Cubix Corporation Launches Next-Gen Remote Graphics Engine

Visualization Blades for Digital Signage, NLE, DI, & DCC Solutions

DMN Newswire--2008-2-29--Cubix Corporation, the blade PC manufacturer based in Nevada with decades of blade PC manufacturing experience, is now releasing it's next generation of patented graphics extension products, LaserCube-X, for applications and markets which demand the greatest audio/video performance in PC workstation configurations.

What is LaserCube-X?

LaserCube-X is a remote I/O interface module with internal graphics engine, USB 2.0 ports, PS2 M+K (if required) and a native-fiber interface upon which the host computer blade?s bus is transmitted. The base unit is the size of a paperback novel.  LaserCube-X delivers transparent, seamless video performance over distance, supporting up to 8 displays per unit. How? By providing raw throughput ? up to 20 gigabits per second ? between the LaserCube-X graphics engine and the LaserBlade workstation blade PC, which utilizes COTS Intel and Asus motherboards.
"Cubix doesn?t try to compress video data transmissions with LaserCube-X", says Cubix Business Development Manager, Eric Carlson. "Some vendors attempt to extend I/O remotely, using proprietary 'virtualization' software clients in an effort to overcome bandwidth limitations. We found that this proprietary method of data trnasmission compromises native PC compatibility, chokes video/audio streams, limits multi-headed display support, and can result in severely disrupted video performance." 

By contrast, Cubix designed LaserCube-X as a 100% hardware-based solution ? allowing post-production NLE, DI, and DCC users to work in either compressed or uncompressed formats.

Cubix engineers also opted not to push processed video signals down a wire, since video signals attenuate and targeted markets cannot afford fragmented, choppy, stuttering, ghosted video images on their displays. 

"We don't try to encapsulate KVM over IP because rigid packet sizes have latency issues", adds Carlson. "Latency is a huge issue over distance, with the potential to adversely affect both video and audio streams, and the restricted bandwidth puts limits on the numbers and types of video displays that can be supported."  

Cubix engineers solved the issues of latency and attenuation by exporting the PCIe bus from the LaserBlade, via multimode or single mode fiber, to the LaserCube-X remote graphics engine.  High-performance PCIe graphics adapters within the LaserCube-X reside next to the operator's video displays for tranparent PC I/O performance.

LaserCube-X's open architecture also allows solution builders to integrate 3rd party encoders, decoders, or other PCI/PCIe-connected adapter cards into optional I/O expansion slots. Carlson says that, when designing the next generation product, Cubix engineers envisioned a wide range of specialty adapters being integrated within either the new LaserCube-X or host LaserBlade PC workstation.

 LaserCube-X configurations can range from standard dual-headed displays for running typical office applications, to the most demanding professional video environments with octet-headed displays running HDTV digital signage video streams, DCC, NLE, DI, and CAD applications.  Three fiber optic bandwidth options exist ? 5, 10, and 20 GHz -- between the LaserCube-X graphics engine and the LaserBlade processing system. 

In addition to the benefit of transparent, seamless video performance, LaserCube-X is silent, space-efficient and completely secure. "Our legacy product's customer base is primarily the US Department of Defense, intelligence agencies, and financial trade floors. The operators in these environments often require secure, simultaneous access to multiple PC workstations. LaserCube-X and it's predecessor, LaserCube, provide this functionality while reducing PC footprint, noise, and heat to a small fraction of what you would experience by stacking multiple tower PC workstations at each user's cubicle."

Cubix Corporation is located in Carson City, NV, and has been manufacturing PC hardware solutions for OEM, VAR, and end-user markets since 1975. For more information and pricing on LaserCube-X or other Cubix products and solutions, please contact sales@dicis.nl.

Source: http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=320775