Products - 4/05 - Part 2
Issue: Volume: 28 Issue: 4 (April 2005)

Products - 4/05 - Part 2

1 Beyond, a provider of digital video editing and compositing systems, has unveiled a laptop computer designed for editing and graphics applications.

For high-definition (HD) editing and delivery, the 1 Beyond 3817 HD laptop system features a Pentium 4 processor with up to 3.8ghz and Hyperthreading technology, a dual-bus architecture, a maximum 4gb of memory and 200gb of internal storage, and support for the PCI Express video bus. Because it simultaneously supports Avid Mojo and external storage, users are able not only to access more footage than typically possible, but also to combine HD, HDV, uncompressed SD, and DV footage. An 800mhz front-side bus and 2gb bridge enable the 3817 HD device to edit HDV and full-resolution HD content in real time, as well as to process multiple streams of real-time audio and SD and HD video without lag, delay, or skipped frames. The 1 Beyond 3817 HD NLE laptop also offers support for the latest editing software, including Avid Xpress Pro HD and Adobe Premiere Pro, and such popular HD hardware as the Panasonic DVC Pro HD or HDV cameras from JVC and Sony. Rounding out the 3817 HD are its 17-inch, high-resolution, wide-format screen and professional DVI video output.

Now available for purchase, 1 Beyond 3817 HD’s pricing starts at $2695; fully configured, it carries a $5995 price tag. -Courtney E. Howard





SensAble Technologies has presented its ClayTools touch-enabled system for use with Autodesk Media Entertainment Division’s 3ds max software.

ClayTool, designed for digital content creators serving the game and entertainment industries, provides unconstrained modeling for highly detailed, organic models. That is, the system employs a virtual clay metaphor and a true 3D interface with force feedback, enabling users to model virtual clay as though it were real clay. Creative professionals can smudge, smooth, carve, or tug models to create game content that is organic in nature, such as characters, props, and scenery.

The ClayTools system encompasses the ClayTools virtual modeling program, HapticExtender/MX plug-in, and Phantom Omni device. ClayTool software assists users in creating 3D concept models or high-resolution models, in addition to capturing and normal-mapping detail onto low-resolution models. The HapticExtender/MX plug-in enables users to navigate 3ds max and physically interact with its tools in 3D. A user’s 3D gestures, for example, can be used to define motion-capture paths.

Now available, ClayTools 1.0 is compatible with 3ds max Versions 6 and 7, and is priced at $2795. Customers who already own the Phantom Omni can purchase ClayTools for $1995. -CEH





At the recent 2005 Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, Havok introduced its Havok Complete 3 integrated middleware for the video game industry.

Havok Complete 3 incorporates the company’s flagship Havok Physics 3 and its recently released Havok Animation 3. It aids game developers in the creation of dynamic character performances and next-generation gameplay through a combination of physical, keyframe, and procedural animations. Able to work within various game architectures and pipelines, Havok Complete 3 meets the needs of current and next-generation game platforms.

Havok Physics 3 has been updated with Continuous Physics, which eliminates challenges, such as “bullet-through-paper” problems, created by high-speed game objects. Havok Animation 3 features such run-time animation functionality as compression and decompression, blending, inverse kinematics, and an export, filtering, and preview tool set that works with today’s modeling and animation software packages. -CEH

Discreet, recently re-branded as Autodesk Media and Entertainment Division, has upgraded its Combustion digital visual effects and compositing software to Version 4.

For desktop motion graphics and visual effects artists, Combustion 4 boasts enhanced interoperability with 3D animation programs, as well as with the company’s Cleaner, Flint, Flame, Inferno, Fire, and Smoke. The upgrade employs Discreet’s second-generation Diamond Keyer advanced keying technology, in addition to Time-Warp, a keyframable, time-remapping operator for the creation of slow-motion and speed-up effects. Version 4 also offers expanded file import and export options, an optimized “Fast Gaussian Blur,” an improved user interface, and enhanced paint tools, including new customized brushes. Combustion 4 is scheduled to ship for the Windows platform this month for $995. -CEH





Boxx Technologies has introduced three workstations targeted at digital content creation applications, such as 2D/3D graphics, simulation, and digital video.

The Boxx 7300 family of workstations combines dual AMD Opteron series 252 processors with Nvidia’s nForce Professional 2050 and 2200 media and communications processors (MCPs) and Nvidia SLI technology. The 64-bit-ready workstations provide support for the upcoming Microsoft Word x64 operating system, which will enable users to run 32-bit and 64-bit applications simultaneously. Additional features include dual PCI Express x16 slots, multi-GPU dual monitor support, and the AMD Hypertransport bus.

The Boxx 4300 workstation-well suited to graphics, animation, and video editing tasks-takes advantage of the Intel Pentium 4 Processor Extreme Edition with HT technology and EM64T. The system also boasts PCI Express x16 graphics, a 1066mhz front-side bus, onboard FireWire, and six internal drive bays.

Boxx Technologies’ latest mobile workstation for graphics, animation, DV, and HDV, the GoBoxx 2200 is powered by the Nvidia Quadro FX Go 1400 OpenGL graphics board, complete with PCI Express and 256mb of 256-bit framebuffer memory. The laptop system features an Intel Pentium 4 processor (up to 3.8ghz) with HT technology and an 800mhz system bus, a 17-inch WSCGA+ (1680x1050) resolution GlassView Active Matrix display, and dual-channel DDR2 memory.

The company also announced Combustion 4 from Autodesk Media and Entertainment as a purchase option with its high-performance workstations. Additionally, it is offering the 64-bit Intel Xeon 3.6 processor with a 2mb cache for its Boxx 8200 series. -CEH