Case Studies
Real-world Solutions for Customer Applications
Audio Pro Tools HD (PCI and PCI Express)
Since most desktops have only three PCI or PCI Express expansion slots, Digidesign Pro Tools|HD users were initially limited to a maximum configuration of three cards. However, when using a desktop in conjunction with a Magma PCI(x) or PCI Express expansion system, they are able to achieve maximum processing power and track counts by using up to six (6) PCI-based or up to seven (7) PCI Express-based Pro Tools|HD Core, HD Accel, and HD Process cards.
Magma’s expansion systems offers several benefits for Pro Tools|HD and expanded systems, enabling owners to easily extend and adapt their systems as needed. Installation is quick and easy, with no special software needed. With the Magma expansion system, all Pro Tools|HD cards installed in the chassis actually behave as if inside the host computer, providing users with access to all the DSP and video power required for the most demanding music and post-production projects, while they enjoy optimal data transfer rates and high track counts with room to grow.
In addition to allowing Pro Tools|HD users to “expand” their desktops by having the ability to use up to six (6) PCI-based or up to seven (7) PCI Express-based Pro Tools|HD, Magma also offering their expansion solutions to be used with a laptop for the customers that require a portable configuration.
Bridging the Gap (PCI Express to PCI / PCI-x)
Synclavier Digital Music System is a legend in of itself in the music business. These Systems are controlled by Macintosh computers that have PowerPC processors in them. However, the Macintosh computers in recent times have migrated to Intel processors in them and extensively use the newer PCI Express technology.
The software running on the Macintosh computers that control the Digital Music Systems expects a PCI card to interface to the Synclavier Music System.
Cameron Jones, who was charged with the development of the software called SynclavierX, had 6 Macintosh computers at his command. They were the newer models of MacBook Pro laptops. However, none of these computers had even a single PCI bus slot to accommodate a PCI card that Cameron needed so desperately to communicate with the Music System.
Lo and behold! MAGMA came to the rescue. A product called MAGMA CB1H did the trick. It is a one-slot PCI card chassis that communicates with the new Macintosh laptops through an ExpressCard interface built-in to them. Cameron ordered that from Magma for his MacBook Pro laptops. After a simple installation process consisting of installing the PCI card in the Magma chassis and attaching the necessary cables, it simply just worked. Cameron shouted out Eureka much to his chagrin.
Without this MAGMA box, life was going to be very difficult forcing Cameron to consider a slew of expensive hardware approaches and turning out to be dysfunctional on his campaign for a solution to his problem at hand. Synclavier was up and running using the best of the old and preserving the Synclavier's physical interface which is unmatched in the industry in its ease of use.
Telecom/Telephony
A world-wide leading provider of work force optimization and security solutions recently standardized on the Magma 13 slot PCI Express to PCI-X expansion system as an integral part of its Call Center product line for government agencies and large corporations. Magma’s expansion system provides power, cooling, and 13 PCI slots that form a seamless plug and play environment for the telephony line cards. The customer’s installation environments are critical infrastructures, demanding strict reliability requirements. The Magma product not only met, but exceeded the customer’s requirements making it an ideal system to support up to 13 diverse third party cards.
Medical Imaging
The medical industry is making great advances in non-invasive procedures. Medical imaging makes up an important part of these advances. Biomedical engineers continue to embrace current technology but also challenge the status quo. They know there is a simple correlation between the number of sensors and the clarity of the data. The challenge is to pack the requisite amount of sensors into a relatively small enclosure and insure these sensors are connected to the appropriately sized CPU asset.
As an example, a contemporary MRI unit requires well more PCI or PCI Express cards than a standard server can provide. Magma excels at supporting this sort of requirement with 2, 4, 7, or 13 slot PCI or PCI Express expansion systems.
Mobility is also important in the practice of medicine. Viewing images in remote locations outside the confines of the hospital is very important to today’s doctors. Contemporary sophisticated GPUs provide visual clarity of medical images beyond what was possible even a few years back.
A leading medical imaging company approached Magma seeking a mobile imaging solution that would allow a doctor the ability to view high definition images via a laptop. Magma easily satisfied this requirement with a one slot PCI Express expansion system connected to the laptop via a x1 PCI Express Express Card. The expansion system provides power, cooling, and a high bandwidth PCI Express slot for a proprietary imaging card.
It is standard for all Magma products to be completely certified under UL and IEC, which saved the customer significant and valuable time with their certification process.
Government
A San Diego based Government Contractor has qualified the use of the Magma 13 Slot PCI Expansion system for use with a proprietary Serial Communications PCI-X cards from Protogate Inc for one of their flight simulator programs. Magma has fixed two of there issues with one solution. First, they needed to use more PCI cards than their Dell server provided and the other issue was that the Dell server they were using had PCI Express slots only. They knew that this was going to be a problem because the Serial Communications cards they were using did not have a PCI Express form factor.
Test and Measurement / Data Acquisition
Companies such as National Instruments and Keithley Instruments sell PCI and PCI Express cards that perform a variety of functions for the scientist or engineer, and the more cards you have, the more tests you can perform. As one might expect, there is a need for additional PCI and/or PCI Express slots as the scope of a project becomes more complex. In addition, more projects are being done outside of the typical lab environment, and there is a tremendous need for portability in this market space. Unfortunately, these users have to carry a rack-mount or desktop systems out in the field with them if they need to go portable. Magma provides the additional PCI slots, the flexibility, and the portability (through a laptop) for scientists and engineers to test wherever they want.
Major players in this market include:
- National Instruments; www.ni.com
- GaGe; www.gage-applied.com
- Keithley Instruments; www.keithley.com
Multi-Monitoring Display Systems
Financial Traders or Engineers can use a Magma 1 or 2 slot expansion system to add additional monitors their current system. These users need multiple screens to view financial charts, critical trading data, and CAD/CAM applications. MAGMA has qualified multiple video cards for this application.
Video Editing
Products in this market need additional PCI slots to operate PCI cards that allow them to increase their editing/production capabilities. Each video card provides different capabilities that allow the editor/producer to perform functions such as:
- Manipulate and transform video.
- Add sounds (audio), transitions (video) or effects (both).
- Increase the amount of input devices (for additional video equipment)
Magma provides users in this industry several benefits. They can provide additional high-throughput PCI slots, have development partnerships with the market leaders in A/V, and provide portability and flexibility for those who would like to edit on the road or in the studio. Our most famous example of this is with our CB4, which was used to produce the trailer commercial for the latest Star Wars movies.
News Gathering/Portable Video Editing
News agencies are constantly battling with heavy equipment and constricting deadlines. Recently, news crews have found it difficult to transport 700 pounds of equipment on location. In addition, there is an exorbitant amount of time consumed editing and sending completed news stories back to the office for broadcast. A MAGMA chassis, coupled with Pinnacle System’s Cinewave and Apple’s FinalCut Pro on an Apple PowerBook, have made it possible for video editors at NBC to become more portable. This gives the editor and news team the freedom of a lighter load while keeping the quality of uncompressed video they are accustomed to. Field reporters can now edit their stories on site and send them any where they choose.
Video Surveillance
Security and private investigation firms are using Magma chassis connected to a laptop with audio collection cards and video cards to monitor secured areas. A large construction company is using several Magma 2 slots, laptops running NT, a video framegrabber card, and small Web cameras to remotely monitor the construction site day and night via the internet.