[Icetigris]

Does anyone have pictures of Skywriter hardware and/or a copy of the technical report? I've only found dead links so far. I'm doing some research on multi-GPU systems for a talk and I would really like to include a picture of (what I think is) the original multi-GPU system.

Thanks!

[jan-jaap]

What you're looking for is Skywriter's "Big Old Nasty SGI" Page (what's in a name) : https://web.archive.org/web/200008310143...skywriter/

It has the technical report and more information on these old systems. Let me know if archive.org is incomplete because I think I should have a copy. Or you could try to contact Skywriter himself, he signed up to this board. I think he still has the Skywriter system. Last I heard he planned to be buried in it. Hope he's a small guy because otherwise they'll have to chop his head off first

[Icetigris]

What you're looking for is Skywriter's "Big Old Nasty SGI" Page (what's in a name) : https://web.archive.org/web/200008310143...skywriter/

It has the technical report and more information on these old systems. Let me know if archive.org is incomplete because I think I should have a copy. Or you could try to contact Skywriter himself, he signed up to this board.

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for! I was having issues with archive.org last night because I misconfigured a browser plugin, but now I can see it. It's super cool to see hardware like this. I'd be really interested to see one in a cyclops configuration, since that's closest to modern multi-GPU systems.

I think he still has the Skywriter system. Last I heard he planned to be buried in it. Hope he's a small guy because otherwise they'll have to chop his head off first

LOL, that box looks pretty big to me, but then I'm not a big guy. Maybe fetal position would work

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I did find a broken image in section 2.4 Hyperpipeline Development on this page: https://web.archive.org/web/200104231120...ort/7.html

Sounds like hyperpipeline mode == cyclops mode? It's cool how switching between dual and hyperpipeline mode is kind of vaguely similar to switching between mixed and linked adapter mode on modern multi-GPU setups.

[jan-jaap]

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for! I was having issues with archive.org last night because I misconfigured a browser plugin, but now I can see it. It's super cool to see hardware like this. I'd be really interested to see one in a cyclops configuration, since that's closest to modern multi-GPU systems.

I think he still has the Skywriter system. Last I heard he planned to be buried in it. Hope he's a small guy because otherwise they'll have to chop his head off first

LOL, that box looks pretty big to me, but then I'm not a big guy. Maybe fetal position would work

---

I did find a broken image in section 2.4 Hyperpipeline Development on this page: https://web.archive.org/web/200104231120...ort/7.html

Sounds like hyperpipeline mode == cyclops mode? It's cool how switching between dual and hyperpipeline mode is kind of vaguely similar to switching between mixed and linked adapter mode on modern multi-GPU setups.

Here's the whole 'skywriter' directory. I think hyperpipeline and cyclops mode refer to the same thing: use two independent pipelines to render frames in turn, effectively doubling the frame rate (or the maximum complexity of the scene). The same thing was later also offered in the Onyx2 series: the Onyx2 Reality Monster.

I own a 4D/380 VGX "Predator Rack", basically the same rack, but with one gfx pipe and twice as many CPUs. It's a rack, but not as tall as a 42U 19" rack. It's roughly should height, 1.60m at most.