Discreet Logic's Flint 5.0.5 Running on SGI's O2: Snappy Response in a Less Expensive Package

First ImpressionsOnce I got over the smaller proxy size of the play windows, I often forgotwhat system I was running. The mouse response is quick, the menu responseis snappy, and simple processing functions move at the speed of our olderfour-processor SGI Onyx system. All of this performance in a package lessthan $40,000. Wow. Of course, the drawbacks are the lack of real-time colorspace conversion, a task that Sierra Design's Quickframe handles in mycase. There's also the somewhat unpredictable speed of more complexprocessor functions that depend on the R5000 (CPU). All in all, this is themost impressive little box, at this price point, I have seen in the videoindustry since Avid's Media Composer came on the scene.

The Nitty GrittyMy setup is an SGI R5000 O2 packaged with the Adobe products andAlias/Wavefront's PowerAnimator. I also run on Sprint Drums from thislocation. Wyndham Hannaway and Associates (gwha.com) provided for thepurchase, installation and most importantly the integration of the basicsoftware packages. I mention them because correct initial setup on a boxthat is running the different software packages I run is usually prone tofailure or inconsistent performance. This is just to stress the importanceof starting off on the right foot. Part of what is so attractive aboutFlint on the O2 is the compatibility of Flint with other pieces ofsoftware. However, there are a few swap configurations and simpleadjustments that must be made in CK CONFIG to switch between the Adobe andAlias/Discreet Logic products.

The first breath of fresh air came when the install script operatedcorrectly. It was also painless to install the license. Installationincluded patches, adjustments to the kernel configuration, and creation ofa user log-in. The next step was to create a clip library. The manualseemed detailed enough to install and configure a Stone and Wire disk array(a Discreet Logic product); however, I found the instructions were a littlevague on installing anything else. Basically what I did was partition 3 GBof internal disk space for the clip library. Three GB is roughly 1,080frames of PAL-format video. (Since there's really no printed materialprovided for this, use the UNIX shell command "mkfile" to print outspecific directions, i.e., man mkfile.)

At this point, I restarted the machine, logged in as Flint, and opened theapplication. Again, once I got over the smaller proxy size of the playwindows, I often forgot what system I was running. Hopping between menusand moving clips around the screen were surprisingly fast, even better thanthe first version of the FlintRT on the (SGI) Indigo II. Creating internalclips of color, noise and text was fast, too. Of course, the files createdwere not ready for serial digital playback. The CCIR output of the O2 doesnot function in conjunction with Flint. Basically, it boils down to thelack of a real-time color space conversion to YUV serial format.

My O2 is connected via Ethernet 10BaseT to the DDR in the HallmarkEntertainment Network central equipment room about 200 feet down thehallway. Once I modified the .cfg files correctly the Flint recognized theDDR. Sending and retrieving clips using the DDR menus was a breeze fromthis point on. In fact, if you can live with the time it takes to bringclips in and out of the DDR, this box is nearly as functional as the moreexpensive FlintRT.

One difference between the Flint on O2 and the FlintRT: importing andauto-assembly of an EDL is out of the question with my configurationbecause there is no serial control of a tape deck. However, once the clipsare in the clip library, editing functions are available. Like all 5.0versions, you can choose the editing style you prefer. Another cool 5.0feature is the Z axis priority editor. Although there is little in the wayof documentation, the feature is self-explanatory.

I spend most of my time in the ACTION module. This where the robust toolsto create composite clips exist. All tools are available and fullyfunctional. This includes the creation of 3-D text, .OBJ model import, andthe mysterious particle generator. I was impressed by the speed of texturemapping and shading functions when working with 3-D models. For a machinewith no graphics board the performance is amazing. Of course as I increasedlighting effects and the number of 3-D elements the speed began todisappear.

One particularly complex action setup took 385 minutes to render on the O2and 92 minutes to render on our Onyx RE2. There were also differences inhow objects looked and behaved with shading and lighting effects. Thefalloff selection of lights and how the reflection mapping reacted werequite a bit different between the O2 and RE2 machine. This means that thedesign can be done on the O2, but may have to be tweaked to achieve thesame effect if the work is to be rendered on a different box.

When working with images the O2 is well mannered. Tracking, Paint, Text,Timewarp, Morphing, were all very fast. I appreciate the number of cliptools that are available also, particularly the film compress and fieldoptions. I work equally in PAL and NTSC, and the Flint hops very easilybetween the standards. This version also allows for a number ofuser-friendly site modifications such as choosing the color value of thebackground, and programming hot keys.

In My WorldHallmark Entertainment Network uses the higher-end Onyx RE2 machine tobatch process and render the bigger files, while the lower-end boxes areused for design. Because we operate in a networked environment, the time wecan spend on design is limited. Therefore, the limiting factor incompleting a design is commonly "what" to design rather than how fast adissolve or clip can be processed. I also run Alias PowerAnimator to buildpolygon models for import into Flint, Flame, or Inferno. The O2 allows meto run Alias and Flint simultaneously. This is a great way to immediatelycheck for flaws in models, create the basic environments for design, andquickly render from one to 15 second uncompressed, SMPTE 259M finishedelements. These features make the Flint on O2 a great tool.

In a NutshellIf you need the capability to work in three dimensions, light images andobjects, create 3-D text, and manipulate models in true X, Y, Z space youneed Discreet Logic's Flint. If you need to create short, uncompressedelements with the above criteria for very little money and you can affordthe DDR-to-file conversion time, this is the product for you.

Tim Hanafee is vice president, Creative Services, at Hallmark EntertainmentNetwork in Denver. He can be reached at thanafee@hallnetwork. com. Hanafeestarted at Liberty and Encore, the predecessors of Hallmark EntertainmentNetwork (HEN). HEN works mainly in PAL, provides all the multilanguageinterstitial material, including behind-the-scenes views and artwork(posters, etc.) for the many international feeds of its sister productionarm, Hallmark Entertainment. For a company profile, check out the Web siteat: hallmarknetwork.com. Hallmark Entertainment, probably the leadingproducer of made-for-television movies, has just launched its 18thinternational network since its 1995 start-up, with deals pending inRussia, India, and China. Henson Productions handles most of the company'sspecial effects work.