Precept Software offers Windows-based "MBone Viewer" for $39.95 to academic, research users.PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 3, 1997--A software product that lets personal computer users view broadcasts on the Multicast Backbone (MBone) -- the standard method for doing video broadcasting over the Internet -- is being offered by Precept An order, writ, warrant, or process. An order or direction, emanating from authority, to an officer or body of officers, commanding that officer or those officers to do some act within the scope of their powers. Rule imposing a standard of conduct or action. Software to users in the academic and research communities for $39.95 when downloaded over the World Wide Web. The product is an MBone-specific version of Precept's IP/TV Viewer client software, normally priced at $195. Precept's IP/TV is the only commercially available PC-based video networking software to be fully compatible with underlying MBone data-transmission and compression technology, allowing users to view the growing array of MBone multimedia programming available. Previously MBone broadcasts could be accessed only by users of UNIX UNIX Operating system for digital computers, developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969. It was initially designed for a single user (the name was a pun on the earlier operating system Multics). workstations using the public-domain MBone audio/video software tools VIC VIC Victor VIC Victoria (State of Australia) VIC Victory VIC Victim (police slang) VIC Vicinity VIC Vicar VIC Vicarage VIC Virtual Information Center (APAN) and VAT. Judy Estrin, Precept CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , said, "The MBone, originally created as a collaborative research tool, has broadened into a mainstream channel carrying everything from live space shuttle transmissions to worldwide technical conference broadcasts to rock concerts. "As a pioneer in the commercialization of MBone technology, we want to help ensure that the broadest possible body of academic and research personnel have low-cost access to membership in the MBone community." With Precept's IP/TV Viewer for the MBone, users can watch programs being transmitted from a VIC/VAT server or an IP/TV server anywhere on the Internet, choosing from a list of programs scheduled to run on the MBone. The program schedule is retrieved automatically from the IP/TV Program Guide located on Precept's web site, eliminating the user's need to purchase his own Program Guide, a $995 value. IP/TV utilizes all three key industry-standard technologies of the MBone: IP Multicast, which conserves bandwidth by sending a single stream of data which can be read by any number of users, rather than an individual stream for every user; the Real-Time Transport Protocol (protocol) Real-Time Transport Protocol - (RTP) An Internet protocol for transmitting real-time data such as audio and video. RTP itself does not guarantee real-time delivery of data, but it does provide mechanisms for the sending and receiving applications to support streaming (RTP (1) (Rapid Transport Protocol) The protocol used in IBM's High Performance Routing (HPR) system. (2) (Realtime Transport Protocol) An IP protocol that supports real time transmission of voice and video. ), which sits above UDP/IP Refers to the use of UDP packets over IP. UDP does not guarantee reliable delivery, whereas TCP does. See UDP. and handles real-time streaming data such as audio and video; and the H.261 codec (1) (enCOder/DECoder) A hardware circuit that performs analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and digital-to-analog (DAC) conversion. When analog signals are entered into a computer, cellphone or other device via a microphone or video source such as VHS tape or analog TV, , which compresses data for transmission over the network and decompresses it upon arrival at its destination. Shipping since late 1996 and in use at such institutions as Stanford University, the University of Oregon The University of Oregon is a public university located in Eugene, Oregon. The university was founded in 1876, graduating its first class two years later. The University of Oregon is one of 60 members of the Association of American Universities. and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, IP/TV is a Windows 95/NT application that delivers full-screen, full-motion video to thousands of desktop PC users at a time. The software has three elements: the IP/TV Program Guide, which schedules programs, controls user access and manages bandwidth usage; the IP/TV Video Server, which delivers live or prerecorded pre·re·cord tr.v. pre·re·cord·ed, pre·re·cord·ing, pre·re·cords To record (a television program, for example) at an earlier time for later presentation or use. Adj. 1. video from such devices as cameras and VCRs according to schedules in the Program Guide; and the IP/TV Viewer, which provides the user with a way to select and view scheduled programs. Available immediately to members of the academic and research communities, the IP/TV Viewer for the MBone (IP/TV version 1.1) can be downloaded from Precept's web site at www.precept.com . The $39.95 price can be applied to product upgrades, including the currently available IP/TV version 1.5, which includes MPEG-1 codec support. Product documentation also can be downloaded in PDF (Portable Document Format) The de facto standard for document publishing from Adobe. On the Web, there are countless brochures, data sheets, white papers and technical manuals in the PDF format. format. IP/TV operation requires an MBone connection, available from most major Internet service providers. Precept Software Inc., was formed in March 1995 to develop and market standards-based network video applications for the entire enterprise. The company's flagship product, IP/TV, delivers TV-quality, full-motion video to every desktop PC using existing network infrastructure for such applications as corporate communication, employee training, distance learning and dissemination of video news to the workplace. Precept's approach brings together increasing PC power, bandwidth-efficient networking techniques (e.g., IP Multicast), and new standard communication protocols (e.g., RTP, RSVP (ReSerVation Protocol) A communications protocol that signals a router to reserve bandwidth for real time transmission. RSVP is designed to clear a path for audio and video traffic, eliminating annoying skips and hesitations. ). The privately held firm has raised $11.4 million in venture and institutional financing, including an equity investment by Cisco Systems. For more information visit Precept's Web site at http://www.precept.com . CONTACT: Precept Software Inc. Shelley Hurst, 415/845-5200 or Ulevich & Orrange Inc. William Orrange or Janis Ulevich, 415/329-1590 |
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