Apple's new AV Technologies lay the foundation for the future of computing
AV Technologies are providing Macintosh users with revolutionary tools for all the ways they communicate. These technologies come built into the new Macintosh Centris 660AV and Macintosh Quadra 840AV computers, and include the following:
• Integrated telecommunications. The GeoPort hardware and software architecture lets you connect your Macintosh to a telephone line to gain access to information services (such as electronic mail), send and receive faxes through your Macintosh, and take advantage of voice telephony.
• Video-in. By connecting a video source to your Macintosh—such as a VCR, camcorder, or videodisc player—you can view video on your Macintosh display, import video frames from a VCR or camcorder, or capture QuickTime movies and integrate them into your work.
• Video-out. You can connect your Macintosh to a television to display your work to an audience, or you can connect it to a VCR and record everything on your Macintosh screen onto videotape.
• Speech. Apple’s PlainTalk software enables speech recognition and text-to-speech capabilities. It allows you to issue voice commands to your Macintosh to navigate through files or create speech macros for common tasks. Text-to-speech capability will make proofreading documents even simpler, and, with the helpof third-party software, you’ll be able to access files from remote locations and ask your Macintosh to read them to you over the phone.
• Audio. 16-bit audio capability allows you to play and record CD-quality sound at your Macintosh.
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Macintosh Centris 660AV
At a glance
• The Macintosh Centris 660AV is the newest Macintosh Centris computer, providing a host of integrated communications technologies and a digital signal processor (DSP) in addition to its Motorola 68040 microprocessor.
• Its integrated AV Technologies—including integrated telecommunications, video input/output, 16-bit audio, and speech technologies—provide tools for all the ways you communicate.
Specifications (Note: Configurations may vary worldwide.)
• Processor: 68040 with built-in math coprocessor
• Digital signal processor: AT&T 3210
• Speed: 25-megahertz 68040; 55-megahertz DSP
• Memory: 8MB of RAM, expandable to 68MB
—4MB on logic board, one 4MB SIMM, and one empty SIMM slot
• Storage:
—Internal Apple SuperDrive floppy disk drive
—Internal 80MB, 230MB, or 500MB hard disk drive
—Supports one internal half-height 5.25-inch peripheral, such as a hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, or a magneto-optical drive
• Ports: Two serial ports, ADB port, two video-input ports, two video-output ports, SCSI port
• Displays: Built-in support for all Apple displays; supports several third-party VGA and SVGA monitors• Sound: Input port (stereo), output port (stereo)
• Networking ports: Built-in LocalTalk and Ethernet
• Dimensions (HWD): 3.0 by 16.1 by 15.2 inches (7.5 by 40.3 by 38.0 cm)
• Weight: 14.0 lb. (6.3 kg)
• Other features:
—Supports GeoPort telecom architecture
—16-bit stereo sound
—PlainTalk speech-recognition and text-to-speech software
Key features
• Offers integrated telecommunications capability through its GeoPort architecture, giving you low-cost access to data, fax, and voice technologies.
• Provides advanced video-input/output capabilities, so you can easily capture video from external sources, incorporate it into your work, and record your work directly onto videotape or display it on a television.
• Includes a DSP, a second processor that handles the communications-specific processes so the 68040 processor can take care of standard computing tasks.
