Indigo Family Product
Technical Report

Table of Contents

   1.   IndigoTM Family Overview                                6
        1.1   IRIS Indigo                                       6
              1.1.1   IRIS Indigo CPUs                          7
              1.1.2   IRIS Indigo Graphics                      7
        1.2   Indigo2                                           8
              1.2.1   Indigo2 CPUs                              9
              1.2.2   Indigo2 Graphics                          9
        1.3   Indigo Technology                                 9
        1.4   Audio and Video                                  10

   2.   The IRIS Indigo Workstation                            11
        2.1   IRIS Indigo Standard Equipment                   11
              2.1.1   IRIS Indigo Drive Bays                   12
              2.1.2   IRIS Indigo Ports                        12
        2.2   IRIS Indigo Optional Peripherals                 12
              2.2.1   3.5" Internal Devices                    12
              2.2.2   External Devices                         13

   3.   The Indigo2 Workstation                                14
        3.1   Indigo2 Standard Equipment                       14
              3.1.1   Indigo2 Drive Bays                       15
              3.1.2   Indigo2 Ports                            15
        3.2   Indigo2 Optional Peripherals                     15
              3.2.1   3.5" Internal Devices                    15
              3.2.2   5.25" Internal Devices                   16
              3.2.3   External Devices                         16

   4.   IRIS Indigo CPU Boards                                 17
        4.1   IRIS Indigo R3000A                               17
              4.1.1   The R3000A Processor Core                19
              4.1.2   The G1032 Bus                            22
              4.1.3   Main Memory                              23
              4.1,4   The 1/0 System                           24
              4.1.5   The Audio System                         25
              4.1.6   GIO32 Expansion Slots                    27
        4.2   IRIS Indigo R4000SC/R4400SC                      27
              4.2.1   The R4000SC/R4400SC Processor Core       29
              4.2.2   The GI032 Bus                            33
              4.2.3   Main Memory                              33
              4.2.4   The 1/0 System                           34
              4.2.5   The Audio System                         34
              4.2.6   GIO32 Expansion Slots                    34
              
   5.   Indigo2 CPU Boards                                     35
        5.1   Indigo2 R4000SC/R4400SC                          35
              5.1.1   The R4000SC/ R4400SC Processor Core      37
              5.1.2   The GIO64 Bus                            41
              5.1.3   EISA Bus                                 41
              5.1.4   Main Memory                              42
              5.1.5   The I/O System                           43
              5.1.6   The Audio System                         44
              5.1.7   Expansion Slots                          47

   6.   Entry Graphics                                         48
        6.1   Graphics Processing on the IRIS Indigo           48
        6.2   Speed and Flexibility                            50
        6.3   The Raster Engine                                50
        6.4   The Framebuffer and Clipping Planes              52
        6.5   The Graphics Display System                      54
        6.6   The IRIS IndigaVideo Board                       56

   7.   X-Class and E-Class Graphics                           57
        7.1   Features                                         57
        7.2   VLSI Integration                                 58
        7.3   Graphics Architecture                            59
        7.4   The CPU Interface                                60
        7.5   Packaging                                        60
        7.6   Graphics Hardware                                61
              7.6.1   Command Engine                           61
              7.6.2   Geometry Subsystem                       64
              7.6.3   Raster Subsystem                         66
              7.6.4   Display Subsystem                        70
        7.7   X-Class and E-Class Graphics Features            71
              7.7.1   MicroPixel Sub-Pixel Positioning         71
              7.7.2   Blending                                 71
              7.7.3   Point Anti-Aliasing                      72
              7.7.4   Line Anti-Aliasing                       72
              7.7.5   SharpScene Accumulation Buffer           72
              7.7.6   Lighting Features                        73
              7.7.7   Atmospheric Effects                      74
              7.7.8   Texture Mapping                          74
              7.7.9   Stencil Planes                           75
              7.7.10  Arbitrary Clipping Planes                75
              7.7.11  Pixel Read, Write, and Copy              76
              7.7.12  Proprietary Technology                   76

   8.   Software Environment                                   78
        8.1   End User Tools                                   78
              8.1.1   IRIS InSight Viewer                      78
              8.1.2   Space Tour                               78
              8.1.3   WorkSpace                                79
              8.1.4   System Manager                           79
              8.1.5   IRIS Showcase                            79
              8.1.6   IRIS Media Mosaic                        79
              8.1.7   ImageTools                               79
              8.1.8   Digital Media Clip Library               79
              8.1.9   IRIS Explorer                            80
        8.2   Developer Tools                                  80
              8.2.1   CASEVision                               81
              8.2.2   Compilers and Standard Development Tools 81
              8.2.3   The Iris Graphics Library                81
              8.2.4   IRIS Inventor                            82
              8.2.5   Image Processing Library                 83
              8.2.6   Digital Media Libriries                  83
        8.3   Operating System                                 84
              8.3.1   IRIX 4.0                                 84
              8.3.2   The X Window System                      84
        8.4   Networking                                       85