OpenGL Development: SGI vs Linux

OpenGL Development: SGI vs LinuxPerformance and Cost Comparison

By Ricardo Veguilla

VS

SGI vs Linux

Linux is quickly becoming the preferred OS for OpenGL and 3D computer graphics development.

Today, Linux dominates one of SGI’s most controlled market: Movie Special Effects.

Why?

SGI and Hollywood

Special effects production pipeline involves:

The graphic workstation – Computers used by the artists to create the models and textures used in the visual effects sequence.

The render-farm – A computer cluster dedicated for rendering the images or animations that form the visual effect sequence.

SGI’s Market dominance

SGI dominated the market of 3D graphics solutions during the 80s and 90s.

SGI hardware provided excellent performance for rendering calculations combined with a fast video subsystem.

The computer special effects market was locked-in to SGI’s hardware.

Most of the 3D rendering software was developed for IRIX (SGI’s UNIX OS).

SGI economics disadvantages SGI’s workstations are

expensive.

Historically FX houses purchased large amount of SGIs, which were amortized over several movies (usually 5 years).

The rise of Lintel (Linux+Intel)Causes:

The development of Linux (an open source UNIX clone for the PC) during the 90s.

The continuous performance increase of the Intel CPUs.

The development of consumer-level 3D acceleration hardware for the PC driven by the growing video game market.

Why the switch to Lintel?

Lintel platform provides a higher cost/performance ratio.

Linux is a POSIX complaint UNIX clone, porting the software from IRIX is trivial.

Linux is open-source and runs in multiple-architectures which greatly limits the possibility of vendor lock-in.

Lintel economic benefits

Using Lintel, a large portion of the hardware costs can be recouped with every movie.

Buying a new render-farm for each new movie is economically viable.

Not just for the render-farm

Initially Linux was used for render-farm.

Now it is used for the graphic workstation as well.

It is even displacing Apple computers as the standard platform for video/film editing and compositing.

Results?

Movies created using Lintel: Titanic Star Wars Prequel Trilogy The Harry Potter Movies The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Shrek and Shrek 2 Practically every movie involving

special-effects made after the year 2000

Lintel on other 3D graphics areas. The Lintel cost/performance also

benefits the academic/scientific applications of 3D computer graphics.

Heavily used in automotive and aeronautics industries for solid modeling and simulations.

References:

Linux Journal - Industry of Change: Linux Storms Hollywood http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/5472

Computer Graphics World - Linux Invades Hollywood http://cgw.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?

Section=Articles&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=118664

GU4DEC: Linux at the Movies http://zenii.linux.org.uk/~telsa/Trips/Talks/g4-

films.html

Millimeter - The Little Engine That Could http://millimeter.com/mag/video_little_engine/

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Millimeter - Linux in Hollywood http://millimeter.com/mag/video_linux_hollywood/

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