Osprey-1000TM

The Osprey-1000 is a cost-effective video/audio processor for designed as a cornerstone for video communication systems. Implemented as a 1/2 slot PCI ard, it offers a variety of industry standard compression formats and can operate in volume desktop environments ranging from PC’s to workstations. Support for multiple operating systems and multiple standard compression formats makes it one of the most flexible codecs in the industry applicable to Intranet conferencing, Internet video, security/surveillance, room-based (H.320) video conferencing, and modem based H.324 video conferencing.

Using the Osprey-1000, videocom systems can now support the predominant industry standards with a single card. A user with ISDN to the desktop can participate in an H.320 video conference to a room system, then terminate the call and initate an H.324 call to a remote site over a modem. When completed, a Netmeeting conference can use the Osprey-1000 to another user on the corporate intranet. And to top it off, the users can be running Windows NT, ‘95, 3.1 or even Solaris and still enjoy the same interoperable capabilities of the Osprey-1000! It’s flexible architecture even allows a selection of video output to the computer’s monitor, or out the composite analog output port that can drive a standard NTSC or PAL monitor or feed into an analog video distribution system like the Viewpoint VBX

The Osprey-1000 supports standard video and audio compression formats. A powerful processor called the VCP from 8x8 serves as primary compression engine. Through different microcode modules, standards such as H.320, H.324*, H.323*, H.261, H.263, CellB, JPEG, and uncompressed formats can be supported with no change in the hardware. Complementing the VCP is a DSP from Analog Devices that provides advanced audio processing including the G.728, G.722, G.711, and G.723 standards, as well as acoustic echo cancellation (AEC).

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About Osprey Technologies

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Information

We hope that this web page contains everything you want to know, but please e-mail or phone Neal Page for more info:

Electronic mail address
info@mmac.com

Office phone
919 319-9200

Current Support: Features & Platforms

The Osprey-1000 is an extremely flexible video/audio codec which has the capability of supporting a variety of standard compression formats; however, not all are currently released. This flexibility allows for "future proofing" of a video communication system, with the ability to simply update the software/firmware for new algorithms or capabilities. The following is a list of capabilities currently supported, and the schedule for release in the next six months:

Current Functionality:

Feb/March, 1997

Supported Platforms
The breadth and quality of our system software leads the industry. The Osprey-1000 was the world’s first video codec to support Windows NT, with stable driver support offered in March 1996. We intend to continue this leadership position by offering capabilities to take advantage of new OS capabilities (such as Direct Draw in NT 4.0) and adding OS support for volume desktops. To provide enterprise-wide video communications, your video codec must support multiple desktop environments.
Current Operating System Support
  • Windows3.1 (including DCI)
  • Windows ‘95
  • Windows NT 3.51, 4.0 (Direct Draw under 4.0)
  • Digital Alpha NT
    •
    OS Support Planned
  • Solaris 2.5
  • Others TBD
    •
    Minimum system configuration is a Pentium PC with PCI bus (or workstation). Recommended system is Pentium (or higher) running Windows ‘95 with 8MByte system memory, or Windows NT 4.0 with 16MBytes system memory. Of special note, Digital (Alpha) NT is also supported.

    Application Support

    The Osprey-1000 comes with basic applications that allow users to capture and view video, conduct an network conference over TCP/IP, and an perform an H.320 video conference (with the Osprey-320). The Osprey developer’s kit contains source code to these examples to really make incorporating video easy.

     

    A standard Video for Window (VFW) interface allows for virtually any third party application written to VFW to run with the Osprey-1000 as the video and audio device. The following third party applications have either been tested with, or closely integrated with the Osprey-1000:

    • InSoft Communique! (Now a part of Netscape)
    • Precept IP/TV
    • White Pine Cu-SeeMe
    • Microsoft Netmeeting 2.0 beta
    • Adobe Premier

     

    MMAC’s Workphone application is scheduled for availability with the Osprey-1000 in Q2, 1997.

    Performance

    Performance of a video processing subsystem is critical to the usability and satisfaction with a video communication system. Codec performance alone, however, is only one piece of the picture. Overall system performance of the codec within the desktop environment must be optimized to achieve best overall performance. Performance of a video codec in a real-world system is a function of many complex variables:

    "Marketing numbers" describe peak rates only and often don’t set realistic expectations. If you really need these absolute peak rates, here are a few sample numbers for H.261:

    H.261

    CIF

    QCIF

    notes
    compression

    30

    30

    		 "broadcast"
    decompression

    30

    30

    		 receive/decode only
    codec 1

    15

    30

    		 1MB memory, std.
    codec 2

    30

    30

    		 CIF peak w/t 2MB

    For the Osprey-1000, the hardest of these numbers to achieve is full CIF codec operation at 30fps (codec 2). There are restrictions and constraints that must be in place to achieve this particular benchmark. In a somewhat "normal" videoconferencing situation, the framerate tends to range from 22 - 25 fps. Please take further note that these numbers don’t consider any bandwith restrictions, quality settings, or other important factors (itemized above).

    A key advantage of the Osprey-1000 is it’s flexibility which allows a user to dynamically parameters such as peak bitrate and quality (along with many other). When quality setting is maximized at a fixed bitrate, for example, more bits are allocated to the picture clarity, and this reduces the number of bits available to track motion in the video. Different users and different conditions may affect what a user will desire for a particular videocom session. For example, if a child has just drawn a picture that a parent want’s to see clearly, quality is obviously paramount. But when a VP of sales is "discussing" last months revenue shortcomings with the district sales manager, motion is most likely the important parameter. Typically, there are happy medians which can be achieved given specific resource constraints (e.g. the bandwidth of the connection is critical. The higher the bandwidth, the better quality/motion which can often be achieved).

    Another critical factor in a video conference is audio. The Osprey-1000 offers a wide variety of audio modes to suite a broad set of videocom requirements, and the selection of the appropriate audio formats can have significant affects on the actual and perceived video quality. Given constant video quality, a video conference with good audio will have higher perceived video quality vs. one with poor audio.

    A key decision criteria on which audio mode to select is how much bandwidth is available. Formats such as G.728 and G.723 are aimed at systems with limited bandwidth, where G.711 or G.722 offer higher audio quality levels at the expense of consuming more bandwidth (and therefore leaving less for video). Thus a system developer or user can significantly affect the quality of a video conference by selecting the appropriate audio compression format. Again, the Osprey-1000 allows the flexibility to choose.

    For developers using the Osprey-1000, we offer performance tuning tips and more detailed advice on how to optimize the codec for particular environment.

    Architecture

    The Osprey-1000 card's video subsystem uses a highly-integrated video processor (video compression engine) with a high-speed interface to the host bus. (A block diagram of the card is shown below). Video input to the card can be either NTSC or PAL; composite or S-Video.

    Audio compression can be performed by either the on-board DSP or by the video processor (depending on the type of compression required).

    The compressed video and audio streams can be interleaved by the video compression engine. The compressed stream (or streams) pass through the Bus Interface subsystem and onto the host system's bus. A host application can then manipulate the data, forward the data to an ISDN card, send the data out to a LAN through a network card, or store the data to a file. The decompression operation simply reverses the compression process.

    The PCI and SBus versions of the card use the same video and audio processing logic--only the bus interface logic is different.

    Configurable/OEM Solutions

    For volume purchasers, Osprey Technologies can provide tailored versions of the Osprey-1000 hardware and software. For example, an ISV that is creating an application that displays video only on the workstation's monitor may not need the Osprey-1000's video output connector and logic. Osprey Technologies can provide this, and other, special configurations, which enables ISVs or OEMs to purchase only the specific functionality that it needs. In addition, Osprey Technologies can provide special-purpose software for any of its products.

    Availability & Price

    The Osprey-1000 has been in production since December 1995 and is typically available 2 - 4 weeks ARO. Quantity 1 list pricing is $995 in the USA, with volume discounts available. If in the USA, call MMAC/Osprey direct at 1-800-OTI-MMAC.

    International resellers for the product include:

    France:
    Ecrin Automatismes contact: Mr. Phillipe Constanty
    6, Avenue des Andes phone: 33-16-907-1995
    Les Ulis CEDEX fax: 33-16-
    France 91958 email: ecrin@pobox.oleane.com
    Italy:
    Atel Computer contact: Mr. Maurizio Baroni
    Via Caldera, 21 phone: 39-2-4527-0551
    Edificio D/3 fax: 39-2-4527-0599
    Milano, Italy 20153 email: mbaroni@atel.it
    Japan:
    Rikei Corporation contact: Mr Kohtaro Ogawa
    1-26-2, Nishi-Shinjuku phone: 81-3-3345-2179
    Shinjuku-ku fax: 81-3-3344-3949
    Tokyo, 163-05 Japan email: ogawa@rikei.co.jp
    Korea:
    MicroLink, Inc. contact: Ms. Jamie Lee
    7th Floor, Sam Ho Bldg phone: 82-4-2626-6668
    13-25 Yongjeon, Dong fax: 82-4-2673-8086
    Taejeong, Korea 300-200 email:
    Sweden:
    JMC DataSupport AB contact: Mr. Hans Andersson
    S-17136 Solna phone: 46-8-828-270
    Dalvaegen 14, Sweden fax: 46-8-271-290
    email: hasse@postman.jmc.se

    International quantity 1 recommended list price is $1,145 USD.

    Comments or Questions?

    For more information about Osprey Technologies' products and services, you can phone us at 919-319-9200, or FAX your request to us at 919-319-9814.

    You can reach us by email at info@mmac.com.

    Sun, SunVideo, SunTuner and XIL are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. SLIC-Video is derived from technology licensed from Sun Microsystems, Inc., and is a trademark of MultiMedia Access Corporation. All other trademarks and registermarks are the property of their respective owners.
    Copyright ⌐ 1996 MultiMedia Access Corporation
    Last modified: January 30, 1997