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Digital enters on-demand video market (19-Oct) Date: 19-Oct-1993
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Digital enters on-demand video market
Digital announced today that it will provide an integrated
server platform to deliver video-on-demand and other interactive
services for U S WEST Communications' proposed broadband
communications trial. Pending Federal Communications Commission
approval, the U S WEST trial is scheduled to begin in Omaha, Neb. in
1994.
Digital has developed this new server platform specifically to
address the requirements of an all-digital broadband infrastructure
that supports a range of new interactive services such as movies and
other video entertainment on demand, multimedia, interactive games,
home shopping, education and information, and more. The platform
incorporates Digital's Alpha AXP processors, StorageWorks disk
storage arrays, Digital Linear Tape (DLT) library subsystems,
interactive gateway unit, server management unit, and GIGAswitch, a
high-speed networking switch linking the various elements together.
Finally, recognizing that cost per subscriber will be the key
determinant in the success of the market, Digital has designed a
software environment that maximizes the efficiency of the multimedia
data delivery.
In the U S WEST Omaha trial, Digital will work in partnership
with The 3DO Company, supplier of interactive technology that will
provide the capability for video-on-demand and other informational
programming, and with a broadband network supplier. The result will
be a flexible, end-to-end client/server solution that provides a
rich and robust environment for content and application providers.
"Digital's work with US West and 3DO to provide consumers with
video on-demand services shows our combined focus on the end-user,
and how relationships like these will result in the delivery of
high-value interactive services," said Paul Kozlowski, vice president,
Communications, Education, and Media Business Unit.
"The convergence of computers, communications and entertainment
is creating a new world of multimedia services. The potential for
this video-on-demand service, when coupled with the National
Information Infrastructure, is boundless. Digital is well-
positioned to utilize its expertise in open client/server computing,
consultation and integration projects to carry this breakthrough
development into other markets with equal promise," he added.
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| Re .4: Video on demand is quite different from videoconferencing. I think what
.0 is asking is, do we manufacture the end-user equipment for videoconferencing,
and as far as I know the answer is no. The videoconference room here at LKG
uses PictureTel equipment.
Videoconferencing equipment might be a good thing for Digital to get into,
if PictureTel doesn't have the technology "locked up" via patents. There is
plenty of room for improvement. I was in a videoconference a year ago and we
could not keep the camera focused when there was a terminal screen in the
picture. Someone told me that the autofocus on the cameras can't be turned off.
Also, the motion in the pictures is very jerky. If there are two or more people
in the picture and one of them is talking, you often can't tell who is talking.
The compression algorithm makes the picture act very strange if there are any
patterns in the picture (such as curtains) and the camera or subject moves.
It is also said that sign-language interpreting is almost useless due to this.
We really need full-motion video before videoconferencing can realize its full
potential.
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| PictureTel is also a customer, of sorts. I just repaired a Mac SE at
their local sales office in Houston last week.
Bob, if you can come up with a compression algorithm that can condense
all the data required to transmit full-motion color video across a
standard telephone line you'll be quite a wealthy man! :-) It's like
trying to move a lake from one location to another through a straw.
There's a tremendous amount of data invloved. The reason for the
jerkiness is that they have to drop a lot of frames due to bandwidth
limitations.
Harry
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