Sony Announces Launch Into Videoconferencing Set-Top Market
Business Editors
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 1999--MultiMediaCom,
(Booth No. 609)--Adding to its family of award-winning
videoconferencing systems, Sony Electronics announced today its
worldwide launch into the set-top market with its plug and play
videoconferencing system, the PCS-1500. Weighing in at only 6lbs 10oz,
the PCS-1500 is one of the most compact set-top videoconferencing
systems in the world.
About the size of a textbook, the system is H.320 compliant as
well as H.323 ready (with full H.323 capability planned for October
1999). Sony's PCS-1500 videoconferencing system is priced under $5,000
and is designed with ease of use in mind.
"As videoconferencing becomes a mainstream technology with
international reach, the profile of the videoconferencing user is
expanding," said Glenn Adamo, vice president of videoconferencing for
Sony's Broadcast and Professional Company. "Sony has created this new
system to meet the demands of the variety of users asking for
high-quality set-top, plug and play systems at an affordable price
point."
Features
The PCS-1500 is the industry's first set-top videoconferencing
system to offer a dockable pan/tilt/zoom camera. Whether docked to the
station or mounted strategically in the room, the camera can follow a
subject, allowing him or her to move freely. Auto-tracking motion
detection, automatic back-light compensation, auto focus, built-in 12x
zoom lens and resolution of more than 460 TV lines provide image
quality and a natural meeting environment.
The system is supplied with a compact, Remote Commander(R) unit
that is as easy to use as a television remote. All command functions,
including easy install, dialing, camera select and control,
picture-in-picture, volume, microphone control, and basic Sony
Trinitron(R) television controls are available on the remote.
Future Ready
The new system is H.320 compliant and is H.323 ready (with full
H.323 capability planned for October 1999). The H.323 board option
enables videoconferencing over local area networks (LAN) and wide area
networks (WAN). The H.323 option also incorporates Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP) that allows IS specialists to manage their
network environments while employing videoconferencing. An optional
V.35 interface is also available to support dedicated networks.
System Capabilities and Options
The basic system runs at speeds of up to 128kbps at 15 frames per
second (fps) and is available in two additional versions, the
PCS-1500U (PCS-1500-Upgraded) and the PCS-1500ME (PCS-1500-Multiple
Endpoints). The PCS-1500U is capable of 384kpbs at 30fps and
PCS-1500ME is also capable of running at speeds of up to 384kbps, and
has built-in, standards based multipoint functionality.
An enhanced built-in multipoint feature on the PCS-1500ME,
technology first brought to market by Sony in its award winning
TriniCom(R) 5100Plus System, allows up to four H.320 standard sites to
participate in a videoconference without using an external bridge or
bridging service.
All three versions offer an optional wireless document station,
the PCS-DS150, with a built-in VGA/SVGA/XVGA scan converter. The
document station, with built-in 18x zoom lens, provides 470 lines of
resolution and is ideal for 3D-object capture and graphics display.
The wireless capability allows the user to bring the station to the
conference table or work area.
PowerPoint(R) Presentation, or any other PC-based presentation,
can be easily integrated into the videoconference by simply connecting
a PC/laptop to the document station. In another industry first, image
transmission of the presentation is continuous, about every four
seconds on 128K transmission and about every second on 384K. This
allows the presenter the freedom to concentrate on the presentation
without concern for manually advancing to the next slide.
Function keys for control are located on the remote control as
well as on the document station.
Fast and Efficient
According to Adamo, PCS-1500 integrates the use of the new H.263
standard in the codec algorithm to provide visible improvement of the
display in moving subjects at speeds from 128 kbps up to 384kbps.
Pricing and Availability
The PCS-1500 will be available in June from authorized Sony
videoconferencing resellers, at a suggested retail price of $ 4,995.
PCS-1500U is also available in June at a suggested retail price of
$7,995. PCS-1500ME and the PCS-DS150 document station will be
available in September, at a suggested list price of $ 9,995 and $
3,199 respectively. |
