So it seems that all kinds of Internet VVoIP (Voice/Video over IP) are starting to take off ... Microsoft released their new version of NetMeeting, and now White Pine continues to push out their all-software conferencing server ...
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White Pine Marks Milestone in H.323 Conferencing With Continuous Presence and Streaming Media
Integration; MeetingPoint 4.0 Ships to Bring Wide Spectrum of Business Benefits
Tuesday, July 6, 1999 08:14 AM
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NASHUA, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 6, 1999--White Pine Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: WPNE), a leading provider of multimedia
conferencing applications for the Internet and intranets, today announced its MeetingPoint(TM) server version 4.0 for enhanced IP-based
videoconferencing and group collaboration.
The newest version of MeetingPoint includes ground-breaking technology which changes the face of communication over corporate
networks and the Internet. In addition to core optimizations, MeetingPoint 4.0 includes add-on components for specialized functions.
These include continuous presence, the ability to view multiple video windows simultaneously, and streaming media integration, features
that have not previously been available for standards-based conferencing over the Internet or an IP network. Both enhance the
conferencing experience for end-users and extend the potential reach of live, face-to-face communication exponentially. Version 4.0 of
MeetingPoint also includes full integration of the Labtam T.120 technology that White Pine purchased last year. This integration improves
the performance and scalability for data collaboration across networks.
"This version of MeetingPoint marks a milestone in H.323 conferencing," said Roger Wallman, senior product manager for core
technologies at White Pine. "We've gone beyond basic audio, video and data sharing functionality and created an environment which
allows people to communicate effectively from different locations on a network and to customize their conferencing experience based on
specific needs. By making these add-on options available, MeetingPoint is the first multimedia conference server to provide a full range of
solutions that can meet almost any group conferencing or collaboration need."
The continuous presence option for MeetingPoint enables the server to combine four streams of video into one split-screen image that is
delivered to participating client endpoints. Standard H.323 endpoints such as Microsoft NetMeeting and Intel Proshare, which have
previously been limited to showing a single incoming video window, can now show multiple video windows. MeetingPoint with continuous
presence allows the end user a more user-friendly and intuitive conference experience than traditional video switching. If there are more
than four participants in a conference, the end user will see the last four participants who have spoken.
"The ability to have continuous presence is extremely important in the conferencing environments we're installing," said Vincent Mosera,
lead engineer at Mitre Corp. in Eatontown, NJ. "MeetingPoint 4.0 delivers superior performance in a software-based H.323
implementation, which is advantageous from the standpoint of our network topology, and it makes it easy for the end user to establish and
participate in a conference."
With the option for integration of streaming media, MeetingPoint is able to broadcast a live interactive conference to hundreds or even
thousands of people using a streaming media server and player such as the Microsoft(R) NetShow(TM) Server and a Windows Media
Player. Conferences can be broadcast live, or recorded and played back on demand. Because the Windows Media Player is widely
available as a free applet, it extends the possibilities for conferencing and communication to a much wider audience. This combination of
technologies, with both an interactive group of participants and a viewing group of participants, lends itself to a number of corporate and
Internet scenarios.
"With products such as White Pine's MeetingPoint 4.0, corporations can take advantage of running their H.323 videoconferencing
applications over packet-switched networks," said Greg Naderi, IT market analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "Also, by leveraging version 2 of
H.323, MeetingPoint 4.0 will be able to offer "fast start" and supplementary services such as call hold, call retrieve, and call transfer.
Optimized multi-media, multi-party communication applications are the ingredients that will drive enterprise adoption of desktop
videoconferencing. White Pine understands these elements and has developed an efficient software-based business conferencing solution
around this environment."
MeetingPoint 4.0 also includes full integration of the T.120 server technology that White Pine acquired from Labtam Communications last
year. White Pine's T.120 acquisition has brought core intellectual property and technology assets in-house and allowed for tighter
integration of data collaboration within MeetingPoint. The new T.120 integration provides better performance, particularly in
environments where multiple MeetingPoint servers are linked or cascaded within the network. The resulting benefit to end users is the
ability to share documents and work collaboratively from different physical locations.
Within the core MeetingPoint product, enhancements include H.323 version 2 support, a new conference call-out capability, optimized
audio and video performance, and compatibility with newly released H.323 clients including Microsoft NetMeeting(TM) version 3.0 and
the Polycom ViewStation(TM). The H.323 protocol is the standard that defines IP-based conferencing. MeetingPoint now supports version
2 of H.323, which primarily deals with issues relating to Voice over IP (VoIP). The new call-out feature enables the MeetingPoint server to
initiate a conference at the scheduled time by dynamically calling all of the conference participants. Previously, participants would enter a
conference by initiating the connection to the MeetingPoint server from the client endpoint. The callout feature also enables participants
in an existing conference to dial another endpoint on the fly to bring a colleague into the meeting.
Pricing and Availability
MeetingPoint version 4.0 is available immediately for the Windows NT and Sun Solaris operating systems. A Linux version of
MeetingPoint will be available later in the year. The MeetingPoint server is affordably priced, ranging from $8,995 for a 10-user server to
$15,995 for a 25-user server. The continuous presence and streaming options are $4,995 each.
About White Pine Software
White Pine Software develops, markets and supports multi-platform browser-based internetworking software that facilitates worldwide video
and audio communication and data collaboration across the Internet, intranets, extranets and other networks that use the Internet Protocol.
White Pine's videoconferencing software products, CU-SeeMe(R) Pro and MeetingPoint, create a client-server solution that allows users to
participate in real-time, multi-point video, audio and data conferences over the Internet and intranets. White Pine's ClassPoint(TM)
provides a complete solution for corporate training and distance learning. White Pine Software can be found on the World Wide Web at
wpine.com.
All trademarks are recognized.
CONTACT: White Pine Software
Tanya Prather, 603/886-9050 ext. 359
tprather@wpine.com
or
Merritt Group
Alisa Valudes, 703/435-6000 ext. 115
valudes@merrittgrp.com
Quote for referenced ticker symbols: WPNE
© 1999, Business Wire
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Scott C. Lemon |
