MSC News
- Call for White Papers on Scientific Computing
- EMSL introduces a new video about Chinook on EMSL's YouTube channel (script, .pdf, 9kb)
- Chinook - Living Life in the Fastlane [.pdf, 107kb]
Additional Information
- Meet the MSC Staff
- Related EMSL User Projects
- Completed Projects: Final Reports
- Help
- User Policies
- User Tips
- Accounts
- Sampling of Jobs Running
- Emergencies
- Glossary
- Training and Events
- Next-Generation Supercomputing (Greenbook) [.pdf, 2.4mb]
- FAQ
- Partners and Related Links
- Spokane Cluster for Biogeochemistry Research
Graphics and Visualization Laboratory Equipment
The Graphics and Visualization Laboratory's professional quality audio and video infrastructure plays a central role in its mission to produce and deliver visualization products for the EMSL. A varied collection of audio and video components, along with signal routers, switchers, and distribution amplifiers, provides full control and interconnectivity for audio and video capture, editing, compositing, storage, and presentation.
This equipment is available to all qualified users to illustrate scientific concepts and present scientific data. A number of distribution media are available, including both digital and analog video cassette tape, digital video disc (DVD), compact disc (CD), and streaming media.
Audio/Video Equipment
Audio Components
GVL's audio components include a Tascam 122MKII cassette player/recorder unit as well as a Tascam CD-401MKII single-tray compact disc player. Both the cassette deck and compact disc player output audio for capture by the rest of the A/V system. The Crown D45 amplifier and Biamp micro152EQ equalizer receive audio signals from the A/V system and direct it to the room speakers.
Video Components
Each of GVL's video components is configured for both recording and playback. The collection of components spans the entire spectrum of video formats, including both standard- and high-definition digital video, and VHS s-VHS analog video. The digital and analog Betacam systems are the same as those found in other professional production system, such as television studios. The Multi-format VHS system can convert between the various international standards of video formats, including NTSC, PAL, and SECAM. The JVC BR-HD50 and the SR-VS10U recorders handle the Mini-DV cassettes also used by most modern video camera recorders. The BR-HD50 also accommodates the standard digital video cassette tapes, as does the Panasonic AG-DV2000 recorder. The SR-VS10U and the Panasonic AG1980 play and record in s-VHS. The Samsung DVD-R145 will play and record on DVD.
Routers and Switchers
Router and switch components direct signals from all sources within the A/V system, even those that come from the video and outputs of GVL's computers, to capture with the recorder units or for display with the projection system. The digital audio and video routers (both standard- and high-definition) have dedicated control panels and are supplemented by patch bays. The analog RGBS Router directs signal from the GVL computers to the projector or to the rest of the A/V system. Manual switches accommodate s-Video signals from several of the analog video players/recorder components, as well as balanced audio from the Betacam players and audio components. These work in conjunction with s-Video and audio distribution amplifiers.
Additional Equipment
Rounding out the A/V infrastructure are several components for capturing or displaying audio and video media. The ProHD Professional JVC GY-HD100U digital video camera is used to capture video for use in visualization projects. The projector is stowed in the ceiling of the GVL facility and can display stereo imagery at 1280x1024 resolution. A variety of audio and video monitors (both digital and audio) are also available for presentations and to assist in visualization product development.
Computing Equipment
Desktop Systems
The A/V editing computer is a Hewlett-Packard xw9300 workstation running Windows XP. At its heart is a 64-bit 2-GHz dual core AMD Opteron CPU, supported by 2 GBytes RAM and an internal 70 GB hard disk drive. A Matrox Axio LE expansion card integrates this computer into the Audio/Video system, and provides Firewire (IEEE1394) in addition to several digital and analogue A/V Input and Output ports.
Connected by optical fiber, the Ciprico U320-RX MediaVault provides an additional 2.27 Terabytes of hard disk space. The unit's ten removable hard drives are configured as an ultra-fast striped (RAID-0) system, ideal for large media editing projects.
The 30-inch Dell 3007WFP wide-screen 96-dpi LCD display provides plenty of real estate for professional image and video editing activities. The Radeon X1600 512MB video card enables 32-bit "true" color at the display's native resolution of 2560x1600 pixels.
The GVL's G5 PowerMac is a dual-processor 2-GHz Macintosh system, with 146 GB hard disk space, and runs MacOS 10.4. Its ATI Radeon 9600 Graphics card has 64 MB Video RAM and provides 32-bit "true" color for the Apple Cinema 1680x1050 pixel LCD display.
The four HP zx2000 Linux Workstations (mati, schooner, jib, and sloop) are integrated into the Lab's AFS network; each is available for training and general use.
The ultra-high resolution Windows XP system features a 204dpi LCD flat-panel display capable of 32-bit "true" color at its native resolution of 3840x1900 pixels. The computer itself is a Dell Precision 530 system with a 1.7-GHz Xeon processor and 2 GB RAM. The internal hard disk provides a total 150 GB storage space.
Visualization Servers
The 64-bit SGI Tezro system ('natzer') has four 700-MHz MIPS R16000 processors and 6 GB RAM, along with 130 GB hard disk space. Its 1280x1024 CRT display supports 3D views as provided by stereo-capable software. In addition, its display (including stereo viewing) can be directed to the overhead projector for presentations or demonstrations.
The 16-processor SGI Origin 350 system ("nwvisus") is physically located in the EMSL's main computer room, but its three user stations are located in the GVL. Each display is connected to its own dedicated video head on the computer; thus they are independent of one another. Two stations have flat panel LCD 1280x1024 pixel monitors; the third has a CRT and supports 3D viewing. Like the Tezro system, its display can be directed to the overhead projector.
User Access Port
The user access port is pop-up unit in which a user computer, such as a laptop, can be temporarily connected into the system. This is quite useful for giving presentations, because the unit supplies connections that can direct the laptop video to the overhead projector and audio to the room speakers. An additional port provides network connectivity.
Printers
The GVL offers a document scanner and professional quality printers for general purpose use. The Hewlett-Packard DesignJet 4500ps large format printer can print posters up to 42-inches wide on a large variety of paper stock, including high-gloss and translucent vellum. The Kodak 1400 digital photo printer produces crisp, clear quality prints on photographic paper. The Hewlett-Packard ScanJet 7400c document scanner is attached to the PowerMac and has a scanning bed that will accommodate items up to 11x18 inches.
