[EMedia Professional News]News


EMedia Professional, February 1997
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Vendors, please send news on products or services to Kirk L. Kroeker, Assistant Editor (EMedia Professional, 649 Massachusetts Ave., Suite 4, Cambridge, MA 02139; 617/492-0268; Fax 617/492-3159).

Click on a feature or news section below. Click the disc icons to return to this list.


Parke Lightbown: In Memoriam
DVD Manufacturers Test Market Waters, Prepare to Dive
Consumers Connect to Internet in Living Rooms: Competition Stiffens for Web-Capable Set-Top Boxes
THE DEVELOPER'S TOOLBOX
NEW PRODUCTS
RECORD & REWRITE
MASTERING, REPLICATION, & PACKAGING
FACTS, FIGURES, AND FINDINGS
PEOPLE AND DEALS
TECH AND TOOLS
TOP TEN
CD-R INDEX
THE CD-ROM DRIVE INDEX
CONFERENCE CALENDAR

Parke Lightbown: In Memoriam
In every revolution--social or industrial--there are many key players. Sometimes they become famous, sometimes they go quietly about bending the world and paving the way.

Parke Lightbown was a quiet and dignified world bender. Parke's work--and his passion--paved the way for the multiformatted, CD-ROM, weird, wired, online, hybrid Web/CD, hyperlinked, and multi-hyped extravaganza we know today as new media.

In 1984, while working for SilverPlatter Information Systems, Parke implemented what many had thought possible but had not accomplished: he built a computer application that could run from a computer-based version of this new consumer product called compact disc. Soon, it became apparent that, without some carefully considered standards, CD-ROM products would have to be dedicated specific file formats and operating systems. To avoid the nightmare of the incompatible floppy disk formats that plagued the early years of personal computers, Parke instigated a standards effort among the major players of the industry. Gathering the group together at the High Sierra hotel in Lake Tahoe, California, Parke lead the writing of the High Sierra disc format standard, which became accepted worldwide in near record time as ISO 9660.

Parke was a well-known and popular figure in the American Library Association and the Information Industries Association, and worked with a variety of international groups. He was a co-founder and constant supporter of the Optical Publishing Association and a consistent creator of ideas and source of energy to its membership.

When Parke shared the news of his condition with me, he asked three things. He asked me not to spread the word, because there was nothing anyone could do, and he didn't want to make people feel uncomfortable. He asked me to write a blurb for the trades on his passing, just so the story would be straight. And he asked me not to be sad, because he had lived a life many would envy, had traveled the world, accomplished some important things, and had loved and been loved by many great friends.

I was able to do two out of three. I feel blessed by his presence, and I am deeply affected by his absence. Many hundreds-- perhaps thousands--of readers of this publication will recall having known him, and having enjoyed his company, his wit, and his crystal mind. Parke was always a sensitive, responsible professional. Always a gentleman. Always a friend. We will miss him. --Richard A.Bowers

DVD Manufacturers Test Market Waters, Prepare to Dive
After promising in 1996 that DVD products would be in stores for Christmas, Pioneer Electronics delayed shipments of DVD to retailers, planning instead to release three different players in January 1997. Pioneer's story is like those of other DVD manufacturers. Many news sources--including Nikkei Weekly, E-Town, C/Net, and the news wires--suggest the delay is due to the inability of entertainment and computer and home electronics industries to reach an agreement concerning a copy protection standard for the hardware. On November 1, 1996, Toshiba and Matsushita did, in fact, release players in Japan, which (as initial reports come in) are not selling as well as expected, despite department stores in Tokyo immediately discounting the players by as much as 10 percent.

Koji Hase, Toshiba's general manager for DVD products, forecasts a market of 120 million drives--video players and DVD-ROM--by the year 2000. Philips Key Modules president Jan Oosterveld's projection is quite a bit more modest, pointing out that by the year 2000, CD-ROM drives will still be beating out DVD drives in sales, but that the installed base of DVD will number upwards of 25 million. Regardless of market forecasts, recent building-block activity in the industry--including DVD chipsets, reference designs, PC add-in cards, and DVD replication--suggests major-league market presence for the long-awaited DVD players and drives.

DVD: Boiling Right below the Surface?

While there are only a few drives in the marketplace today, the level of industry activity surrounding DVD is extremely high, especially when it comes to chipsets for PCs. Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., for example, has announced a DVD logic decoder chipset that provides PC hardware manufacturers with the core circuitry for a basic DVD decoder, including the copy protection processor. The chipset is intended for use in a decoder board that allows DVD-ready personal computers connected to a DVD-ROM drive to play titles that take advantage of MPEG-2 compression. The DVD logic decoder chipset is available now, priced at $75 for the complete six-IC chipset in 1,000-piece quantities. Philips Semiconductors is also offering a DVD chipset, this one called the SAA7201 MPEG-2 Audio/Video/Graphics (AVG) Decoder, which is designed for use in multimedia computers, DVD players, Digital-Media Broadcast (DMB) receivers, and desktop video equipment. The SAA7201 handles MPEG-2 decoding and 8-bit-per-pixel full-screen graphics display within the memory constraints of a single 16Mb SDRAM. The price for the SAA7201 is $32.40 per unit in quantities of 100,000 or more. Lastly, Chartered Electronics Industries (CEI) introduced two new DVD playback decoder cards for the PC, called the DVD-CY and DVD-SW, complete with digital and analog copy protection. CEI's DVD-CY is an all-hardware decode solution that provides MPEG-2 video decoding and is backward compatible to MPEG-1 audio/video bit streams. Output video display can be on a PC monitor or direct to a consumer TV set. DVD-CY is fully compliant with DVD specifications, according to the company, and requires no extra CPU bandwidth, but includes advanced features that are not available on host-based processing, such as 5.1 channel digital surround sound output and direct connection to 4:3 and 16:9 television sets for big-screen viewing. OEM volume price is below $200 per unit.
(Chartered Electronic Industries, 210A Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City, CA 94065; 415/591-6617; Fax 415/591-8310; circle number 407. Philips Semiconductors, 2099 Gateway Place, Suite 100, San Jose, CA 95110; 310/822-4669; Fax 408/453-6444; http://www.semiconductors.philips.com[LiveLink]. Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., 1060 Rincon Circle, San Jose, CA 95131; http://www.toshiba.com[LiveLink])

The Players: DVD Video

As of today, however, few DVD players have made it to market. Toshiba and Matsushita were the first companies offering players in Japan, perhaps because they were the first to agree on a copy protection standard, becoming licensed in November 1996 to include an enhanced version of Macrovision's copy protection technology inside their DVD players. "We are committed to offering the widest possible range of movies and other programming in the DVD format," said Hisashi Yamada, Toshiba's senior DVD technology executive. "By including Macrovision copy protection capability in our players, we will encourage program providers to distribute all of their hit movies and catalog titles in this new format." Macrovision has since licensed some 19 more companies worldwide to incorporate its copy protection technology in their digital-to-analog semiconductor chips. Even so, Toshiba has announced plans to delay the introduction of DVD players in the U.S. until as late as the end of first quarter 1997.
(Macrovision, 1341 Orleans, Sunnyvale, CA 94089; 408/743-8600; Fax 408/743-8610; circle number 434. Matsushita Electronic Industrial, One Panasonic Way 3C-7, Secaucus, NJ 07094; 201/392-6067; Fax 201/348-7579; circle number 436. Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Disk Products Division, 9740 Irvine Boulevard, Irvine, CA 92618; 714/457-0777; http://www.tais.com/taisdpd[LiveLink])

Sanyo Electric Company announced the release of its DVD player in Japan, with initial street pricing under $700 and initial monthly distribution of 1,000 units. The players are supplied to Sanyo under agreement with Japan-based Toshiba Corporation. Sanyo hasn't yet decided whether to sell the player in the U.S.

(Sanyo Electric Company, 1767 Sheridan Street, Richmond, IN 47374; 317/935-7574; Fax 317/935-0174)

Pioneer Electronics' DV-500 will list for $750 but is expected to sell for $599 on the street when it is released in the U.S. Proprietary features include 20-bit digital-to-analog conversion and a 9-bit DAC for video. The DVL-700, which lists for $1200 and will sell for $999 on the street, plays laserdisc and CD audio too. The DVL-90 Elite player, which will sell for approximately $1750, also plays the Video CD format in addition to DVD, laserdisc, and CD audio. All three players use Pioneer's integrated circuits for data and video processing, as well as Pioneer's twin-focus pickup, which splits two beams from a laser diode and does so without using any mechanical parts, according to the company. In fact, Mike Fidler, senior technology vice president of Pioneer Electronics, suggests that the players will make their debut only if the final details of a copy-protection scheme are in place.
(Pioneer Electronics, 2265 E. 220th Street, Long Beach, CA 90810; 310/952-2111 Fax 310/952-2990)

DVD-ROM: Where the action is?

Planned delays of DVD players didn't stop manufacturers from exhibiting their DVD-ROM wares at Comdex. In fact, Toshiba demonstrated a DVD-ROM drive that it plans to ship in the U.S. even before it releases its DVD players in early spring 1997. According to the company, Toshiba's first DVD-ROM drive, the SD-M1002, offers 140ms average random seek times, 220ms average random access, and a sustained data transfer rate of 1.3MB/sec. The SD-M1002 supports synchronous burst transfers of 13.3MB/sec, and can read all capacity DVD discs, including 4.7GB (single-layer, single-sided), 8.5GB (dual-layer, single-sided), 9.4GB (single-layer, dual-sided), and even 17GB (dual-layer, dual-sided). The drive can also read CD-ROM titles and play audio CDs. Sales of Toshiba's SD-M1002 DVD-ROM drive will be primarily to OEMs and systems integrators. OEM pricing for the SD-M1002 begins at $350.

Diamond Multimedia will market Toshiba's drive to end-users in a DVD multimedia upgrade kit. According to the agreement, Diamond will bundle Toshiba's SD-M1002 DVD-ROM drive in multimedia kits for distribution to resellers and retail outlets. Along with the SD-M1002 drives, the kits will include Diamond's PCI-based adapters featuring decoders for MPEG-2 video and Dolby Digital Surround Sound AC-3 audio, and copy protection decryption hardware. Diamond's first retail DVD-ROM multimedia kit is expected to ship in early 1997.
(Diamond Multimedia, 2880 Junction Avenue, San Jose, CA 95134; 408/325-7000; Fax 408/325-7070)

Hitachi America, Ltd. also made a showing with the new GD-1000 DVD-ROM drive. The GD-1000 is capable of reading both 4.7GB and 8.5GB formats, and offers a typical access time of 190ms. "Our DVD-ROM will be the key component for DVD players, which are expected to be one of the next major items in multimedia," said Linus Hori, product manager at Hitachi America, Ltd.'s computer division. The drive will be able to read CD-ROMs, according to the company, at 8X speed, which will enable an access time of 150ms and a transfer rate of 1.2MB/sec. The GD-1000 is compatible with Windows 95 and Windows 3.1. The price for the drive is as yet unnamed.
(Hitachi America, Ltd., 401 West Artesia Boulevard, Compton, CA 90220; 213/605-2542; Fax 213/515-6223; http://www.hitachi.com[LiveLink])

Leading software developers, including Activision, Electronic Arts, The Learning Company, Tsunami, Multicom, Xiphias, and others, have already created an estimated 15 to 20 interactive DVD-ROM applications, games, and other software for DVD-ROM. According to most estimates, these figures will increase exponentially across the next two or three months, as companies repurpose formerly published CD-ROM material to the new format. --Kirk L. Kroeker

Consumers Connect to Internet in Living Rooms: Competition Stiffens for Web-Capable Set-Top Boxes
The number of newly released Web-only set-top boxes are beginning to present significant competition to more expensive CD-ROM-based new media television appliances. In the wake of Bandai Digital Entertainment's Pippin@World, JCC USA's iBox, and even the European-released Philips CD-Online--all CD-ROM-based new media appliances capable of browsing the Web, sending email, and accessing optical-disc-based information and applications--Internet boxes without CD-ROM capability are emerging in greater number. Cable companies are beginning to provide Web access as well, and consumer electronics manufacturers are rushing to meet perceived consumer demand for the Web by manufacturing Web-capable TV sets.

Zenith Electronics, teaming with Diba, Inc., has released the NetVision TV-Web product, a 28.8Kbps-enabled TV set that has Web capability based on Microware Systems Corporation's DAVID (Digital Audio/Video Interactive Decoder) operating system, and includes an Ethernet port for higher-than-28.8Kbps connections. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation's DiamondWeb television--which will be released in the spring of 1997--also incorporates Microware's DAVID operating system. Another entry in the Web-capable TV set market is Sharp Corporation, which has released a 32-inch wide-screen television that incorporates electronic mail and other Internet functions. The Sharp set has a price tag of $3028 but, according to the company, will provide access not only to the general Web but to some 300 preprogrammed popular Internet sites, such as those offering weather forecasts, TV-program guides, tourist information, newspapers, and bulletin boards.
(Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, 6100 Atlantic Boulevard, Norcross, GA 30071; 800/347-5724; Fax 408/481-9488; circle number 441. Sharp Corporation, Sharp Plaza, Mahwah, NJ 07430; 201/529-9428; Fax 201/529-8919; circle number 465. Zenith Electronics, 2150 East Lake Cook, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089; 708/808-5000; Fax 708/808-4434)

One of the first Web companies to offer access to the Internet through cable service providers is Spyglass, Inc., whose technology enables cable operators to offer low-cost access to the Internet at speeds up to three times faster than the fastest telephone modems. The initial systems will be rolled out with Cablevision, Adelphia, Charter, Comcast Cable, and other cable access providers in early 1997. Spyglass receives royalties from customers based on the deployment of Spyglass' technology in the customers' products, services, or devices. SDK entry-level pricing for the Spyglass technology starts at $25,000 for one year, which includes 1,000 licenses for distribution, technical support, updates, documentation, and object code.
(Spyglass Inc., 1240 E. Diehl Road, Naperville, IL 60563; 630/245-6512; Fax 630/245-6693)

Manufacturers of Web set-top boxes, however, see the all-in-one TV/Web approach as limiting to consumers who would need to buy an entirely new television set in order to exploit the capabilities of the Internet and the World Wide Web, and are also interested in offering Web boxes to consumers who might not have cable access but who want to explore the Internet. Sony Electronics and Philips Magnavox have both released plug-and-play Web boxes, called the Sony WebTV Internet Terminal and the Philips Magnavox WebTV Internet Product, respectively. Sony's product has an initial price of $349, and Philips' product is selling for around $329.

The devices, like most other Internet boxes, provide access to the Web through a subscription service. Both Sony and Philips' WebTV products access the Internet through accounts provided by WebTV Networks, Inc. of Palo Alto, California. The subscription not only provides access to the Internet, but to personalized email accounts for up to five users per household. Sony's WebTV is especially designed to work with TVs that have picture-in-picture capability, so that if a Web address pops up during a program or commercial, a viewer can access the site immediately. Philips' WebTV has an ISO Smart Card slot that supports ISO-compliant Visa/Mastercard, cash cards, and ATM smart cards. Both Sony and Philips' products have built-in 33.6Kbps-enabled modems capable of V.34bis data compression, but Philips' modem is augmented with a patent-pending lineshare technology that allows incoming calls when the product is used on a call-waiting-equipped phone line.
(Philips Magnavox, One Philips Drive, P.O. Box 14810, Knoxville, TN 37914; 423/521-3274; circle number 493. Sony Electronics, Corporate Communications Department, One Sony Drive, Park Ridge, NJ 07656)

Valencia, California-based FutureNet, Inc. recently unveiled its Baby Bear Internet set-top box which can connect to a printer and send and receive email. The device can be operated by a TV-like remote control or a wired or wireless keyboard, and sells for under $500, a price close to most other Internet-capable boxes. FutureNet plans to exchange the first 100,000 Baby Bear models for the upgraded Mama Bear model, which will provide faster access and more features, at no charge to the consumer, and will give the Baby Bear models it collects to public schools free of charge. The exchange is expected to take place by the summer of 1997, and will include faster modem technology and other upgraded hardware.
(FutureNet, Inc., 28640 Avenue Stanford, Suite 150, Valencia, CA 91355; 805/295-8200; Fax 805/295-1200)

Funai Electric Company, a Taiwan maker of videocassette recorders, began shipping its Janessa set-top box for under $500 in December 1996, and Thomson Consumer Electronics, one of the leading sellers of color TVs, said it would introduce an Internet device under the RCA brand name and will sell it for $300 in early 1997. Both machines are licensing technology from Network Computer, Inc., a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation.
(Funai Electric Company, 100 North Street, Teterboro, NJ 07608; 800/242-7158; 201/288-2063; Fax 201/288-8019; circle number 423. Thomson Consumer Electronics, 10330 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290-1024; 908/233-2040; Fax 908/233-8192) --Kirk L. Kroeker

THE DEVELOPER'S TOOLBOX

HEURIS/Pulitzer, Radius Empower Mac-Based Video Professionals

Macintosh-based developers with video editing and encoding ambitions have found two new tools at their disposal with the recent debuts of Radius, Inc.'s VideoVision SP and the first Mac-compatible release of HEURIS/Pulitzer's MPEG Power Professional encoder/editor.

HEURIS/Pulitzer, a long-time provider of high-end MPEG encoding services, entered the software market in mid-1996 by applying its encoding and editing technology to MPEG Power Professional, a commercially available solution for video application developers. The Macintosh version of the software encoder, which works directly with non-linear editing systems to generate digital video for multimedia applications, shipped in fourth quarter 1996. The product is designed to serve MPEG novices with templates for compression optimization, and more experienced users with advanced customization features for controlling encode parameters. MPEG Power Professional for the Macintosh runs on Quadra 950 or PowerMac models with System 7.5 or higher, and accepts video inputs including Avid Media Composer OMF files and QuickTime .MOV files. The product lists for $2499.
(HEURIS/Pulitzer, 2675 Scott Avenue, Suite G, St. Louis, MO 63103; 314/534-1514; Fax 314/534-4351; http://www.heuris.com[LiveLink])

Radius, Inc.'s VideoVision SP is a digital video editing, compositing, and special effects-generation solution for Macintosh-based developers. Featuring both analog and digital 16-bit stereo audio, component input and output within a rack-mountable system, Edit version 2.0, Adobe After Effects 3.1, 30fps full-motion video capture and playback, two PCI-based JPEG connector cards, and more, VideoVision carries a sub-$10,000 list price.
(Radius, Inc., 1710 Fortune Drive, San Jose, CA 95131; 408/434-1010; Fax 408/434-0770)

Opcode's New Studio Vision Pro 3.5 Opts for Video Synching

Studio Vision Pro 3.5, the newest iteration of Opcode Systems, Inc.'s Macintosh-based sound development and editing environment, sports several new enhancements, including PowerMac Native code, full support for Digidesign's Pro Tools III PCI cards, new digital signal processing (DSP) features, and enhanced integration with Apple QuickTime for real-time video synching. Studio Vision Pro 3.5 is the first version of the sequencer to read and write QuickTime audio and MIDI files directly, and marks the debut of Opcode's SmartSync proprietary synchronization technology. Through new formant-based DSP, Studio Vision users can shift audio pitches while retaining the vocal timbral characteristic of the recorded sound. The new Power Mac Native code promises to speed processing on DSP functions by 8 to 20 times, and Adobe plug-in support for on-board DSP processing guarantees third-party compatibility.

Registered owners of earlier versions of Studio Vision Pro can upgrade to version 3.5 for $129.95, and order it via the company Web site; users who purchased previous iterations after October 1, 1996 are eligible for free upgrades. Studio Vision Pro 3.5 carries a suggested retail price of $995.
(Opcode Systems, Inc., 395 Fabian Way, Palo Alto, CA 94303; 415/856-3383; Fax 415/856-3332; http://www.opcode.com[LiveLink])

New Director Xtras Xtend Web, ActiveX Capabilities

Macromedia, Inc. has leveraged the open architecture of Director, its mass market authoring software, to extend the product's reach with XtraNet and WebXtra, a pair of new plug-in "Xtras" that endow the authoring tool with new Internet capabilities and further integration with Microsoft's ActiveX environment.

XtraNet, from g/matter, inc., enables Director developers to create hybrid CD-ROM/Web applications and Internet-based multi-user and multiplayer game environments. XtraNet is available from g/matter at http://www.humancode.com/xtranet[LiveLink].

Tabuleiro da Baiana's WebXtra is a new plug-in that turns Director "movies" into a platform for viewing any file type registered to be handled by an ActiveX control. Users working within Director applications incorporating WebXtra capabilities can view Microsoft Word and Excel files, enriched Web pages featuring VRML and Java applets, and PDF documents. WebXtra also allows developers to embed HTML pages directly within multimedia applications, allowing users to access the Internet from within a Director application. WebXtra can be downloaded from Tabuleiro da Baiana's Web site at http://www.tbaiana.com[LiveLink].

A complete list of Director Xtras can be found at http://www.macromedia.com/software/xtras/index.html[LiveLink].
(Macromedia, 600 Townsend, San Francisco, CA 94103; 415/252-2201; Fax 415/626-0554; http://www.macromedia.com[LiveLink])

Microboards Debuts New Version, New Price for VideoWrite

VideoWrite Video CD 2.11, the latest iteration of Microboards Technology, Inc.'s White Book-capable authoring toolkit, features new capabilities and a significantly lowered price, listing at $3995, a $1000 drop from previous versions. The toolkit features a Video CD 2.11 disc builder, a playback control production tool, a system stream multiplexer and split tool, still-frame encoding software, and also boasts Video CD 1.1 conversion capability. The new version, according to the company, combines several previously existing production and conversion tools to eliminate multiple steps in the creation of Video CD applications. Like previous versions of the toolkit, VideoWrite 2.11 is compatible with Optibase, Optivision, FutureTel, and most other MPEG-1 encoders.
(Microboards Technology, Inc., 1480 Park Road, Suite B, Box 856, Chanhassen, MN 55317; 612/470-1848, 800/646-8881; Fax 612/470-1805; http://www.microboards.com[LiveLink])

Codes People Play: Game-Oriented Development Packages from Metrowerks, Alias/Wavefront

Two companies have entered new products to raise the stakes in the game development game. Metrowerks' CodeWarrior offers a boon to Sony PlayStation title creators, while Alias/Wavefront's Power Animator 8.0 offers sophisticated new graphics and animation tools to video game and interactive media developers using the 3D modeling, rendering, and animation package.

Metrowerks Corporation has released CodeWarrior, a Sony-authorized development environment for Sony PlayStation title creation. The new development tool features the full CodeWarrior IDE, a plug-in CodeWarrior C/C++ compiler for MIPS, plus integrated graphical format converters for managing game development with the CodeWarrior IDE. CodeWarrior for PlayStation DR1, which is hosted on Macintosh and Windows 95/NT systems, retails for $699 and is the first CodeWarrior version to feature Windows 95/NT. MW CodeManager 3, Metrowerks' cross-platform revision control system, is Microsoft SourceSafe-compatible and features a new plug-in interface for the CodeWarrior IDE which allows programmers to perform version control operations directly from within the CodeWarrior IDE. It also features the new CodeManager Administrator, a standalone application which integrates administrative features previously deployed through third-party tools such as MPW and ToolServer. MW CodeManager 3 is available directly from Metrowerks and distributors for $399.
(Metrowerks Corporation, 2201 Donley Drive, Suite 310, Austin, TX 78758; 512/873-4700; Fax 512/873-4900; http://www.metrowerks.com[LiveLink])

PowerAnimator 8.0, the latest version of Alias/Wavefront's 3D rendering, modeling, and animation toolset for interactive multimedia and game developers, incorporates workflow enhancements, new polygonal tools and translators, and further refinements to MetaCycle, PowerAnimator's animation system designed to work with the cycled movements typical of game titles. PowerAnimator 8.0 adds several new translators for simplified data exportation, including one supporting Microsoft's Direct3D format, for downloading directly to PCs. New features in the MetaCycle non-linear character animation system introduced in PowerAnimator 3.5 include a Cycle Smoother for creating seamless animation cycles by automatically smoothing out the start and end frames of a movement sequence, and Dynamics Engines that are designed to add dynamic properties to specific parts of a character in a PowerAnimator application to create realistic character movements. Several existing polygonal tools have been enhanced in version 8.0; PowerAnimator's transform and extrude tools now have snapping for both edges and polygon faces; display modes now match more closely the game display and make it easier to isolate the work area from other elements, and select modes now make it easier for developers to select only the polygons they are currently working on. PowerAnimator 8.0 shipped in January 1997 starting at $9995. Upgrades are available free of charge to existing customers on maintenance.
(Alias/Wavefront, 110 Richmond Street East, Toronto, M5C-1P1, Canada; 416/362-9181; Fax 416/362-0630; http://www.aw.sgi.com[LiveLink])

New Internet Libraries Put QuestNet+ Developers on FastTracks

Allen Communication has announced the availability of a new set of Internet libraries designed to ease the development of technology-based training for Intranet and Internet delivery. The new objects, templates, and interactions available in Allen's FastTracks library can be used in QuestNet+, Allen's Internet-ready, training-oriented multimedia authoring tool. Optimized for Internet delivery with its bandwidth limitations in mind, objects in the FastTracks library cache themselves out of memory when used and know how and when, according to Allen, to download media elements such as text, graphics, video, audio, and animations. The Internet FastTracks library and Quest Player, for running applications created in QuestNet+, are available through Allen's Web site.
(Allen Communication, 5 Triad Center, Fifth Floor; Salt Lake City, UT 84180; 801/537-7800; Fax 801/537-7805; http://www.allencomm.com[LiveLink])

Soft Audio Wave Decoder Debuts as Licensed Software Product

Soft Audio, the audio file decoding technology developed by CD ROM, Inc., is now available for the first time as a commercially sold software solution. Designed to eliminate the need for a sound card for Red Book audio playback, Soft Audio decodes Wave and other audio file formats by using internal CD-ROM drive circuitry designed for playing Audio CDs. The Soft Audio technology will be used in CD ROM, Inc.'s forthcoming Soft Audio CD-ROM drive and other drive models due to ship in early 1997.
(CD-ROM Inc., 1301 Arapahoe Street, Suite 7, Golden, CO 80401; 303/384-3922; Fax 303/384-3926; http://www.cdrominc.com[LiveLink])

NEW PRODUCTS: DRIVES, NETWORKS, UTILITIES, & MORE

New CD-ROM Drives Keep Getting Faster

Regardless of the advent of DVD players and DVD-ROM drives, new CD-ROM drive models and VAR packages continue to come to market, increase in speed, and fall in price. Toshiba, Pioneer, Sony, Acer, and Axonix have all released new drives.

Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. has introduced a drive it claims to be the fastest on the market, offering 15X maximum and 14X average access speeds. The new SCSI-2 XM-3801B features a very low 90ms average random seek time, as well. According to Scott Smith, vice president of marketing, the new drive provides a 2,100KB/sec average transfer rate, synchronous burst transfer of 10MB/sec, and asynchronous burst transfer of 5MB/sec. The drive features a 256KB buffer and Partial Constant Angular Velocity (PCAV), which according to the company employs the best qualities of Constant Angular Velocity (CAV) and Constant Linear Velocity (CLV). In addition, the new XM-3801B can also read CD-RW media, according to Smith. Toshiba designed its SCSI CD-ROM drive to ensure easy integration. The XM-3801B employs SCAM, or "SCSI Configuration AutoMagically" for industry-standard SCSI plug-and-play. According to the company, when users connect the XM-3801B drive through a SCSI port to a PC or Macintosh, SCAM automatically configures all aspects of the CD-ROM drive with the computer through the SCSI connection. The XM-3801B has a suggested list price of $290.
(Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Disk Products Division, 9740 Irvine Boulevard, Irvine, CA 92718; 714/457-0777; Fax 714/583-3131; http://www.toshiba.com[LiveLink])

Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc. announced a new 12X internal CD-ROM drive that the company says is the first to offer a sustained data transfer rate of 1,800KB/sec. The drive features a vibration sensor that switches the disc rotation mode automatically to maintain performance when reading imbalanced discs. The drive is available for OEM distribution and is offered in ATAPI and SCSI-2 configurations. According to the company, the ability to obtain a high-speed data transfer rate is a direct result of Pioneer's on-board vibration sensor and incorporation of dual-disc rotation technologies, CAV and CLV. The vibration sensor monitors and regulates the disc for any imbalances. If the vibration rises too high, the drive switches to the CAV/CLV combination mode, slowing the rotational speed until a controllable vibration level is obtained. If operation is demanding many short reads, such as in a tower or network application, the mode will switch to 12X CAV to optimize access time. If the application demands a high data transfer rate, the drive apparently switches to 12X CLV mode, maximizing the sustained data transfer rate to 1,800KB/sec.
(Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc., Multimedia and Mass Storage Division, 2265 E. 220th Street, Long Beach, CA 90810; 800/444-6784; 310/952-2111; Fax 310/952-2990; http://www.pioneerusa.com[LiveLink])

Sony Electronics has also brought forth a high-speed contender in the form of the new CDU511 16X CD-ROM drive that offers a 100ms access time and reads approximately two-thirds the disc using CAV at 8.6X to 16X speed and reads the remaining one-third of the disc at 16X speed using CLV. The average speed of the drive, according to Sony, is 13.6X. Dirk Peters, marketing manager of data storage products for Sony Electronics' Computer Components and Peripherals Group says that a drive using CAV technology performs significantly better than conventional drives. Sony plans to introduce a number of high-speed drives following this one with features like slot load technology, similar to the ones used in car audio CD players.
(Sony Electronics Inc., 3300 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95134-1940; 408/955-5240; Fax 408/955-5171; http://www.sony.com/technology[LiveLink])

Acer America Corporation announced a 12X CD-ROM drive that incorporates Digital Server Technology (DST), a self-tuning mechanism that fine-tunes the drive to maintain peak performance. Acer also offers on the drive a digital volume control button, which replaces the standard volume control knob. Acer's drive implements CAV and CLV regardless of the track being accessed. According to the company, using both CAV and CLV regardless of the track location improves consistency of performance and relieves stress on the spindle motor which in turn expands the motor life. The Acer CD 612A 12X CD-ROM drive comes with a one-year warranty and is available to distributors for an estimated street price of $179. The drive and 12 software titles are available as part of an upgrade kit to consumers for an estimated retail price of $249.
(Acer Inc., 2641 Orchard Parkway, San Jose, CA, 95134; 408/432-6200; Fax 800/SEE-ACER; http://www.acer.com/aac/[LiveLink])

Axonix Corporation announced the ProMedia 10XR, which the company has called the first truly portable, top-loading CD-ROM drive capable of 10X speed. Because the ProMedia 10XR draws power directly from a laptop computer via a Type II PC Card, it requires no AC adapters or battery packs. The 10XR has a data transfer rate of 1,500KB/sec, making it, according to the company, the fastest portable CD-ROM drive in the world. The ProMedia 10XR weighs just 20 ounces and measures 6" X 7" X 1.75". It is also 32-bit plug-and-play compatible for Windows 95 systems. The drive can also be hot swapped while the computer is powered on. Users who wish to connect the ProMedia 10XR to a parallel printer port rather than the PC Card slot can do so with the Axonix XRP parallel interface kit. The optional XRP kit includes both a computer connector and a pass-through parallel port connector, allowing users to connect both the ProMedia drive and a parallel printer at the same time. The ProMedia 10XR has an estimated street price of $429.
(Axonix Corporation, 6999 South Inglenook Cove #1502, Midvale, UT 84047; 801/567-1895; Fax 801/521-9798)

LaserFiche Introduces Enterprise Edition of Document Management System

More and more companies are moving from the world of paper files to document scanning, storage, and retrieval. With LaserFiche software a user can reduce the contents of 75 four-drawer filing cabinets to a two-foot shelf of CD-ROM. But the new version of LaserFiche can do even better, allowing 15 times the amount of data storage capacity of prior versions of the product. LaserFiche Enterprise Edition can store and manage 15 databases per server, or 75 million pages of scanned documents, according to the company. Enterprise Edition works with the IPX/SPX and TCP/IP network protocols and will archive on CD-R, but also enables scanning, OCR, and faxing. The Enterprise Edition is sold through authorized resellers. Pricing for the new product starts at $19,495 for ten concurrent users and up to 15 databases.
(LaserFiche Document Imaging, 20000 Mariner Avenue, Torrance, CA 90503; 310/793-1888; Fax 310/793-8531; http://www.laserfiche.com[LiveLink])

Toray's PD Offers Parallel Port Access and Higher Speeds

Toray Optical Storage Solutions, a division of Toray Marketing & Sales, Inc. announced the addition of a parallel port model in their Phasewriter Dual PD product line. The SCSI-to-parallel adapter that Toray includes with the drive allows users to connect the SCSI-based PD drive to a computer through a parallel port. The drive can be used with bidirectional and enhanced parallel ports. Furthermore, users can connect their computer to a printer through the adapter's printer pass-through port and access the PD drive while printing, with no decline in performance, according to the company. Toray's Phasewriter Dual combines a 650MB removable rewritable optical storage device and a CD-ROM reader--now available in 6X and 8X versions--in a single drive. The cross-platform SCSI device is compatible with DOS, Windows, Macintosh, OS/2, and UNIX. Toray's parallel port PD drive has an estimated street price beginning at $600.
(Toray Optical Storage Systems, 1875 S. Grant Street, Suite 720, San Mateo, CA 94402; 415/341-7152; Fax 415/341-0845)

Boffin's Two New "Jukeboxes"

Boffin Limited has created two systems, the JB321, a 21-disc jukebox that is more properly called a tower of three seven-disc changers, and the JB749, a 49-disc-capable tower that holds seven seven-disc changers. Each jukebox--or changer tower--has a SCSI-2 port for connection to a host system, so the number of units connected to a server is limited only by the number of controllers that can be installed in the server. Therefore, a server with four dual-channel PCI or EISA SCSI controllers could support up to eight JB749 jukeboxes, resulting in 392 CD-ROMs. The JB321 includes software for DOS, Windows, and Windows NT systems where a drive letter is available for assignment to each of the 21 CD-ROMs. Users of the JB749 will want network management software for NetWare and Windows NT, also available from Boffin, that lets CD-ROM drives appear as subdirectories of a single drive letter. The JB321 is priced at $1699 and the JB749 is priced at $3499. Both units are available from Boffin directly.

(Boffin Limited, 2500 West County Road #42, Burnsville, MN 55337; 847/291-8421; Fax 847/291-1758; http://www.boffin.com[LiveLink])

Networked CD-ROM Libraries Proliferate

With all the information available on CD-ROM, including commercial applications and internal corporate data, many users find themselves swapping CDs in and out of drives like they used to swap floppies. But the prices of large jukeboxes continue to drop as the speed of their access mechanisms continue to increase and networking software becomes the included norm, rather than the exception. Optical Access International, Meridian Data, Boffin, Plasmon, Smart Storage, NSM, and Luminex have all released new CD-ROM library solutions.

Optical Access International, Inc. (OAI) announced what it has called the first networked CD-ROM file server to break the 1MB/sec data transfer barrier. According to OAI, the new Netserve/CD rivals high-performance Pentium-based NetWare or Microsoft Windows NT servers, requires no configuration, installs in 30 seconds, and is priced at less than half the cost of Pentium-based systems. With sustained network transfer rates of up to 1.2MB/sec, the Netserve/CD is limited only by the speed of Ethernet. For greater performance in heavy multi-user applications in large-scale environments, a special version of the Netserve/CD, called the Netserve/33X, combines OAI's TurboCD hard disk caching controller and provides 10 to 15 times faster access to CD-ROM data, according to the company. NetserveCD systems are available in configurations of 8, 16, 32, and 64 drives per system. Each system incorporates RISC processing, a network interface, up to 64MB RAM, multiple high performance SCSI interfaces, and SafeSwap, a hot-swapping system for CD-ROM. "No other vendor comes close to the 1.2MB/sec network transfer rate performance of the Netserve/CD," said Steven Wolsky, president of OAI. "In fact, the performance of the Netserve/CD is up to ten times that of existing products." All units are configured, diagnosed, and managed from a control panel, which provides feedback through its alphanumeric display. The control panel is used to identify which drives are active and to initiate hot-swapping. Netserve/CD products are available starting at $4995 for an eight-drive tower configuration.
(Optical Access International, Inc., 500 West Cummings Park, Woburn, MA 01801; 617/937-3910; Fax 617/937-3950)

Meridian Data, Inc. announced additions to its CD Net 800 series of CD network servers, which according to the company are the first in the industry to incorporate the new Nakamichi MJ-4.8s CD-ROM changers. As with other Meridian servers, the modular server design allows administrators to match CDs with anticipated user demand, configuring less-frequently accessed CDs in the disc changers and more frequently accessed CDs in the CD-ROM drives. Built-in CD Net Plus Software includes features for granting or denying user access and enabling compliance with CD title licensing agreements. The CD Net 800 servers are available through distributors and resellers for prices starting at around $5000 for a two-changer, five-CD-ROM-drive configuration.
(Meridian Data, Inc., 5615 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066; 408/438-3100; Fax 408/438-6816)

Boffin Limited has created the Rackmount Hot Swap CD-ROM Chassis, each drive in which is controlled by an individual power switch that allows replacement of a CD-ROM drive without having to "down" the server or other drives in the chassis. Boffin provides a complete, loaded system with up to 56 CD-ROM drives, a Pentium 100 processor with 16MB RAM, monitor, Ethernet connection, floppy drive, and a keyboard. Users can start out with as many CD-ROM drives as needed, then expand as needs grow. Or if a system has existing racks with vacant bays, Boffin sells just the seven-drive CD-ROM chassis. Because of their standard size, the chassis will fit into most racks. "Our rackmount chassis is unique in that the power for each drive can be controlled independently," says Barbara Otte, product manager of Boffin Limited. "No other system provides this feature at such a competitive price." The Rackmount Hot Swap CD-ROM Server is available for $29,999 or for $33,999 with redundant power supplies.
(Boffin Limited, 2500 West County Road #42, Burnsville, MN 55337; 847/291-8421; Fax 847/291-1758; http://www.boffin.com[LiveLink])

Plasmon Data Inc.'s new C-Series optical libraries are available in three sizes, having capacities of 120, 240, and 480 discs. Each size of library is available in three different product configurations--various combinations of CD-ROM, CD-R, and PD drives--with drive combinations optimized for different applications. The C-Series boasts a three-second disc exchange, which is achieved, according to the company, by using a tray transport and a double picker mechanism. Incorporating many of the features that typify Plasmon's MO jukeboxes, the C-Series warrants an MSBF of better than one million swaps. C-Series libraries use disc packs containing ten CDs, which means that off-line disc exporting and importing is done in bunches of ten CD-ROMs. Pricing depends on configuration but begins at $9995 for the 120-slot library with four CD-ROM drives, or $11,600 for the 120-slot library with two CD-ROM drives and two CD-R drives. Software packages and the additional prices depend on a user's network, but all C-Series units come with basic networking software.
(Plasmon Data, Inc., 2045 Junction Avenue, San Jose, CA 95131; 408/474-0100; Fax 408/474-0111)

Smart Storage Inc. announced a bundling agreement with NSM Jukebox that joins the companies together in producing a CD-ROM network solution for both access and recording. NSM will package Smart Storage's SmartCD software for Windows NT, Novell NetWare, and UNIX environments together with its complete line of jukeboxes to offer CD access and recording across networks. According to the companies, SmartCD is fully compatible with NSM's line of jukeboxes, including its CDR 100 and Mercury series. NSM will offer bundled solutions for access or integrated recording and access for NT, NetWare, and UNIX environments for prices beginning at around $8995.
(NSM Jukebox, 1158 Tower Lane, Bensenville, IL 60106; 708/860-5100; Fax 708/860-5144. Smart Storage, 100 Burtt Road, Andover, MA 01810; 508/623-3300; Fax 508/623-3310; http://www.smartstorage.com[LiveLink])

Luminex has started shipping the LSX-CDL-100 CD-ROM jukebox, which is a complete CD-ROM networking solution that includes a 100-disc, four-drive library, an internal LSX SCSI expander, and Luminex's Fire Series software. The new four-drive jukebox brings the disc to drive ratio down to 25 to 1. The drives can be field upgraded, so owners of the LSX-CDL-100 will be able to maintain their original investment in a storage solution with field upgrades to new drive speeds and drive technologies as they become available. The LSX SCSI expander is a patent pending technology developed by Luminex to support seven SCSI devices as a single SCSI ID, eliminating the need for extra SCSI expansion cards. The Luminex Fire Series software is CD-ROM software that is available for most network environments.
(Luminex Software, Inc., 6840 Indiana Avenue, Suite 130, Riverside, CA 92506; 909/781-4100; Fax 909/781-4105; info@luminex.com; http://www.luminex.com[LiveLink])

CD-ROM Server-Software Making Connections Easier

With the market for networked storage solutions growing as quickly as ever, high-speed drives, fast connections, and easier to use software are quickly becoming the norm. NetPro Computing, Ornetix, and Meridian Data are the latest companies pushing CD-ROM server software features forward.

NetPro Computing Inc. announced its new CD Share 3.0 for VINES with remote administrations capabilities. According to the company, CD Share 3.0 is the only product in the VINES market with hot-swap support that allows CDs on the network to be swapped and configurations to be changed remotely at any time without bringing down the server. Automatic CD-ROM recognition allows network administrators to maintain a volume database so that CDs inserted in a CD Share server will automatically be recognized and configured. CD Share 3.0 allows network administrators to see real-time user and volume activity and to get historical reports of servers, volumes, devices, groups, and users. Other features include flexible subdividing of multidrive CD-ROM towers, unlimited virtual connections, tight VINES security, and high-performance caching. CD Share 3.0 supports up to 28 drives in a CD tower. A CD Share server can be any dedicated PC or CD-ROM server, optical jukebox, or optical tower based on an Intel 386 or higher, running MS-DOS 3.3 or later, and Banyan VINES 4.11 or later. The software has a street price of $1695 per server for an unlimited-user license. All licensed CD Share 2.x users plus any users of a competing product may receive a competitive upgrade to version 3.0 for only $500.
(NetPro Computing, Inc., 7150 East Camelback Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85251; http://www.netpro.com[LiveLink])

Ornetix Network Products has added a number of enhancements to its CD-Vision software. The software now allows users to play audio CDs across Novell NetWare and Microsoft Windows NT networks. "Standard audio CDs can be placed in any CD-ROM drive, changer, or server that is managed by CD-Vision, and when it is accessed by a user, the audio data is converted on the fly into a standard WAV file that produces CD-quality audio sound and music," explained Gal Almog, president of Ornetix. CD-Vision plays back the audio tracks by leveraging the digital extraction capabilities of many SCSI CD-ROM drives. Certain SCSI CD-ROM drives, such as those available from Plextor, provide high SCSI digital extraction rate which is more than sufficient for CD-quality playback. Existing CD-Vision customers can download the software for playing audio CDs from Ornetix's Web site at no charge. Ornetix has also added support for Pioneer's DRM-1004X jukebox to its CD-Vision Jukebox software, and the software will be bundled with CD-ROM towers and jukeboxes from Smart and Friendly. CD-Vision is compatible with NetWare 2.x or higher, and Windows NT 3.51 or higher. An unlimited number of users can access a CD-Vision server in three environments: NetWare-only, mixed NetWare and Windows NT, and Windows NT-only. Licensing ranges from five to unlimited users, and is independent of the NetWare or Windows NT license. Prices start at $645 for a five-user license.
(Ornetix Network Products, 1885 Lundy Avenue, San Jose, CA 95131; 408/383-7050; Fax 408/383-7060)

Meridian Data, Inc. announced CD IntraNet Software, a software solution enabling users to launch traditional Windows/DOS and HTML/CD-ROM applications over Web-based Intranets. CD IntraNet Software runs on any Windows NT network server and allows multiple clients to access CDs using standard Web browsers. Meridian's new software can manage a virtually unlimited number of CD-ROM drives over Intranets. The software gives system administrators the necessary tools to configure CD resources, establish enterprise-wide NT share points, and to grant or deny user access. According to the company, with CD IntraNet Software, users can launch a complete range of CD applications without ever exiting their Web browsers. "CD IntraNet Software allows companies to integrate CD-ROM into their Intranet without investing in additional hardware or incurring costly conversions to HTML," said Jeff Hill, product manager at Meridian Data. "By providing Intranet access to Windows/DOS CDs--the prevalent configuration of most of today's titles--as well as HTML-formatted discs, CD IntraNet gives IT managers an ideal way to grow their CD collections, while protecting their substantial investment in commercial and in-house-created databases." CD IntraNet Software has an estimated average selling price of $1400. For customers who already have installed Meridian's CD Net for Windows NT product, a CD IntraNet Software upgrade can be purchased directly from Meridian for $495.
(Meridian Data, Inc., 5615 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066; 408/438-3100; Fax 408/438-6816)

iXOS Offers GUI in New Version and Now Supports Sony and Pioneer Jukeboxes

iXOS Software announced its newest version of iXOS-JUKEMAN, Version 2.1, which adds updated operating system support including Windows NT 4.0, IBM AIX 4.1, HP-UX 10, and Digital-UNIX 3.2. Other features of Version 2.1 include a simplified GUI, automated installation procedures, online access statistics (which provide feedback on movements and accesses for each drive, tower, or jukebox as well as the amount of data transferred), and enhanced load balancing (which distributes load access across multiple devices for improved speed).

iXOS Software announced that its iXOS-Jukeman jukebox management software now supports Sony's CD-ROM/CD-Recordable CDL-2000 series jukeboxes--including those with the new Sony CDU924S-1 packet recording drive--on both Windows NT and UNIX platforms. Similarly, iXOS-Jukeman now supports Pioneer's DRM-1004 CD-Recordable jukebox. "Our customers are telling us that iXOS-Jukeman has two to three times the throughput of any other product that they have seen in the market today," said Lynn Hogg, iXOS' director of sales and marketing. According to the company, iXOS-Jukeman is the first software product to provide concurrent read and write access across both multiple networks and Windows NT and UNIX platforms. The device appears to network clients as a single drive letter, and the user can view the data from CDs via the native file system.
(iXOS Software, 1070 Sixth Avenue, Suite 200, Belmont, CA 94002; 415/610-8240; Fax 415/802-9570)

RECORD AND REWRITE

Yamaha, Hewlett-Packard Promise Hex-Speed Reads with New Recorders

As read-only CD-ROM drives have approached 12X read speeds and beyond, read-capable CD recorders have followed carefully behind, and with the release of new models from Yamaha and Hewlett-Packard and others, have reached a milestone of their own, promising hex-speed reading capabilities to go along with 4X writing in the case of the Yamaha and 2X recording with the new HP recorder line.

Yamaha Systems Technology, Inc.'s new internal recorder, the CDR400, brandishes an unprecedented write/read punch, boasting 4X recording and 6X reading. The CDR400 supports Yamaha's RapidLinked variable and fixed packet-writing capability, a 2MB buffer, and flash ROM for downloadable firmware upgrades. The recorder is available in both tray and caddy-loading configurations with SCSI and ATAPI interface options for both, with support for Windows 95 and Macintosh systems. The CDR400 shipped in January 1996 with an $849 list price, with its 2X write/6X read internal stablemate, the Yamaha CDR200, following in February with a $549 suggested retail price.
(Yamaha Systems Technology, Inc., 100 Century Center Court, San Jose, CA 95112; 408/467-2300; Fax 408/437-8791)

Also sporting new recorders with 6X read capability is Hewlett-Packard Company, whose new line of SureStore CD writers debuted in December. The 2X write/6X read recorders are available in internal and external SCSI configurations and with parallel port interfaces. All are compatible with Windows 3.1, Windows 95, and Windows for Workgroups, and come equipped with a software suite, interface cable, one blank CD-R disc, an installation diskette, and instruction manuals. Bundled software includes Adaptec's Easy-CD Pro/Audio and IMR's Alchemy for Windows 95. Internal versions of the 6020 line (designated 6020i) list for $777, while the SCSI-interface 6020es and parallel port 6020ep external units carry a suggested retail price of $943. All are covered by a one-year limited warranty.
((Hewlett-Packard Company, P.O. Box 58059, MS51L-SJ, Santa Clara, CA 95051; 403/430-2710; Fax 403/430-2740; http://www.hp.com[LiveLink])

Elektroson Shifts into Top Gear for DVD

With the first onslaught of DVD players and titles fast approaching, Elektroson, Inc. of Gear CD-Recordable software fame has teamed with Software Architects, Inc. to develop top.Gear, a DVD-ready premastering tool designed for writing to either digital linear tape (DLT) or CD-R. top.Gear will extend Elektroson's Gear 4.0 to include support for premastering discs in Universal Data Format, the file system on which DVD is based; UDF/ISO-9660 hybrid discs can also be created using top.Gear, to insure compatibility with DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW drives. Software Architects was a key player in the development and implementation of the UDF file system. top.Gear will ship in March 1997.
(Elektroson, Inc., 21054 South Bascom Avenue, Suite 160, Campbell, CA 95008; 408/371-4800; Fax 408/371-4895; sales@elektroson.com; http://www.elektroson.com[LiveLink])

Fargo Stamps Its Signature On CD-R Printing

Fargo Electronics, Inc., a long-time color ID card and page printer manufacturer, has made its first foray into CD printing with the Signature CD Color Printer. The new printer uses thermal ink-jet printing technology to print high-resolution text, logos, graphics, and photographs directly onto printable CD-R media. Fargo's own Signature-branded discs feature the company's proprietary protective coating called TuffCoat, which is designed to eliminate smearing and fading and is highly water-resistant, according to Fargo. Using Signature with most Windows and Macintosh graphics programs, users can print nearly anywhere on a CD's surface. The printer offers 24-bit printing with two resolution settings, 300dpi or 600x300dpi, and prints up to 16.7 million colors or black monochrome. Signature ink cartridges are available in three-color and black monochrome. Compatible with Windows 3.1, Windows 95, and PowerPC Macintosh systems, Signature is available with either a Centronics-type parallel interface or Macintosh high-speed serial interface; for industrial-strength, in-line CD-R manufacturing environments, Signature can also be purchased with a transporter interface. The Signature CD Color Printer features a one-year warranty and is available through Fargo resellers for a list price of $1295.
(Fargo Electronics, Inc., 7901 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344; 612/941-9470; Fax 612/941-8305; http://www.fargo.com)

Encore! Duplication Field Grows Again with JIS, Champion, and CopyPro Systems/Young Minds

CD-R duplication remains one of the faster growing areas of electronic media hardware, having added to its ranks yet again with the debut of new duplication systems from Jukebox Information Systems, Champion Duplicators, and a new CD-Recordable autoloading system that is the offspring of autoloader manufacturer CopyPro and CD-R systems integrator Young Minds.

Jukebox Information Systems, Inc., best known for its RAID jukebox systems and jukebox controllers, has shipped its new JIS Encore! Duplicating Systems, which can include up to seven quad-speed CD recorders, jukebox controllers, software, and a jukebox enclosure. The basic single recorder system sells for $1999; the higher-end 7DS seven-recorder system lists for $11,899.
(Jukebox Information Systems, 31119 San Benito Street, Hayward, CA 94544; 510/441-8125; Fax 510/441-2214)

Champion Duplicators, Inc. has applied the autoloading robotics used in its diskette duplication systems to its first CD duplication system, the CD-R Shuttle. Designed to enable unattended duplication of up to 50 queued CDs via a "first in, first out" hopper mechanism, the CD-R Shuttle is a slave unit that Champion will bundle with PC software, and can also act as a node on Champion's Axis VI CD Duplication System. Pricing for the bundled system with software and a Yamaha 4X CD recorder is $7695; the bundled system without the writer lists for $6895.
(Champion Duplicators Incorporated, 2305 South Vasco Road, Livermore, CA 94550; 510/373-6060; Fax 510/373-8160)

Young Minds, Inc. and CopyPro, Inc. have also introduced a new duplication bundle. CopyPro's CD-R 5000, an autoloading system that allows unattended recording of more than 400 discs using up to eight 2X or 4X CD-Recordable drives simultaneously, is now bundled with Young Minds' CD Studio for Unix or Windows NT and an optional CD printer to provide a system ready for integration into Unix, Windows, and NetWare environments.
(Young Minds, Inc., 1906 Orange Tree Lane, Suite 240, Redlands, CA 92374; 800/964-4964; Fax 909/798-0488; http://www.ymi.com[LiveLink]. CopyPro, Inc., 1590 Solano Way, Suite C, Concord, CA 94520; 510/689-1200; Fax 510/689-1263; http://www.copypro.com[LiveLink])

Ricoh, Microboards Pitch for Audio Market with New CD Recorder

Ricoh Corporation and Microboards Technology, Inc. have announced a new partnership to market CD recorders, the first of which will be the AudioWrite 2040 Pro, a new bundle designed specifically for the professional home music studio market. AudioWrite, which will be sold through retail pro-audio channels, includes Ricoh's RO-1420C 2X write/4X read CD recorder and a new version of Red Roaster, Hohner Midia's Red Book-compatible audio editing and premastering software for Windows, which will support only the Ricoh recorder. The bundle lists for $795. Soon to follow will be a $695 CD-R bundle, the PlayWrite 2040, which will combine the Ricoh 2X/4X with multiplatform, multiformat CD-Recordable software to be named later.
(Ricoh Corporation, 3001 Orchard Parkway, San Jose, CA 95134; 408/432-8800; Fax 408/432-8372; http://www.ricoh.com[LiveLink]. Microboards Technology, Inc., 1480 Park Road, Suite B, P.O. Box 856, Chanhassen, MN 55317; 800/646-8881, 612/470-1848; Fax 612/470-1805; http://www.microboards.com[LiveLink])

NEATO Goes Retail

MicroPatent's NEATO Labeler Kit, a low-cost kit designed to eliminate the misapplication woes associated with crack-and-peel CD-R disc labeling without the expense of bubble-jet printing and other higher-cost options, is now available through retail outlets and computer catalogs. Included in the NEATO package are basic physical application components, which center labels and apply equal pressure across the surface of the disc, and 100 die-cut gold, white, and silver CD labels. The labeling system also includes label design templates for Aldus PageMaker and FileMaker Pro (in Macintosh and PC formats), QuarkXPress (Mac only), and CorelDRAW (PC only). For users who don't have access to these design tools, Design Express, a PC-based design software, is also bundled with the kit. The NEATO CD Labeler Kit retails for $79.95. Additional labels can be purchased in boxes of 100 for $22.95 and 300 for $60. Users can choose among gold, white, silver, yellow, teal, coral, and violet label packages and assortments; clear labels are available in 100 count for $49.95.
(MicroPatent, 250 Dodge Avenue, East Haven, CT 06512-3358; 800/984-9800, 203/466-5170; Fax 203/466-5178; http://www.neato.com[LiveLink])

Ricoh, Verbatim Write Rewritable Media Story, Chapter One

Hot on the heels of the first wave of CD- ReWritable (CD-RW) drive demonstrations, Ricoh and Mitsubishi/Verbatim--two companies who have played large roles in the development and promotion of CD-RW technology to date--have announced manufacturing plans for CD-RW media.

Ricoh Corporation began manufacturing 50,000 discs per month in its Numazu, Japan plant on November 18, 1996, according to the company. After an initial mass production push to meet demand created by initial drive shipments, the company will steady its production output at 30,000 discs per month beginning in March 1997. The new CD-RW media, which use Ricoh's Ag-In-Sb-Te phase change recording media, will sell for an estimated street price of $25 per disc.
(Ricoh Corporation, 3001 Orchard Parkway, San Jose, NJ 07006; 408/432-8800; Fax 408/432-8372; http://www.ricoh.com[LiveLink])

Verbatim Corporation, who along with its parent company, Mitsubishi Chemical is among CD-RW's major proponents, has added a new CD-RW disc to its DataLifePlus media line of writable compact discs. According to the company, Verbatim CD-RW discs can be recorded and written over more than 1,000 cycles, and feature proprietary scratch-resistant coating. The discs are projected for first quarter 1997 release and will carry a suggested retail price of around $25.
(Verbatim Corporation, 1200 W.T. Harris Boulevard, Charlotte, NC, 28262; 800/759-3475; Fax 704/547-6767)

MASTERING, REPLICATION, & PACKAGING

AME Launches CD-R Production Test System for Manufacturers

AME's new CD-R Manufacturing Test System is a set of networked modules for writing and testing sample CD-R media from a production batch. The system consists of a 19-inch rackmount tower, and includes a Pentium PC, hard drive, monitor, an AME testing drive, and CD recorder, but the system can be entirely configured to suit a user's needs. Manufacturers will use the system to test images on CD-R for data integrity, which can be accomplished over a network with results returned via email. The testing is carried out on a test drive at 8X speed and by using a variety of parameters including track integrity, BLER, and jitter. The CD-R Manufacturing Test System, along with AME's other offerings, is born out of the consultancy services that AME has been providing to the electronic media industry in the U.S. and Europe. Pricing for the system depends entirely on how it is configured.
(AME, 10 Rollins Road, Suite 209, Millbrae, CA 94030; 800/326-4508)

DMI Announces DVD Mastering and Replicating Capabilitie

s Disc Manufacturing, Inc., one of the largest independent manufacturers of CDs and CD-ROMs in North America, announced their capability of mastering and replicating DVD. DMI began full production of DVD at the end of 1996. "We believe it's essential to deliver a top-grade, plug-and-play product from the start with DVD. If the quality and ease of use is not there from the first time a consumer slips a DVD into a player--and then constantly with every disc--the technology could fail with the public over the long term," said Rushton Capers, DMI vice president of CD-ROM business development. "We have proceeded purposefully and cautiously with DVD, investing the time to research and experiment until we could offer a product that reflects our standards." DMI created a DVD prototype in March 1996.
(Disc Manufacturing, Inc., 2030 Main Street 13th Floor, Irvine, CA 92614; 714/260-4768; Fax 714/260-4779)

Queens Group Introduces New Multi-Material Jewel Case

Queens Group, Inc. has introduced a new product, called Q-Pack, developed to address and eliminate the limitations of the jewel box. The new package retains standard jewel box architecture so replicators can autoload it on current high-speed jewel box equipment. In addition, retailers can fit the new box into existing store fixtures and security keepers. The Q-Pack has a patented injection-molded design and construction that, according to the company, cannot be readily counterfeited. Made with high-impact styrene and paperboard, the Q-Pack won't crack, shatter, or fall apart in normal handling conditions and will withstand rough treatment better than the standard jewel box. Queens Group has two standard-sized Q-Pack assembly machines up and running at its Indiana plant, which can produce 100,000 units per day. In addition to the Q-Pack versions developed for audio CD and CD-ROM, Queens Group is creating an alternative design for the DVD movie market. The DVD version has been created with both the dimensions of a jewel box and the new larger size recommended by the Video Software Dealers Association in the U.S.
(Queens Group, Inc., 52-35 Barnett Avenue, Long Island, NY 11104; 718/457-7700; Fax 718/457-9258)

Balzers' New Cubic Concept System

Balzers Process Systems (BPS) has announced that its new DVD manufacturing module will be used by Warner Advanced Media Operations to develop new hybrid data storage products combining the capabilities of DVD and CD technology. DPS's DVD manufacturing module brings the company's "cubic concept"--which it uses in other data storage market segments--into the DVD arena by incorporating as many as three sputtering cathodes in a single reaction chamber, which allows the module to perform high-speed deposition of several different thin films--from dielectric materials such as silicon to metals including aluminum and gold--without removing the in-process disc from its ultraclean, high-vacuum processing environment.
(Balzers Process Systems, Inc., 25 Sagamore Park Road, Hudson, NH 03051; 603/594-1500; Fax 603/594-1515)

TECH & TOOLS

Audio

Yamaha Corp. introduced the YSS243 Dolby AC-3 single-chip decoder device, a DVD audio device for both the PC and set-top box markets. (408/467-2300)

Authoring/Developing Software & Tools

Siemens Nixdorf Information Systems, Inc. unveiled ComUnity Visual Framework, a set of development tools that extends Visual Basic to allow developers to create large component-based multitier business applications. (617/273-0480)

Sybase Inc. launched the Macintosh versions of PowerBuilder 5.0 and PowerBuilder Enterprise 5.0, both of which allow cross-platform development, as well as application deployment across the Internet and Intranet. (508/287-1547)

Broadband/Telephony

Phasecom Inc. released the SpeedDemon cable modem, which the company says provides data-communication throughput speeds of up to 30MB/sec over interactive hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) networks. (408/777-7784)

Philips Electronics introduced EasyISDN 128 and EasyISDN 128 Pro, two digital ISDN terminal adapters for access to the Internet and remote LANs. (800/235-7373)

Voxware, Inc. is shipping TeleVox TM 2.0, Internet telephone software which allows multiparty voice conferencing of up to five members without a conference server. (609/514-4100)

Graphics Accelerators & Chips

3Dlabs Inc. unveiled an optimized Direct3D driver for its 3D graphics processors, available for download at http://www.3dlabs.com[LiveLink]. (408/436-3455)

Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. introduced the Fire GL 1000 accelerator 3D graphics solution, available in either 4MB or 8MB SGRAM, for Pentium Pro workstations running Windows NT 4.0. (408/325-7000)

S3 Incorporated launched the Plato/PX Integrated Platform Accelerator, which integrates the PC's system controller and multimedia accelerator onto a single chip. (408/980-5400)

Graphics and Animation Tools

AIMS Lab is shipping GrabIT, a parallel port plug-in that captures images from any video source and converts them into 8- and 24-bit PC file formats. (510/661-2525)

Apple Computer, Inc. announced QuickDraw 3D 1.5, an update of its 3D computer graphics API that includes support for both Macintosh and Windows 95 and NT platforms. The installers for the Macintosh operating system and 32-bit Windows are available for download from http://quickdraw3d.apple.com[LiveLink]. (408/996-1010)

Auto F/X Corporation released Photo/Graphics Edges Volumes I, II, and III, three special effects plug-ins compatible with Adobe Photoshop 3.0+. (603/875-4400)

Fractal Design Corporation launched Expression for Macintosh, an illustration program that can be used to mimic the natural look and style of traditional art tools. (800/846-0111)

Ulead Systems, Inc. unveiled WebExtensions for Photoshop, a plug-in for creating and optimizing graphics for Web site publishing. Ulead also introduced GIF Animator 1.0, a drag-and-drop tool for composing GIF animations, and PhotoImpact GIF/JPEG SmartSaver 1.1, which allows the compression of images for the Web. (310/523-9393)

Networking

Eiger Labs Inc. is shipping the EigerNet 10/100Base-T PC Card, an Ethernet adapter card for mobile computers requiring access to high-speed networks. (408/653-4437)

Quarterdeck Corp.'s Macintosh division, StarNine, announced WebSTAR 2.0, an updated version of its Macintosh server, which the company claims performs at least twice as fast as its predecessor, and includes server-side support for Java and enhanced security features. (310/309-3700)

Online/Web Publishing Tools

The Fraunhofer Center for Research in Computer Graphics announced the SysCoP World Wide Web digital watermarking service, a digital media labeling tool that embeds a robust and invisible copyright label in structured text, image, audio, or video data. (+49-6151-155-146)

Grasp Information Corporation released SearchPal, a software tool that allows the initiation of an Internet search from within any Windows application by highlighting text and clicking on a single icon. (617/449-1499)

Haht Software, Inc. introduced Hahtsite 2.0, an upgrade of the Intraware system for enterprise-class applications that allows application development, deployment, and maintenance over the Internet. (800/996-3222)

Haystack Labs, Inc. unveiled WebStalker-Pro 1.0, a security product for Web servers which constantly monitors individual Intranet and Internet Web servers for intrusion. (512/918-3555)

Radnet, Inc. announced WebShare 1.2, the latest release of its groupware development tool which enables developers to create secure collaborative applications which share information on corporate Intranets. The new version supports Microsoft BackOffice and Netscape SuiteSpot server environments. (617/577-9422)

Wallop Software, Inc. announced its flagship product Build-IT 1.0, a Web authoring tool that allows developers to use their authoring tool of choice while simultaneously working with others to assemble or update a large Web application. (415/341-1177)

Storage

Box Hill Systems Corporation is shipping its Fibre Box, a hot-swappable, dual Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop storage system with RAID fault-tolerance, storage of up to 1,125GB obtainable by daisy-chaining enclosures for up to 125 drives per each system, and a reported data transfer rate of up to 200MB/sec. (800/727-3863)

Fujitsu Computer Products of America introduced the DynaMO 640 PC drive, a 3.5-inch drive with a transfer rate of up to 3.9MB/sec and an average seek time of 35ms. Fujitsu also unveiled the DynaMO230 Internal IDE drive, with a drive data transfer rate of up to 1.6MB/sec and a seek time of less than 65ms. (800/626-4866)

Seagate Technology, Inc. unveiled its newest Travan tape drives, the TapeStor 800, which can hold up to 800MB of compressed data, and the TapeStor 3200, which can store up to 3.2GB of compressed data per cartridge. Seagate also announced two new 3.5-inch hard disk drives, the Medalist 4340 which offers 4.3GB of storage, and the 3.2GB Medalist 3240, both of which feature a reported 12ms seek time and internal data transfer rates of 88Mbps. (408/439-2862)

Utilities

CyberMedia is shipping Oil Change, which replaces outdated, buggy software and hardware drivers with new updates from the Oil Change Web database. (310/581-4700)

Video/MPEG

Brooktree Corporation, a division of Rockwell Semiconductor Systems, introduced the Bt829 chip, a single-chip video-capture video decoder IC, and the Bt2164 video/graphics controller, which offers 2D and 3D graphics performance. (619/452-7580)

E4, a subsidiary of Dooin Electronics of South Korea, unveiled the CoolDVD, Artista, and CoolVision lines of multimedia add-in cards targeting the DVD, video editing, authoring, and videoconferencing markets. (408/441-6060)

ITT Intermetall introduced two new additions to its DIGIT3000 IC product line; the CIP3250A and the VPC3210A/3211B provide single-chip and dual-chip solutions for transforming analog video signal standards to digital component busses for multistandard, PC-based multimedia and TV solutions. (+49-761-517-0)

Videoconferencing

Philips Electronics released the EasyCam and EasyConnect Videoconferencing Kits, which the company says will provide users with solutions for videoconferencing, multimedia authoring, and collaborative computing through LAN, WAN, and dial-up Internet connections. (423/541-5819)

Shark Multimedia unveiled SeeQuest, a duplex audio/video conferencing kit with Shark's Baby Tiger 33.6Kbps DSVD (Digital Simultaneous Voice and Data) modem, the Connectix QuickCam video camera, Connectix VideoPhone, a microphone, and a suite of audio and video software. (800/800-3321)

THE CD-ROM DRIVE INDEX

Optics Storage

Maverick 8622, Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, Unix, OS/2, Warp, Solaris, Macintosh, 12X, internal, 150ms, SRP $349, November 1996

Panasonic

LK-MC608 VP, DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, OS/2, OS/2 Warp, 8X, internal, 150ms, SRP $319, August 1996

LK-MC608 S, DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, OS/2, OS/2 Warp, 8X, external, 150ms, SRP $429, August 1996

LK-MC605, DOS/Windows 3.1, Windows 95, OS/2, OS/2 Warp, Macintosh, MPC3, 4X, internal/external, 200ms, SRP $349, December 1995

Philips

PCA80SC, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows NT, Macintosh, OS/2 Warp, AIX, SGI IRIX, Sun Solaris, SunOS, 8X, external, 195ms, SRP $349, June 1996

PCA80SC, Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows NT, Macintosh, OS/2 Warp, AIX, SGI IRIX, Sun Solaris, SunOS, 8X, internal, 195ms, SRP $249, June 1996

Pioneer

DR-444, Windows 95, 12x, internal, 100ms, OEM only $N/A, December 1996

Plextor

12PleX PX-12CS(caddy), Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, UNIX, NetWare, Novell, OS/2 Warp, Solaris, Macintosh, 12X, internal, 105ms, SRP $399, November 1996

12PleX PX-12TS(tray), Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, UNIX, NetWare, Novell, OS/2 Warp, Solaris, Macintosh, 12X, external, 105ms, SRP $349, November 1996

8PleX PX-83CS, Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, UNIX, Novell, OS/2 Warp, Solaris, Macintosh, 8X, internal, 115ms, SRP $339, April 1996

8PleX PX-85CS, Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, UNIX, Novell, OS/2 Warp, Solaris, Macintosh, 8X, external, 115ms, SRP $429, April 1996

6PleX PX-63CS, Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, UNIX, Novell, OS/2 Warp, Macintosh, 6X, internal, 145ms, SRP $299, February 1995

6PleX PX-65CS, Windows, Windows 95, Windows NT, UNIX, Novell, OS/2 Warp, Macintosh, 6X, external, 145ms, SRP $389, February 1995

Sony

12XMax CDU-415, OEM Platforms, 12X, internal, 100ms, OEM only, January 1997

TEAC

CD-516S, Windows 95, Windows NT, 16X, internal, 150ms, SRP $249, January 1997

Toshiba

XM-3801B, DOS/Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Macintosh, UNIX, 15X, internal, 90ms, SRP $290, December 1996

XM-5701, DOS/Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Macintosh, UNIX, 12X, internal, 125ms, SRP $195, October 1995

Only original drive manufacturers' models are listed; VAR drive models have not been included. All the information contained in this list was provided by the drive manufacturers and has not been independently verified.

SRP refers to the suggested retail price, OEM prices are for manufacturers only, and N/A means the information was not available at press time.

Vendors, please submit additions, updates, or corrections to The CD-ROM Drive Index, EMedia Professional, 649 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 4, Cambridge MA 02139; Fax 617/492-3159; kirkk@onlineinc.com.

FACTS, FIGURES, & FINDINGS
Video Games Outsell PC Games in First 9 Months of 1996
Video game platform titles outsold PC games in the first three quarters of 1996, garnering 16 of the top 25 interactive entertainment titles by units sold during that period, including the number one spot, according to the NPD Group, Inc. (516/625-0700)

Automated Optical Library Market to Reach $682 Million by 2001
Freeman Associates, Inc. reported in "Mass Storage Outlook: Optical Libraries" that the worldwide market for automated optical library products will reach $682 million in 2001, a 12% per year growth from $353 million in 1995. (805/963-3853)

Disk Drive Array Market Sales Top $12 Billion in 1996
A Disk/Trend report on the disk drive array market predicted 1996 worldwide sales for RAID subsystems would reach $12.3 billion, rising to $18.6 billion by 1999. (415/961-6209)

Back to School Sends Educational Software Figures Back up
Educational software titles accounted for 17% of total August 1996 software industry sales, up from 15% in July, as children geared up for school, according to The NPD Group, Inc. (516/625-0700)

First Half of 1996's European Software Sales Top $1 Billion
Personal computer application software sales in Western Europe reached slightly more than $1 billion in the first half of 1996, according to the Software Publishers Association. (202/452-1600)

66.6 Million Households Forecasted to Go Online by 2000
Jupiter Communications report "World Online Markets" predicts 66.6 million households worldwide will be online by 2000 from 23.4 million in 1996, prompted by quickly growing European and Asian/Pacific Rim markets. (212/780-6060)

Users Admit to Spending Three or More Hours a Week Online
A Metromail Corp. survey of 50,000 adults with a computer and a modem found that more than one-third admit to spending three or more hours a week on the Internet or on online services. (630/620-2333)

Midband Solution Expected to Dominate Online Market
Despite the much-touted promise of broadband solutions such as ADSL and cable modems, Jupiter Communications predicts in its report "Midband and Broadband to the Home" that midband solutions, such as 56Kbps modems, will control 50% of the access market by 1998 and 65% by 2000. (800/488-4345)

Intranet Market Could Exceed $20 Billion by 2000
Killen & Associates has predicted that the market for Intranet software, on-premises equipment, and services will grow to more than $20 billion by the year 2000 from $2.7 billion in 1995, according to their study "Intranets: When It Comes to Making Money." (415/617-6130)

Internet Expected to Create a $2 Billion Remote Access Marketplace
Forrester Research, Inc. reports sales force automation and telecommuting will create a $2 billion remote access marketplace for Internet carriers at the start of the next century, according to the report "Internet Remote Access." (617/497-7090)

Web Ad Revenue Climbs 43% in Third Quarter 1996, Despite Summer Slowdown
Despite a summer slowdown, revenues for World Wide Web advertising reached $66 million, climbing 43% from second quarter revenues of $46 million and boosting total Web advertising revenue to $138 for the first nine months of 1996, according to Jupiter Communications' "AdSpend" report. (212/780-6060)

Videoconferencing Revenues Forecasted to Surpass $34 Billion by 2002
As videoconferencing applications increase, videoconferencing market revenues are expected to reach $34.7 billion by 2002, an annual growth rate of 42% from $2.9 billion in 1995, according to "U.S. Videoconferencing Systems and Services Markets" from Frost & Sullivan. (415/961-9000)

Legislation May Help Growth Rate of Brazilian Electronic Image Management Market
Brazilian legislation allowing documents to be stored in electronic and optical media could contribute to 1996/97's expected 156% growth in the country's electronic image management market, the National Center for Information Management and Development reported in it's second "CENADEM Market Research Study, 1996/1997." (+55-11-881-9829)

Latin American Software Sales Jump 48% in Second Quarter of 1996
The Software Publishers Association reported that revenues from Latin American sales of personal computer software applications grew to $60 million in the second quarter of 1996, a 48% increase over the same period in 1995. (202/452-1600) n

PEOPLE & DEALS

Alliances & Licenses

3Dlabs Inc. named Texas Instruments as an alternate manufacturer of 3Dlabs' Permedia 3D graphics processor. (408/436-3455)

Alias/Wavefront, a subsidiary of Silicon Graphics, Inc., announced an alliance with Square Co., Ltd. to cooperate on technology initiatives, including Square's first computer graphics feature film using Alias/Wavefront's Maya. (416/362-9181)

Apple Computer announced Adobe, Brøderbund, Cinebase, Intergraph, and Equilibrium╩have joined the third-party co-development team of QuickTime 2.5 for Windows. (408/996-1010)

Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. and Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. Disk Products Division have signed an agreement to deliver a line of DVD-ROM solutions for personal computers. (408/325-7000)

Radnet, Inc. introduced its Radnet Professional Partners Program (R3P), which the company says will make it easy and inexpensive for value-added resellers, ISVs, and systems integrators to work with WebShare, Radnet's groupware development tool for the Web. (617/577-9422)

Distribution Deals

Caligari Corporation announced that their entry-level VRML software tool is now available through current distribution partners Ingram Micro Inc. and Tech Data. (415/390-9600)

Cornerstone Imaging, Inc. announced that their PixTools/EZ ActiveX control, designed for adding document imaging functionality to Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 applications, will be included in Microsoft Corp.'s Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 Start Kit. (408/435-8900)

Edudare, Inc. has signed Intermark Corporation to handle its North American CD-ROM sales and distribution efforts. (310/822-8615)

Houghton Mifflin Interactive Corporation╩(HMI) and Oxford University Press have entered a distribution agreement, making HMI the North American distributor of three Oxford children's CD-ROM titles. (800/829-7962)

InnovaCom, Inc. announced its single-chip MPEG-2 encoder for use in the compression of television pictures and audio transmission in consumer products and broadcast and cable applications, will be distributed in Europe by Lap Power, a Swedish computer hardware and software distributor. (408/395-1161)

Intrafed, Inc. announced it has combined its StageWorks software with PC Deskgate's Gather, Transfer, and DeskVault programs to create StageVault, a solution for remote image capture and large centrally based processing. (301/315-0240)

MediaPath Technologies Inc. announced that Smart & Friendly, CBT Group, Plextor, and Axis Communications Inc. will bundle MediaPath's MediaAgent for CDs with their CD-ROM networking products. (609/222-0500)

Revelation Products Corporation has been named as North American distributor of several Grundig Professional Electronics GmbH product lines, including jukebox systems, file and document management systems, and mass data storage systems. (800/836-1823)

Seagate Software Storage Management Group announced that Pinnacle Micro will bundle Seagate's backup and storage applications with Pinnacle's Vertex and Apex removable disk MO drives and jukeboxes. (800/327-2232)

Mergers & Acquisitions

Aladdin Systems, Inc., developer of StuffIt, has acquired LaundroMac from The Excelsior Group and plans to release a new version of the Macintosh uninstaller, Spring Cleaning, in late 1997. (408/761-6200)

GT Interactive Software Corp. has acquired Warner Music Group's European entertainment software subsidiary, Warner Interactive Entertainment. (212/726-4202)

Edmark Corp, a developer of educational software, has been acquired by IBM Corp. for a reported $80 million. (800/426-0856)

Omni Multimedia Group, Inc. announced it has acquired Allenbach Industries, a software manufacturing and fulfillment company with operations in California and Minnesota. (800/343-7620)

Softbank Expos, an Internet conference and trade show company, has acquired the San Diego-based trade group Software Support Professionals Association. (415/578-5900)

SQA, Inc. and Rational Software Corporation announced a merger agreement to create a company that will provide solutions for component-based software development. (800/228-9922)

Money

3Dlabs Inc., Ltd. announced the initial public offering of 2.5 million shares of its Common Stock at a price of $11 per share. (408/436-3455)

Spectrum HoloByte, Inc. reported that the second fiscal quarter, which ended September 29, 1996, was its first profitable quarter in two years, with a net revenue of $27.4 million compared to a net revenue of $13.8 million for the same period in 1995. (510/522-3584)

New Companies, Reorganizations, and Relocations

7th Level, Inc. announced Kids' World, Inc., a subsidiary that will focus completely on educational products. (214/498-8100)

The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences╩has been established in Burbank, California to promote and advance common interests in the worldwide interactive community and recognize achievements in the arts. Marc Teren has been named president of the new academy. (818/623-3730)

Learned Information Europe Ltd. is publishing "Digital Publishing Strategies," a monthly newsletter designed to provide publishers with information for the digital age. (+44 1865 388058)

SoftKey International Inc., a provider of educational software, has changed its name to The Learning Company, Inc. (617/494-1200)

StoneMedia Corp. announced StoneInteractive, a new division that will focus on the sale, installation, and service of videoconferencing systems and associated groupware. (214/361-2094)

Vartec, L.P., a developer of document manager software, has changed its name to INtessera Technologies Group. (800/827-8321)

Personnel

Enigma Information Retrieval Systems named Ofer Yourvexel as its president in change of U.S. operations. (617/239-8279)

Meridian Data, Inc. appointed Charles R. Joseph as senior vice president of sales and marketing. (408/438-3100)

PC-Meter L.P., a subsidiary of the NPD Group, has named Dan Campbell as director of research and client services. (516/625-2205)

Rimage Corporation appointed Bernie Aldrich as its president and chief executive officer. (800/445-8288)

Sony Computer Entertainment America named Jim Bass as vice president of finance. (415/655-8000)

THE CD-R INDEX

Current CD Recording Software Versions

[December 1, 1996]

Company Software Apple MacOS
Adaptec CD Creator 1.0
Adaptec Easy-CD Pro 1.5
Astarte CD-Copy 1.02
Astarte Toast CD-DA 1.7.2
Astarte Toast CD-ROM Pro 3.03
CeQuadrat Vulkan 1.43
CharisMac Engineering Discribe 1.11
Dantz Retrospect CD-R Driver Kit 1.0
Dataware Technologies CD Record 2.12
Digidesign Masterlist CD 1.3
Elektroson GEAR 3.1
JVC Archiver Plus 4.0
JVC RomMaker Plus 3.54
Kodak Build-It 1.5
Optical Media International Audiotracer 1.0
Optical Media International Disc-to-Disk 1.8
Optical Media International QuickTOPiX 2.20
Optima Technology CD-R Access 1.3
Pinnacle Micro CD Burner 2.3
Pinnacle Micro RCD 1.58
Ricoh CD Print 1.1.1

Current CD Recorder Firmware Versions

[December 1, 1996]

Acer CR-1420C 1.40
Hewlett-Packard 4020 1.27
Hewlett-Packard 6020 1.07
JVC XR-W1001 2.1
JVC XR-W2001A 2.35s
JVC XR-W2001B 2.35/2.3f
JVC XR-W2010 1.51
Kodak PCD Writer 200 Plus 2.07
Kodak PCD Writer 225 1.07
Kodak PCD Writer 240 1.25
Kodak PCD Writer 600 3.41
Matsushita CW-7501/LK-MW602 1.13
Olympus CDS615E 2.0c
Olympus CDS620E 1.1d
Philips CDD2000 1.27
Philips CDD521 Upgraded 2.07
Philips CDD522 1.06
Pinnacle RCD-1000A 1.33
Pinnacle RCD-1000B/5020 2.35
Pinnacle RCD-202 2.1
Pinnacle RCD-5040 1.35
Pinnacle RCD-4x4 2.03
Pioneer DR-R504X 1.20
Pioneer DW-S114X 1.20
Plasmon CDR4220 1.25
Plasmon CDR4240 1.13
Plasmon RF-4000 2.07
Plasmon RF-4102 1.28
Ricoh RO-1060C 2.05
Ricoh RO-1420C 512K (1.40), 1MB (1.41), 2MB (1.42)
Ricoh RS-9200CD 1.67
Sony CDU-920S 2.0c
Sony CDU-924S 1.1d
Sony CDW-900E Encoder 1.16 Writer 1.18
Teac CD-R50S 1.0d
Yamaha CDR100 68K 1.11 H8 servo 1.21
Yamaha CDR102 68K 1.01 H8 servo 1.21

Vendors, please submit additions, updates, or corrections to Hugh Bennett, EMedia Professional contributing editor at 519/474-3466; Fax 519/474-3467; CompuServe--73144,1631.

TOP TEN CD-ROM TITLES

RANK TITLE PUBLISHER Average
Retail Price
1 Quake Shareware (CD DOS) ID Software $9
2 MS Publisher 97 (CD W95) Microsoft $71
3 MS Windows 95 Upgrade (CD/3.5 W95) Microsoft $90
4 Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries (CD DOS/W95) Activision $47
5 Duke Nukem 3D (CD DOS) Formgen $43
6 Quicken 6.0 (CD WIN/W95) Intuit $29
7 MS Greetings Workshop (CD W95) Microsoft $26
8 Quicken 6.0 Deluxe (CD WIN/W95) Intuit $59
9 Daggerfall (CD DOS) Bethesda Softworks $53
0 Warcraft 2 (CD DOS) Davidson $45

Entertainment Topsellers
Ranked by Category According to Unit Sales

Category Percentage
Arcade/Action Games 24.0
Adventure/Role Playing/Interactive Drama 18.0
Flight/War Simulation Games 14.0
Sports Games 13.0
Strategy Games 8.0
Multiple Games 7.0
Card/Casino Games 5.0
Other Simulation Games 4.0
All Other Games 3.0
Board Games 3.0
Puzzle Games 1.0

CONFERENCE CALENDAR

February 1997

March 1997

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