Product category: PC-Compatible Boards and Assemblies
News Release from: Sight Systems | Subject: Custom PC-based systems
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 15 December 2005
Custom computer keeps
animators in the frame
A custom-developed computer called the Aardcase has helped Nick Park and his team at Aardman Animations bring the latest Wallace and Gromit film to the screen
Sight Systems, a leading developer of custom industrial computers, has helped bring the latest Aardman Animations film, 'Wallace and Gromit: the curse of the Were-Rabbit', to the screen with its high-tech custom computer systems. Sight Systems helped build a custom-developed computer called the Aardcase that helped Nick Park and his team to speed up the process of bringing the plasticine heroes, Wallace and Gromit, to life as well as creating the huge, mysterious veg-ravaging beast: the Were-Rabbit.
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 15 December 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Aardcase is connected to the film cameras, capturing the images from up to 30 cameras directly to hard disc.
It allows the animators to check the minute changes made from one frame the next in real time.
Although many people assume that the technology behind blockbuster movies is associated with large Hollywood companies, Sight Systems has provided some technology for several productions, including the last Aardman film, 'Chicken run'.
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The Aardcase is a single board based PC with a passive backplane in a ruggedised 6U 19in rack mount case.
Aardman demanded a highly robust product that could be easily transported - including being wheeled over the cobbled paths near their office - so Sight Systems designed a custom vibration-resistant solution to ensure that the computer would stand up to this rough treatment.
The system includes a video capture PCI card, an optical drive for storing captured film, and two hard drives.
The two drives separate the video, which is stored on a high-performance SCSI drive, from the operating system and software that is held on a cost-effective ATA drive.
The custom case routes the video connections and other I/O to a rear panel designed for use by animators with little or no knowledge of PCs.
In addition to the video inputs, the system also provides a 12V supply to power the cameras.
Installed software includes the Perception Video Recorder from DPS as well as a custom video assist and digital video frame store developed by Aardman that helps the animators plan character movements on screen, and allows them to check the frame currently being shot with those already completed to ensure continuity.
'We have provided many systems for the film and broadcast industry, which is only one of the applications that use our products', said Phil Walters, MD of Sight Systems.
'Our long relationship with Aardman shows that we can meet the needs of the most demanding customers over an extended period of time'.
'Wallace and Gromit: the curse of the Were-Rabbit' is showing now at local cinemas, featuring the voices of Helena Bonham-Carter and Ralph Fiennes as well as Peter Sallis, who has been the voice of Wallace since the first short.
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