30-Oct-00 at 11:37:00 11:43
Galaxy's Moby Dark unveils new broadcast technology
Symbol: YGO U/GLXOF
Industry: MLM
Subject: PDT
News release via Canada NewsWire, Toronto 416-863-9350 -ME-
Attention Business/Technology Editors:
Moby Dark Broadcast Division Field Tests
Optical Tracking Technology at Indy Racing League Finale
Trading Symbol CDNX:YGO
TORONTO, Oct. 30 /CNW/ - Moby Dark Inc., a division of Galaxy OnLine
Inc., announced today that it has successfully field tested a new technology
which will enhance the quality and enjoyment of broadcast sporting events, and
open up new opportunities for broadcast revenues. The project, code named
"LightSpeed", is the first to enable broadcasters to dynamically attach
graphics to moving objects within the on-air "field of view". The live trial
occurred on Sunday October 15, 2000, at the Excite 500, the final race of the
Indy Racing League/Northern Light Series in Fort Worth, Texas.
The system uses a sophisticated combination of Infrared emitters and
high-speed cameras integrated with television production equipment. The event
broadcaster outfits each racing vehicle with tracking equipment, before the
event. Traditional broadcast terms for such an application include "traveling"
or "flying mattes/chromakey boxes", referring to 'on-air graphics that move'.
Historically, "traveling mattes" have only been inserted into broadcast
television content during the non real-time, post-production process. This
technology has a significant potential market that could increase Galaxy's
revenue growth next year.
"With a short deployment window the broadcast group overcame substantial
engineering and logistical issues in designing technology for a very hostile
environment, a race car". Commented Allen Kool, Senior Broadcast Engineer for
MDI. He added "This technology will have a major impact on the way we watch
sporting events on television". The patent pending technology was developed by
MDI's London Ontario based Broadcast Design Team led by Allen Kool and Doug
Leverton, MDI's Senior Design Engineer and the inventor of this technology.
With the cooperation of Cahill Racing (http://www.cahillracing.com),, the
No. 98 car driven by Donnie Beechler was outfitted with MDI's on-board optical
tracking device. This technology enabled the tracking cameras to automatically
identify the No. 98 car every time it passed within the broadcast cameras'
field of view. This digital video effect (DVE) system added the No. 98
Beechler graphic to the broadcast camera feed each time the infrared camera
locked on the specially outfitted optical pod on board the No. 98 car.
One of the key components in completing the testing schedule on time was
the use of the "AlladinPro" DVE system, developed by Pinnacle Systems Inc.
(Nasdaq: PCLE) (http://www.pinnaclesys.com).. The DVE, as employed, inserts
into the live-to-air broadcast signal the graphic that would follow the No. 98
car across the field of view. MDI will continue to work with Pinnacle Systems
to further optimize their systems with the utilization of the tracking
application.
MDI's technology offers the ability to enhance the broadcast experience
through the real-time 'injection' of salient, static visual information,
beyond the level of any other currently displayed during sports events. Moby
Dark has innovated the process of identifying, tracking and dynamically
applying real-time 'captioning' information, during a live event, to
individual moving objects within a single physical space hosting multiple
moving objects. The result can be described as a form of environment-wide;
"Pop Up Video captioning" integrated with and controlled via real-time
telemetry.
MDI began research and development for the project approximately 6 months
ago at the invitation of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway television production
unit, TELX Sports.
Moby Dark is currently scheduling other live-to-air testing opportunities
in conjunction with various broadcasting groups. Completion of testing and
licensing of the tracking technology will be in time for the upcoming 2001
sports broadcast schedules.
About Pinnacle Systems:
-----------------------
Pinnacle Systems' broadcast, desktop, and consumer products provide video
professionals and consumers cutting-edge digital video tools to create, store,
distribute and view web enabled digital video easier and more affordably than
ever before. Pinnacle Systems may be reached at (650) 526-1600 or on the World
Wide Web at www.pinnaclesys.com.
About Cahill Racing:
--------------------
Larry Cahill of Cedar Rapids, Iowa has been involved with racing for four
decades. His career began in the early 1960s when he owned and drove sprint
cars with his brother, Ken. As the restaurant business the brothers owned grew
during the 1970s, business demands kept the brothers from driving, but they
continued to win championships as car owners. Larry Cahill returned to driving
in the late 1970s, and finished fourth on the World of Outlaws circuit in
1982. Cahill has been involved in Indy Lights, and Olympic decathlon champion
Bruce Jenner drove his SCCA Corvette. For more information, please visit the
company's website at cahillracing.com..
About Moby Dark and Galaxy OnLine:
----------------------------------
Established in 1998, Moby Dark (MDI) was acquired by Galaxy OnLine Inc.,
in March of this year. MDI is the research and development division of Galaxy
OnLine Inc. MDI has two products that are being commercialized: the MDZR
wireless IP router ("MDZR"), the LIFE.stre.am live streaming media server. The
MDZR wireless IP router has now been independently tested by The Tolly Group
(www.tolly.com) and is scheduled for commercial production in November 2000.
The router is less expensive and superior to any comparable router in the
market today. The LIFE.stre.am technology allows for seamless live TV quality
picture with MP3 audio without a plug-in. At the core of Moby Dark's
networking products is MobyBSD. This is an operating system that utilizes
disk-on-chip technology to optimize the performance of its products in a
networked environment. Moby Dark plans to begin commercialization of the
broadcast tracking technology by the end of Q1 2001. For more information,
please visit mobydark.com .
Galaxy OnLine Inc. is an emerging provider of enhanced broadband wireless
Internet connectivity solutions that will utilize proprietary wireless
products and live streaming video technologies developed by its wholly-owned
subsidiary, Moby Dark Inc. For more information, please visit the company's
website at galaxyonlineinc.com .
The Canadian Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements", as
defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance
that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
%SEDAR: 00003796E
-0- 10/30/2000
/For further information: Contact Galaxy OnLine Inc (CDN): Kam Gill,
Director of Investor Relations, Phone: (416) 861-1031, Email:
invest(at)galaxyinternet.net; Contact Galaxy OnLine Inc (USA): Alan Filson,
Director of Investor Relations, Phone: (888) 573-0369, Email:
afilson49(at)aol.com; Contact Moby Dark: Damian O'Gorman, V.P Business
Development, Phone: (416) 640-5400, Email: damian(at)mobydark.com/
(YGO. GLXOF) |
