PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Stephen Mitchell
V.P., Worldwide Field Operations
(415) 967-2774
Mary Lindsay
Lindsay PR
(408) 984-7242
Starlight Networks Continues to Lead the Video Server Marketplace With
the Introduction of StarWorks(r) 2.0 Including Support for Live Video
January 23, 1995, Mountain View, Calif. -- Starlight Networks, the leading
supplier of multimedia networking solutions, today announced the release
of StarWorks(r) 2.0. With StarWorks 2.0, Starlight becomes the only video
server vendor to integrate both live and stored video applications on enterprise
networks. StarWorks 2.0 features StarWorks-TV, a one-way broadcast capability,
increased storage capacity with hardware RAID array support, improved client
interfaces on Windows and Macintosh systems, and new networking support.
StarWorks 2.0 is also the first video server application for Sun Microsystems'
Solaris platforms (StarWorks for Solaris) as announced in October 1994.
"With release 2.0 and live and stored video integration, StarWorks
furthers its role as the leading application for video server software for
the corporate enterprise market," said Jim Long, president of Starlight
Networks. "The new storage and networking features will help Fortune
1000 customers more easily deploy networked multimedia applications."
New Networking Features
StarWorks 2.0 now provides full SMT support for FDDI hub connections in
StarWorks-50M configurations using the StarLink(tm) video network adapter.
StarWorks has been tested with hubs from Alantec, 3Com, Cabletron, Chipcom,
Cisco, Lannet, Network Peripherals, and Synernetics. In addition, StarWorks
will support 100BaseVG networks in the first half of 1995.
New Storage Management Features
StarWorks 2.0 will provide support for hardware RAID array controllers such
as the Micropolis Gandiva Disk Array Controller in the first half 1995.
This allows RAID arrays to be used for content storage and provides fault
tolerance for single disk failures, online repair to recover a failed disk,
and "hot swap" disk replacement without affecting system operation.
Using hardware RAID arrays, users can configure the StarWorks server with
over 400 GB of storage. StarWorks 2.0 also provides support for Fast/Wide
SCSI-2 devices.
In addition, StarWorks 2.0 allows users to load CD-ROM multimedia titles
on the server for network access of not only the video content, but also
the multimedia application. This capability will be available by the first
half of 1995. This facilitates, for example, the distribution of off-the-shelf
CD-ROM products for video-based training and reference applications.
StarWorks 2.0 now provides a new As Fast As Possible (AFAP) back-up option
that allows non-realtime operations such as backups and restores to use
any unallocated bandwidth available on the StarWorks server. This allows
for fast video file transfer, and when a realtime-stream session needs bandwidth,
the bandwidth of the AFAP operation is reduced, thereby using the server
bandwidth to maximum advantage.
Improved Client Features
On the Macintosh client, StarWorks will support QuickTime 2.0 and realtime
recording of video streams to the StarWorks server in the first half of
1995.
StarWorks on the PC client now provides a "Smart Scanning" feature
that improves the performance of interactive movie players under Video for
Windows. Users can "shuttle" a video or search for a frame in
realtime while editing the video stream. The PC client installation has
been improved and a graphical diagnostics tool to display statistics related
to the server operation will be available in the first half of 1995.
Live Video Support with StarWorks-TV
StarWorks-TV is a one-way broadcast feature of StarWorks 2.0 that allows
users to broadcast a video stream over the LAN. The video stream may be
from a live analog source converted to digital video, or a digital video
file stored on the StarWorks server. Individual users can view a live video
session broadcast on the LAN, and a stored video they choose from the video
server, in multiple windows - simultaneously. In addition, users can record
the broadcast video stream to the server or to their local client for later
viewing.
"StarWorks-TV is a LAN-based broadcast video service that allows corporate
users to integrate live video on the desktop," said Long. "It
is much more than televisions at the desktop. For example, StarWorks 2.0
with StarWorks-TV provides network and bandwidth management to ensure high-quality
delivery of live broadcasts and coordination with stored video-on-demand
streams, as well as storage to the server capability."
Applications possible with StarWorks and StarWorks-TV include distance learning
courses, remote monitoring of unattended manufacturing processes, distribution
of corporate TV channels and other corporate communications programs to
the desktop, live TV news delivery, and security and surveillance delivery
of live images to guards' desks. Since a StarWorks server can be added to
existing local area networks, StarWorks can be more cost-effective than
installing an analog network for TV and live video applications.
With StarWorks-TV, a PC configured with StarWorks-TV Broadcaster software
receives analog signals, from sources such as a camera, TV channel, or VCR,
and digitizes them and multicasts the digital video stream over the network.
The StarWorks-TV Viewer resides on the PC client and allows users to view
the broadcast, selecting from multiple "channels" if available,
and record the broadcast locally or to the server.
StarWorks-TV functionality can be easily integrated into multimedia applications
since StarWorks-TV supports Video for Windows and Multimedia Control Interface
(MCI). In addition, any existing Video for Windows application (e.g., Media
Player) can access a StarWorks-TV stream without modification. Indeo and
motion JPEG video compression formats are currently supported, with MPEG
support coming by the first half of 1995. StarWorks-TV is available with
the StarWorks 486/Pentium EISA server software and will be supported in
StarWorks for Solaris by the first half of 1995. StarWorks-TV currently
supports up to 100 simultaneous Viewers, and up to 300 simultaneous Viewers
will be available by the first half of 1995. Up to 5 Broadcasters may exist
on the network.
Starlight Networks is
located at 205 Ravendale Drive, Mountain View, CA 94043; phone 415/967-2774
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