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                                                        The Florida SunFlash
 			   SunVision 1.1

SunFLASH Vol 34 #22					        October 1991 
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This is a brief description of the current version of SunVision.  -johnj
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	Accelerated Performance
	- Transparent acceleration of SunIPLib and RenderMan
	  Function Library by the VX/MVX
	- SunVision 1.1 tools accelerated by the VX (SunIP, SunVoxel,
	  SunART, SunGV) and VX+MVX (SunIP, SunVoxel, SunART)

	New RenderMan Functionality
	- Compliant with RenderMan Interface Specification,Version 3.1
	- RenderMan shading language for user-defined shaders
	- Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) for many MCAD applications

	New Imaging Functionality
	- Greyscale Morphology, image contours, text annotation

	New Features
	- Spot Help (on-line help capability)
	- Run multiple instances of SunVision on one workstation


SunVision 1.1 brings two key new capabilities to current and new users.

The first is support for the VX and MVX accelerators. This new platform
for SunVision provides the performance needed by power-users in image
processing, volume rendering and photorealistic rendering.  SunVision
1.1 will run on systems with just a VX or, for the even greater
performance of a multiprocessor accelerator, systems with a VX+MVX.
Programs created using SunVision 1.1 libraries (SunIPLib and the
RenderMan Function Library) will run, without change, on GX, VX and
VX+MVX systems.  Similarly, individual SunVision tools will run on
whichever of these accelerators is present.

The second major enhancement is a reimplementation of the
photorealistic rendering software (SunART) to provide much greater
RenderMan functionality. SunVision's RenderMan Interface Bytestream
(RIB) file interpreter enables customers to use AutoCAD or Cadkey to
create scenes, save them as RIB files, and render high quality images
of them with SunVision. Coupled with the performance of the VX/MVX, Sun
offers the highest performance RenderMan function library available.


FEATURES AND BENEFITS
---------------------
With the added VX/MVX support for high performance visualization, 
application developers can now create applications, built with 
SunVision, which run at several price/performance points: IPX, SS2GX, 
SS4/330VX, and SS4/470VX+MVX.

SunART's added RenderMan functionality provides the features needed 
for photorealistic rendering of RIB files, the industry standard
interface between modeling packages (e.g. AutoCAD, Cadkey) and renderers.
Support for the RenderMan shading language enables application 
developers to create special purpose shaders, e.g. shaders for wood,
chrome, brushed metal, special textures, etc. Furthermore, the SunART
tool now comes with source code as an example of how to build an 
application with the RenderMan function library.


Additional Added Functionality:

- Spot Help enables application developers to build help functions into
  all parts of the SunVision user interface

- Multiple instances of SunVision on a single workstation means users
  can view multiple data sets simultaneously.

- Greyscale morphology is a particular set of imaging processing
  functions which were widely requested by SunVision users. There
  are a small number of additional functions that have been added to
  SunIPLib including contouring, multi-kernel convolutions, 
  table-driven warp, and a function for adding text to an image.


SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE CONSIDERATIONS
------------------------------------

- SunVision 1.1 supports the following hardware and software:

	CPUs: 		Sun4
	OS:		OS4.1.1 and OS4.1.1 rev B 
	Window System:	Open Windows version 2
	Accelerators:	GX, VX, VX+MVX

- SunVision 1.1 replaces SunVision 1.0

- SunVision 1.1 is distributed on CD media only. 


U.S. PRICING AND ORDERING INFORMATION

Short				Order		List	Discount    Same Day
Description			Number		Price	Category  Service Price
===============================================================================
CD-ROM, single RTU, docs   VIS-1.1-4-4-21	$3,000	  A          $20

SunVision Manuals	   VIS-1.1-X-X-9	$  250	  A	      NA

Single RTU		   VIS-X-X-X-0		$2,800	  A	     $20

Single RTL		   VIS-X-X-X-RT		$  600	  N/D	     $ 5


Ordering Information
--------------------

o SunVision 1.1 requires SunOS 4.1.1 or 4.1.1 rev B
o SunVision 1.1 requires GX, VX or any 8-bit color frame buffer (except CG5)


PER-INCIDENT UPGRADES

Short				Order		List	Discount    
Description			Number		Price	Category  
===============================================================================
CD-ROM, single RTU, docs   VIS-1.1-4-4-21U	$1,040	  A          

Single RTU		   VIS-X-X-X-0U		$  840	  A	    

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Archives are on solar.nova.edu and paris.cs.miami.edu.

All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third
party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local
Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in
your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications
within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or
publication by Sun Microsystems.

John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. (305) 776-7770.