[PyMOL] Re: Stereo3D hardware recommendation

[Marc S. <mar...@mp...>]

> Because of the mono-performance issue, I decide to
> change my graphics card to ATI Fire GL2 (or 3 / 4).

That might be a good idea if you wan't to use stereo heavily, if you use 
it only rarely, a nVidia-based board might also be ok (although the 
Quadro-cards are also quite expensive, and there's no hacked driver for 
Linux, you need to modify the graphics-hardware to fool the driver).
Otoh there is also a new Radeon 9x00-based "professional" chip called 
Fire GL X1

http://mirror.ati.com/products/workstation/fireglx1/index.html

which apparently comes with stereo-enabled Linux-drivers (don't know 
exactly, wether the Linux-drivers really have stereo, but it is 
mentioned that the card as such such is stereo-capable). Don't know 
about any issues regarding stereo-performance for this board.

You might take this on your list of alternatives (but I don't know the 
price).


> My first question is: how will the different cards
> affect the stereo-viewing performance (at 1280x1024)?
> Is it necessary to go for a high-end card (and pay
> extra cash)?

In general: From the specs and the benchmarks/reviews I've read, all 
cards should be able to do what you want (display macromolecules in 
Pymol in stereo). More expensive cards might be better at handling 
larger models/more textures etc. but I would think that even the cheapes 
of them should be able to run sufficiently fast on the mentioned 
PC-hardware. Have a look at ViewPerf-numbers, if they seem to be 
reasonable (> 5-10 fps for most of the tests) the card should be ok for you.


> For the stereo glasses, I called Stereo Graphics and
> their CrystalEyes3 + Emitter boundle costs about $900.
> I also called NuVision and their 60GX + Emitter cost
> about $300. My second question is: what's the
> difference between these two? Can the difference
> justify the extra $600?

I've had a look at both Nuvision and Stereographics-glasses, and both 
are professional-grade (vs. the ELSA Revelator or other semi-pro or 
hobby sollutions, which are even cheaper, but are also very small).

Nuvision and Crystaleyes wireless glasses and emitters are 
interchangeable. Crystaleyes are normaly a bit larger, but the Nuvision 
shutters are big enough that you don't have a restricted field of view 
(which you have with the Revelator etc.).

Due to the smaller size they might also be a bit less heavy.

If you want the cheapest "pro"-sollution, I would go for the Nuvision, 
they are good enough. If -for some reason- you really want maximum-sized 
shutters, you need Crystaleyes.

Maybe you can test at least one of the two at your next crystallography 
department or CAD-office?

-- 
Bye,  Marc Saric

Max-Planck-Institut fuer molekulare Physiologie
Otto-Hahn-Str.11  44227 Dortmund  phone:0231/133-2168