Professional 3-D graphics users have completely different needs than the average user. Architects, designers, multimedia developers, engineers, and broadcast and film professionals rely on computer-generated images to create 3-D environments, enhance advertising, convey abstract ideas and capture the imagination of the masses. Creating these 3-D images requires a lot of time, talent and powerful equipment.

In the past, software and hardware offerings have centered around pricey RISC-based UNIX workstations from Silicon Graphics (SGI) and others. But the introduction of professional-grade 3-D software for Windows NT promises to lower the price of admission.

Several factors have accelerated this push into NT territory. Windows NT offers native OpenGL support right out of the box. OpenGL is an industry standard for precision 3-D graphics. Because Windows NT is platform independent, different versions of it can run on various microprocessors (Intel, MIPS, Digital Equipment Corp.'s Alpha and PowerPC). In addition, the performance of Intel's new Pentium Pro line of processors rivals that of traditional RISC processors, for about half the price. Finally, Windows NT can run on a multiprocessor machine to provide the scalable performance serious 3-D work demands, especially with applications that support distributed rendering. This enables a network of PCs to share the task of rendering (a setup often referred to as a "rendering farm").

In the past, you needed a separate VGA card to take advantage of OpenGL hardware, but graphics systems are now evolving into single PCI boards that integrate 2-D and 3-D graphics components. The Diamond FireGL combines S3 Vision968 and 3Dlabs' Glint 300SX processors on a single board that supports 2-D and 3-D acceleration at resolutions up to 1600x1200. Accelerators with large amounts of dedicated Z-buffer and texture memory can cut your rendering time. With its 8MB of VRAM and up to 12MB of DRAM for local memory, the FireGL makes even the most powerful consumer graphics boards look underwhelming. Vendors such as Omnicomp, ELSA and Fujitsu offer similar products. Farther down the road, the professional market can expect a single processor to handle both 2-D and 3-D acceleration, eliminating today's need for multiple processors.

Professional-grade software offerings for Windows NT include AutoCAD and Lightscape Visualization System. SoftImage 3D for Windows NT features an interface indistinguishable from its SGI counterpart. Kinetix's 32-bit 3D Studio MAX incorporates distributed rendering under Windows NT, a feature expected in future releases of applications such as SoftImage 3D for Windows NT. Applications in this category provide software development kits for those who need to create new effects or extend functionality.

On the hardware side, an excellent example of a high-end Windows NT 3-D workstation is the Intergraph StudioZ family of single-, dual- and quad-Pentium Pro processor systems with serial digital video and OpenGL acceleration. If the power of a 200MHz Intel Pentium Pro isn't enough, Windows NT can take advantage of RISC-based platforms. Deskstation's Raptor Reflex Workstation offers a 366MHz Digital Alpha 21164 processor.

Despite all this new speed and power, die-hard 3-D professionals won't cast aside their UNIX/RISC environments overnight. Many animators and production houses already have hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in equipment. They'll probably incorporate NT hardware into their mix of SGI machines. Fortunately, Windows NT provides the strong network protocol support necessary for accessing common data with existing SGI workstations. The Windows NT 3-D graphics platform offers professionals, old and new, an alternative to expensive RISC workstations.