization, architecture and MCAD performance. Professional engineers and scientists can use XZ for working on real-world design and technical challenges.

[XZ Graphics Board Set]

[Molecular Modelling With Extreme Graphics]

  1. Command Engine - The HQ2 is an 80,000 gate device that delegates graphics primitives to the Geometry Engine Processors.

  2. Two Geometry Engine Multi-Chip Module - Provide 64 MFlops through an effective multi-chip module design integrating two GE7 Geometry Engines for a total of 160,000 custom gates [later XZ systems, seen as GR3-Elan by hinv, have 4GEs giving 128MFlops].

  3. Integrated Raster Engine - The RE3 Raster Engine holds 100,000 custom gates and runs at 50 MHz.

  4. Live Video I/O Slot - A port for video expansion using Indigo2 Video and Galileo Video options.


Extreme Graphics

Extreme Graphics offers the world's fastest graphics on the desktop. Using eight Geometry Engines, Indigo2 Extreme provides 630K triangles and 1.25 million 3D vectors per second from the 256 Mflops of dedicated, floating-point performance for the fastest 3D graphics on the desktop. Complicated MCAD, animation and molecular modeling projects come alive with the help of 31 custom VLSI gate arrays with over 1.2 million gates.

A new level of performance is achieved with Indigo2. Things happen faster, more convincingly. Indigo2 works at the speed you work.

[Extreme Graphics Board Set]

  1. Command Engine - The HQ2 is an 80,000 gate device that delegates graphics primitives to the Geometry Engine Processors.

  2. Eight Geometry Engines - Provide 256 MFlops through an effective multi-chip module design.

  3. Dual Integrated Raster Engines - Two RE3 Raster Engine hold 200,000 custom gates running at 50 MHz.

  4. Live Video I/O Slot - A port for video expansion using Indigo2 Video and Galileo Video options.


Power Tools for Power Users

Indigo2 has a rich set of communication tools to help you document, show and sell your ideas in new and exciting ways. So you can use Indigo2 for creating and integrating video, audio and 3D graphics into your work at an unrivaled quality.

Every Indigo2 comes standard with high-quality audio and is video ready with its own dedicated video bus and a variety of video boards. You get complete DAT-quality sound with five audio connections, a microphone and a speaker. Up to six simultaneous input and output channels come standard with 16-bit sampling and stereo outputs.

Indigo2 coupled with Indigo Magic, the new user environment, gives you new, productive methods of workgroup collaboration. Imagine the value of being able to send your 3D model to video tape for viewing at a presentation. The Indigo2 Video option allows you to print to tape and input video. Now you have the opportunity to create full video presentations, send media mail and have a desktop conference with Indigo2 Video as the platform.

[Galileo Video Option]

A Real-time video inputs

B Real-time video outputs

C Independent square and rectangular pixel decoders

D Scan conversion for nearly full screen output, Anti-flicker filters, Zoom and pan

E Four frame buffers

F Fully linear key generator, Alpha blender

G High quality encoder

H Dedicated component analog circuitry

I Two real-time digital video channels


Professional Video Solutions

The Galileo Video option board provides broadcast qualitv video input and output such as NTSC, Betacam, PAL, YUV and D1 CCIR 601 digital video. You can also include special effects such as fades and wipes. Cosmo Compress, designed to partner with Galileo, gives you real-time video compression and decompression for intense video manipulation with compression ratios from 2:1 to 100:1.

So you see, Indigo2 can be an incredibly valuable collaborative communications tool or easily transform itself for professional audio and video production.


A Desktop Environment to Suit You

Most user interfaces are too rigid, requiring you to adapt to their way of working instead of adapting to yours. The Indigo Magic user environment changes all that by giving you a unique way of collaborating with your design team.

Indigo Magic is a new generation desktop user environment that combines an intuitive desktop management system with powerful digital media tools in one user interface. In fact, we call it a 'Media User Interface', because Indigo Magic simplifies system and network access and facilitates collaborative computing through unique digital media tools.

[IndigoMagic User Environment]

The Indigo Magic iconic interface lets you organize your desktop environment to suit the way you work, increasing your communication and productivity. Now you have a click and point method of organizing your desktop and accessing resources.

With the Indigo Magic Desk Manager you can create multiple, iconic desktops each having all the applications, files and tools you'll need to work on specific projects. System administration and management is a breeze. Now you can set up your printer and user accounts and connect to a network all with the click of an icon.

Indigo Magic is 'network aware', so that you can work in your networked world. You can simply find and use all the resources on your network.


Collaborative Communication Tools

Indigo Magic user environment includes all of the digital media tools you need to capture, create and communicate your ideas in ways that are more vivid and compelling than ever imagined. With bundled applications and integrated media tools you can make the unique environment of interactive 3D graphics, audio and video a part of all of your work.

Imagine sharing your engineering designs in new ways. Now you don't have to cram a dozen people into your office to show your newest model. You can print your 3D model to video and add special effects, graphics or audio overlays and send it to your co-workers. With Indigo Magic you have the power to make your ideas come alive.

Indigo2 is, quite simply, the world's fastest, most feature rich desktop workstation on the market. It is the ultimate power tool for power users. It gives you a new way of working, increasing your productivity and the quality of your work. That kind of phenomenal, desktop computing puts Indigo2 in a class all its own.


Processing

CPU/FPU:          R4000       R4400
MHz:              100MHz      150MHz
Primary Cache:    16KB        32KB
Secondary Cache:  1MB         1MB
Memory Storage:   32MB to 384MB
I/O:              2 3.5" Bays
                  1 5.25" Half-height Bay
                  2 Serial RS422 (38.4 Kbaud)
                  1 Bidirectional Parallel
                  5 Audio I/O Connectors
                  1 Ethernet (AUI or lOBaseT)
                  2 GIO-64 Slots
                  4 EISA Slots (total of 4 slots)
SCSI:             2 Fast SCSI-2 channels


Graphics

Advanced Features:       Alpha blending
                         Accumulation buffer
                         Anti-aliased RGB lines and points
                         Full-scene anti-aliasing
                         Texture Mapping
                         Fog
                         Lighting features
                           Spot lighting
                           Eight light sources
                           Two-sided lighting
                           Ambient, diffused, and specular
                         Arbitrary clipping planes
                         Depth cueing
                         Soft shadow and depth of field
                         Sub-pixel positioning
                         Stenciling
                         Stereo graphics
                         Pan and zoom
                         Sphere rendering
                         X11 pixel operations
Color Maps:              2 (4096 colors each)
                         XL 1 (4096 colors each)
IRIS GL Display Modes:   RGB double buffer
                         RGB single buffer
                         Color index double buffer
                         Color index single buffer
                         Stereo viewer connector

Audio/Video

Input:                   Mono/Stereo microphone (mono electret
                           condenser microphone ships standard)
                         Line-level stereo analog
                         Serial Digital Stereo (IEC958)
Output:                  Stereo Headphone output/Mono (combined
                           stereo) internal speaker
                         Line-level stereo analog
                         Serial Digital Stereo (IEC958)
Sampling Rates:          48, 44.1, 32 KHz, and many lower rates
                         Input and Output rates are independent
Converters:              Combined DAC and ADC
                         16-bit, delta-sigma, 64x-oversampling
                         Two Stereo Audio Codecs,
Connectors:              All 1/8 inch (3.5mm) stereo jack
Video:                   Video slot on graphics board
                         Independent video bus
                         Genlock

Performance                XL/R4000             XZ            Extreme
3D Lines:                    490K              640K             1.2M
3D Lines GouraudZ,            98K              275K             1.0M
   Depth Cued
Tmesh, Flat NO-Z:            100K              250K             630K
Tmesh, GouraudZ, Lit:         26K              113K             415K
Quads, FlatZ:                 19K               84K             210K
Quads, GouraudZ, Lit:         13K               43K             155K
Characters:                  288K              240K             250K
Screen Clear:               3.0ms             9.0ms            4.5ms
Rectangle Fill Rate:     437M pix/sec      40M pix/sec      78M pix/sec
   (screen-aligned)

           R4000/100         R4400/150
MHz:          100               150	
MIPS           85               136 *
MFLOPS         16                24 *
SPEC 89        70               100 *
SPECint92      59                85 *
SPECfp92       61                93 *

* Estimated


Physical Environment

System:               5 inches H
                      18.5 inches W
                      18.5 inches D
                      40lbs.
19-inch Monitor:      18.7 inches H
                      18.9 inches W
                      19.9 inches D
                      71.6lbs.
Power Requirements:   Voltage and Frequency, 100-240 VAC
Heat Dissipation:     1000 BTU/hour
Ambient Temperature:  +13 to +35 degrees C operating
                      -10 to+65 degrees C non-operating
Relative Humidity:    10% to 80% operating no condensation
                      10% to 95% non-operating no condensation
Altitude:             10,000 feet operating
                      40,000 feet non-operating
Vibration:            0.02 inches, 5-19 Hz
                      0.35 G, 19-500 Hz


Regulatory Agency Approvals

Electromagnetic:      FCC Class A
Emission:             Canada DOC Class A
                      CISPR 22 Class A
                      Germany VDE Class A
                      VCCI Class 1
Product Safety:       UL1950 CSA 22.2
                      No. 950, IEC 950
                      EN 60-950 Class 1 SELV
Ergonomic/Health:     Germany ZH618


For more information please call:

U.S. 1(800) 800-7441              South Pacific (61) 2-879.95.00
Europe (41) 22-798.75.25          Latin America 1(415) 390.58.28
North Pacific (81) 3-$420.71.10   Canada 1(416) 625-4747

Corporate Office

2011 N. Shoreline Boulevard,
Mountain View, CA 94043
(415) 960-1980

Copyright 1992 Silicon Graphics. All rights reserved. Silicon Graphics, the Silicon Graphics logo, Geometry Engine and IRIS are registered trademarks and Indigo, Indy, Indigo Magic, Indigo2Video, Galileo Video, Cosmo Compress and IndyCam are trademarks of Silicon Graphics. MIPS and R4000 are registered trademarks and R4400 is a trademark of MIPS Technologies, Inc. Netware is a trademark of Novell, Inc. Mac is a registered trademark and AppleTalk is a atrdemark of Apple Computers, Inc. Equal is a trademark of Quorum, Inc. Soft PC is a trademark of Insignia, Inc. Extreme is a trademark used under license.

Original Document Code: INDIGO2-TM-GD (08/93)


Ian's SGI Depot: FOR SALE! SGI Systems, Parts, Spares and Upgrades

(check my current auctions!)
[WhatsNew] [P.I.] [Indigo] [Indy] [O2] [Indigo2] [Crimson] [Challenge] [Onyx] [Octane] [Origin] [Onyx2]
[Future Technology Research Index] [SGI Tech/Advice Index] [Nintendo64 Tech Info Index]