RealityEngine
Encyclopedia
RealityEngine refers to a 3D graphics hardware architecture and a family of graphics systems that implemented the aforementioned hardware architecture that was developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics during the early to mid 1990s. The RealityEngine was positioned as Silicon Graphics' high-end visualization hardware for their MIPS/IRIX platform and was used exclusively in their Crimson
and Onyx
family of visualization systems, which are sometimes referred to as "graphics supercomputers" or "visualization supercomputers". The RealityEngine was marketed to and used by large organizations such as companies and universities that are involved in computer simulation, digital content creation, engineering and research.
It was succeeded by the InfiniteReality
in early 1996, but coexisted with it for a time as an entry-level option for older systems.
on the host system.
The Geometry Engine was based around the 50 MHz Intel i860XP
.
in early 1996.
It uses the GE10 Geometry Engine board, RM4 Raster Memory board and DG2 Display Generator board.
SGI Crimson
The IRIS Crimson, code named Diehard2, is a Silicon Graphics computer released in the early 1990s. It was the world's first 64-bit workstation....
and Onyx
SGI Onyx
The SGI Onyx, code named Eveready and Terminator , is a series of visualization systems designed and manufactured by SGI, introduced in 1993 and offered in two models, deskside and rackmount. The Onyx's basic system architecture is based on the SGI Challenge servers, but with the notable inclusion...
family of visualization systems, which are sometimes referred to as "graphics supercomputers" or "visualization supercomputers". The RealityEngine was marketed to and used by large organizations such as companies and universities that are involved in computer simulation, digital content creation, engineering and research.
It was succeeded by the InfiniteReality
InfiniteReality
InfiniteReality refers to a 3D graphics hardware architecture and a family of graphics systems that implemented the aforementioned hardware architecture that was developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics from 1996 to 2005...
in early 1996, but coexisted with it for a time as an entry-level option for older systems.
RealityEngine
The RealityEngine was a board set comprising a Geometry Engine board, one to four Raster Memory board(s), and a DG2 Display Generator board. These boards plugged into a midplaneBackplane
A backplane is a group of connectors connected in parallel with each other, so that each pin of each connector is linked to the same relative pin of all the other connectors forming a computer bus. It is used as a backbone to connect several printed circuit boards together to make up a complete...
on the host system.
The Geometry Engine was based around the 50 MHz Intel i860XP
Intel i860
The Intel i860 was a RISC microprocessor from Intel, first released in 1989. The i860 was one of Intel's first attempts at an entirely new, high-end instruction set since the failed Intel i432 from the 1980s...
.
VTX
The VTX was a cost-reduced RealityEngine and as a consequence, its features and performance was below that of the RealityEngine. It should not be mistaken as the VGX or VGXT board set.RealityEngine2
The RealityEngine2, branded RealityEngine2, is an upgraded RealityEngine with twelve instead of eight Geometry Engines introduced towards the end of the RealityEngine's life. It was succeeded by the InfiniteRealityInfiniteReality
InfiniteReality refers to a 3D graphics hardware architecture and a family of graphics systems that implemented the aforementioned hardware architecture that was developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics from 1996 to 2005...
in early 1996.
It uses the GE10 Geometry Engine board, RM4 Raster Memory board and DG2 Display Generator board.