AIMS Lab Releases VideoHighway Xtreme 98
PR Newswire - June 16, 1998 11:14
Accesses Internet Content Without Going Online, Lets You Watch TV
Or Listen to FM Radio on Your PC, and Delivers Value-Added Software
FREMONT, Calif., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for the new interactive TV viewing capabilities of Windows 98, AIMS Lab is rolling out VideoHighway Xtreme 98, a do-it-all multimedia PCI card compatible with both Windows 95 and Microsoft's newest operating system.
This multipurpose upgrade to the company's VideoHighway Xtreme lets you have breaking news or stock prices delivered to your PC automatically while watching TV or movies on your monitor, tune into FM radio, capture still or full motion pictures, video conference over the Internet, or even play SEGA, Nintendo or Sony Playstation games on your computer -- all for an investment of under $100.
It also comes with a greatly expanded software bundle that allows you to assemble e-mail postcards, video e-mails, your personal website and more, creating a one-stop solution for a wide variety of multimedia needs.
Gather Internet data offline: The key new feature in VHX 98 is the ability to receive a rich stew of Internet-based information without even going online. This is possible through the new broadcast architecture of Windows 98 and bundled WaveTop software, the first free modem-less content delivery service for the home PC market. With WaveTop's data broadcast capabilities, the latest in news, sports, weather, entertainment, business, stock prices, interactive children's content, and even comic strips and software bug fixes comes directly to your PC through the spare broadcast or cable TV signal space between the visible picture known as the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI). Select the WaveTop "channels" you want, and the information is automatically saved to your hard drive. There's no need to tie up a phone line or wait for your modem to fetch what you need. And there's no charge.
Watch and listen: With VHX 98, you can watch TV or movies in a moveable, sizable window on your PC, then switch to full-screen mode for instant replays or your favorite scenes. The card's 125-channel cable-ready tuner can connect to an antenna, cable TV or satellite dish, and cables included in the package allow you to play movies from your VCR, laser disc or DVD player. You can also preset up to 99 of your favorite FM stations to play on your PC.
Capture images: The new card makes it easy to grab high-resolution still pictures from your TV, VCR, DVD or camcorder for use in e-mail postcards or other applications of your choice. It can also capture AVI video clips from your TV, camcorder, VCR, DVD or security camera at 30 frames per second -- perfect for corporate multimedia presentations, Web pages and video e-mail.
Videoconference: With NetMeeting, CUCMe or the VDO Phone software bundled with the card, you can hold face-to-face conversations over the Internet with friends, family or business associates around the world. Just connect any camcorder or CCD camera and dial.
Play games: VHX 98 lets you play SEGA, Nintendo or Sony Playstation games on your PC and keep the family TV free.
Bundled software: In addition to WaveTop's data broadcasting software for gathering Internet data without an Internet connection, VHX includes a library of software tools that lets you take full advantage of the card's image capture functions. Howdy Lite creates e-mail postcards with captured pictures, text and/or audio clips; WebCannon lets you drop your digital photos into webpage templates to create a personal website; PictureMall takes electronic orders for mugs, T-shirts and other products imprinted with your captured images; ImageAXS organizes your images into a visual thumbnail index; and M@X creates highly compressed video e-mail messages that dramatically reduce upload and download time.
The card also comes with Intel's Intercast Viewer software, allowing you to receive Internet Web pages embedded in TV broadcasts without a phone line or Internet connection; Intel Smart Guide, a customizable TV program guide; and VDO Phone 3.0.
Specifications: VHX 98 requires a Pentium 90 or better, 16MB RAM, a PCI expansion slot, Windows 95 or Windows 98, and DirectDraw with 2MB VGA memory. It sells for $129 ($99 after a mail-in rebate) and is scheduled for June release.
For more information, contact AIMS Lab at 510-661-2525, e-mail info@aimslab.com, or visit aimslab.com.
SOURCE AIMS Lab
/CONTACT: Shannon Quinn of S&S Public Relations, 847-291-1616, Ext. 248,
or quinn@sspr.com, for AIMS Lab/ |
