Interesting early analog HDVS laserdisc dumps

[Ginzanix]

A bit of a speciality topic, but the Youtube channel "Reely Interesting" has lots of super rare captures of laserdiscs and early analog HD stuff. Recently I posted an TDI Explore AD from SGI World. Now this channel has posted the full "Cosmic Pinball" featured in the ad, through analog HD capture from a very rare HDVS disc (which again is from a scan of the 70mm Showscan film format of even higher resolution). Don't remember seeing this before, though I had an actual ride in the predecessor "Devil's Mine Ride", which I believe was by the same people.

HDVS was some kind of analog HD laserdisc format, reserved for industry purposes. Supposedly by purchasing the disc, you also got a license to use the material in your ride setup, with one sound channel providing the movement data for the ride etc. Interesting, and pretty cool, as previously only horrible VHS captures were available. Also quite impressive 3D animation for 1994 or thereabout... All done on an Indy, if you believe the copy..!

The ad:

Compare the HDVS-capture... still not 70mm film quality, but much better than VHS.

 

[Ginzanix]

Even more interesting stuff in the Vintage Computer Graphics & Video Art playlist, Robert Abel early 3D animations (predecessor of Wavefront), and other unique videos.

 

[Jan]

Yeah! Devils Mine was my all time favorite from Siggraph that time .
That’s was sooo long ago…

 

[CRaven]

These videos are fantastic, I'm loving his channel! As a owner of a Quantel Paintbox I would love to get anything from Getris Images systems, Venice, Hurricane etc, I wonder if there's any system alive today?

 

[kikems]

After view Cosmic Pimball I'm astonished. As a fan of 3D applications and after explored applications such as 3Ddesign which includes in some Alias products such as Maya, Alias 8.x and Wavefront's TAV ( supposedly 3Ddesign is the old Exploré main modeler app ), it amazes me of how Exploré could make such high quality animations like Cosmic Pimball and Devil's Mine.

After Wavefront adquire Exploré from TDI, integrate it partially inside Wavefront TAV as 3Ddesign modeler and IPR shading studio. Maya 1.x install 3Ddesign as stand-alone app and integrate IPR inside rendering options in Maya.

TDI Exploré born in 1986 runing on SGI graphics terminals based on Motorola 68020 CPU. When the first SGI MIPS based computers comes to market TDI upgrade Exploré to IRIX MIPS as main platform.

Before Alias and Softimage were the global leading solution for CGI market, Exploré was the most common high-end 3D app for Film and TV CGI in Europe.

Someone have Exploré product/app version from TDI ? ( Exploré version before Wavefront adquire )

Here Youtube video of TDI Exploré on 68020 SGI.

 

[kikems]

Checking poster ad from first post promoting Explore v4.0 on Indy I think that really announce The Advance Visualizer 4.0 but under Explore name, maybe in other countries Explore was more famous brand name for sale 3D app than Wavefront.
The last version of Exploré TDI was 3.0 in 1993, after this release Wavefront buy Exploré and merge in TAV 4.x

 

[CRaven]

I have the Explore original, lots of manuals and cds, not sure which version though, it was a fast purchase and it's stored in another place

 

[CRaven]

The same guy I bought it sold me an Indy and a R10000 O2 and a lot of other stuff, Matador original is in that lot too.

 

[kikems]

I have the Explore original, lots of manuals and cds, not sure which version though, it was a fast purchase and it's stored in another place

If you have time to copy install media and share with us this will appreciate and give us the oportunity to explore and discover more about this historical apps.

If you can share photos of original media, manuals and package are very interesting too.

 

[CRaven]

If you have time to copy install media and share with us this will appreciate and give us the oportunity to explore and discover more about this historical apps.

If you can share photos of original media, manuals and package are very interesting too.

Yes I would be interested in sharing everything, I just need some info how to do that, I'm quite new to the SGI world But first I need to get hold of my sgi gear and software, since I moved to a new place.

 

[kikems]

Yes I would be interested in sharing everything, I just need some info how to do that, I'm quite new to the SGI world But first I need to get hold of my sgi gear and software, since I moved to a new place.

Ok, great. When you are ready, contact me and I'll help you step by step.

 

[Ginzanix]

These videos are fantastic, I'm loving his channel! As a owner of a Quantel Paintbox I would love to get anything from Getris Images systems, Venice, Hurricane etc, I wonder if there's any system alive today?

Very impressed you have a Paintbox - those are basically unobtanium, unless you inherited it from work... Which model is it? MAME has fortunately just started emulation of the DPB-7000 model, though not yet perfect... Funny how Discreet/Autodesk Flame later blatantly ripped off the Paintbox interface...

I had never heard of Getris before - though I'm sure there were several more custom turnkey graphics/video systems at that time (many killed off by SGI actually). Another one which I hope will be emulated someday is the Hell Chromacom... the size of that thing is just nuts... But that's what you got if you wanted Photoshop in 1980 and had money to spare...

 

[kikems]

The emulation of Painbox it's a very interesting thing.

 

[CRaven]

Very impressed you have a Paintbox - those are basically unobtanium, unless you inherited it from work... Which model is it? MAME has fortunately just started emulation of the DPB-7000 model, though not yet perfect... Funny how Discreet/Autodesk Flame later blatantly ripped off the Paintbox interface...

I had never heard of Getris before - though I'm sure there were several more custom turnkey graphics/video systems at that time (many killed off by SGI actually). Another one which I hope will be emulated someday is the Hell Chromacom... the size of that thing is just nuts... But that's what you got if you wanted Photoshop in 1980 and had money to spare...

View attachment 2242

It's a Paintbox Express V2 I bought it from a studio that was upgrading their rooms. I actually met a guy that owned a Getris Venice in the 90's I was a nerdy teenager and I started saying that the Amiga was better than his thousand dollars system, lol. That looks like an expensive photoshop alternative

 

[CRaven]

Hello, I finally got hold of my SGI related stuff. This is the Explore that I got in the deal, appears to be complete. Let me know if this version has any interest to the community.

 

[CRaven]

The CDs

 

[Ginzanix]

The CDs

Very interested in this - if you could upload ISO files of the CDs that would be great! (scanning the documentation would be nice, but lots of work). We already have Wavefront Advanced Visualizer 4.2, which integrated Explore. Not sure if this is a standalone Explore. Very curious to look at it - especially the 4.3 CD - which might support Irix 6.5. Composer is also interesting, though possibly this version has been dumped before.

 

[kikems]

I'd never see that Exploré sale as sandalone app after Wavefront adquire and integrate inside TAV. Please share CD installers at least, docs are very interesting too but we know that scan all manuals it's a big work.

 

[bitpak]

@CRaven WoW! Such a gem! Please consider sharing the manuals too.

Even a quick photos of pages will be a tremendous help for those who want to learn the software. I would love to help you somehow, or maybe pay you for your time. I'm mostly interested in 3Design User's Guide and Dynamation User's Guide.

The Explore 4.2 Release Notes might actually be included on the CD in digital post script format (at least that's the case with TAV4.2.1 distrib), so there might be no need to scan this book.

 

[CRaven]

Hey guys, I'm glad I can contribute to the SGI community. I need some info about the best way to rip SGI CDs, I'm not very technical inclined, I'm a 3D artist.

About the manuals I definitely don't have the time to scan or photograph one by one. I can ask for a quote for a professional scanning of each page, I'm open to other suggestions tho.