Argon MPEG2/DVD encoder board for $4999..........
Wired, Inc. Introduces ARGON, the Industry's Least Expensive
MPEG2/DVD Realtime Encoder
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 7, 1998--Wired, Inc. introduces "ARGON", the industry's smallest
and most affordable MPEG2/DVD realtime audio and video encoder.
ARGON(TM) captures and compresses video and audio signals into fully compatible MPEG1 or MPEG2 bitstreams for
DVD authoring or media network transmission.
ARGON
ARGON is a single short PCI card that operates in PowerMac(R), Windows 95(R), Windows NT(R), and Linux computers.
Utilizing the latest MPEG encoding technology, ARGON encodes video in realtime into MPEG1 or MPEG2 streams, CBR
(Constant Bit Rate) or VBR (Variable Bit Rate), from 128kb/s up to 15Mb/s. ARGON also encodes audio in realtime into
MPEG1 or PCM streams, 32KHz, 44.1KHz, and 48KHz sample rates.
Included with the hardware board is a complete, easy to use, software application for realtime creation of a variety of MPEG
streams (Elementary Video & Audio, Multiplexed System and Program streams).
The ARGON software also allows realtime preview of the encoded material for review before recording. [Simultaneous encode/decode -- sounds like CUBE.] Also available is a
complete API for incorporating the ARGON encoding board within custom applications.
"Previously, MPEG2 compressing a video for use within a multimedia product, corporate presentation, or DVD project
required an outside video post-production shop at over $100 per minute or expensive systems exceeding $40,000," states
Mark Bain, Wired Inc. president.
"With ARGON's innovative design and feature packed software, MPEG2 compression can now be done easily and
inexpensively on any computer desktop."
MPEG2 Everywhere
The proliferation of MPEG2 video into households and corporate America is at an all time high. Direct satellite broadcasts
(DirecTV, Primestar) and DVD have invaded normal family life, while Network Media Distribution (Video On Demand,
distance learning) is becoming very popular with corporate networked computer systems.
While the MPEG2 decoding market has grown substantially, the MPEG2 encoding market is limited because of the high costs
involved. Typical MPEG2 encoding systems range from $25,000 to $500,000, with the average around $40,000. The current
most popular DVD authoring system sells for over $200,000. These costs have restricted content developers to leasing
encoding time at $100/min, or to somehow finance an expensive encoding system.
With ARGON, Wired has broken through this barrier and lowered the entry fee for personal MPEG2/DVD encoding. A
complete 2 board encoding/decoding set, including ARGON and MasonX, sells for $4999, substantially less than any other
MPEG2 realtime encoder/decoder arrangement. Corporations and casual users can now afford to own a high-quality
MPEG2/DVD encoding station for the price of having a single stream encoded with an outside source.
Realtime Encoding
ARGON captures, compresses, and multiplexes, video and audio in realtime; in other words 1 hour of video and audio is
captured, MPEG2 compressed, multiplexed, and stored, in 1 hour. No additional processing time is required. Software only
encoding systems typically encode at a rate of 150:1. This means a 1 hour video will take 1 WEEK to encode!! The realtime
operation of ARGON gives the content producer immediate access to their MPEG files for quick incorporation into their
multimedia project.
More...........
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