While this list is not specific to Revit – It is linked from the Revit page on Autodesk’s site. It shows AutoCAD based reviews, so take that into account.

You can filter and search based on Vendor or specific cards (if you have one in mind)

Go to the list

Here are the System Requirements and Recommendations for running Revit Arch 2010 on your PC. I suggest you go with the Recommendations.

System Requirements for 32-bit Autodesk Revit Architecture

* Microsoft® Windows Vista® 32-bit (SP1), including Ultimate, Business, or Home Premium edition, or Microsoft® Windows® XP (SP1 or SP2) Professional or Home edition*
* Intel® Pentium® 4 1.4 GHz or equivalent AMD® processor
* 3 GB RAM (1 GB RAM if no rendering is required)
* 5 GB free disk space
* 1280 x 1024 monitor and display adapter capable of 24-bit color
* Windows® Internet Explorer® 6.0 (SP1 or later)
* Microsoft Mouse-compliant pointing device
* Download or installation from DVD
* Internet connection for license registration

System Recommendations for 32-bit Autodesk Revit Architecture

* Windows XP Professional (SP2 or later)*
* Intel® Core™2 Duo 2.4 GHz or equivalent AMD processor
* 4 GB RAM
* 5 GB free disk space
* Dedicated video card with hardware support for Microsoft® DirectX® 9 (or later)
* Internet Explorer 6.0 (SP1 or later)
* Two-button mouse with scroll wheel

System Requirements for 64-bit Autodesk Revit Architecture

* Windows Vista 64-bit (SP1), including Ultimate, Business, or Home Premium edition, or Windows XP Professional (SP1) x64 edition*
* Pentium 4 1.4 GHz or equivalent AMD processor
* 3 GB RAM
* 5 GB free disk space
* 1280 x 1024 monitor and display adapter capable of 24-bit color
* Internet Explorer 6.0 (SP1 or later)
* Microsoft Mouse-compliant pointing device
* Download or installation from DVD
* Internet connection for license registration

System Recommendations for 64-bit Autodesk Revit Architecture

* Windows XP Professional x64 edition (SP1 or later)*
* Intel Core 2 Duo 2.40GHz or equivalent AMD processor
* 8 GB RAM
* 5 GB free disk space
* Dedicated video card with hardware support for DirectX 9 (or later)
* Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 (or later)
* Two-button mouse with scroll wheel

I just posted info about the Autodesk Simplified Upgrade Pricing change that is coming on my CADDManager blog.

You need to read up on this.

I attended an AIA sponsored local chapter event where Autodesk NavisWorks was presented by USCAD (who happens to be my reseller).  Ray Dube (sales) and Joel Beckham (technical) presented the topic.

Navisworks has four products that make up the family.

• Navisworks Manage provides the main product to coordinate multiple models to keep all stakeholders on the same page and provide for clash detection.
• Navisworks Simulate may be used by those that do not need clash detection, but adds 4D schedule simulation.
• Navisworks Review is for visualization and exploration of the model.
• Navisworks Freedom is the free viewer product.

NWD is the file format that Navisworks saves in.  Some of the tools also read 3D DWF files.  It also opens DWG, DGN, 3DS files, SketchUp, point cloud files, IFC, IGES (remember that?) STL files and more.  There are also opens Navisworks NDF ( files sets) and NWC (cache file)

Navisworks is not an authoring tool.  You do not create geometry in NW.   Opening the first file sets the scale that others will be referenced to.  It handles a large amount of data. Interestingly enough, it does  not open native Revit files.  You have to save it out as DWG or use tools that export directly from Revit to Navis native formats.

Embedded in NW are workspaces that give you additional tools. These are similar to workspaces in other products. It just shows or hides tools.

There is a walk tool that allows you to move about your model.  Gravity tools are there that mimic the dynamics of what would happen in the real world.  If you walk off a ledge, you will fall.  There is also a collision tool that limits your ability to walk through walls.  The familiar “steering wheel” is in there also.

The Presenter module allows you to include materials, lighting, “real people” and more.  Animations are also possible with enhanced features with the Animator module.

As far as clash detection, NW does an area or clearance check around an object.  Revit does hard clashes, when two objects actually touch.  NW goes beyond that and allows for clearances.  By setting selection sets based on object names, the demo quickly showed the number of clashes and let you quickly zoom to the objects.  You can even output a report showing information and images of the clashes.

To enhance the ability to uncover clashes, they appear in red.  There is also a sectioning tool that allows you to slice up the model for easy viewing.

Timeliner allows you to connect time to the display af your model to simulate that projects construction timeline.  As the items are scheduled for construction,they will appear on screen.  This can be combined with an Animation path and saved as an animation.

The demo was fairly good in presenting the Navisworks functions.  Glad I attended.

Five Fallacies Surrounding BIM – an Autodesk White Paper

Autodesk published a white paper recently that looks a the “myths” of BIM embrace.  Take a look at what they discussed.

Here are five of the biggest misconceptions regarding BIM:

1. Productivity suffers during the transition to BIM.
2. BIM applications are difficult to learn.
3. BIM disrupts established workflows.
4. Owners and contractors benefit most from BIM—not the designer.
5. BIM increases risk.

Read the complete white paper here.

This info is now on Cadalyst website.

Autodesk Gallery at One Market Awarded LEED Platinum Certification

USGBC Recognizes Autodesk San Francisco Design Gallery and Office Space; Second LEED Platinum for Commercial Interiors in California

SAN FRANCISCO, May 20 — Autodesk announced that its Autodesk Gallery at One Market in San Francisco and newly renovated office space in the historic Landmark Building at One Market has received Platinum certification in the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) rating system. The Autodesk offices are one of only four Platinum-certified projects in San Francisco, and second in the state of California under the commercial interiors rating.

Read the rest…