BUSINESS
---> Frost & Sullivan Predict Growth for Video
Market research gurus Frost and Sullivan (http://frost.com) have issued a new report that predicts that the emergence of DVD and Digital TV broadcasting will boost the quality standards of the US post-product markets. They predict that the US hardware and software market revenues will hit $836M this year, with revenues reaching an estimated $1.8B by year 2003.
---> Hard Drive Prices Predicted to Fall
Surprise. Surprise. Market research firm Peripheral Research
Predict that hard drive prices will continue to fall. Storage costs of $.05/MByte are expected to quickly decline to $.03/Mbyte next quarter. They say that 125M drives will have been shipped by year’s end, as compared to 105M last year
JAVA / WEB
---> SGI Offers Cosmo Code Java Tools For Windows
SGI (http://cosmo.sgi.com) has ported their heralded Java development environment to Windows 95/NT. The $329 Cosmo Code 2.5 package will be available shortly.
---> IPIX Shows Virtual Space Navigation
Interactive Pictures (http://www.ipix.com) is offering a technique for navigating a single image over the web in full 3D space, giving the immersive feeling of live video in a 200K file. The IPIX process works by processing two opposing photos taken fish-eye lens. Users can pan and scroll through out the entire space and can zoom in on any detail.
---> Enroute Imaging Shows Panoramic Stitching S/W
Enroute Imaging (http://www.enroute.com) announced their ImageSynthesis, a stitching software engine used to create panoramic images from a series of scanned photos or digital images. The $39 package is unique in its ability to stitch along both the horizontal and vertical axes when compiling a seamless.
DVD / MPEG
---> Sony’s New MPEG-2 Encoder Chip has DSP
Sony Semiconductor’s (http://www.sony.com/semi) CXD1922Q real-time MPEG-2 video encoder incorporates a programmable DSP core within for Dolby audio encoding and some video processing tasks. The chip costs $600 in sample quantities and the flexibility the DSP core adds promises to make it suitable for adapting to non-standard applications, such as editing.
---> European DVDs to Get AC-3
In a move that heals the wired split in the DVD playback standard, where NTSC systems used Dolby’s AC-3 to encode the audio, PAL systems used MPEG Audio, the DVD Forum voted to include AC-3 audio to European DVD players.
---> Analog Devices Offers Low Cost Wavelet Chip
Veteran chipmaker Analog Devices (www.analog.com/products/sheets/ADV601LC.html) is offering a low-cost follow-up to their ADV601 Wavelet codec chip with their $14.95 ADV601LC. The chip can compress at ratios up to 4:1 and will usher in a host of low-cost PC cards ($100-200) for price sensitive and consumer applications.
CHIPS
---> Siemens adds DRAM on New Scan Converter
Siemens Semiconductor (http://www.siemens.com) is making a new scan converter chip with DRAM memory embedded within for internal storage of raster lines. This enables the chip to use onboard logic to perform complex line doubling and anti-flicker functions used to convert progressive scan (non-interlaced) video to a standard television interlaced signal.
---> Intel Lays Out Pentium-II Plans
Intel (http://www.intel.com) laid out its roadmap for future version of its Pentium-II microprocessors. The "Deschutes" processor due Q1/98 sports speeds up to 400mhz, and will later be available in configurations other than the Slot-1 connector, so they can be used on laptops. Next up is the Katmai, to be released in Q1/99 and new MMX instructions for 3-D graphics, and finally, the 64-bit Merced chip, also Q1/99.
They are also talking about two new peripheral chips for servers and other memory intensive applications. The 440BX supports SDRAM, AGP and 100mHz system, while the 450NX supports up to 4 Pentium II chips.
BROADCAST / POST PRODUCTION
---> Avid Ships AvidNews NewsRoom System
Nonlinear maven Avid (http://www.avid.com) is shipping its newsroom computer system. "AvidNews" integrates the entire electronic newsroom process, from the journalist tasks, the managing of media clips and facility control issues, such as CG, machine control and switcher control. The product is the result of continued work on the Basys newsroom system acquired by Avid a few years ago.
3D TECHNOLOGY
---> Microsoft Backs Open-GL
Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com) is actively backing the 3D rendering API Open-GL. Open-GL was originally developed by SGI, but has become the standard API to high-end 3D rendering for some time now.
Microsoft had tried to displace Open-GL with its Direct3D, Microsoft-centric 3D API, but most professional products stayed with Open-GL as their primarily access. Direct3D has enjoyed a small amount of success with games makers.
As someone who has developed drivers for both APIs, I can personally attest to the difficulty of Direct3D’s arcane interface.
---> Inexpensive Virtual Glove
Reality Quest has released in interesting input device that straps on your hand and uses wrist-motion sensing technology to track the cursor. "The Glove," which retails at Toy-R-Us for $89, has a number of input buttons and joystick controls. It supports Sony’s PlayStation now, but a PC version will be available shortly. Alas, it’s only available for right-handers.
MASS STORAGE
---> Micropolis is Toast
Veteran disk drive maker Micropolis apparently has gone belly-up. Of course, I only found this out after getting multiple Emails about my write-up that they had announced a new drive last issue. I had read the announcement in Imaging Magazine the day before sending the NewsWire. Oh well, I guess it doesn’t pay to read print anymore in this wired world.
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CYA DISCLAIMER: The preceding NewsWire represents my best efforts to gather the facts and the offering of my opinions. Although I try to describe the world as it appears me, I make no representations as to the accuracy of the reports within.
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