Come see ViewCast's new streaming products at NAB! See us in Booth E2905, Sands Lower Level

ViewCast is gearing up for NAB and we will probably see many of you at this year's show in Las Vegas, April 23 - 26. ViewCast has many exciting new products debuting at NAB.

You can see ViewCast products in our booth # E2905 and in the following partners booths:

Microsoft - Booth# I5921 (Demonstrating Osprey-500 DV Pro with Windows Media 7)

RealNetworks - Booth# I6726 (Demonstrating Osprey-2000 DV Pro with RealVideo 8.5)

Hitachi - Booth# L6414 (Demonstrating Osprey-500 streaming from Hitachi SDI video cameras)

Videonics/Focus Enhancements - Booth# S5309 (Demonstrating Niagara streaming systems with Videonics MXPro DV Mixer)

What ViewCast will be Showing at NAB!

ViewCast Corporation will showcase its streaming media technology and streaming solutions Apr. 23-26 at NAB2001 at the Sands Exposition Hall, Lower Level, in Las Vegas. At NAB ViewCast will demonstrate the high-quality video capture capabilities of its new Osprey-2000 MPEG codec and streaming capture board, as well as its new Niagara Streaming Systems. Additionally, next week at NAB ViewCast will be officially launching the ViewCast Online Solutions division and will be demonstrating their first product and service offerings, EZStream and StreamStory. Stop by our booth at the show and get your own personal demo of all the new ViewCast products.

 Osprey-2000 Capture Card

The industry’s first product to combine the quality of MPEG with the power of streaming video.

Digital or analog source feeds this powerful new MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 codec while integrating seamlessly with leading editing and streaming applications.

Niagara Streaming Systems
Get a demonstration of the new Niagara family of streaming and encoding platforms. Niagara streaming systems are a powerful, efficient and cost-effective way to stream “live” content on the web, or to create archived video-on-demand content. Register to win a FREE Niagara streaming system at the ViewCast booth in the lower level of the Sands Convention Center in booth E2905.

ViewCast Online Solutions will demonstrate its new products at the show. These new product offerings from the ViewCast Online Solutions division will be available from the new ViewCast Online video portal www.viewcastonline.com starting April 30th.

ViewCast EZStream™ is the ideal compliment for any Osprey or Niagara system hardware purchase. EZStream is an end-to-end service that takes all of the pain out of the capture, edit, encode and publish process. EZStream quickly and easily gets your corporate video message on the web. Come and hear about our flexible and inexpensive packages and find out how you can get started streaming right away!

ViewCast StreamStory™ makes internet video easy for small to mid-size businesses. Have your corporate message professionally produced by ViewCast using experienced spokestalent. All you need a web site and an email address. Just send us your finished script and within days you will have your corporate message streaming to the world!

********************************************
NAB 2001 Exhibition
Monday, Apr. 23 – Thursday, Apr. 26
ViewCast Booth# E2905 - Sands Exposition Hall, Las Vegas
********************************************

Return to Table of Contents

ViewCast will demonstrate the Osprey-2000's high-quality MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 video capture capabilities blended with the benefits of streaming at NAB in Las Vegas.

"Osprey has long been synonymous with quality streaming and the new Osprey-2000 raises the bar with high-quality MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 capabilities," said Neal Page, vice president and general manager of ViewCast's Osprey Technologies Division. "The Osprey-2000 allows you to encode and archive content once from your digital source in MPEG, and then decode and convert to the latest version of Real Video or Windows Media streaming formats. Or you can go straight from a digital source to your favorite application. The Osprey-2000 bridges the gap between the streaming and professional video markets."

The hotly anticipated Osprey-2000 captures and encodes from digital or analog sources and integrates seamlessly with leading editing and streaming applications. Unique to the Osprey-2000 is the card's ability to transcode audio/video from high-quality MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 files into popular streaming formats "on-the-fly." This unique capability allows storage of broadcast and archive quality video on a disk or SAN (Storage Area Network). Therefore, the quality of valuable content is preserved, while the benefits of streaming for access and distribution are realized. Production workflow is also improved with one encode step instead of the several steps currently required for creating and storing content in multiple streaming bitrates and file formats. The card also provides professionals the digital I/O they require and gives customer's valuable streaming content a shelf life."

The Osprey-2000 is a multi-faceted product with four distinct modes of operation: MPEG encode, MPEG decode, capture/preview, and transcoding modes which convert MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 files into either RealVideo or Windows Media streaming formats as well as AVI or Extended AVI for editing and production applications.

"One great thing ViewCast did was develop a Video-for-Windows (VFW) driver for the card, so it will work with RealProducer. We have had great success using the card for live streaming on Windows 2000 and RealProducer," said Danny Pressley, streaming media architect/engineer for Internet Pictures Corporation (www.ipix.com, Nasdaq: IPIX), a market leader in dynamic imaging. iPix utilizes the Osprey-2000 for DV capture via Firewire from a progressive DV camcorder source. "We recently did a live venue with LiveOnTheNet.com using the Osprey-2000 and the card worked flawlessly. All the testing we have preformed to date has gone extremely well and we give this card a high endorsement."

The Osprey-2000 delivers on many levels, from editing uncompressed video in AVI or Extended AVI formats; professional MPEG audio/video archiving and streaming applications, playback of high-quality MPEG -1 and MPEG-2 MP@ML files, transcoding from MPEG source files into RealVideo and Windows Media streaming formats "on-the-fly," and professional-grade analog and digital audio and video inputs.

Features of the new Osprey-2000 platform include:

Return to Table of Contents

ViewCast recently completed the Beta Testing Phase of the Osprey-2000 prior to it's official release at the end of March. We worked with StreamingMedia.com to provide them with an early beta version of the Osprey-2000 DV Pro board and software so they could do a "First Looks" product review.

See why Bill Bernat at StreamingMedia.com says, "ViewCast's Osprey-2000 capture solution has a voracious appetite for video and audio data, and it's omnivous, devouring everything from unbalanced analog audio to SDI video with embedded audio. The Osprey 2000 series exemplifies the high-end of video capture. The drivers are solid, the demo hardware worked perfectly, and the board’s performance is outstanding."

To see the full StreamingMedia.com review of the Osprey-2000 DV Pro click here.

Return to Table of Contents

ViewCast is preparing to launch a new area of the ViewCast.com web site called "ViewCast Cool Streaming Sites." This Cool Site page will feature web sites using ViewCast Niagara and Osprey products to create their streaming media content.

Why Become a ViewCast Cool Site?

If your web site is selected to be featured as a ViewCast Cool Site you will receive the following benefits:

1. Your web site will be featured as primary Cool Site for a minimum of two weeks.
2. We will implement a hyperlink to your site driving traffic from the ViewCast site to your site.
3. After your ViewCast Cool Site term expires, your Cool Site listing will go into the Cool Site archive listings and remain there for a full year.

If you are using Osprey or Niagara products to produce your web video content and are interested in becoming a "ViewCast Cool Streaming Site" click here to send us an email with your web site URL and contact information. Include the words "I want to be a ViewCast Cool Streaming Site!" on the subject line.

Return to Table of Contents

ViewCast Corporation recently announced a new strategic partnership with FOCUS Enhancements (NASDAQ: FCSE), formerly Videonics, that pairs ViewCast's new Niagara Streaming Systems™ - rackmount and portable plug-and-play streaming solutions for business - with the Videonics MXProDV™ Digital Video Mixer.

"The unique and potent combination of the Videonics MXProDV Digital Video Mixer and the Niagara Streaming Systems enables users to preserve the integrity of the DV signal from beginning to end and allows the creation of spectacular digital video effects in real time for virtually any streaming application," said Brett Moyer, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Focus Enhancements.

The MXProDV is a hardware-based solution that lets content producers perform on-the-fly switching and mixing of analog and DV video for live- and post-production applications. The video mixer features more than 500 digital transitions and effects. Among its many benefits, the MXProDV features IEEE 1394 (DV) input and output formats, built-in audio mixer with on-screen level meters, chroma key capabilities and dual-field time base correction (TBC).

ViewCast will demonstrate several configurations of the Niagara Streaming Systems and the Videonics MXProDV Digital Video Mixer at NAB2001 in Las Vegas. The Niagara and MXProDV combination will also be on display in the Videonics/Focus Enhancements Booth #S5309. Niagara Streaming Systems are currently available for shipping.

"Creating streaming content with state-of-the-art digital effects has never been easier for businesses," said George Platt, ViewCast President and Chief Executive Officer. "ViewCast's new Niagara Streaming Systems enable businesses to quickly, easily and affordably take immediate advantage of the efficiencies of streaming communications technologies to communicate corporate messages to internal and external audiences, provide network-based training, or utilize live or on-demand streaming content in ways that enhance the business process. The Videonics MXProDV Digital Video Mixer allows businesses to augment these communications with professional-caliber digital effects and provides an end-to-end digital streaming production solution."

The new Niagara Streaming Systems are an ideal platform for corporations, broadcasters, production houses, Internet ASPs, and content producers who are called on to create webcasts or repurpose broadcast content. The Niagara product family has configurable system solutions for almost every conceivable vertical market, including B2B video collaboration; Internet broadcasting; surveillance/security; distance learning; healthcare/telemedicine; encoding/production services, live webcasting and many others.

ViewCast Niagara Streaming Systems are fully integrated plug-and-play streaming solutions that come in industry-standard 1U, 2U, and 4U rackmount configurations or as unique portable systems. Niagara systems feature ViewCast's exclusive integrated SCX StreamControl, a remote workflow automation and control application and API. The SCX remote API includes both SNMP and XML interfaces. Systems come equipped with either RealProducer Plus 8.5 or Windows Media Encoder 7 and are powered by ViewCast's industry-leading Osprey Video capture or codec cards - including the new Osprey-2000 family of MPEG-2 codecs.

The Niagara Streaming System, combined with the Videonics MXProDV Digital Video Mixer and the Osprey-2000, provides a powerful, low-cost, turnkey solution that embraces the growing sector of professional media creators, broadcasters and production professionals seeking state-of-the-art streaming solutions.

Return to Table of Contents

You don't have to live in the Rockies to get pumped checking out extreme snowboarding or mountain biking. And you don't have to travel to Oahu's North Shore to get stoked watching ultra-pro bodyboarders and surfers. In fact, thanks to Sports3.com and ViewCast Osprey Video capture cards, you don't even have to leave your house to catch huge amounts of extreme sports action on-demand, 24/7.

Sports3 is the premiere Web site for viewing on-demand action sports videos - offering pure, non-editorialized content for action sports enthusiasts. In addition to free extreme sports videos, Sports3 offers a variety of streaming video solutions and content licensing. Sports3 provides end-to-end solutions for people in the action sports community.

As grueling as extreme sports are for the participants - delivering action via streaming video is even more challenging, as fast motion has long been the most difficult type of video to stream. It requires state-of-the-art capture and encoding technology. For that, Sports3 turned to industry-leading ViewCast Osprey Video technology.

Each month, more than 280,000 action sports enthusiasts log on to the Sports3 Web site, where they are able to view more than 750 action sports clips, downloadable on demand. Streaming video quality is essential to the site's success.

"We have been using an Osprey 100 for almost two years now, and I feel pretty confident in saying it has assisted us in putting together one of the most robust streaming sites on the net," said Harry Antipala, Sports3 general manager and director of business development. "The people that come to our site are perhaps the most video-active consumers that you can find. They take their cameras everywhere and film each other doing what they love. Most have computers but no way to get the video into the computer so they can do something with it."

Like Sports3's founders - Aaron Cooney, Bo Kjaer and Ray Ibe - Antipala lives the action sports lifestyle. Born and raised in Hawaii, Antipala spent three years as general manager and head of sales and marketing at Mike Stewart Inc., a company owned by nine-time world champion bodyboarder Mike Stewart. All of the Sports3 principles also have backgrounds in Internet development and streaming media technologies. So whether it's a skateboarding nollie kickflip or digital end-to-end encoding - Sports3 knows quality when it sees it.

When Antipala arrived at Sports3, the company already had an Osprey-100 card loaded. Always on the lookout to improve their product, Antipala looked for other capture/encoding solutions - but everywhere he turned, he encountered Osprey Video cards. "All the big companies were using the same Osprey products," he said.

While Osprey cards appeared to be the industry standard, in the end, quality was the determining factor in choosing Osprey.

"Quality was the bottom line without even considering price. Osprey quality is simply the best," said Antipala. "I liken this to military stuff - it just works it is simple without bells and whistles. Osprey cards enable us to accomplish our objectives without time wasted on troubleshooting. The Osprey card is never a bottle-neck and integrates seamlessly into the workflow."

Antipala is also high on ViewCast product support and product reliability.

"The product support has been great. We've been able to find any and all information through ViewCast technical support as well as through the company's Web site," he said. As for Osprey's reliability, Antipala said he couldn't even think of an instance that Sports3 has had a problem with dropped frames or any other potential problems that other streaming companies encounter.

The company currently uses Osprey-100 video cards with Windows Media 7 and a Windows 2000 server, a dual-processor Compaq Proliant 5500 server, and a full-on industrial server. Sports3 offers streaming video at multiple bitrates, including 28K, 56K, 110K and 300K. The Osprey-100 is a low-cost streaming video workhorse that can be found in nearly every corporate and professional streaming video production facility in the world. The popular card's many benefits include the ability to use multiple cards simultaneously in a single system, full frame video capture at 30 frames per second, PAL and NTSC supported video formats and image overlay capabilities.

While Sports3 currently utilizes the Osprey-100, the company is transitioning to the end-to-end digital encoding and advanced pre-processing capabilities of the Osprey-500. Streaming Media World online e-zine recently hailed the Osprey-500 as "the Rolls Royce of the industry." The Osprey-500, co-developed with Microsoft, is the first and only professional-level digital capture card specifically designed for Streaming Media on the Windows Media platform. The card offers enhanced scalability with digital audio and video on one card, hardware decode and repacking of all sources for optimal real-time encoding, multiple card support and professional-grade XLR and BNC connectors.

Each clip is approximately 650Mb, and currently stored in uncompressed AVI. As the number of archived clips increases, the company is also intrigued by the storage capabilities of the new MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 enabled Osprey-2000 cards. The Osprey-2000 is the industry's first product to combine the quality of MPEG with the power of streaming video. Digital or analog source feeds this powerful new MPEG-2 codec which integrates seamlessly with leading editing and streaming applications.

Antipala says Osprey's Video cards are a central focus of the company's business.

"Without Osprey, video does not get into the machine and we would not exist," he said. "We are continually looking to improve - and Osprey continues to develop state-of-the-art products that allow us to do so."

To view Sports3 Web Site click here.

Return to Table of Contents

Copyright 2001, ViewCast Corporation. This information is accurate at time of publishing and is subject to change without notice. Product names mention herein are used for identification purposes only and may be registered trademarks. All trademarks are property of their respective holders.