SunFLASH Vol 23 #8 November 1990 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Premier Power User Workstations: SPARCstation 2 (monochrome and GX) SPARCstation 2GS SPARCstation 2GT The New High Performance SunOS Release: SunOS 4.1.1 New Upgrades to SPARCstation 2 and 1GS The SPARCengine 2 PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS Sun delivers the power-user desktop system to meet the needs of the most demanding applications and users. SPARCstation 2: Sun's highest performance, most expandable desktop workstation. GX is standard on entry level color configurations, bringing snappy windows, fast text scrolling, and accelerated 2D/3D wireframe performance to all power color users. SPARCstation 2GS: Full-featured 24 -bit 3-D graphics in the industry's best selling desktop system at an affordable price. SPARCstation 2GT: Sun's premier workstation for modeling 3-D objects which provides advanced graphics functionality, high- quality screen images, and fast interactivity in full 24-bit, double buffered color. SunOS 4.1.1: Provides major performance enhancements, convenience features and bug fixes for all platforms including the new SPARCstation 2 and the GT and GS graphics accelerators. Upgrades: SPARCstation 1/1+ Upgrade to SPARCstation 2 provides an excellent opportunity for you to move to Sun's latest high end desktop at a fraction of the new system price. The SPARCstation 1/1+ GX upgrade to GS offers 24-bit, 3D graphics to current SPARCstation 1/1+ users. SPARCengine 2: Sun's new high-performance board-level product for embedded OEM applications. ANNOUNCEMENT BRIEF Introducing the SPARCstation 2, Sun's new power user desktop system - at two times the power of the SPARCstation 1+, it's the highest performance, most expandable desktop workstation in the product family. With the SPARCstation 2GX, Sun redefines the color workstation, offering GX acceleration standard on entry color systems. The unique combination of high SPECmarks, fast I/O throughput, expandability, and a wide choice of graphics configurations makes the SPARCstation 2 the best-balanced power user desktop workstation. Setting New Standards for Desktop Computing ------------------------------------------- - The 40-Mhz SPARC IU and FPU deliver 21 SPECmarks (28.5 MIPS and 4.2 MFLOPS). - Up to three times the I/O throughput of the SPARCstation 1+. - 16-MB standard memory; up to 64-MB onboard using 4-MB SIMMs. up to 96 MB total with a 32 MB add-on memory card. - 207 MB disk with pre-installed SunOS 4.1.1 and OpenWindows DeskSet. Support for up to two internal 207-MB 3.5" SCSI hard disks And all configurations come with a floppy diskette drive. - New 76 Hz monitors eliminate flicker, offer crisp clear viewing (both the 16" and 19" color monitors on SS2 are Trinitron) - Three SBus slots with full master/slave support All major components have been re-designed to offer high overall system throughput. The Memory Management Unit (MMU), Cache Controller, and Direct Memory Access (DMA) Controller are tuned to offer maximum system performance. This combines with the fast processor to make the SPARCstation 2 one of the best-balanced desktop systems in the industry. The SPARCstation 2 comes standard with a high performance internal 207MB 3.5" disk drive with fast seek times of 16msec and a burst synchronous transfer rate of 4 MB/sec. A second 207MB internal disk drive can be added. In addition, external 207MB Desktop Disk Packs and the 669MB External Storage Modules can be added, for applications requiring high local data capacity. The SPARCstation 2GX delivers snappy windows, fast text scrolling, and accelerated 2-D/3-D wireframe graphics. With 450K 2-D vectors/second and 240K 3-D vectors/second, it offers the industry's fastest desktop wireframe graphics, standard on entry color. SPARCstation 2 is the ideal machine for demanding applications requiring maximum expandability, a wide choice of peripherals, and high memory capacity. It was developed for the traditional Sun customer base, the power user in the MCAD/MCAE, EDA, CASE, GIS, Earth Resources, Finance, Molecular Modeling, and animation/visual simulation markets. A wide choice of configuration options is available: - Monochrome - GX for window and wireframe graphics acceleration - GS for interactive and affordable 3-D solids acceleration - GT for high-performance 3D solids and high quality imagery SPARCstation 2GS ---------------- The SPARCstation 2GS offers powerful 3-D graphics for every engineer's and scientist's desktop. The GS packs in a full set of 3D graphics into the "pizza box" enclosure--truly a desktop 3D graphics workstation. The GS is interactive, competitive and affordable. Performance through SunPHIGS: * 150K 3D vectors/sec * 20K 3D Gouraud shaded polygons/sec The GS will compete directly with 3D graphics workstations from the other workstation vendors, but will be priced lower. No add-ons necessary, everything comes standard in one compact package. The SPARCstation 2GS comes standard with: * 16MB RAM, 207 MB internal disk * 1152x900, 19" 76Hz monitor * Fully functional graphics: - 24-bit true color - 12-bit double buffer - 16-bit Z-buffer - 8 additional planes for overlays and windowing - Gouraud shading with up to 8 lights - Depth-cueing, hardware picking - Multiple rendering modes SPARCstation 2GT ---------------- The SPARCstation 2GT is Sun's premier workstation for Modeling 3-D objects. It offers high-end graphics at a mid-range price. As the flagship of Sun's 3-D graphics products, the SPARCstation 2GT is the answer for customers who need more power than available on the SPARCstation 2GS. The GT's powerful graphics functionality is all included in the base level configuration - no extra cost options need be purchased. The GT is FAST, offers HIGH IMAGE QUALITY, and is at MIDRANGE PRICES. Performance: * 500K 3D vectors/sec * 100K Gouraud shaded polygons/sec There ARE higher end graphics machines available. BUT, they also cost twice as much. The SPARCstation 2GT comes standard with * 16MB RAM, 207 MB internal disk * 1280x1024, 21" 76Hz monitor * 108-bit plane frame buffer: - 24-bit double buffered color - 24-bit Z-buffer - 8-bit double buffered overlay * Advanced Graphics functionality embedded in hardware: - Industry's best anti-aliasing - Fast SunPHIGS performance - Depth-cueing, transparency, 32 light sources - Virtual display list accelerator (DLX) for improved performance SunOS 4.1.1 ----------- SunOS 4.1.1 includes significant performance enhancements applicable across Sun's entire product line, and specific performance tuning for SCSI disks. OpenWindows Version 2 is bundled with SunOS 4.1.1 providing the full developer's environment to ISVs. The OpenWindows and XGL runtime environments are pre-installed for end-users. Also, the end-user benefits from the improved system installation and startup while System Administrators benefit from new system administration utilities. SunOS 4.1.1 is an extremely high quality release, incorporating many bug fixes while maintaining binary compatibility with SunOS 4.1 and 4.1 PSR A. SunOS 4.1.1 continues the bridge to SVR4 by providing all the development tools necessary for producing SVR4 compatible applications. Upgrades -------- Sun also announces the availability of a SPARCstation 1/1+ to SPARCstation 2 upgrade program, offering a significant performance boost for customers at a very low cost compared to the price of a new system. The upgrade is a chassis swap and supports a major part of the customers original investment. Specifically, these components remain the same for the customer: monitor, frame buffer, SBus cards, internal and external peripherals. The customer turns in the SS1/1+ base system with 8 Mbytes of memory, and receives the SPARCstation 2 upgrade which comes standard with 16 Mbytes of RAM. Performance improves from 8.8 SPECmarks (SS1) and 11.8 SPECmarks (SS1+) to 21 SPECmarks with the SPARCstation 2. There is also a new graphics upgrade from the current SPARCstation 1/1+ GX to a SPARCstation 1/1+ GS configuration. This includes the GS, the new 76Hz monitor, cables, and documentation. SPARCengine 2 ------------- Sun also announces the SPARCengine 2 board-level product for embedded OEM applications. SPARCengine 2 is the cpu board inside SPARCstation 2; delivering performance of 21 SPECmarks (28.5 MIPS and 4.2 MFLOPS) at 40-MHz clock cycle. SPARCengine 2 is complete with 3 SBus expansion slots, 16MB of memory; expandable up to 64MB on the motherboard and up to 96MB with 32MB add-on card, 2 RS-423 serial I/O ports, SCSI-2 support, ethernet, an audio I/O ports. New full board-level documentation is also available for SPARCengine 2. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE CONSIDERATIONS 1. Memory In order to achieve its high performance, SPARCstation 2 requires 80 nano-second SIMM modules. BUT NOT ALL 80-NANOSECOND SIMM MODULES CAN BE SUPPORTED. To ensure long term reliability for customers, only SPARCstation 2 memory modules (x116W) should be used. The current SPARCstation 1, SPARCstation 1+, and SPARCstation IPC memory is not supported in SPARCstation 2. 2. SPARCstation 2GS SunPHIGS: SunPHIGS1.2 applications which are dynamically linked will run accelerated on the GS. A new release of SunPHIGS, 1.3 will FCS with the GS. SunPHIGS 1.3 is a performance release which requires an application to simply re-link in order to take full advantage 3D acceleration on the GS. 3. SunOS 4.1.1 SunOS 4.1 is the last OS release on floppies or 1/2" tape for Desktop SPARCsystems (sun-4c architecture). Support for SPARCserver 390, SPARCserver 490 and SPARCsystem 470 is included in SunOS 4.1.1 for deskside and server SPARC platforms. SunOS 4.1.1 is pre-installed on all Desktop SPARCstations, however, the OpenWindows runtime environment is not included on the SS1+ disk due to size constraints. SunOS 4.1.1 supports all Motorola platforms, however pre-installed 3/80s will continue shipping with SunOS 4.1. 4. Upgrades * Only Sun memory may be returned. * SPARCstation 1 and 1+ memory is not supported. * SPARCstation 1 and 1+ frame buffers are supported. * All standard SPARCstation 1, 1+, and 2 peripherals are supported. * Mixing the older ESDI shoeboxes with the newer embedded SCSI storage modules, either internal or external, is not supported. NEED-TO-KNOW FACTS 1. SunOS All configurations of the SPARCstation 2 require the new release of the SunOS (4.1.1). SPARCstation 2 will not work with SunOS 4.1 or SunOS 4.0.3. Diskfull SPARCstation 2 systems include SunOS 4.1.1 and Open Windows version 2 pre-installed (SunView is also resident on the disk). SPARCstation 2 is binary compatible with SPARCware applications. The only software which *may* need to be altered is the very rare case of timing sensitive software coded to run at something other than 40MHz. 2. Graphics software: * XGL runtime bundled on every system. * SunPHIGS 1.3, SunGKS 3.0, SunVision 1.0, and XGL for developers all orderable. 4.1.1 GFX: The SPARCstation 2GS comes with 4.1.1 SunOS pre-installed on the 207MB hard disk. The GS also requires the installation of the 4.1.1 GFX tape. This tape will be bundled in with the GS for both the SPARCstation 2GS configuration and the upgrade. This means that the customer does *not* need to order this tape as a separate line item. The 4.1.1 GFX is *not* needed for the GX configurations, only affects the GS. The GS will run without the 4.1.1 GFX tape, but will be *SIGNIFICANTLY* slower and less reliable. Make sure this tape is loaded. There are only a few files contained on this tape and installation instructions are included. Installation should be under 30 minutes. 3. SunOS 4.1.1 * SunOS 4.1.1 CD includes binaries for all platforms * SunOS 4.1.1 Encryption Kit and Basic Source Code now available on CD-ROM * Only the Release Minibox portion of the Full Documentation Set has changed to reflect SunOS 4.1.1 - also includes OpenWindows End-user Manuals 4. Third Party Graphics Applications GS Applications: * SDRC I-DEAS rev. 5 FY Q2 90 * MDC Unigraphics version 8 * PDA Patran * MCS Anvil-5000 * MARC Analysis Mentat * Prime/CV CADDS5X * Prime/CV Medusa * ICAD * Fluid Dynamics FIDAP * ERDAS SECTION 2: MAJOR FEATURES AND BENEFITS SPARCstation 2 Features Benefits ================================================================================ High Performance ================ 40-MHz SPARC integer unit and SPARC * High-performance RISC architecture floating-point unit; deliver 21 for demanding technical and SPECmarks (28.5 MIPS and 4.2 MFLOPS) specialized commercial markets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fully buffered DMA operation * Large burst transfers improve I/O throughput ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Expandability ============= Three SBus I/O slots with full master/ * Provide flexibility to create custom slave support, burst rates up to 64 configurations; open bus with many bytes user-installable add-on cards available ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Up to 64-MB RAM on motherboard; up to * Flexibility to increase performance; 96 MB with 32-MB add-on card run many applications and large simulations locally ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internal hard disk storage capacity of * Large internal storage capacity lets up to 414 MB with two 207-MB 3.5-inch users store applications and data hard disks locally in the compact desktop package ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Preinstalled OpenWindows DeskSet * Plug-and-play installation environment and SunOS 4.1.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ High-speed access to external disk * Fast, scalable disk I/O throughput capacity of up to 7.6 GB, with two * Provides flexibility and growth path optional 5-MB/sec SBus synchronous for disk expansion SCSI controllers and one onboard synchronous SCSI controller ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Standard internal 3.5-inch floppy * Provides compact data transfer and diskette drive allows for MS-DOS compatibility ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Five built-in I/O ports: * Easy connections to popular peripherals without taking up SBus slots - Thick Ethernet port (can be connect- * Allows quick, easy connection to other ed to twisted pair or thin Ethernet computers on a standard, with a transceiver) high-performance network - SCSI-2 port * Provides access to CD-ROM drives, hard disks, tape devices, and other I/O peripherals - Two RS-423 serial ports with * RS-232C-compatible for easy synchronous and asynchronous support integration of modems, printers - Audio I/O port * Enables multimedia and voice applications -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Incorporates Open Boot PROM * Supports add-on SBus and boot devices without boot PROM or SunOS changes - New UNIX-like expandable * User-friendly syntax for booting device-naming scheme - Full Power-On Self Test (POST) * Complete testing and diagnostics for improved troubleshooting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monitors ======== Flat-profile, high-contrast * 76-Hz vertical refresh rate, reduces 1-megapixel monitors; available in eye fatigue 19-inch monochrome, 16-inch and * Users can choose monitors that best 19-inch color fit their needs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ergonomically designed monitors * Antiglare standard on all monitors comply with stringent international * Easily accessible operating controls requirements for agency compliance * Improved viewing environment emissions, health and safety ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21-inch monitor (for SPARCstation 2GT), * 1.25-megapixel display for high- 1280 x 1024 resolution for wide quality viewing of advanced onscreen viewing area applications * Includes all features of Sun's 1-megapixel monitors ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SunOS 4.1.1 Features Benefits ================================================================================ Binary compatible with SPARCware * Existing software runs seamlessly on applications developed for SunOS 4.1 SPARCstation systems or higher ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuned for High Performance: - Disk I/O read and write clustering * Up to 3x increased throughput for large sequential transfers - Improved MMU management algorithm * Provides up to 10X performance improvement on large memory systems for applications with large virtual memory requirements or several processes - Synchronous SCSI software * Faster SCSI data transfer for most applications - Robust /tmp File System (tmpfs) * Significant performance increase of applications using multiple temporary ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Advanced ease-of-use features: - Includes OpenWindows Version 2 * Provides OpenWindows runtime environment without purchasing additional software or license - XGL Graphics Runtime Libraries * Provides XGL 2D & 3D graphics runtime environment without purchasing an additional license - eliminates need for ISV to distribute libraries - Improved system startup * Enables non-technical user to install, boot up and login to windowing system with minimal UNIX knowledge - PC file system * Allows transfer of data between MS-DOS format and UNIX on local workstation files, such as compiling large programs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Graphics Features Benefits ================================================================================ Supports Sun's graphics libraries: * Delivers transparent acceleration of Xlib, Sun XGL, Sun GKS, Sun PHIGS, applications Sun Vision, PostScript, and Pixwin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPARCstation 2GX: Industry's Best-Selling Graphics Workstation ============================================================== GX acceleration is standard on * Superior graphics and window entry color systems performance at no additional cost -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Accelerates text, scrolling, and * Snappy windows, responsive and window performance easy to use -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Accelerates 2-D and 3-D wireframe * Allows direct manipulation of complex graphics: 2-D and 3-D graphical models 450,000 2-D vectors/sec 240,000 3-D vectors/sec -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8-bit color support * Enables simultaneous display of 256 colors from a palette of 16.7 million -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPARCstation 2GS: Desktop 3-D Graphics ====================================== * 150K 3D vectors/sec * Interactive 3-D performance * 20K 3D Gouraud shaded polygons/sec ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Full-Featured Frame Buffers - 24-bit true color * Displays 16.7 MM colors-- realistic images - 12-bit double buffering * Realistic graphics, smooth animation - 16-bit Z-buffer * Dynamic hidden surface removal - Overlay/enable planes * Three colors available to draw graphics over, and independent of, 24-bit image data - Window ID planes * Allow viewing of double-buffered graphics in multiple windows with high performance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dynamic 3-D functionality in hardware * Available through Sun PHIGS and Sun XGL - Gouraud shading * Renders smooth, realistic 3-D models - Eight colored light sources * Adds visual realism - Depth cueing * Visual aid for compex 3-D wireframe model ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Advanced technology - Compact packaging * Full-featured 3-D graphics integrated into cost-effective SPARCstation 2 package - Fast screen, Z-buffer clear * Smooth animation - Hardware picking * Allows quick, interactive selection and highlighting of model elements - Fast text, raster operations * Highly responsive windowing environment - Multiple rendering modes * 1-bit, 8-bit, and 24-bit applications can run simultaneously ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SPARCstation 2GT: High-Performance 3-D Graphics ================================================ * 500K 3D vectors/sec * Fast graphics performance * 100K Gouraud shaded polygons/sec ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Advanced 108-bit frame buffer - 24-bit color * Renders objects in realistic true color - 24-bit double-buffered * Provide smooth onscreen motion of 24-bit images - 24-bit Z-buffer * Enables highly accurate 3-D object positioning and smooth animation - 8-bit double-buffered overlay * Allow 8-bit applications and pop-up planes menus overlayed on 24-bit graphics - Ten window ID planes * Render 1-bit, 8-bit, and 24-bit images simultaneously; multiple double-buffered windows; fast clear planes with windows; and window clipping - Eight (2 x 4) fast clear * Enable smooth animation in multiple planes windows - Separate cursor planes * Improve window system performance and cursor tracking ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Advanced graphics in hardware - Line and stroke text * Eliminates jaggies on wireframe models anti-aliasing and annotation text, improving productivity - Advanced polygonal * Provides smooth, accurate anti-aliasing representation of solid models - DLX virtual display list * Frees CPU for other tasks, improving accelerator application performance; display list traversed autonomously; uses the host memory--no special memory required - Subpixel addressing * High-quality rendering at full performance speeds - Gouraud shading in hardware * Smooth, realistic surfaces on solid objects - Screen door and alpha * Models transparent objects transparency realistically - Depth cueing * Improves perception of model depth - 32 hardware light sources * Offer realistic object rendering under a large number of light sources - Hardware picking * Selects and manipulates elements quickly using a mouse or a light pen - Stereo-ready frame buffer * View models in 3-D stereo for realistic depth perception. (Requires use of third- party stereo monitor and glasses) Note that for GT, actual performance may differ depending on specific application environments. SunOS, OpenWindows, XGL, and ONC are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc. SPARCstation and SPARCware are trademarks of SPARC International, Inc., licensed exclusively to Sun Microsystems, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX and OPEN LOOK are registered trademarks UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. All other products or services mentioned in this document are identified by the trademarks or service marks of their respective companies or organizations. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sunflash is an electronic mail news service from Sun Microsystems, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA. It is targeted at Sun Users and Customers. For additional information about SunFlash send mail to info-sunflash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM SunFlash is distributed via a hierarchy of aliases. Try to address change requests to the owner of the alias that you belong to. If you want to be added to the SunFlash alias, please contact the systems engineers at your local Sun office and/or send mail to sunflash-request@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. 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. Address comments to the SunFlash editor (John McLaughlin) at sun!sunvice!flash or flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. (305) 776-7770.