fieldOfView | SPi-V devSPiV on average user's computer
Hi All,
Just looking at integrating SpiV into our cdrom programs that we produce on National Parks and have a question about stability and how the engine runs on the average person's computer.
If I'm packaging the engine with our programming in Director as a standalone application, is there anything that the end user needs. We have a lot of customers with bottom of the barrel machines at time. Our minimum requirements that we mention on our products are at least 256MB ram.
So I'm wondering about VRAM needs and any software plugins that they would need to have. Ideally, we'd like them to not need anything. Right now our programs require Quicktime.
Also, if we're trying to include high res panoramas (from 5000x2500 to 30,000 x 15,000 pixels in size), are there likely to be problems with the average end user? I know that converting into strips helps, but wondering if anyone has tested the upper limits.
Thanks!
Gene
Re: SPiV on average user's computer
The amount of required system RAM is not as critical to SPi-V as the amount of video RAM. However, for media intensive applications, 256 Mb is on the low side. It's starting to become time to gently push minimum requirements to 512 Mb
For small size panoramas (2000x1000 - 4000-2000), 16 Mb of video RAM is enough for Windows 98 and XP. On OS X (and probably Vista), you need at least 32 Mb because the OS uses up video RAM as well.
For higher resolution panoramas, you need more video RAM. If not enough video RAM is available, SPi-V will downscale the panorama which leads to loss of quality.
I would not recommend using 30k x 15k panoramas in SPi-V at all at this time. Load times would simply be too long. You can try on systems with 128 Mb or more of video RAM, and I am interested in your experience, but at this time I can not 'support' it.
Re: SPiV on average user's computer
Thanks Aldo!
Are there any other files, plugins, or settings on the avg person's system that will interfere with the standard use of the engine?
I think for our normal panoramas, this might be solution then as an alternative to Quicktime. However we'd love to push the upper limits and will keep investigating options for that.
Awhile back I did setup an alternative already in director using the built in 3d engine. Basically splits the image up into six texture maps on a cube but ultimately probably has the same vram problem. Seemed to have about the same limits as Spi-v in terms of resolution and speed.
And yes, I agree about the minimum requirements. I think most we'll probably be changing those up to 512 soon.
Thanks!
Gene Cooper
Four Chambers Studio
gene@fourchambers.org
480-980-5034
http://www.fourchambers.org
http://www.360parks.com
Re: SPiV on average user's computer
Up to date drivers for the graphics card always help. Other than that I can't think of much that needs to be installed. On Windows, the DirectX version should be 5 or newer, but its been a very long time since I have seen DirectX 5.
SPi-V is basically the same as what you set up; 3d geometry with a panorama mapped onto it. Ofcourse it's a bit more advanced nowadays; On the mac, textures are limited to 512x512, on certain systems you get seams between mesh faces, etc.