Wired, Inc. Introduces ARGON, the Industry's Least Expensive MPEG2/DVD Realtime Encoder.MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 7, 1998--Wired, Inc. introduces "ARGON argon (är`gŏn) [Gr.,=inert], gaseous chemical element; symbol Ar; at. no. 18; at. wt. 39.948; m.p. −189.2°C;; b.p. −185.7°C;; density 1.784 grams per liter at STP; valence 0. ", the industry's smallest and most affordable MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) An ISO/ITU standard for compressing digital video. Pronounced "em-peg," it is the universal standard for digital terrestrial, cable and satellite TV, DVDs and digital video recorders (DVRs). 2/DVD realtime audio See real time audio. and video encoder. ARGON(TM) captures and compresses video and audio signals into fully compatible MPEG1 or MPEG2 bitstreams for DVD authoring DVD authoring describes the process of creating a DVD video that can be played on a DVD player. DVD authoring software must conform to the specifications set by the DVD Forum group in 1995. or media network transmission. ARGON ARGON is a single short PCI card A circuit board that plugs into the computer's PCI bus and contains the control electronics for a peripheral device. Starting in the latter half of the 1990s, PCI became very popular. See PCI. that operates in PowerMac(R), Windows 95(R), Windows NT(R), and Linux computers. Utilizing the latest MPEG encoding technology, ARGON encodes video in realtime into MPEG1 or MPEG2 streams, CBR (1) (Computer-Based Reference) Reference materials accessible by computer in order to help people do their jobs quicker. For example, this database on disk! (2) (Constant Bit Rate) A uniform transmission rate. (Constant Bit Rate) or VBR (1) See MP3 VBR. (2) (Variable Bit Rate) Refers to a communications or computer channel that changes its transmission speed based on any number of criteria. (Variable Bit Rate), from 128kb/s up to 15Mb/s. ARGON also encodes audio in realtime into MPEG1 or PCM (1) See phase change memory. (2) (Plug Compatible Manufacturer) An organization that makes a computer or electronic device that is compatible with an existing machine. streams, 32KHz, 44.1KHz, and 48KHz sample rates. Included with the hardware board is a complete, easy to use, software application for realtime creation of a variety of MPEG streams (Elementary Video & Audio, Multiplexed System and Program streams). The ARGON software also allows realtime preview of the encoded material for review before recording. Also available is a complete API for incorporating the ARGON encoding board within custom applications. "Previously, MPEG2 compressing a video for use within a multimedia product, corporate presentation, or DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. project required an outside video post-production shop at over $100 per minute or expensive systems exceeding $40,000," states Mark Bain, Wired Inc. president. "With ARGON's innovative design and feature packed software, MPEG2 compression can now be done easily and inexpensively on any computer desktop." MPEG2 Everywhere The proliferation of MPEG2 video into households and corporate America is at an all time high. Direct satellite broadcasts (DirecTV, Primestar) and DVD have invaded normal family life, while Network Media Distribution (Video On Demand, distance learning) is becoming very popular with corporate networked computer systems. While the MPEG2 decoding market has grown substantially, the MPEG2 encoding market is limited because of the high costs involved. Typical MPEG2 encoding systems range from $25,000 to $500,000, with the average around $40,000. The current most popular DVD authoring system sells for over $200,000. These costs have restricted content developers to leasing encoding time at $100/min, or to somehow finance an expensive encoding system. With ARGON, Wired has broken through this barrier and lowered the entry fee for personal MPEG2/DVD encoding. A complete 2 board encoding/decoding set, including ARGON and MasonX, sells for $4999, substantially less than any other MPEG2 realtime encoder/decoder arrangement. Corporations and casual users can now afford to own a high-quality MPEG2/DVD encoding station for the price of having a single stream encoded with an outside source. Realtime Encoding ARGON captures, compresses, and multiplexes, video and audio in realtime; in other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently 1 hour of video and audio is captured, MPEG2 compressed, multiplexed, and stored, in 1 hour. No additional processing time is required. Software only encoding systems typically encode at a rate of 150:1. This means a 1 hour video will take 1 WEEK to encode!! The realtime operation of ARGON gives the content producer immediate access to their MPEG files for quick incorporation into their multimedia project. This realtime operation is also crucial for any type of network movie distribution system since the video and audio must be encoded "on the fly" with the data being sent immediately over a network. This make ARGON perfect for live Intranet video transmissions. "All ARGON operations are in realtime," adds Michael Whittingham, Director of Engineering. "ARGON gives users the speed and quality of the expensive MPEG2 encoders without the lengthy encode times of the software only encoder systems." Specifications ARGON is a short 7" PCI (1) (Payment Card Industry) See PCI DSS. (2) (Peripheral Component Interconnect) The most widely used I/O bus (peripheral bus). board that has a Composite Video input, S-Video input, and a Line-Level Audio input. ARGON has expansion connectors for future upgrades to other video inputs (component, D1) along with other audio compression standards (AC-3). Availability ARGON is available in the GINSENG ginseng (jĭn`sĕng), common name for the Araliaceae, a family of tropical herbs, shrubs, and trees that are often prickly and sometimes grow as climbing forms. board bundle, which includes 1 ARGON encoding board, 1 MasonX decoding board, and a fully featured application software package. The GINSENG bundle is US $4999 SRP SRP - A data link layer protocol. qty 1 and will be shipping July 1998. GINSENG for Windows95 and WindowsNT will be available August 1998. GINSENG for Linux will be available November 1998. Substantial discounts are available to qualified resellers and VARs. Visit the Wired Inc. web site at "www.wiredinc.com" for detailed product information or call 650/969-9300. Wired, Inc. -- founded in 1987 -- is the leading MPEG peripheral creator for personal computer systems. Note to Editors: (c)1998 Wired, Inc. All rights reserved. Argon and Mason are trademarks of Wired Incorporated. Apple, Macintosh, and PowerMacintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Windows 95 and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are rights of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Wired Inc.
Mark Bain, 650/969-9300 or (pager) 650/694-8949
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