November 2003

Volume 7

In this Issue:


Turn your Osprey-100 into a
Multi-Channel Capture Card

i-Catcher Video Server software allows
you to capture images from all four ports of your Osprey-100 - simultaneously
!


It may be desirable to have more than one camera installed for monitoring purposes, but doing so might involve a lot of additional hardware just to allow more than one camera to capture.

i-Catcher Video Server for Osprey Video is a solution to this hardware problem.
i-Catcher Video Server operates directly with multi-port Osprey Video capture cards, and presents each of these ports as a single network video source, allowing a single computer to become the source of four video feeds per instance of i-Catcher Video Server. For example using the Osprey-100 which offers four composite video inputs, you can run up to four instances. You can increase the number of sources a single computer can provide up to sixteen if you install four Osprey-100 cards. You simply enter the host, port, and address of the specific camera into i-Catcher Sentry, and i-Catcher Video Server runs transparently like any other local or network video source.

i-Catcher Video Server is a multi-camera video image serving solution, that integrates with Osprey Video capture cards and i-Catcher software product range.

i-Catcher Video Server uses a direct interface to multi-input Osprey cards to capture video images and serve them via an embedded web server. These images can then be used by any application capable of retrieving JPEG images via HTTP.

i-Catcher Video Server can be downloaded for a 21-day trial or you can purchase a fully-licensed version. Purchase the Osprey-100 Security Bundle and get the i-Catcher Video Server software FREE!

For more information on Osprey Video cards, click here.
For more information on i-Catcher Video Server, click here.


Courthouse Implements Video
Arraignment Technology

Implementation of Viewpoint VBX System for Video Arraignment Provides Efficiency and Security for N.C. District 27A Judicial District, Gaston County Courthouse, Gastonia, N. C.

With growing court dockets, judicial districts are faced with less time to handle more cases, along with higher costs to maintain proper levels of security. This is especially true when jail cases require inmate movement from the jail to the courtroom for arraignments. In fact, the majority of a county jail inmate movement is for court appearances.

For example, on any given Monday, Judicial District 27A, Gastonia, N.C., processes approximately fifty jail cases requiring inmate movement to courtrooms for a first-appearance hearing.

In a typical arraignment proceeding, the judge calls for the accused at a set time. The correction officers must shackle the inmate and transport him or her to the courtroom. This procedure can be physically dangerous for the officers, and the risk of inmate escape is ever present. Following the arraignment, the inmate is returned to the correctional facility to await release or trial, with the same transport dangers being present.

Video communications from ViewCast provides the procedural efficiency sought by Courts to handle increasing caseloads, while also delivering security through its application to video arraignment. ViewCast's video arraignment application allows the inmate, who remains at the corrections facility, to interface with the judge, the prosecutor, and the defense attorney, through networked video communications. Since inmate transportation is not required, risks to officers transporting and standing with the defendant during a normal arraignment proceeding is removed. Also, by keeping the accused in the confines of the jail, his or her human dignity can be better preserved, since there is no entering into a courtroom in an orange suit, handcuffs, and shackles.

For their video arraignment needs, Judicial District 27A in Gastonia, N.C., implemented a Viewpoint VBX system from ViewCast Corporation. The system consists of a VBX Enterprise Server connecting video enabled laptop computers at the Prosecution and Defense desks to video enabled computers with flat panel displays on the Judge's bench and Clerk's desk in the courtroom. At the Jail, a casehardened video-enabled computer client is also connected through a fiber link to the VBX Enterprise Server.

Prior to the Judge entering the court, the Clerk makes a simple video call to the Jail Computer where the inmates are assembled. Through this "face to face" connection the Clerk completes any swearing in process and subsequently connects the Judge, Prosecution, Defense, and Jail computers in a four way video conference call. This is accomplished by using a VBX Call Commander, a computer application resembling a PBX telephone. This "connecting process" takes less than one (1) minute to complete. All screens display the images of the Judge and Prosecutor in the two right quadrants and the Defendant and Council in the left quadrants. The miniature cameras mounted at each of the video enabled computers are all connected through the VBX Enterprise Server to produce video images at 30fps, the equivalent of watching a DVD on your home television screen.

The proceedings commence as if all participants were physically present in the courtroom. Even those seated in the courtroom gallery can view and hear the proceedings on a large video monitor that displays the exact same images as the video enabled computer screens, with the audio being channeled through the courtroom sound system.
Based on the design of the Viewpoint VBX system, the accused can see the judge, as well as the defense attorney, prosecutor and any witnesses, if called. Since the defendant is not transported to the courtroom, he or she avoids any contact with the public or the media.

At a cost of approximately $65,000, the Viewpoint VBX equipment installed in Judicial District 27A was purchased with County funds allocated over a three (3) year capital-planning budget. This technology benefits local taxpayers, since the budgeted expense for transporting inmates to and from court for arraignment is eliminated. The ongoing use of the video arraignment system will actually reduce the cost of maintaining security, reduce security risks, and will allow the use of officer man hours for security in other courtrooms and for use in the overall security of the District 27A Courthouse Law Enforcement Complex. "Our concern for the efficient use of the courtroom and personnel drives us to seek better and safer methods for processing cases", said Chief District Court Judge Dennis Redwing, "and the use of video for arraignment enhances the timely processing of court cases, increases security, and reduces expenses. As an added cost savings benefit, the particular video communications technology implemented in District 27A will allow expansion to include other criminal and juvenile court proceedings, and civil pretrial and trial proceedings".

The deployment of video arraignment services helps both courts and the corrections facilities provide timely and safe arraignment and bond hearings. By utilizing this technology, inmate transportation costs are eliminated, security for all participants is enhanced, and defendants receive their first appearance before judges without many of the movements and delays previously associated with in-courtroom arraignment proceedings.

For more information on Viewpoint VBX, click here.
To request information on Viewpoint VBX, click here.

ViewCast Boosts Processing Power on Niagara Streaming Systems
Niagara Streaming Systems Feature Increased CPU Power and Hyper-Threading Technology!

ViewCast recently updated 4200 series Niagara Streaming System to Pentium 4, 2.4 GHz processors with increased front side bus performance motherboards. These systems now ship with Windows XP Pro which allows users to take advantage of the much acclaimed Hyper-Threading Technology from Intel®.

Faster clock speeds are an important way to deliver more computing power. But clock speed is only half the story. The other route to higher performance is to accomplish more work on each clock cycle, and that's where Hyper-Threading Technology comes in. A single processor supporting Hyper-Threading Technology presents itself to modern operating systems and applications as two virtual processors. The processor can work on two sets of tasks simultaneously, use resources that otherwise would sit idle, and get more work done in the same amount of time. Hyper-Threading means greater resource utilization which equals greater performance and responsiveness.

Our lab tests have demonstrated about 25% to 30% performance increase by enabling Hyper-Threading on Niagara Streaming Systems.

Here are the improved Niagara models:


Niagara 4222RW

This powerful streaming system provides two channels of audio & video streaming plus advanced video/audio capture card capabilities. It also features two Osprey-230 streaming capture cards.

Combined with Osprey SimulStream, you can input two video sources and create several streams from those two sources at different bitrates and in different streaming formats. For example, encode 4 QCIF streams (or other resolutions) per channel for multi-stream output.

A/V Inputs:
(2) Composite video (BNC), (2) S-Video, (2 pair) Unbalanced stereo (RCA), (2 pair) Balanced stereo (XLR)


Niagara 4225RW

This versatile streaming system provides two-channel advanced video/audio capture from analog, DV and professional digital sources. It also features the high-performance capabilities of the Osprey-560 streaming capture card.

A/V Inputs:
(2) Composite video (BNC), (2) S-Video, (2) DV (IEEE 1934), (2) SDI with embedded audio, (2) Unbalanced stereo audio (RCA), (2) Balanced stereo audio (XLR), (2) Professional digital audio (AES/EBU)

Video processing capabilities for both of these systems include HW scaling & cropping, color space conversion, and bitmap overlay.

For more information about the Niagara 4222RW, click here.

For more information about the Niagara 4225RW, click here.


SimulStream Evaluation
Software Now Available Online!

Try Before You Buy! Enable the Multi-Streaming Capabilities of your Osprey!

Osprey SimulStream is the first premium software upgrade available extending the capabilities of Osprey Video capture cards. SimulStream enables a single Osprey Video card to output multiple instances of audio and video data from a single input source to multiple applications.

SimulStream enables any number of applications to simultaneously access an Osprey device as if each application was the sole user of the device.

For example, any number of WindowsMedia Encoder applications as well as Real System Producer applications can be run at the same time on a single board.

This dramatically improves workflow and increases encoding density for those doing large amounts of streaming at multiple bitrate and/or multiple formats.

Free Trial Version of SimulStream is Available Online!

ViewCast offers a fully functional trial version of SimulStream for you to test multi-streaming capabilities.

IMPORTANT: SimulStream requires that you have an Osprey streaming capture card installed in your system.

To enable SimulStream, you will first need to meet the following requirements:

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Copyright � 2003, 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.
� 2003 ViewCast Corporation - All Rights Reserved.