Automatic video system for computer animation using a high performance vector processor.
M.M. Millares, Juan José Casares Long, Juan M. Ramírez, José Antonio Souto · 1995
An automatic system for producing video-animation, based in the capabilities of vector processors is presented. This system is composed by: • Hardware utilities: A vector processor machine, Fujitsu VP2400/10; a SUN Spare station with Parallax graphic card; a BETACAM/SP System video recorder. • Software utilities: A vectorized code for compressing/decompressing JPEG files; a X-window code for RS-422 video control. The graphic files for video production (generated by any graphics application) are converted to JPEG format at the vector processor; these JPEG files are transferred to the SUN Sparcstation, and then the Parallax graphic card decompresses them (hardware uncompressing) to the video resolution; after that, the decompressed files are saved in the BETACAM video recorder automatically. All this process is transparent to the operator. The main advantages of this system are: # The graphic files for video production are stored in compressed format, so they can be available faster for modifications, and they need less storage space. • All the compressing is running on the vector processor, so the video production can be faster than in a conventional workstation. C language routines for converting several graphic formats to JPEG are available, so the system can produce movies from other computer applications. Transactions on Information and Communications Technologies vol 12, © 1995 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3517 34 Visualization and Intelligent Design in Engineering