Intel unveils 3D graphics interface

Electronic News, May 2, 1994 by Reinhardt Krause, Jim DeTar

SANTA CLARA, CALIF.--Intel last week unveiled 3DRender (3DR), a new 3D graphics systems programming interface, at the Computer Game Developers Conference. While Intel's goal is to boost 3D rendering and texture mapping on x86- and Pentium-based PCs, the Video Electronics Standard Association (VESA) is also developing an open standard called Video Advanced Graphics Interface (VAGI).

Several hardware vendors, including Cirrus Logic and 3Dlabs, announced support for Intel's new 3D graphics interface. Cirrus, which acquired the Austek Microsystems' graphics acceleration technology (EN, April 25), last week said it will work with board vendor Diamond Computer Systems to target the PC-based game marketplace with 3D application program interface (API) technology from U.K.-based Argonaut Software.

Other hardware vendors planning to comply with the 3DR interface and to support Microsoft's 3D device driver interface (DDI) extensions included Artist Graphics, ATI Technologies, Matrox Electronic Systems, Media Vision, SMOS Systems, S3, Tseng Labs, Weitek and Western Digital. However, some companies are also believed to be working with VESA's VAGI specs.

At 3Dlabs, for example, the company is working with the VAGI camp because "3DR is not as open," said Neil Trevett, VP of marketing. 3Dlabs, whose upcoming GliNT 3D graphics processor family will be manufactured by IBM Microelectronics, is initially targeting a higher-end market than Cirrus, although its alliance with Creative Technology will focus on games and entertainment.

Intel's 3DR interface was described by one observer as a portability layer between the geometric processing done by standard MPUs and the pixel manipulation done later by graphics processors. Intel is said to be most interested in supporting games and virtual reality applications, although 3DR also supports high-level 3D APIs such as OpenGL, Autodesk's HOOPS and PHIGs.

Intel will initially offer 3DR intellectual property at no charge to graphics hardware developers, including pre-development software development kits available beginning in June. A full-release software development kit, expected in September, will cost $495 for the license, support and binary code distribution rights.

"The 3DR interface will make it possible for new visualization, entertainment and CAD applications to be ported to Intel-based PCs running Windows," according to Ron Whittier, senior VP, Intel Architecture Labs. "It also offers a way for graphics hardware vendors to deliver innovative 3D accelerator cards to the Windows PC environment."

As a graphics interface, the 3DR technology provides a Windows-compatible method for accelerating the rendering and texture mapping of 3D objects. 3DR features a set of 3D rendering primitives for rendering triangles, polygons, polylines, lines and points.

Microsoft and Intel also agreed to jointly review the spec for 3D/DDI for Windows with interested graphics vendors. Alexander St. John, Microsoft technology evangelist for publishing and graphic arts developer relations, said at Intel's 3DR introduction last week, "We are still discussing the details." Mr. St. John added Microsoft is making its own OpenGL 3D API available on Windows NT and Chicago (also known as Windows 4.0), due out later this year.

Still, several high-volume 3D markets are likely to emerge, including set-top boxes for interactive TV, low-end workstations, and higher-performance 64-bit video games. IBM's Advanced Workstation and Systems (AWS) group in Austin, for example, is said to be looking at Kaleida Labs' third accelerator chip called Malibu for PowerPC-based workstations with Apple Computer another possibility (EN, Feb. 14).

3Dlabs is also reportedly talking to Apple-based accelerator board companies for its GliNT devices. In addition, about 30 percent of initial GliNT design-ins will be from Taiwan, where product differentiation has become crucial.

Since its GliNT devices are based on VHDL tools, 3Dlabs--a new startup formed through a management buyout of Du Pont Pixel--is also interested in licensing the technology for ASICs targeting set-top boxes.

Other companies targeting the 3D space include Media Vision, which acquired Pellucid for its OpenGL and 3D technology; Pellucid has demonstrated Alpha AXP-based PC and 486-based system running Open GL--originally developed by Silicon Graphics but is now an open standard.

OpenGL, which will be supported in Microsoft's upcoming operating system releases, will also be boosted by availability on IBM's OS/2. OpenGL is more floating point intensive than some other 3D APIs, said 3Dlabs' Mr. Trevett.

The alliance of Cirrus Logic, Diamond Computer and Argonaut also has big plans. They formed an alliance to provide hardware and software vendors with a PC standard 3D API to work in tandem with Intel's 3DR interface.

According to Cirrus and Argonaut, their standard will be licensed to CD-ROM publishers at a cost which will decline with the volume of games produced. The companies are positioning their development tools, which will include a 3D graphics board, against game consoles providers such as Sega, Nintendo, Atari and 3DO. API with existing and future VGA controller chips.