Shadowfax
#ProjectShadowfax
In early 2015 it became obvious to me that Bucephalus was simply not powerful enough to keep up with the increasing pixel densities that have become available in monitors over the past couple of years. 4K, 5K and above look wonderful but larger images with more pixels take a lot longer to render and my Members were starting to notice. Increasingly I was not able to produce dual and triple-screen versions of my renders.
I had seen the success of various Kickstarters and other crowd-funding and decided that if I asked all of my Members to pitch in just a little bit I would have a beast of a workstation and maybe even triple-monitors so I could actually see the multiscreen renders in their native environment.
Behold…
In February 2015 I launched a fundraising effort which I called “Project Shadowfax”. In a couple of months over 1000 people donated the funds necessary to build my dream workstation, plus enough to build a third machine and upgrade my software! My supporters came through with flying colors and Shadowfax entered service in April 2015.
Thank YOU!!
The Specs
- CPUs: 2x Intel Xeon E5-2697 v3 Haswell 2.6GHz LGA 2011-3 (14 cores each)
- Memory: 16x Crucial 8GB (128GB total) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM ECC DDR4 2133 (PC4-17000)
- GPU: 1 Nvidia Titan X for Shadowfax and GTX 980s for Bucephalus and Arion.
- Case: Phanteks Enthoo Series Primo
- MB: SUPERMICRO MBD-X10DRI Extended ATX Server Motherboard Dual LGA 2011 R3 Intel C612
- CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U9DXi4 90mm SSO2
- Display: 3 BenQ BL3201PH 32″ IPS LED 4K Monitors
- Boot Drive: SAMSUNG 850 Pro Series 1TB SATA III (SSD)
- Data Drive: Seagate ST4000NM0024 4TB
- PSU: SeaSonic X-1250
- SOUND: Sound Blaster Z
- Keyboard: Razer Blackwidow Chroma
- Mouse: Razer Deathadder Chroma
- Speakers: M-Audio Studiophile LX4 5.1
I wanted to test the “Windows Experience” for this machine but unfortunately it was too fast and broke the test. Microsoft will need to come up with a new test for Shadowfax…
The fundraiser is over but I still need your help!!
It is important to note that the funds I needed for this new machine were over and above the funds that my family and I need get by month-to-month which already comes solely from my artwork. So not only do I need still you to sign up or renew, but I would appreciate it if you told your friends, or at least not take the entire discount.
I still have about 100 of the exclusive “Project Shadowfax” thank you cards (not everyone who donated wanted one). They will go to Digital Blasphemy Donors/Patrons on a first-come/first-served basis until they are gone.
- Most importantly, become a Member if you aren’t already…
- Already a Member? Add a year or two! Go Lifetime!
- Lifetime Member?