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Technology Stocks : C-Cube -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Philipc who wrote (24317)	10/24/1997 11:50:00 AM
From: John	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50808

As David N. would say.....REALITY! Just maybe, the market thinks Soft DVD can work. Pretty powerful stuff when both Intel and Microsoft are postioned to integrate SoftDVD into their products. Regards....John P.S. I don't think you need a $6,000 computer anymore for Soft DVD (look at Compaq <$3,500)...IMO, by spring 1998, under $2,000. Guess you're funny slogan is going to change, right David?

To: Philipc who wrote (24317)	10/24/1997 12:30:00 PM
From: BillyG	Respond to of 50808

For more detailed Mediamatics info, go to this link. See block diagrams, etc. mediamatics.com Player Features Data Sheet Products ÿ DVDExpress A/V Player Data Sheet The Mediamatics' DVDExpressT A/V Player is the industry's leading software MPEG-2 and DVD playback solution for the Entertainment PC. The DVDExpress A/V Player is a software only, full implementation of the ISO 11172 for MPEG-1, ISO 13818 for MPEG-2 and MP@ML for DVD video and audio standards. Building on the DVDExpress Audio Player, the DVDExpress A/V Player adds software video decoding to the Dolby qualified AC3 and MPEG-2 audio decoder to provide a complete software-only solution. The MMX optimized video decoder is designed to work with current as well as the new MPEG-2 accelerated graphic controllers, providing the best quality and performance in every solution. The audio component of the DVDExpress A/V Player decodes all AC3, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 audio streams removing the need for any hardware audio decoders. The decoded audio stream can be played in stereo mode or Dolby Pro-Logic Surround Sound through a 2 channel interface, or it can be played in full AC3 Surround Sound through a 6 channel audio card or through a SPDIF interface to an AC3 receiver. The DVDExpress A/V Player is an integral part of Mediamatics' overall DVD roadmap, which builds on its leading MPEG technology. Given this technological leadership and Mediamatics' established partners and customers, this product is well positioned to be the choice among the industry as the low cost, software alternative to hardware decoders. >>SNIP<< DVDExpress A/V Player - A Complete DVD Solution Mediamatics' DVDExpress A/V Player is the most comprehensive software MPEG-2 and AC3 audio and video decoder available. It provides full decoding for different audio and video stream formats and provides decoded output streams to a variety of sound systems. Decodes MPEG-2 And MPEG-1 Video Streams DVDExpress A/V Player decodes all MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and DVD compliant video streams. This complete solution works seamlessly between current MPEG-1, VideoCD and CDi content as well as new MPEG-2 and DVD audio and video streams. The DVD Express A/V Player automatically detects the different formats and plays the content without any further interactions from the user. Supports A Variety Of Graphic Controller Architectures Today's PCs were able to achieve hardware quality software-only MPEG-1 with the help of video accelerated graphic controllers. With a little added cost, XY scaling and Color Space Conversion (CSC) were integrated into the graphic controllers. All of a sudden, full-motion video with software-only MPEG-1 players was achieved. Now, all basic graphic chips have these functions on board. The next step, which provides similar accelerator power needed for MPEG-2 software-only solutions, is moving the next block of the MPEG-2 decoding stream to the graphic controller, known as motion compensation. We refer to these new breed of graphic controllers as MPEG-2 Accelerated. Mediamatics' design architecture provides optimal performance by minimizing the gates required for implementation of motion compensation logic into the graphics controller. Based on Mediamatics' Motion Video Collaborative Compression Architecture (MVCCAT), this technology enables graphic controller manufacturers to achieve a "best-of-breed" solution. Mediamatics' DVDExpress product family is designed to achieve optimum performance with whatever video acceleration is in the system. Working closely with graphic controller manufacturers, Mediamatics' design plays with all of these solutions, taking advantage of whatever hardware acceleration is incorporated into the graphics chip, video accelerator, bus mastering/YUV planar support, motion compensation or MVCCA technology. Multiple Audio Stream Formats On the audio input side, the DVDExpress A/V Player is designed to accept compressed audio steams that have been encoded as AC3, MUSICAM, MPEG-1 or MPEG-2. No other audio decoders are needed. This flexibility gives the system designer the ability to incorporate the DVD player into many different solutions without restrictions. With the emergence of DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), it is important that multiple audio formats are supported. Different countries are standardizing on different formats, therefore, solutions will need to provide comprehensive coverage. The DVDExpress A/V Player provides this, in one solution, in software. Multiple Audio Output Formats DVD solutions fit into numerous entertainment products. DVD can be used in offices, in schools and in the home, working in both the living room and the kids'room. DVD can be used for entertainment, for education and for training. All of these solutions fit into different environments and have different sound interface needs. The DVDExpress A/V Player meets all of these solutions. After it decodes all 5.1 channels of compressed audio streams, it formats the data in a variety of ways for output. The 5.1 channels can be down-mixed to 2 channels for output to standard stereo speakers, which are found on most PCs that have audio capabilities. Or the data can be output as 2 channel Dolby Pro-Logic to Surround Sound receivers found in many homes today. The decoded data can also be sent to 6 channel audio cards for true Surround Sound experience directly from of a PC. For the more sophisticated user who has a receiver with built-in AC3 decoding, the data can be formatted in SPDIF format and transmitted to an SPDIF compatible receiver. With this flexibility, DVDExpress A/V Player fits into any design imaginable. Dolby AC3 Level C Certification DVDExpress A/V Player audio decoder engine has been certified by Dolby Laboratories as compliant with their audio quality standards. The Dolby Digital audio standard specifies how digital audio information can be encoded and decoded in order to maintain fidelity with the original audio content. Dolby Digital is an integral component of DVD solutions, therefore the DVDExpress A/V Player allows system manufacturers to obtain Dolby certification for their solutions. MCI and ActiveMovie Support DVD and MPEG-2 solutions are coming to market faster than originally expected. Microsoft will provide the support for software video and audio decoders through the ActiveMovie interface. These components will be provided as ActiveMovie filters. The DVDExpress A/V Player will provide these filters. Additionally, the need for DVD solutions is outpacing the introduction of the ActiveMovie interface for these filters. In order to allow early introduction of these solutions, Mediamatics' designed an MCI interface for the DVDExpress A/V Player. By providing support for both standards, designers are guaranteed compatibility for today's solutions as well as for the future. Performance The DVDExpress A/V Player has been designed to provide optimum performance with any MMX-based PC. Its scaleable design takes advantage of CPU processing power as well as accelerated features integrated into the graphic controllers. Several video controls allow system manufacturers to select the best performance setting for their particular system configuration. This ensures users experience the best enjoyment from their Entertainment PCs. As new CPUs provide additional processing power, the DVDExpress A/V Player will automatically scale to provide higher frame rates and additional spare CPU for simultaneous processing.