Wired board uses IBM MPEG2 decoder and costs $650! You could buy two CREAF/CUBE boards for about the same price...............
Wired introduces MPEG2 playback board for Win95 and
NT
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 14, 1997-- Expanding on their
MPEG product lines, Wired Incorporated today introduced MasonX (TM), a high-performance
MPEG playback board for Windows 95 (TM) and Windows NT (TM) computers.
MasonX decodes all MPEG streams and outputs high-resolution video and audio signals. MasonX
utilizes advanced hardware and software features to assure uninterrupted smooth movie playback
within a variety of system configurations.
"We are excited to be introducing the MasonX board for Windows 95 and NT," states Michael
Whittingham, Wired Inc's VP of Engineering. "With it's advanced technology, the MasonX board is
the ideal solution for all MPEG multimedia professionals."
Performance
MasonX offers the performance demanded by users who need the absolute best MPEG playback.
It utilizes 4 Megabytes of RAM memory, proprietary software driver designs, and an advanced
single chip MPEG audio and video decoder from IBM Microelectronics to deliver jitter-free movie
playback, even when operating as a background task. This allows simultaneous operation with other
computer activities, like network operations with video servers, computer graphics animation for
kiosks, and multi-board multi-stream playback.
MasonX decodes any MPEG1 or MPEG2 stream, including Transport, Program, System, and
Elementary streams. Even CD-I, Video-CD, and DVD streams can be decoded and played with
MasonX.
Software
MasonX comes with MasonApp, a full featured MPEG player application. Multi-speed playback,
Cue, Loop, Step, and Pause are some of the features of MasonApp which comes bundled with
every MasonX board.
Also available is a technical API (Application Programming Interface) for the board. The Mason
API allows programmers direct access to all the features of MasonX for creation of custom
applications and projects. This API has been tested and used in thousands of MPEG installations in
the past 5 years.
Multi-Platform operation
MasonX was originally introduced in 1995 for the Macintosh (TM) platform to compliment Wired's
MPEG decoder and encoder product lines. Continual demands from PC customers for a better
performing MPEG decoder card convinced us to make MasonX Win95 and WinNT compatible.
"We asked our customers what features they wanted to see in our next product releases," states
Mark Bain, President of Wired Inc. "A large majority stated they wanted a high-performance
MPEG board for Windows 95 and NT. So that's what we gave them with MasonX."
MPEG professionals, as most computer users, are hesitant to purchase a product that works on
only one platform. By expanding Wired's 6 years of MPEG technology into the Windows market,
the end customer benefits from their experiences.
More Software
Because Wired chose to keep their API compatible with their line of Macintosh products, previous
Macintosh software can be easily ported over to Win95 or NT. Look for additional PC software for
MasonX that will be released by other third-parties in 1998.
Availability and Pricing
MasonX is available now for immediate delivery and includes Windows 95 and Macintosh software.
Windows NT software for MasonX will be available this Dec '97. MasonX is US$750 in single
units. Substantial discounts are available for qualified resellers and computer developers/VARs.
Windows upgrades for previous MasonX users are available for US$50, single units.
Wired Inc. is the number one supplier of MPEG solutions for the Macintosh market and has been
engineering MPEG and digital video solutions since 1991. Since then, they have expanded their
product lines to include several MPEG1 and MPEG2 decoders, along with 2 real-time audio and
video MPEG2 encoders.
For additional information on all Wired products, please visit the Wired Inc. web site at
www.wiredinc.com. Or you may contact the company directly at 650.969.9300. Fax
650.969.0119.
Note to Editors:
Wired Inc, MasonX, and MasonApp, are trademarks of Wired Incorporated. Windows 95 and
Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Additional company and
product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are
respectfully acknowledged.
CONTACT: Wired Inc.
Mark Bain, 650/969-9300
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