Welcome to O2 Studio^(TM). We're pleased that you chose Silicon Graphics' O2 Studio to be the creation tool for your projects. We created O2 Studio with you, the creative professional, in mind. Not only does your O2 come with all the right hardware to get the job done quickly and efficiently, but we also include some software tools from the best companies like Adobe and Alias | Wavefront to help you get started. Below we've listed the packages that are already included with O2 Studio to assist you in creating the most graphically dynamic work possible.

In addition to the software already included in your system, O2 Studio also includes generous discounts on the industry's most sought-after 3-D animation software. Ask your sales representative for details on special O2 Studio deals from companies such as Alias | Wavefront, Softimage, Newtek, and others...

Adobe Illustrator^(TM) 5.5.1

Adobe Illustrator 5.5 for Silicon Graphics combines precise illustration and design capabilities in one package. It gives you as much flexibility with text as with graphics and contains robust drawing tools and features to allow tracing over scans. Other features: superior text handling, including precise handling of leading, tracking, kerning and pocket size; Calligraphic Pen tool; Pathfinder; colorization tools; layer management; supports wraparound text and tabs to create tables; more than 40 plug-in filters automate painstaking tasks and instantly apply special effects; includes 220 typefaces, sample patterns, gradients and textures. Illustrator also reads and writes the Adobe Acrobat PDF file format. This enables you to author documents with Acrobat - preserving the true PostScript® look and feel of your page. You can find this icon on the Applications page of the Icon Catalog.

Adobe Photoshop^(TM) 3.0.1:

Adobe Photoshop is the world's leading photo design and production tool. For service bureaus and pre-press professionals, Adobe Photoshop 3.0.1 rivals high-end pre-press systems. With Adobe Photoshop you can scan, correct, and separate continuous-tone images. For engineers, technical illustrators, industrial designers working with CAD programs and video production artists, Adobe Photoshop can create or scan textures to map onto 3-D models or be used to paint/enhance a 3-D model into a stunning image. It allows images to be drawn/maintained on multiple layers, and includes over 40 plug-in filters and 160MB of sample backrounds, textures, stock art and photography.

To optimize Adobe Photoshop performance on O2 follow these three steps:

1. Always launch the photoshop_sgi icon from the toolchest. Silicon Graphics has created a product called Adobe Photoshop Performance Package (sgips is the short name of the installed image. The icon itself is called photoshop_sgi). This package contains Photoshop plug-ins that accelerate many of Photoshop's image processing functions. Plug-ins are software modules (DSOs under UNIX) with which Photoshop can dynamically link to provide new features or, in this case, override built-in functions. The plug-in's version of these functions use O2's image processing hardware to help perform the required operations many times faster than the main CPU can. These operations include rotating, resizing, blurring, sharpening, and color space conversion. Be sure you launch the photoshop_sgi icon, available on the Applications page of the Icon Catalog, to take advantage of these enhancements.
2. You may need to install additional RAM to your system, depending on the size of files you work with.
3. Set the memory allocation preference in Adobe Photoshop to utilize system memory most effectively. Adobe Photoshop likes lots of memory! For Adobe Photoshop to function properly on any computer platform, additional System memory of 3 to 5 times the typical file size that will be used, should be allocated via the preferences menu in Adobe Photoshop. For example, if the typical file size of your Adobe Photoshop images is 50 MB, you should have between 150 and 175 MB additional RAM allocated.
   • To set the memory preferences in Adobe Photoshop select File-->Preferences-->Memory and Scratch Files.
   • Deselect Pre-allocate scratch file space (if selected).
   • Deselect Issue scratch file warnings (if selected).
   • Set Physical Memory Use to recommended memory size from above (application plus typical file size allocation). WARNING: If the memory preference is set too high, the rest of the system will thrash, if Photoshop uses all of the memory that may be needed for other functions.
   • After the changes are made, click OK and exit the application. Re-launch by double-clicking photoshop_sgi icon.

Adobe Premiere^(TM)

Adobe® Premiere is a non-linear video editing program that enables users to easily combine video, audio, animation, still images and graphics to create movies for output to videotape, Internet, or multimedia presentations. Adobe Premiere is optimized on the new Silicon Graphics O2 desktop workstation to provide a complete open-systems solution for non-linear video editing. Adobe Premiere 4.2 for Silicon Graphics directly accesses the O2 system's integrated video and graphics architectures to perform time-critical functions at hardware speeds. Adobe Premiere includes OpenGL® - accelerated versions of its popular transition and special effects plug-ins that will decrease rendering times for these calculation-intensive processes. Adobe Premiere is a perfect complement to a robust set of applications, including Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, already available on Silicon Graphics systems.You can find this icon on the Applications page of the Icon Catalog.

DiaQuest DQ-TimeCoder ^(TM) for Adobe Premiere:

Diaquest DQ-TimeCoder is a plug-in product for Adobe Premiere. This version of Diaquest DQ-TimeCoder has been optimized to work with Silicon Graphics O2 systems.

DQ-TimeCoder is ideal for Adobe Premiere customers with access to professional video equipment. DQ-TimeCoder provides the essential time code link which enables frame accurate video work within Premiere.

At its simplest, DQ-TimeCoder adds enormous functionality to Premiere by providing basic machine control (Play, Stop, Fast, Step, etc.) over the video source machine from directly inside Premiere. The application also provides the exact time code on the video source media to Premiere.

DQ-TimeCoder allows the user to capture frame accurate, time coded Premiere clips, and to generate frame accurate edit decision lists (EDLs) from these clips. DQ-TimeCoder provides the ability to log tapes, create batch capture lists, perform batch captures and automatically recapture clips at higher data rates (consult your Premiere manual for details.) These functions require both time code and video machine control, and are not available without DQ-TimeCoder.

Note: This software is pre-installed on Studio systems. If you are re-installing for some reason, be aware that Adobe Premiere must be fully installed first, before attempting the DQ-TimeCoder installation.

MetaTools' Kai's Power Tools 2.0.1

Kai's Power Tools is a set of 33 powerful extension and filter plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop, Fractal Design Painter, Color-It, and other programs that use plug-in technology. KPT significantly expands the ability to create computer-generated artwork and manipulate scanned images. The filter set features the Gradient Designer, Texture Explorer, Fractal Explorer and Gradients on a Path.

Other filters include fractal generators, spherizing, intensity sharpening, hue protected noises, and color cycling. Hundreds of editable presets make Kai's Power Tools easy to use and provides a quantum leap in speed and capabilities. KPT 2.0.1 includes an advanced color picker, real-time previews, image extraction preview, keypad control, up to 10 times the performance, more apply modes, new transparency controls and more.

Alias|Wavefront ComposerLite 4.5

"The essential tool for digital production"

ComposerLite provides complete functionality for the input/output of stills and animations from a wide variety of recording/playback devices and image file formats. Using a Silicon Graphics Keystone compliant interface, ComposerLite has tools which let you add backgrounds, transitions, and fades to your work. You can quickly change size, position and orientation or images, with user selectable filters. Layering tools are provided to access core compositing functionality. There is also a suite of tools for colour palette construction and editing. With these tools and its resolution independent capabilities, ComposerLite is a perfect compositing solution whether you're working on games, video or film production. You can find this icon on the AliasWavefront page of the Icon Catalog.

No license required: ComposerLite 4.5 will run on your O2 Studio package, as is, without any license required (unlike previous versions, which required a special "Lite" license). In order to use the full Alias|Wavefront Composer product, you will need to upgrade from ComposerLite to Composer. Contact information is provided on the start-up banner or check the Production Information panel in Composer's Help menu.

Packaged on your Composer CD are two 'extras' that may be of interest. The first is an overview of all the features of Composer, presented in a Showcase slide show format. The second it a 12-lesson tutorial presented in an Insight book. These files are not pre-installed on your drive (because of their size), but can be installed from your Composer CD if you choose.

Silicon Graphics Network File System (NFS):

SGI's Network File System allows you to easily network your O2 Studio to other systems within your workgroup or company. NFS is a network service that allows users to access file hierarchies across a network and treat them as if they were local. They may by manufactured by different vendors, use different operating systems, and be connected to networks with different architectures; these differences are transparent to the NFS application. With NFS you can easily access your important files from other systems on your network, easily and efficiently.

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