Live Picture, Inc. and RealNetworks Collaborate
to Synchronize Detailed Images with Audio Over the Web
Next-Generation Streaming Technology Adds Dramatic New Dimension
to Online Commerce as Companies Integrate Live Picture Image Server
with RealSystem G2
BURLINGAME, Calif., REAL NETWORKS CONFERENCE '98, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Live Picture, Inc., the leader in Internet imaging, today announced a revolutionary new method for synchronizing resolution-on-demand images with streaming audio over the Web. The solution uses RealNetworks, Inc.'s new SmartStream technology, which enables Live Picture Image Servers to automatically adjust the quality of images delivered based on the bandwidth available on the network. Live Picture Image Server technology will be integrated with RealNetworks' new RealSystem G2(TM) client-server streaming media system, also announced today.
As part of today's keynote presentation at the RealNetworks Conference '98, Live Picture Chairman John Sculley unveiled the new technology, which will allow Internet commerce sites to combine sophisticated, high-impact images and visual effects with live audio narration.
"Live Picture and RealNetworks chose to collaborate on this project because we both had the means to add a powerful new dimension to what once was a static Web," said Kate Mitchell, president and CEO of Live Picture, Inc. "By working with RealNetworks to complement resolution-on-demand images with streaming audio, we are helping to evolve the medium even further by giving far greater impact to online presentations, Web site tours, and Internet commerce sites."
"With this collaboration, RealNetworks and Live Picture will enable the presentation of high-quality images and audio distributed efficiently over networks," said Rob Glaser, chairman and CEO of RealNetworks. "We are very excited to partner with Live Picture as its leadership in imaging makes an ideal match for our expertise in streaming audio. Today we provide a new way to synchronize rich, scalable images with streaming audio that can be distributed through RealSystem G2 over the Web and on corporate Intranets."
With this new solution, Web content publishers can easily add resolution- on-demand images to narrated presentations and online tours, and incorporate powerful transition effects and overlays. With Live Picture's products, Web commerce sites can use new SmartStream technology to dynamically adjust the quality of images sent to viewers, or the section of the image sent. Based on bandwidth, the Live Picture Image Server automatically scales the viewable size of an image, clips images to the appropriate region, and adjusts the image compression ratio.
RealNetworks today announced further support for Live Picture image technology by incorporating RealPix(TM) into RealSystem G2. Based in part on Live Picture's resolution-on-demand images, RealPix allows industry-standard image formats to enhance online presentations, complete with compelling effects. Both companies also recently announced their support for the W3C's proposed recommendation of Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL). SMIL (pronounced "smile") enables Web authors to easily create synchronized multimedia presentations that require significantly less bandwidth than traditional Web multimedia content.
Live Picture Image Servers enable anyone with a standard Web browser to view high-resolution images without the need for plug-ins or special client software. A range of Live Picture Image Servers is available to meet the unique needs of each customer -- from small business to enterprise-wide solutions. Each version features a robust, high-performance image server at its core with easy-to-use administration tools and file conversion utilities. Enhanced versions permit controlled access to images and levels of resolution, and track which high-value image assets are examined. For greater extensibility or integration with database applications, advanced server versions provide a fully documented software developer kit (SDK). Live Picture Image Servers are based on the industry-standard FlashPix image file format and Internet Imaging Protocol (IIP), invented by Live Picture and endorsed by the Digital Imaging Group, whose founding members include Adobe Systems Incorporated, Canon, Eastman Kodak Company, Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM, Intel, Live Picture Inc. and Microsoft Corp.
About Live Picture
Live Picture, Inc. is the leading provider of solutions for rapidly delivering high-quality images over the Internet. Live Picture transforms images from mere pictures to powerful tools that communicate and invite hands- on participation for learning more about a product, property, or location. This revolution in imaging changes the way businesses work with images on networks and provides new visual solutions for electronic commerce, marketing, entertainment, education, and publishing. The LivePix Company, based in San Francisco, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Live Picture, Inc. dedicated to providing consumer PC photography software solutions. Founded in 1993 and based in Campbell, Calif., Live Picture is on the Web at livepicture.com.
SOURCE Live Picture, Inc.
-0- 04/28/98
/CONTACT: Quinn Daly of Catapult Partners, 650-524-1720, or E-mail: quinn@catapultinc.com/
/Web site: livepicture.com
CO: Live Picture, Inc.; RealNetworks, Inc. ST: California IN: CPR MLM SU: JVN
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