Power Tools 1993 October - Disc 2/Power Tools (Disc 2)(October 1993)(HP).iso/hotlines/wsyhl/ezmpcs/ezmpcs.txt

Text File | 1993-06-15 | 124KB | 2,297 lines

                         HP MPower Competitive Survey
               A Comparison of Multimedia Features Provided by
                          HP, Sun, SGI, DEC, and IBM



                               Part #5091-7417E
Table of Contents                                           1.
Introduction                                                1
Goals of This Survey                                        1
Caveats                                                     1
What to Read                                                2
2. HP Collaborative Multimedia Program                      3
What Is HP's Collaborative Multimedia Program?              3
Components of HP's Collaborative Multimedia Program         3
3. Competitive Strategies and Capabilities                  6
Common Aspects of Vendor's Strategies                       6
Hewlett-Packard                                             7
Sun Microsystems                                           12
Digital Equipment Corporation                              16
Silicon Graphics                                           21
International Business Machines                            25
4. Channel Partners                                        33
HP Channel Partners                                        33
Third Party Tables                                         33
5. Pricing                                                 41
Sun Microsystems                                           41
Digital Equipment Corporation                              42
Silicon Graphics Inc.                                      43
IBM Workstations                                           44
PCs and Compatibles                                        45
6. The PC Market                                           47
Standards                                                  47
Difficulties with PCs for Collaborative Multimedia         48
7. Why HP Wins in Collaborative Computing                  49
Ten Reasons Why HP Wins                                    49
Selling Tips                                               51
Bibliography                                               55
Publications and Other Sources                             55
Other Input                                                57

Introduction
     This section describes the goals and caveats of this survey. It
also directs you to specific sections to read if you don't have time to
look through the entire document.
Goals of This Survey
     This survey is designed for HP sales reps, authorized channel
partners, and other HP personnel. After reading this survey, you should
feel confident discussing the competition with and demonstrating HP's
advantages to your customers. Specifically, the goals of this survey are
to: Provide an understanding of the HP Collaborative Computing program
which includes MPower as a component. See Section 2, "HP Collaborative
Multimedia Program." Discuss in detail the strategies and features of
the solutions provided by Sun, DEC, SGI, and IBM. See Section 3,
"Competitive Strategies and Capabilities." Give an overview of the
third-party multimedia and collaborative solutions available for HP and
its competitors. See Section 4, "Channel Partners." Compare how much it
costs to implement a collaborative multimedia solution on the HP
platform with how much it costs to implement a solution on competitive
platforms. See Section 5, "Pricing." Briefly outline the dynamics of the
PC marketplace. See Section 6, "PC Market." Provide hard-hitting reasons
why HP's solution is the best as well as specific tips for selling
against each competitor. See Section 7, "Why HP Wins In Collaborative
Computing."

Caveats
     The information for this survey came from trade journals, vendor-
supplied materials, interviews with HP personnel, discussions with pre-
sales representatives for each competitive vendor, and the Computer
Select Library. (Refer to the bibliography for more information.) This
survey is not a hands-on competitive analysis. The products were not
used or tested on-line, no competitive documentation was read, no
customers who have used the products were interviewed. As a result, most
of the information is factual and not qualitative. Available features
and products are reported. The quality of those features is not judged.
(In the few instances when quality of a specific feature is discussed,
the information is based on an interview with someone at HP.) In
addition, the dynamic nature of the market makes it impossible to
develop a competitive analysis that remains accurate forever. New
products and ports are being introduced all the time. All vendors
frequently change their strategies. However, this survey is an accurate
reflection of HP's relative strengths and weaknesses.
What to Read
     The information below will guide you to specific sections to read.
For Information On:                                   See Page:
HP's strategy                                                  3
HP's capabilities                                              7
Quick reference table comparing capabilities of each vendor   31
Ten reasons why HP wins                                       49
Tips for selling against each vendor                          51

     HP Collaborative Multimedia Program
     This section explains HP's Collaborative Multimedia Program.
What Is HP's Collaborative Multimedia Program?
     HP's Collaborative Multimedia Program offers three progressively
useful steps toward dramatically enhanced communication.
Step 1: Stand-Alone Multimedia
     Multimedia is defined as incorporating sounds, real-world images,
animation, and full-motion video with traditional text and graphics
available on a desktop computer. Multimedia has been associated with
stand-alone applications such as computer-based training or
presentations on a PC or Apple Mac. The benefit of stand-alone
multimedia is improved user-to-computer communication.
Step 2: Distributed Multimedia
     HP's provision for distributed access to multimedia improves not
only user-to-computer communication but also user-to-team communication.
HP's audio and image capabilities use the X client-server paradigm to
make access to sounds and images possible for a wider range of end
users. Distributed multimedia also provides a familiar programming
environment for software developers. Developers can use these media
types in advanced distributed applications that capitalize on the Series
700's performance and leadership in distributed computing.
Step 3: Collaborative or Shared Multimedia
     HP's offering goes beyond distributed multimedia to collaborative
multimedia using technologies such as HP SharedX and multimedia mail.
These technologies let one user simultaneously share text, graphics,
images, or audio with one or more other users across the network. Users
can hold conferences where each participant can hear (via the
telephone), see, and input to a window displayed on their screen,
simultaneously. Components of HP's Collaborative Multimedia Program
     HP's Collaborative Multimedia Program is made up of four
components:
       High-performance multimedia workstations.
       Commitment to multimedia standards.
       HP Multimedia Channel Partners.
       HP MPower.
     This section introduces each of these components.
High-Performance Multimedia Workstations
     HP's second-generation Series 700 workstations are ideal platforms
for collaborative multimedia applications. With five workstation models
plus X Stations, the Series 700 provides every price/performance point
needed to configure a network of multimedia workstations. HP's client-
server architecture also provides powerful servers such as Models 735 or
755 that serve many low-cost clients, such as Model 715s or X Stations.
HP's workstation platform multimedia capabilities also include the
optional HP RasterOps VideoLive EISA board. With this card, users can
viewlive full-motion video in photorealistic color or grayscale. Video
can be input from a variety of sources such as TV tuners, VCRs,
camcorders, RGB cameras, medical scanners and the HP ScanJet IIc color
scanner.
Commitment to Multimedia Standards
     As with any new technology, the standards environment for
multimedia is in flux. HP's approach to multimedia standards is: Adopt
standards that exist or are likely to be widely accepted. For example,
HP supports the CCITT Group 3 fax standard and uses the JPEG standard
compression algorithm. Provide data interoperability with widely used
platforms. For example, HP supports TIFF bit-mapped files and the
several audio file formats including Sun, PC, and linear8offset (Mac).
Participate in standards efforts. For example, as a member of the X
Consortium and the Interactive Multimedia Association (IMA), HP sits on
a number of technical working groups. All of the workstation vendors,
Apple Computer, and Microsoft are actively participating in the IMA. The
IMA's goal is to develop standard multimedia APIs.
HP Multimedia Channel Partners HP is committed to ensuring the
availability of all multimedia technologies that its customers need.
When HP itself does not provide a particular technology or product
feature, it actively encourages and supports its Channel Partners to
fill in the gaps. HP especially focuses on identifying partners who
offer the highest quality, best-of-breed solutions.
     The number of HP Multimedia Channel Partners is long and growing.
It includes many of the leading names in various technology areas.
Channel Partners are discussed in more detail in Section 4 below.
MPower: Communication through Collaborative Multimedia HP MPower is the
fourth and most recent entry to HP's Collaborative Multimedia Program.
While other workstation and PC vendors provide many of the components
previously described -- multimedia-enriched desktop systems, industry
standards, and third-party solutions -- HP has gone further to provide
an integrated solution that helps HP users get their jobs done better
and faster.
     MPower offers a complete, integrated, pre-installed, and
inexpensive multimedia solution. With HP MPower, users get a full range
of multimedia types (audio, image, graphics, video frames, and text)
with five ways of sharing information (print, mail, fax, Shared
Whiteboard, and real-time application sharing -- SharedX). The result is
natural and effective communication and collaboration among project team
members. With MPower, teams of remote users can dynamically share many
forms of information instantaneously from their desktops. For example,
members of a team -- in the same building or around the world -- can
send audio, video frames, and images through electronic mail. They can
also mark up a product brochure or electronics drawing on their
displays, just as they might on paper or on a chalkboard. But with the
advantage that the image with annotations appears simultaneously on
other team members' remote displays. Finally, MPower allows information
from one multimedia application to be easily transferred to another. For
example, a video frame generated by a camcorder can be emailed or faxed
simply by dragging the icon and dropping it on the mail or fax icon.
competitive Strategies and Capabilities.
     This section compares the multimedia strategies and capabilities
for HP's primary competitors -- Sun Microsystems, Digital Equipment
Corporation, Silicon Graphics, and IBM, including:
       The strategy outlined by each vendor.
       The progress each vendor has made toward achieving its strategy.
       The capabilities each vendor offers, focusing specifically on the
major features of MPower: GUI, audio, image, video, fax, scan, print,
SharedX, shared screen, multimedia email, headphones, etc.
       How those capabilities are provided, e.g., whether they are
available on the platform and if they are available, whether they are
provided by the vendor as a standard feature, provided by the vendor as
an optional feature, or provided by third parties.
       A summary of each vendor's strengths and weaknesses.
       A table at the end of the section summarizes the capabilities of
HP and its competitors.
Common Aspects of Vendor's Strategies
     According to one journal:
       The workstation vendors' approach includes emphasizing group
productivity through networking and making products easy enough to use
for their installed base of scientific, engineering and professional
workstations. This philosophy should drive workstation multimedia
product development for at least the next three years as vendors help
their customers to support geographically dispersed workgroups with
multimedia electronic mail, screen-sharing, video conferencing and
similar tools. (Multimedia Computing and Presentations, February 10,
1992.)
     The workstation vendors' strategies for multimedia do not vary
greatly.
     Except for SGI, they all do the following:
          Stress distributed computing on a client-server platform.
          Focus on collaborative computing that enhances the workgroup
rather than on personal productivity.
     Plus, they all -- including SGI -- do the following:
          Stress their adherence to and support of multimedia standards.
          Emphasize the ease of use of their solutions.
          Attempt to balance integration of features with choice of
products by bundling some multimedia capabilities while actively
promoting third parties to develop solutions.
          Provide tools for third parties to develop additional hardware
and software products for their platform.
     The key question, then, is how does the vendor deliver on its
strategy?
     More specifically:
          Is the solution available now?
          How does the vendor implement the strategy (i.e., does the
vendor offer the solution itself or does it rely on third parties)?
Hewlett-Packard
     This section describes HP's strategy and capabilities. Note that
HP's strategy is discussed in detail in Section 2, "HP Collaborative
Multimedia Program."
Strategy
     HP's collaborative multimedia strategy is to provide a complete,
integrated, pre-installed, and inexpensive multimedia solution that
results in natural and effective communication and collaboration among
team members. The key components of this strategy are HP's high-
performance multimedia workstations, HP MPower, a commitment to
standards, and HP Multimedia Channel Partners.
Implementation
     HP is implementing its strategy by providing the core multimedia
functionality. That is, HP provides the features essential to
collaborative computing. These features are either integrated into HP's
hardware, part of MPower or HP-UX, or offered as optional but easily
integrated add-ons by HP. HP is also working with Channel Partners to
provide solutions for users who desire other functionality, for example,
for multimedia authoring.
Capabilities
     This section discusses the multimedia offerings available on HP's
Series 700 Workstations. These workstations have built-in audio (Stereo
CD-quality on the 715, 725, 735, and 755), speakers, and headphone
jacks.
     They come with HP VUE and HP-UX. MPower is an optional add-on
product.
     GUI
     HP provides HP VUE 3.0 plus MPower. HP VUE is HP's award-winning
graphical user interface based on Motif 1.1 and X11R5 X Window System.
HP VUE provides users with a mouse-driven, icon-based, drag-and-drop
environment. MPower updates the HP VUE front panel to include the
multimedia capabilities. MPower also enhances the HP VUE mailer to
recognize multimedia objects (see below). HP VUE provides workspace and
file management. MPower provides multimedia composition, real-time
shared applications across networks, Shared Whiteboard, and a stereo
headset. In addition, MPower allows users to fax, mail, share, and print
multimedia documents from the HP VUE interface.
     Audio
     Audio hardware is standard on the Series 700 workstations, audio
software (tools and library) is included with the operating system, and
integration of audio with HP VUE is a standard component of MPower. The
Series 700 workstations models 715, 725, 735, and 755 include CD-quality
audio. Models 705 and 710 support voice-quality audio. HP provides both
an audio library and audio developers tools. The Audio Applications
Programming Interface includes a library of functions that can be called
by application programs written in ANSI C. Applications can:
          Play, record, copy, and edit audio data files.
          Convert audio files to different formats including Mulaw,
Alaw, RIFF, Sun, NeXT, linear8offset (Mac), linear8, and linear16.
          Play or record directly to or from an audio device (e.g.,
cassette player) using the continuous streams facility, thus removing
overhead associated with using data files.
          Integrate audio using audio widgets and a toolkit of functions
that initialize, register, and unregister these widgets. Applications
must be based on Motif or a similar graphical user interface to use this
capability.
          Obtain audio input from a microphone, the network, or an
external device.
          Output audio to a file, the internal speaker, or a self-
powered external speaker. An audio editor based on Motif is included
with HP-UX. This editor is integrated into MPower and allows users to
annotate files, play back audio files, and create audio objects. These
objects can be included in multimedia mail (see below).
     Image
     HP provides an image library and an image toolkit. MPower
integrates image handling capabilities into HP VUE. It allows users to
view images and drag and drop them into multimedia mail. In addition, it
allows users to:
          Read and write images in TIFF, X Window, and application
buffers.
          Compress and decompress images.
          Manipulate images (crop, scale, rotate, mirror, and tonal
remap).
          Scale bitonal images to gray scale.
          Convert image type and format.
     The Developer's Toolkit contains:
          Header files for the Image Library functions.
          Source files for sample application programs including the
Imageview source code and a utility that demonstrates Image Library
functions.
          Make files that convert sample source files into executables.
          Sample TIFF files.
          Descriptions of Image Library function calls.
          Extended version of the Image Library that supports Imageview
plus
          CCITT G4, JPEG, and other functions.
     Image operations are done via software eliminating the cost of add-
on hardware.
     Video
     Video capabilities are optional on HP systems. HP resells the
RasterOps VideoLive EISA video board and software. If the video board is
installed, MPower automatically integrates video capabilities into HP
VUE, providing the ability to view live motion video, capture video
frames, and drag and drop video frames. The board supports the following
inputs:
          NTSC (National Television Standard Committee, 29.92 frames per
second, used in US and Japan).
          PAL (25 frames per second, used in Europe and some parts of
Asia and Africa).
          SECAM (25 frames per second, used in France and other parts of
Asia and Africa).
          RGB (red-green-blue).
          S-Video (high-quality).
     A key advantage of HP's video implementation is that the video is
independent from graphics which results in lower cost and higher
performance. A limitation of this implementation is that graphic
overlays cannot be put over video. The RasterOps VideoLive software
which supports video-in-a-window technology is integrated into MPower.
To take advantage of this option, users must have the HP RasterOps
VideoLive EISA board. Users can view live full-motion video in color or
grayscale. The RasterOps VideoLive board can show video from TV tuners,
VCRs, camcorders, RGB cameras, and medical scanners. The software
includes a frame grabber that allows users to captures frames in full
24-bit color for playback or to save as TIFF files. Captured frames are
available for input into other technologies including Shared Whiteboard,
multimedia email, and fax. By default, files are saved as compressed
JPEG files which saves up to ten times the disk space.
     Fax
     HP provides fax capabilities with the HP 9000 Series 700 Fax which
allows users to send and receive a fax from any workstation or X station
connected to a Series 700 server. The HP 9000 Series 700 Fax is
computer-based client-server fax product that allows workstations to
interface to fax networks. Key features include:
          Automatic routing of incoming faxes via bar coding and Call
Station Identification (CSI).
          Email interface for access to PCs and terminals.
          Printer interface for immediate ability to print faxes to PCL
or PostScript printers.
          OSF/Motif client graphical interface to run on any display
running X11.
          User-selectable fax cover page.
          Display-based markup eliminates need to print out a fax.
          Ability to grab any image on the display and fax it.
          Support for multiple fax modems.
     MPower integrates these fax capabilities into HP VUE to provide
drag-and-drop functionality.
     Scan
     HP offers the HP ScanJet IIc Scanner for HP Apollo Series 700
Workstations that includes scanning hardware and software. Scanning
capabilities are optional. If a scanner is installed, MPower integrates
scanning capabilities into HP VUE allowing users to scan, view,
manipulate, and store color and monochrome images. The HP ScanJet IIc
scanner is a desktop solution that provides true 400 dpi monochrome or
color scanning. The powerful HP DeskScan/UX software is specifically
designed to work in the X Window environment, taking advantage of the
inherent performance capabilities of the HP PA-RISC family of UNIX
workstations. Key features include:
          Monochrome and color scanning with 24-bit recognition of over
16 million colors and 16-bit, 256 grayscale levels.
          Support for documents from 5 x 7 inches to 8.5 x 14 inches.
          Support by leading word processing, desktop publishing,
presentation, and spreadsheet software applications.
          Support for monochrome and color printers.
          Layered user interface providing basic functions on the top
screen with a complete set of advanced features easily accessed from
pull-down menus or floating tools.
          Live preview to see results of changes immediately on the
screen.
          Automatic Exposure that selects optimum brightness and
contrast settings.
          Custom scaling in one-percent increments (3 to 200%).
          Support for automatic document feeder for multiple page input.
     Print
     SharedPrint/UX Printing Software for HP Apollo Series 700
Workstations provides easy-to-use, drag-and-drop printing service that
prints color, text, graphics, and images to local or remote printers on
the network. It supports laser printers, ink-jet printers, and large
format plotters. It provides a path from most standard file formats to a
large array of HP and third-party printers and plotters and improves
printing performance for remote printers. Users can make print requests;
control print job parameters and options; and check queue status,
printer set up, and configuration. It provides the ability to print:
          PostScript to PostScript devices.
          PCL to PostScript devices.
          ASCII to PostScript, PCL, and large format devices.
          CGM to PCL devices (plotters).
          Starbase bitmap files to PostScript, PCL, and large format
devices.
          Bitmap to PostScript, PCL, and large format devices.
     Integration of SharedPrint/UX is provided as a standard component
of MPower.
     SharedX
     SharedX is an application that provides the ability to share X
protocol-based applications in real-time in order to enable workgroup
collaboration. SharedX works by simultaneously replicating the user
interface to any other workstation. Integration of SharedX into HP VUE
is provided as a standard component of MPower. With SharedX users can
actually share the application window, so everyone can see and directly
manipulate the original information. In addition, SharedX shares with
any X workstation or X Station; receivers do not need to be running HP
equipment. Finally, only the sender needs to be running SharedX and the
X-based application. Receivers do not need SharedX or the X-based
application.
     Shared Whiteboard Capability
     Shared Whiteboard allows users to take a snapshot of an image,
video frame, fax, or data in any running application. Captured images
can be annotated in real time and either shared with others or output to
a device such as a fax.
     Integration of Shared Whiteboard is a standard component of MPower.
     Video Conference
     Available from third parties.
     Multimedia Email
     MPower integrates multimedia capabilities with email. This
capability is a standard part of MPower. Either multimedia files can be
mailed by dragging and dropping them to the Mail icon, or multimedia
files can be dragged and dropped into the mail editor window. In either
case, the objects are shown as icons within the body of the email
message. Because the icons are shown in the body of the message, the
user can see them in context of the message.
     MPower uses standard UNIX mail. As a result, users can still
communicate with others working on machines that are not multimedia
capable. HP adheres to the Multipurpose InterNET Mail Extension (MIME)
standard for multimedia email. This allows MPower mail to exchange
multimedia objects with other MIME mail products.
     Headphones
     The Plantronics Supra Stereo Headset with a built-in microphone is
included free of charge with the MPower client.
     Integration
     All multimedia types -- audio, image, and video -- are integrated
into the front panel with drag-and-drop capabilities. All data types can
be shared via mail. Image and running applications can be shared with
SharedX. Images can also be faxed, scanned, and printed. The
capabilities are available pre-installed and configured.
     Orderability
     All of the above components are provided by HP. All can be ordered
from HP. MPower provides integration of multimedia mail, HP SharedX,
Shared Whiteboard, audio, image, video, fax, scan, and HP SharedPrint/UX
into the HP VUE interface.
     Availability
     Now.
Sun Microsystems
     This section discusses Sun's strategy, implementation, and
capabilities.
Strategy
     Sun's multimedia strategy is to deliver multimedia-ready
workstations, provide an open development environment, and form key
strategic relationships (through forums such as standards committees).
Their direction centers around the concept of collaborative multimedia.
Sun's marketing literature states that multimedia can now go beyond
improving personal productivity and address the much larger productivity
gains of workgroup collaboration. They can do this through distributed
multimedia applications on Sun's client-server platform.
Implementation
     All vendors are bundling some capabilities while also encouraging
third-party development. Sun is relying on third parties to a greater
degree than HP and SGI but to a lesser extent than DEC and IBM. To a
large degree, Sun's strategy is already implemented. Their workstations
support multimedia and collaborative computing, they have an extensive
third-party solution portfolio, and they are involved with and support
many standards (as does HP).
     Notably, Sun has a large enough installed base to make porting
software to or developing software for their platform a viable business
option for third-party vendors. Plus, Sun provides extensive development
tools to third parties, who write to the Open Look specification. The
result is a large number of third party applications that have the same
look and feel and can be integrated with the desktop. For example, Sun's
Multimedia Portfolio lists third-party multimedia solutions in areas
such as multimedia documents and mail, image manipulation and animation,
video hardware and software. They also have a Graphics, Imaging,
Visualization, and Animation Portfolio.
Capabilities
     This section, which describes Sun's multimedia offerings, focuses
on Sun's newest high-end platforms: the SPARCstation 10 and the
SPARCstation LX.
     Key multimedia features that are standard in the SPARCstation 10
and the SPARCstation LX are CD-quality audio, a speaker, a microphone,
an ISDN interface, and Solaris with OpenWindows. Sun also offers
SunTutor, a multimedia training product, that guides a user through the
OpenWindows environment and DeskSet productivity tools (see below).
     Built-in dual Basic Rate ISDN is integrated into the motherboard of
the SPARCstation 10 and the SPARCstation LX. SunConnect is also offering
SunLink ISDN for SPARCstations. SunLink ISDN provides add-on capability
to systems without built-in capability. Notably, Sun's new lower-end
system, the SPARCclassic, does not have built-in ISDN capabilities.
     GUI
     Solaris, Sun's OS, is bundled with all Sun hardware. OpenWindows,
which includes DeskSet, is bundled with Solaris. DeskSet offers
multimedia and collaborative capabilities including multimedia mail, an
audio tool, and a workgroup calendar manager.
     OpenWindows V3 offers three interface toolkits all supported by the
OpenWindows Developer's Guide (Devguide) which is a graphical user
interface builder for Open Look. Applications built with the OpenWindows
toolkits interoperate in a seamless way, via cut-and-paste and drag-and-
drop.
     X.Desktop 3.5 from IXI Corporation is a third-party alternative to
     OpenWindows that provides on OSF/Motif interface on the Sun
platform.
     Unipress Software provides products that allows developers to build
and run Motif applications for the Sun platform.
     Audio
     Telephone-quality audio has been bundled with SPARCstations since
their release in 1989. The SPARCstation 10 and SPARCstation LX have CD-
quality audio bundled on the motherboard.
     The audio tool which is part of DeskSet allows users to rewind,
play, and record audio for use in multimedia mail and other
applications.
     Image
     DeskSet allows images to be included in multimedia mail.
     Sun also offers XIL, an API that provides hardware and software
developers with an interface for developing imaging and full-motion
video products.
     In addition, the optional VideoPix SBus card from Sun Microsystems
Computer Corporation, allows users to capture, manipulate, compress,
store, and share 8-bit or 24-bit color or grayscale images across the
network. Images can be input from still video camera, camcorders, VCRs,
laser disks, and television tuners. They can be integrated into many
applications including desktop publishing and multimedia email. The card
occupies a single slot in a SPARCstation system and can be shared across
a network by up to four users simultaneously or used locally. VideoPix
uses JPEG compression and decompression to achieve 20:1 compression
ratio. It supports both NTSC and PAL signals in composite and S-Video
formats.According to Sun, VideoPix displays live video in order to grab
the frame. It is not positioned as a video board. The video is displayed
at 5 frames per second.
     Video
     DeskSet allows video frames to be included in multimedia mail.
     Sun also offers XIL, an API that provides hardware and software
developers with an interface for developing imaging and full-motion
video products. Other video capabilities are provided by third parties.
     Fax
     Fax capability is provided by third parties. Fax functionality is
integrated into the desktop with drag-and-drop capabilities by some of
these vendors.
     Scan
     Scanning capabilities are provided by third parties. Scanning is
integrated into the desktop by some vendors.
     Print
     Drag-and-drop integration is provided via DeskSet's print tool
which allows users to check print queues, change queues, and cancel
print jobs already in the queue.
     NewSprint from SunPics (a Sun subsidiary) directs both PostScript
and non-PostScript input from LAN-based Sun workstations, Macintoshes,
PCs, and some minicomputers to a wide variety of printers, plotters and
typesetters.
     NetPrint Sun from Sitka (a Sun subsidiary) allows users to print
from Sun workstations to any Mac or PC PostScript printer on the
network.
     SharedX
     Not available.
     Shared Whiteboard Capability
     ShowMe from SunSolutions (a Sun subsidiary) allows up to 12 users
to capture images or data and display them in an "Active Window," which
is similar to a clipboard. Groups can look at and annotate both images
and text in the window and conference results can be saved and printed.
     ShowMe offers multiple ways of moving information from the
application to the "Active Window" to be shared. Because it uses the
"Active Window" for sharing, the actual application file is not being
shared. As a result, the application is not required on each user's
system.
     ShowMe runs only on Sun systems. Every user must have a ShowMe
license on the workstation.
     Shared whiteboard capability is also available from third parties.
     Video Conference
     Available from third parties.
     Multimedia Email
     Multimedia email is bundled with DeskSet. Multimedia attachments
are included at the end of the email message. Sun's marketing literature
on multimedia email does not indicate that they support the MIME
standard.
     Headphones
     Available from third parties. Jacks are standard.
     Integration
     Sun systems come standard with a significant amount of multimedia
capability. Audio is integrated on the motherboard. DeskSet 3.0
integrates multimedia mail, an audio tool, and a workgroup calendar
manager. Printing is also integrated with the desktop. However, Sun's
approach is to encourage third parties to create add-ons.
     Orderability
     Must order Sun products separately. Other products are ordered from
third parties.
     Availability
     Now.
Summary
     Users can get all the functionality on Sun that they can on HP
except for SharedX and while they have a larger choice of third-party
options, the solution is less integrated.
     Sun's strength include:
          Large number of third party products.
          Good development tools.
          Specification that provides for consistent look and feel.
          Multimedia mail bundled with OS.
          Built-in audio on all systems and built-in ISDN capabilities
on high end systems.
     Note: ISDN, which is a wide area network that allows multimedia to
be sent over digital telephone lines, is already widely used in Europe
and Japan.
     It provides realtime multimedia communication at a reasonable cost
and also reduces network wiring, installation, and maintenance costs.
(Dataquest, 1992)
     Currently, Sun's ISDN capabilities are not a competitive advantage
in the  U.S. because ISDN is not widely used here. Their ISDN also has
not been qualified in every country.
     (HP offers HP ISDN/700 EISA card which provides data routing but is
not appropriate for multimedia.)
     Sun's weaknesses include:
          Multimedia capabilities are not integrated.
          Components must be purchased from separate vendors.
          Sun systems are harder to upgrade because multi-vendor
solution.

Digital Equipment Corporation
     DEC has multimedia products for the PC, VAX, and RISC workstation
     platform. No announcements have been made as to DEC's intentions
for the Alpha platform.
     Reliable sources have indicated that DEC's multimedia group has
been disbanded. Therefore, the information in this section on DEC's
strategy is probably no longer relevant. However, the information on
current capabilities is still valid.
     This section focuses on multimedia offering for DEC's RISC
workstations.
Strategy
     In October 1991, Digital announced a distributed multimedia program
for the DECstation ULTRIX RISC workstation that included support for
audio, video, and the XMedia Toolkit. (These products are described
below.)
     The announcement outlines DEC's strategy which is to focus on
distributed corporate applications and to base their program on a
client-server model using the X Window protocol to distribute the
multimedia objects to any X workstation on the network. (Patricia
Seybold's Network Monitor, November, 1991)
     According to the Multimedia Computing and Presentations,
       Digital plans to integrate new data types into a distributed
systems strategy and to extend its client-server computing model to
multimedia...the company also will avoid the monolithic 'We do it all
for you' desktop applications by keeping things modular. Digital's goal
is to model future products after the simplicity of the telephone -- not
needing manuals, training courses, gurus, or on-line help to operate.
       [DEC] favors merging fax, scanner, text and audiovisual email,
audio and video teleconferencing, and screen sharing into DEC
workstations. The company's goals include a common user interface style,
adequate security, privacy, and transparent communications among
networking, platforms, and applications. (Multimedia Computing and
Presentations, February 10, 1992)
     DEC has plans to strengthen its multimedia offerings. Richard
Treadway, a product manager at Digital's Western Software Laboratories
states: "Our overall goal at DEC is to add these capabilities [text,
message, image, audio, multipart, and video, as defined by the
Multipurpose InterNET Mail Extension (MIME)] to the network --
distributed applications for distributed groups of people. For the
users, you need to develop common user interfaces so they don't have to
relearn everything. Their multimedia applications need to look like
they're not distributed." (DEC Professional, July, 1992)
     DEC offers a video conferencing product.
     DEC's catalog positions its products and capabilities against the
PC, arguing that workstations are better platforms for multimedia. It
does not make direct comparisons to other workstations. DEC's marketing
literature also stresses that it is taking a modular approach so
customers can upgrade to multimedia at their own pace.
Implementation DEC appears to be relying on third parties to offer
multimedia solutions more than any of the other vendors surveyed. DEC's
implementation strategy is to provide tools and have third parties
implement multimedia offerings.

     DEC targeted developers with their first round of products
intending to have these developers build products that a second wave of
developers would use to build end-user applications. (Digital Review,
November 4, 1991) To further support this tactic, DEC has implemented a
developer program and held a conference in April, 1992.
Capabilities
     This section describes multimedia products for the DECstation 5000
running ULTRIX. DEC refers to its multimedia program as DECmedia. This
program includes a frame buffer, video card, and audio card on the
hardware side and XMedia Runtime and Development Tool software. The
Runtime software is required for and bundled, free of charge, with all
DECmedia hardware DEC allows customers to either upgrade an existing
DECstation 5000 or purchase a fully configured multimedia workstation
(i.e. a system that comes with all of the DECmedia hardware and XMedia
Runtime software installed).
     GUI
     DEC provides the DECWindows/Motif windowing system. This system
includes an icon-based window manager and file manager. It does not
provide an icon-based desktop with point-and-click or drag-and-drop
integration.
     Third-party GUIs are also available.
     Audio
     DECaudio is bundled on the motherboard of every DECstation 5000
Model 20 and 25 system. It consists of a TURBOchannel board (with the
telephone line and set interface) and an external distribution box. The
external box includes:
          Speaker, amplification, and stereo volume and balance control.
          Microphone, headphone, and handset jacks; microphone pre-
amplification offers gain flexibility with a wide range of microphones.
          Telephone-grade (8-bit, 8 KHz sampling) line in and out.
          CD-quality (stereo 16-bit, 44.1 KHz sampling) audio out.
          ISDN S interface.
     XMedia Tools includes a Runtime Kit and a Developer Kit. The
Runtime Kit includes drivers, servers, and an audio clip library. The
Developer Kit includes all the functionality of the Runtime Kit plus
online documentation, audio libraries, and a more extensive audio clip
library.
     Image
     DEC provides DECimage Application Services for ULTRIX, a programmer
interface for basic image data type handling that consists of library-
resident routines for scanning, viewing, printing, and manipulating
image data.
     Video
     To display video, DEC requires the TX Frame Buffer and DECvideo/PIP
(Picture-in-a-Picture), a RasterOPs video card. The TX Frame Buffer
supports 24-plane true color. DECvideo/PIP is a daughter card to the TX
Frame Buffer. It provides live NTSC, PAL, or SECAM full-motion "video-
in-a-window" in an X Window systems environment at a rate of 30 frames
per second. The video window can be scaled and reduced to icon size and
individual frames can be saved for later use in documents or
presentations.
     The XMedia Runtime and Developer Kits, which are described above
under Audio, also include tools and libraries for video. In particular,
the Developer Kit contains video libraries, a more extensive video clip
library, and Software Motion Pictures (SMP). SMP is DEC's
proprietarycompression system. It compresses video data for storage,
achieving a 200:1 ratio. Decompression can be accomplished in real time
with playback rate of 15 frames per second. SMP also allows for
synchronous queuing and playback audio.
     The XMedia Runtime Kit includes drivers, servers, and sample
applications of software motion pictures that are for video.
     Fax
     Provided by third-parties.
     Scan
     DECimage Scan Software for ULTRIX is an end-user application that
captures black and white images and adjusts bitonal, gray scale, and RGB
color images read from image files. It:
          Displays the image to fit into preview window or magnifies the
display to each pixel.
          Provides edit functions including crop, wash, reverse, rotate.
          Optionally retains settings that customize operation.
          Supports DEC's image scanners MD30C, MD400, MD410.
          Creates DDIF image files.
     Print
     DEC does not have a print facility on the DECstation. Each
application is responsible for printing.
     SharedX
     Not available.
     Shared Whiteboard
     Not available.
     Video Conference
     DECspin (sound, picture, information network) is an application
based on Motif that provides for face-to-face video conferencing on a
DECstation.
     Video footage shot with a video camera in one location can be
received and viewed by any capable workstation on the network. Up to six
workstations can communicate over a standard network. The audio/video
data can be  stored for viewing and/or transmission at a later date. Key
features include:
          Full-motion, true-color (24 bit) and grayscale (8 bit
monochrome) video.
          Selectable software compression/decompression of video data.
          Telephone-grade live audio sequences.
          Transparent network transmission of live synchronized
audio/video over InterNET and DECnet.
          Ability to create and view audio/video message.
          Pull-down menu and icon interface.
          Support for private network channel.
          One-to-many or an open n-way format.
          Ability to notify absent parties that a conference was
attempted.
     Every party must have DECspin on their workstation. DECspin works
only on DECstation 5000 workstations.
     Multimedia Email
     DEC does not really support multimedia email. By using MAILbus 400
for ULTRIX, multimedia messages can be transferred via email. However,
the recipient would need to extract the attached message and then play
the audio and video using a separate application.
     MAILbus does support Compound Document Architecture (CDA) messages.
CDA is a "standard" developed and being promoted by DEC that defines how
documents are formatted so they can be exchanged across a network. CDA
allows documents to have text with attributes, image graphics
(pictures), and geometric graphics (CAD drawings, business charts). It
also allows for other formatting features such as multiple or single
columns, page numbering, etc. Basically, CDA allows files to be shared
without losing their formatting.
     A third party multimedia email option (Z-Mail from Z-Code) is
available.
     Headphones
     Jacks are available as part of DECaudio. No headphones are
supplied.
     Integration
     Customers can buy pre-configured multimedia workstations or add on
to existing systems. DEC stresses that it provides the ability to add
multimedia capabilities at the customer's own pace. However, not all
features are integrated into the multimedia workstations, specifically
fax and scanning capabilities must be added on.
     Multimedia features are not integrated into DEC's desktop.
     Orderability
     These products, including third party, can be ordered directly from
DEC via the DEC Direct catalog.
     Availability
     Now.
Summary
     As noted before, reliable sources indicate that DEC's multimedia
team has been disbanded. Its well-intentioned multimedia strategy, then,
is unlikely to be implemented.
     Some of DEC's strengths include:
          Strong networking and interoperability.
          Video conference capability (DECspin).
          Good third party tools especially DECimage Application
Services.
          Good scanning solution (DECimage Scan Software).
     DEC's weaknesses include:
          No graphical desktop.
          Solution not integrated.
          Orientation toward developers, not toward end users.
          Fewer third party products available on the platform.

Silicon Graphics
     This section describes SGI's strategy, implementation, and
capabilities.
Strategy
     Silicon Graphics focuses less on distributed multimedia for
workgroup collaboration and more on providing capabilities for
multimedia authoring (i.e. for creating multimedia applications rather
than for using them).
     "Silicon Graphics Inc. shares the group productivity outlook put
forth by other companies. However, given the lack of a strong network
component in its existing user base, the company shows more inclination
to focus on personal productivity through superior graphics hardware and
software than on the subject of how to achieve group productivity
through networking."
     (Multimedia Computing and Presentations, February 10, 1992)
     In April, 1992, SGI announced that it would incorporate digital
media as a core technology in future products. SGI indicated that it
would offer high-quality audio, video capabilities and digital
libraries, and software to manipulate these data media on their
workstations. SGI states that unlike standard workstations, digital-
media capable workstations should be completely integrated, that is, the
ability to manipulate multimedia data should be built into the machine.
     Another SGI goal is to bring high-end technology to the entry level
while continuing to expand the capabilities of its most advanced
systems.
     (Computing Canada, June 8, 1992)
Implementation
     On the whole, SGI is not relying on third parties to supply
multimedia capabilities. Instead it is providing high-end multimedia
capabilities itself as described below. SGI does rely on third parties
for collaborative capabilities such as fax, scan, and email.
     SGI has extensive developer's tools available and has been
recruiting mainstream vendors.
Capabilities
     This section focuses on two models offered by SGI -- the IRIS
Indigo Workstation and the Indigo2 Workstation.
     SGI's IRIS Indigo is their best selling machine. It comes standard
with built-in audio on the motherboard, built-in speaker, and slots for
additional devices such as DAT. It also has both stereo in-line and out-
line jacks. Live video is optional. The Indigo2 Workstation comes
standard with a microphone, speaker, audio, stereo line-in and line-out
jacks, and slots for additional devices such as DAT.
     Note: SGI's systems are all optimized for working with graphics and
include several custom chips. SGI has also innovated in its Virtual24
graphics which provide full 24-bit color on 8-bit hardware.
     GUI
     SGI provides full implementation of X11R4 Window System, Display
     PostScript, and 4Dwm, a window manager based on Motif.
     WorkSpace provides an icon-based graphical user interface to the
IRIX file system that provides users with point-and-click capabilities
to find, copy, and move files using a mouse. WorkSpace includes a
graphical icon editor.
     Audio
     All Indigo workstations come with a professional-quality audio
system that supports 24-bit digital stereo and 16-bit analog stereo
sound. They also have line-level and mic-level analog inputs, line-level
analog outputs, and stereo serial digital input/output jacks. All
systems offer simultaneous input and output rates. Output rates may be
synchronized to the digital input rate. Low latency operation is
available for highly interactive applications.
     IRIS Indigo has a dedicated digital signal processor on the
motherboard for audio. The Indigo2 supplies audio on a daughter board.
It has a high-density ASIC on the audio module.
     Some additional features of the Indigo2 include stereo microphone
input, time-stamped samples, non-audio bit tagging on audio samples, and
four channel mode supports of four analog channel input and output
simultaneously at full speed.
     Indigo Magic, which apparently combines IRIS Showcase and IRIS
Media Mosaic, provides end user audio tools. Indigo Magic is bundled on
all SGI systems.
       IRIS Media Mosaic is a set of powerful easy-to-use tools that
provide basic production capabilities for a range of media. Users can
grab video frames, create and edit movies, and create audio annotation.
The Video Control Panel, Video Pro Panel, Movie Maker, Movie Player,
Audio Control Panel, SoundEditor, SoundFiler, CD Manager, and DAT
Manager are included.
       IRIS Showcase is a text, drawing and presentation tool that
integrates 3D models, 2D images, raster images, digital audio, live
video input, and text in an onscreen document. A Showcase document can
be viewed as an onscreen slide show or interactive presentation, printed
as a paper document or overhead, encoded as ASCII and sent as an email
message, or captured on video tape for video presentation.
     In addition, the optional Digital Media Clip Library provides 20 MB
of ready-to-use images, sounds, movies, and 3D objects for use by end-
users or developers.
     The Digital Media Developer's Kit provides an audio library for
developers.
     Image
     IRIS Showcase, which is part of Indigo Magic and is bundled on
every SGI system, provides end user tools to integrate images into
presentations.
     The Digital Media Clip Library also provides images. (See under
"Audio" above for a complete description.)
     In addition, the optional product, ImageTools, allows end-users to
capture, create, and manipulate standard-format images supporting
features such as scan, blur, rotate, scale, stretch, and sharpen.
     IRIS Explorer, which allows end users to develop applications
without programming by providing pre-written modules, also has image
processing functions.
     For developers, SGI offers as an option the Image Processing
Library which is an object-oriented extensible toolkit for creating,
processing, and displaying images. The toolkit provides a framework for
managing and manipulating images to aid in image processing
     Video
     All Indigo graphics boards include a bus to accept the IRIS Indigo
video board that provides professional-quality video including:
          Three discrete, software-switchable video inputs.
          Composite or SVideo signals
          Both NTSC or PAL input and output (software switchable).
          Simultaneous real-time input and output.
          Output resolution 24-bit RGB images frame by frame.
          No system performance degradation because the board is
independent of the CPU.
     The board allows live video signals to be displayed in a movable,
sizable window. Graphics can be placed over the video image or video
over a graphics image. The board can also grab still images in 4:1:1
colorspace format. Color, brightness, and tint are controlled via
software.
     Because of the way their video board is implemented, the quality of
the video picture is lower quality than that provided by the HP
RasterOps
     VideoLive card.
     For end users, SGI provides video tools and libraries in the IRIS
Showcase, IRIS Media Mosaic, and Digital Media Clip Library which are
described under "Audio" above.
     For developers, SGI provides the Digital Media Developers Kit which
includes video and audio libraries, programming interfaces to
IndigoVideo and source code for the IRIS ShowCase interactive
presentation tool.
     Fax
     Available from third parties. Note that there are no fax boards on
the market sold with drivers for SGI systems. The rep at SGI said that a
fax board must be purchased from a systems integrator, but was unable to
identify one.
     Scan
     Available from third parties. Note that there are no scanners on
the market sold with drivers for SGI systems. A scanner with driver must
be purchased by a third-party integrator who has developed the driver.
SGI gave a reference to GBA in California [phone].
     Print
     SGI does not have a print facility equivalent to SharedPrint/UX.
     SharedX
     Not available.
     Shared Whiteboard
     Not available.
     Video Conference
     Not available.
     Multimedia Email
     SGI resells Z-Mail from Z-Code software. Z-Mail is a complete
multimedia email system available on almost every UNIX platform.
     Headphones
     Jacks are available for stereo headphone output.
     Integration
     SGI provides a well-integrated multimedia system, but not a
collaborative multimedia system. SGI provides hardware that bundles
multimedia capabilities except video which is optional. Scan and fax
must be purchased from a systems integrator. End-user audio, video, and
image capabilities are bundled with each system while developer's tools
are provided as optional. Multimedia mail is optional.
     Orderability
     All SGI products and Z-Mail can be ordered from SGI.
     Availability
     Now.
Summary
     SGI's systems are best suited for multimedia authoring and
applications that require high-end graphics or video capability. SGI
systems are not necessarily connected to a network which makes them less
applicable for collaborative computing.
     SGI's strengths include:
          Professional-quality audio and video.
          End user tools bundled with system.
          Many professional-quality developer tools available for
producing multimedia presentations, and applications.
     SGI's weaknesses include:
          Systems not necessarily networked.
          Fewer third party options.
          No collaborative tools: SharedX, Shared Whiteboard, or video
          conference capabilities.
          Scanning only from third party integrator. Fax also from third
party integrator. None identified.
International Business Machines
     This section discusses IBM's strategy, implementation, and
capabilities for both its PS/2 and RS/6000 platforms.
Strategy
     IBM created a multimedia division in June, 1990 and began shipping
products in March, 1992. (Dataquest, 1992) On November 10, 1992, IBM
issued a white paper, entitled IBM's Direction for Multimedia
Distributed Systems, on its multimedia direction. The white paper
demonstrates that IBM realizes that it has made only a small step into
the multimedia arena and that is has a long way to go to realize its
vision.
     The white paper also outlines that (like HP, DEC, and Sun) IBM is
focusing on distributed computing and the use of multimedia to enhance
corporate communications. Differences include the fact that IBM's PS/2
line plays a large role on the client end and the AS/400 on the server
end. RS/6000 systems are seen as appropriate for both client and server
machines but are not the focus of the strategy.
       IBM's vision is to extend multimedia capability across the
existing infrastructure of distributed computing. The result for our
customers will be the ability to deliver information through natural
media to people anywhere in the distributed enterprise around the world.
       Organizations will be able to maximize the value of information
by communicating more effectively and efficiently than before through
the use of audio, video, and images. (Multimedia Distributed Computing:
       IBM's Direction for Multimedia Distributed Systems, November 10,
1992)
     IBM indicates that it intends to innovate in the following areas:
     multimedia workstations; operating system services and presentation
     services; application tools and services; data services; networking
     application support, transport network, and subnetworking; systems
     management; server solutions; and standards.
     Other key elements of IBM's strategy include:
       Support of an evolutionary strategy to protect current
investments by providing new systems as well as enhancements to current
systems.
       Support of multimedia on all platforms from personal workstations
to workgroup systems to enterprise distributed systems.
       Focus on making systems that are affordable and easy to use,
understand, and manage.
       Support of heterogeneous computing, including interoperability,
data interchange, and Common User Access across systems by supporting
selected and emerging de facto standards.
Implementation
     On the PC side, IBM is balancing providing its own capabilities and
depending on third parties. In the PC world, users expect a choice from
third parties. However, probably due to the uncertain future of OS/2,
IBM is providing many of its own solutions as optional add-ons to their
Ultimedia line. To encourage third parties, IBM also provides tools and
a multimedia standard, UTS, (see Section 6, "The PC Market" for more
information).
     IBM also stresses its two joint ventures with Apple as key to its
multimedia strategy. The first, Taligent, is developing an object-
oriented operating system designed to run multimedia. The second,
Kaleida Labs, is developing a standard object-oriented scripting
language (ScriptX), data standards which enable interoperability between
differing systems, and runtime environments to provide script and data
portability across systems. Eventually these will allow for multimedia
collaboration across heterogeneous computing environments including
OS/2, Apple's System/7, UNIX, Windows, and DOS.
     On the workstation side, IBM currently is relying on third parties
to provide multimedia capabilities, although its strategic white paper
does mention futures for the RS/6000. For example, IBM indicates that it
intends to support multimedia programming interfaces in OS/2 and
AIX/6000.
     It also indicates that it will offer compatible multimedia
extensions to the RISC System/6000 by providing application programs to
control and synchronize datastreams in a distributed environment.
Finally, IBM says it will also allow OS/2 and AIX/6000 systems to
interoperate as either multimedia clients or servers.
Capability on the PC Platform
     Currently, IBM offers its Multimedia Presentation Manager (MMPM/2)
for OS/2 and the Ultimedia line of products for the PS/2 platform. IBM
has introduced five Ultimedia models.
     Standard multimedia features include a CD-ROM II drive, M-Audio
Capture and Playback Adapter/A, and an integrated front panel with an
enhanced internal speaker, volume control, and jacks for headphone and
microphone inputs.
     IBM also promotes the Ultimedia Tool Series (see below). Tools fall
into five categories: Authoring, Graphics, Animation, Audio, and Video.
     Products come from IBM and third parties.
     IBM provides a catalog of products for Ultimedia that includes
hardware, software, and apparel (T-shirts, sweaters, etc.)
     Many third party options are available. See Section 6 for a
discussion of the PC market.
     On the whole, IBM's Ultimedia systems have received favorable
reviews in the press, for example PC-Computing, 10/92.
     GUI
     The primary operating system for the Ultimedia systems is OS/2
version 2.0 with Multimedia Presentation Manager (MMPM/2). Ultimedia
systems are also shipped with DOS version 5.0 and Windows 3.1 already
loaded.
     MMPM/2 enhances the computer's ability to run applications that use
sound, video, and images. An optional toolkit provides C language
bindings, sample programs, and documentation for every major function in
MMPM/2.
     Audio
     Ultimedia products come standard with M-Audio Capture and Playback
Adapter A which, with MMPM/2, give the ability to capture, digitize, and
playback high-quality audio.
     The Ultimedia Tool Series includes audio tools.
     Applicable authoring software and tools for audio include:
          The Audio Visual Connection (AVC) which integrates high-
resolution images, high-fidelity sound, animation, special effects, and
full-motion video into presentations and data processing applications.
          LinkWay and LinkWay Live which combine text, graphics,
pictures, audio, and full-motion video to create lessons and
presentations.
     A Multimedia Audio Starter Kit is listed in the IBM catalog. This
kit allows users to easily make and edit audio recordings.
     Image
     Image capabilities are provided by MMPM/2, AVC (see "Audio" above),
and LinkWay (see "Audio" above). The IBM catalog also lists several
clip-art products that contain images.
     Video
     One higher-end Ultimedia model comes with IBM's ActionMedia II
adapter bundled. This adapter can be purchased separately for the other
models. It provides display and capture of high-quality motion video,
audio, and true color still images from a variety of input devices. This
adapter is the result of IBM's and Intel's Digital Video Interactive
joint venture. The M-Motion Video Adapter/A is also available from IBM.
This adapter is a PS/2 Micro Channel card that receives and processes
analog signals from multiple external video and audio sources and sends
them to a monitor and external speaker for immediate viewing.
     The Ultimedia Tools Series includes tools for video.
     In addition to video capabilities provided in MMPM/2, AVC (see
"Audio" above), and LinkWay (see "Audio" above), IBM offers PhotoMotion,
which provides software-only video compression and synchronized audio
capabilities to create multimedia CD-ROM titles.
     Fax
     As with all PCs, fax-modem cards can be purchased from many vendors
and added to a system. Fax software is generally provided by an
application program (such as Lotus Notes) or the fax vendor.
     Scan
     As with all PCs, scanners can be purchased from many vendors and
added to a system. Software comes with the scanner.
     Print
     PCs do not have printing capabilities equivalent to SharedPrint/UX.
     SharedX
     Not available.
     Shared Whiteboard
     IBM offers Person to Person/2 which enables users to share and
annotate captured copies of documents, speadsheets, images, and
graphics. Up to five users can participate in a conference. Features
include a Chalkboard where participants can draw, enter text, and
annotate captured images using simple tools. Data can also be shared
using the Shared Clipboard that lets participants paste and copy data.
The Talk features allows users to share text messages.
     Since users share the clipboard to which the document, spreadsheet,
etc. is copied and not the application itself, users do not all need to
have the application running on their system. This also means that
receivers cannot automatically update the application.
     Currently IBM supports only systems running OS/2. Future versions
will work with computers that run AIX, Microsoft Windows, and Apple
System 7. IBM is also developing an API to facilitate development of
applications that work with Person to Person/2. (EDGE on or about AT&T,
11/13/92)
     Both the receiver and sender must have a copy of Person to
Person/2.
     Video Conference
     Person to Person/2 has optional video equipment that allows users
to see other participants in a video window. The video displays a
maximum of 15 frames per second.
     Multimedia Email
     Available through third parties.
     Headphones
     Available from third party. Jacks are standard on all systems.
     Integration
     As noted above, Ultimedia systems come with many standard features,
but IBM's approach is generally a modular one that allows users to
select the capabilities they need. In the PC world, users can either buy
and integrate their own systems or find a VAR or reseller to provide the
integration for them. However, IBM itself does provide comprehensive
offerings so customers can purchase the entire solution from a single
source.
     Orderability
     All IBM products can be purchased from IBM. All UTS (see Section 6)
products can be purchased from MediaSourcery. Most products can also be
purchased through standard PC channels.
     Availability
     Now.
Capability on IBM Workstations
     This section describes IBM's multimedia offerings for the RS/6000
platform. Very few products are currently available for this platform.
IBM does incorporate the RS/6000 in the strategy defined in its white
paper on multimedia (see above), however the RS/6000 is not a major
element.
     GUI
     AIXwindows Environment/6000 combines AIXwindows, Enhanced
AIXwindows, and Display PostScript in one package. It provides an
OSF/Motif user interface that also supports the Multibyte Character Set
(MBCS).
     Audio
     IBM sells the optional RISC System/6000 M-Audio Capture and
Playback adapter which provides the capability to record and playback
high-quality sound. Input devices include microphone, CD, and cassette
players. Output devices include headphones, speakers, and amplifiers.
     Audio tools are provided by third parties.
     Image
     Provided by third parties.
     Video
     IBM sells the optional M-Video Capture Adapter which provides the
capability to capture, display, and digitize high-quality video images
for use in presentations and applications. The adapter provides full
frame capture from motion video at 30 frames per second. It allows
various image display modes (memory, overlay, transparent, pixel). It a
supports input/output jacks for RGB, NTSC, and Y/C
(Luminance/Chrominance) devices.
     Y/C devices such as Super VHS video cameras provide much higher
quality image than those from NTSC.
     Tools are provided by third parties.
     Fax
     Provided by third parties.
     Scan
     Provided by third parties. Must go to systems integrator to get
scanning solution. IBM gave reference to TriMarc of Maryland 301-953-
0255
     Print
     The AIX Xstation Manager/6000 provides a print facility for remote
printing.
     SharedX
     Not available.
     Shared Whiteboard
     Not available.
     Video Conference
     Not available.
     Multimedia Email
     Provided by third party.
     Headphones
     Not available.
     Integration
     Not integrated.
     Orderability
     Must order third party items separately.
     Availability
     Available now.
Summary
     IBM offers a solid solution on the PC platform but not on the
workstation platform.
     Strengths of IBM's offerings are:
          Multimedia capabilities built into the extended Multimedia
Presentation Manager.
          Video bundled on high-end system.
          Good tools with Ultimedia Tool Series.
          Almost all of the solution is available from IBM although not
necessarily bundled.
          Can order from single source (either IBM or MediaSourcery --
see Section 6).
     Weaknesses of IBM's offering are:
          On the PC platform -- lower-powered system, not distributed or
based on client-server model, also networking not as strong.
          OS/2 has questionable support in market relative to Microsoft
Windows.
          More Windows-based third-party products than OS/2-based ones.
          Workstation solution not together.
          Scan option on RS/6000 only from third party integrator.

Overview of Multimedia and Collaborative Capabilities of HP, Sun, DEC,
SGI, and IBM
     HP   Sun  DEC  SGI  IBM -- WS      IBM -- PC
GUI  HP Vue + MPower.    Open Windows with DeskSet.    DECwindows/Motif.
Workspace.     AIXwindows Environment /6000.      Multimedia
Presentation
Manager.
Audio     CD-quality integrated on motherboard of 715, 725, 735, and
755. Run time software bundled with OS. MPower integrates editing tools
into HP VUE.
Integrated on motherboard of all systems. CD-quality on SPARCstation 10
and LX.
Microphone and speakers bundled.   DECaudio integrated on motherboard of
DECstation 5000 Model 20 and 25. Optional on other models.  DAT-quality
integrated on IRIS Indigo motherboard and Indigo2 daughter board. End
user software included with Showcase and Media Mosaic. Mic / speakers
bundled.
IBM RS/6000 M-Audio Capture and Playback adapter optional. Software from
third party.    Bundled with system. Software Audio Visual Connection
(AVC) optional from IBM.
Image     Runtime software bundled. MPower provides end-user ability to
manipulate images.       VideoPix optional.  DECimage optional.
Some end user software included with Showcase and Media Mosaic. End user
ImageTools optional.     Third party.   AVC from IBM optional.
Video     RasterOps VideoLive card and software optional. MPower
integrates into HP VUE.   Third party.   TX Frame Buffer + DECvideo/PIP
optional.
IRIS Indigo video board optional. End user software included with
Showcase and Media Mosaic.       IBM RS/6000 M-Video Capture adapter
optional. Software third party.   ActionMedia II adapter bundled on hi-
end. ActionMedia II or M-Motion Video Adapter/A optional on rest.
Software AVC optional.
Fax  HP 9000 Fax software included with MPower. Fax modem third party.
Third party.   Third party.   Third party.   Third party.   Third party.
Scan      HP ScanJet IIc and DeskScan / UX optional. MPower  integrates
into HP VUE.      Third party.   DECimage Scan Software optional. DEC
scanners MD30C, MD400, and MD410.   Third party.   Third party.   Third
party.
Overview of Multimedia and Collaborative Capabilities of HP, Sun, DEC,
SGI, and IBM (continued)
     HP   Sun  DEC  SGI  IBM -- WS      IBM -- PC
Print     SharedPrint/ UX included with MPower and integrated into HP
VUE.
NeWsPrint and NetPrint optional.   Not available.      Not available.
AIX Xstation Manager/6000 provides remote printing.    Not available.
SharedX   Included with MPower and integrated into HP VUE.  Not
available.
Not available.      Not available.      Not available.      Not
available.
Shared Whiteboard   Included with MPower and integrated into HP VUE.
ShowMe optional.    Not available.      Not available.      Not
available.
Person to Person/2 IBM optional.
Video Conference    Third party.   Third party.   DECspin optional.
Not available.      Not available.      Person to Person/2 with video
optional.

MM Mailer      Included with MPower and integrated into HP VUE.
Bundled with DeskSet as part of OS.     Third party.   Third party
product resold by SGI.      Third party.   Third party.
Headphones     Platronics Supra Stereo Headset included with MPower
client.
Jack available.     Jack available with DECaudio.      Jack available.
Not available.      Jack available.
Integration    Yes. MPower integrates into HP VUE desk top.
Not integrated by Sun except audio. Many third party products integrated
into desktop.  Can purchase a system with all hardware options added at
the factory.
Not integrated into desktop.  All SGI multimedia features integrated
except video. No collaborate features integrated.   Not integrated.
Not integrated.
Orderability   Can order everything from HP.      Must order separate
products -- some from Sun and some from third parties.     Must order
separate products.
Many available in DECdirect catalog.    Order separately.   Must order
separate products. Many available in Direct Order catalog.      Can
order all from MediaSourcery or IBM direct order catalog.
Availability   Now.      Now.      Now.      Now.      Now.
Now.


     Channel Partners
     This section compares the third party partners of each company.
Each table lists the company name, product name, brief product
description, and the platforms the product is available on.
HP Channel Partners
     HP's direction is to make certain that all functionality needed by
its customers is available. When HP itself does not provide that
functionality, it actively encourages and works with its Channel
Partners to fill in the gap. HP especially focuses on identifying
partners who offer the highest quality, best-of-breed solutions.
Third Party Tables
     The tables were compiled by identifying all partners listed in
promotional materials (e.g. the HP Solutions Catalog and Sun Catalyst)
and then using Computer Select Library (a CD-ROM with all computer-
related publications for the last year and a database of vendors and
hardware and software product specifications) to look up each product
and determine what other platforms it runs on. The lists, then, will not
be accurate if the product specification in Computer Select Library is
out of date. In addition, some products were not listed in the database.
     Some products fall into two categories in which case, the product
is listed under its primary category. Products are not listed twice.
     The following tables are presented:
          Audio I/O and DSP.
          Authoring, Hypermedia, and CD-ROM Authoring.
          Compound Document and Productivity.
          Conferencing, Shared Screen, Collaborative, Multimedia Mail.
          Database.
          Digital Camera, Scanner, and OCR.
          Graphical User Interface.
          Image Creation, Management, and ClipArt.
          ISDN, Fax, and Telecommunications.
          Speech Recognition.
          Simulation and Animation.
          Video.
     Companies are listed in the tables in alphabetical order.
Table Codes
     The code for IBM column is: D=DOS, W=Windows, O=OS/2, R=RS/6000,
P=PC
     platform if no specific PC operating system was indicated in the
specification.
     Asterisk (*) by company name indicates that the company was not
listed in the Computer Select database.
Audio I/O and Digital Signal Processing (DSP)     HP   SUN  DEC
SGI  IBM Ariel Corporation DAT-Link -- Input and output of digital audio
by controlling DAT and CDs          Y              P
Hewlett-Packard MPower    Y
Kinetics Systems Corporation* KSC MaxCom -- Complete AT&T DSP multimedia
solution including full integration of audio, text, speech, and data
communication         Y
Loughborough Sound Images SDSP/C30D and C30/S -- complete DSP solution
      Y              P
Spectrum Signal Processing SBUS SCSI Digital Signal Processor Board
      Y
Sonitech International Various compression, interface, DSP development
products
           Y
Vigra* Audio/Signal Processor            Y

Authoring, Hypermedia, and CD-ROM Authoring  HP   SUN  DEC  SGI
IBM
AimTech Icon Author -- end user multimedia authoring tool    Y
      Y         DW
American Training Institute (formerly CEIT Systems) Authology --
multimedia authoring tool TourGuide -- multimedia authoring system
Y Y
 Y Y                 DW DW
Capital Disc Interactive* CD-I Tools -- CD-I emulation and disc
authoring
      Y
Company of Science and Art (CoSA) PACo -- X-based software-only video
and animation playback system      Y    Y              W
Electronic Book Technologies (EBT) DynaText -- electronic book
publishing system     Y    Y              W
Fulcrum Technologies Ful/Text -- toolkit for building text retrieval
applications    Y    Y    Y    Y    W
Gain Technologies GainAccess -- integrated electronic publishing
GainExposure -- creates demos of X Window software GainMomentum -- tool
to link to relational databases using SQL GainSupport -- creates on-line
help systems      Y Y Y Y   Y Y Y Y   Y Y Y Y   Y Y Y Y   R R R R
Image+* IKON -- for digitizing and manipulating images
 Y
Knowledge Systems Knowledge Management System (KMS) -- distributed
hypermedia system to manage corporate knowledge      Y    Y
Light Bits-Dallas, Inc.* Light Bits -- creates multimedia presentations
 Y    Y
Macromedia Inc. Macromind Action -- creates multimedia presentations
Macromind Player -- plays multimedia presentations
Y
 W W
Market Focus Technologies Visual Programming Environment (VPE) --
application development tools    Y    Y    Y    Y    R
MetaCard Corp. MetaCard -- develop X Window GUI applications and
hypermedia documents        Y    Y    Y    Y    R
Paradise Software HyperCmedia Toolkit -- hypertext media toolkit
Mediawrite -- multimedia authoring system Uniflix -- create and play
desktop videos
   Y       Y Y Y
RAD Technologies VideoCAM -- play video from CD-ROM or hard disk over
network CD-ROM Integrated Desktop -- multimedia publishing Hypernews --
develop interactive presentations      Y Y Y     Y Y Y
Turing Institute* HyperLook User Interface -- quick development of
multimedia systems         Y
Young Minds, Inc. CD Studio -- desktop writable CD-ROM Makedisc -- CD-
ROM formatting program   Y Y       Y Y       Y Y             R

Compound Document, Productivity, and Multimedia Mail   HP   SUN
DEC  SGI  IBM  Applix Inc. Aster*x -- integrated office management
system including multimedia mail       Y    Y    Y    Y    R
BBN  Slate -- multimedia document creation and communications system
 Y    Y    Y         R
Clarity Rapport -- integrated business application and communication
system including multimedia mail       Y    Y    Y         R
Computer Support Corporation Arts and Letters -- multitasking, windowing
graphic design tool Maestro -- presentation graphics package
      Y Y                 OW
DUX Software Ta-Dah! -- generates professional, business, and technical
presentations        Y
Frame Technology FrameMaker WYSIWYG authoring, word processing,
illustrating, and production tool        Y    Y    Y    Y    OWR
Informix Wingz -- graphical spreadsheet       Y    Y    Y    Y
 PC Interleaf  Interleaf 5 -- relational document manager and document
creation     Y    Y    Y    Y    RP
Island Graphics Island Write, Paint, Draw -- word processor, graphics,
and raster editor Island Present -- presentations graphics       Y Y
 Y Y       Y    Y    DR
Lotus 1-2-3 with Multimedia SmartHelp -- spreadsheet Notes -- groupware
  port      port               W OW
Perspecta Software Perspecta Presents -- presentation graphics
 Y    Y    Y         R
Quarterdeck Office Systems DESQview/X -- DOS window under UNIX, UNIX
window under DOS       Y    Y              P
Uniplex Advanced Graphics System -- presentation graphic add-on to
Uniplex II Plus Office System -- groupware add-on to Uniplex II Plus
Uniplex II Plus -- integrated office system       Y Y Y     Y Y Y     Y
Y Y
 RW RW RW
Verity Topic -- document retrieval system     Y    Y    Y
 DWOR
Z-Code Software Corp. Z-Mail -- open email system that supports
multimedia mail      Y    Y    Y    Y    R


Conferencing, Shared Screen, and Collaborative    HP   SUN  DEC
SGI  IBM
Databeam  Farsite -- interactive markup and exchange of images in real
time
      Y
InSoft Communique -- business conference with shared whiteboard and
optional video conference      Y    Y


Database  HP   SUN  DEC  SGI  IBM
Carlyle Systems Image/Scan -- scanner and database for images
      Y    Y         R
Informix Informix On-Line -- database engine       Y    Y    Y
 Y    RDO
InnovaTech Corporation* InnovaTech Imaging System -- document image
storage and retrieval            Y


Digital Camera, Scanner, and OCR   HP   SUN  DEC  SGI  IBM
ANA Tech (Division of Intergraph) Eagle Series -- scanner family
      Y              P
Aurora Technologies FirstScan -- uses HP Scan Jet series
 Y
Devsoft XpertScan*   Y
Fujitsu Computer of America M3096G -- document scanner (need Sun
compatibility kit)            Y
OCR Systems ReadRight Software Dev. Kit -- integrate OCR capabilities
into applications         Y              W
Pectronics Easy Scan -- desktop scanner with software PhotoCam --
digital camera          Y Y
Mentalix Pixel!OCR Pixel!Scan       Y Y       Y Y       Y Y
      R R
Vividata Inc. ScanShop -- multiple scanner platform          Y
           W
Xerox ScanWorX -- document input combining scanning with intelligent
character recognition      Y    Y

Graphical User Interfaces     HP   SUN  DEC  SGI  IBM
IXI Corporation X.desktop -- graphical user environment w/ mouse, icons,
pull-down menus      Y    Y    Y         RD
Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) SAIC VIEW -- visual user
environment that integrates OSF's Motif GUI with Sun environments
supporting OpenWindows; provides point-and-click, drag-and-drop, and
pull-down menus
   Y         Y                   R
Visix Software Inc. Looking Glass Professional -- icon and mouse-driven
GUI for UNIX workstations and X terminals    Y    Y    Y         R

Image Creation, Management, and ClipArt      HP   SUN  DEC  SGI
IBM
Autograph International Easytech/CODEC -- still-image compression
      Y
BDS Systems Xcaliber -- image processing      Y    Y
 R
Corel Systems Corel Draw -- 32-bit vector-based graphics     Y
 Y              WDRO
Datacube, Inc. MaxTower -- image processing system MAXVideo 20 pipeline
image
processor            Y Y
Excaliber Technologies  PixTex/EFS -- document management and text
retrieval
 port           Y         W
Fusion Graphics* Fusion Art -- clipart        Y
Image Concepts  C-QUEST -- image database     port      Y    Y

Imagetects ImageCELS CD-ROM -- clip art for video, animation, modeling,
etc.         Y              DO
Macromedia Macromind ClipMedia -- multimedia clip art
           W
Media Logic Artisan -- image processing system          Y
 Y
Mentalix Pixel!Edit -- image edit and photo retouch Pixel!View -- format
and display image   Y Y       Y Y       Y Y            R R
Pectronics Corporation Digital Photo -- grayscale image edit and process
system Digital Photo Color Edition -- color image edit and process
system
      Y Y
T/Maker  Click Art        Y              DW
Theta Scan TurboJPEG -- fast JPEG image compression and decompression
board          Y
West Coast Information Systems Electronic Image         Y


ISDN, Fax, and Telecommunications  HP   SUN  DEC  SGI  IBM BinTec*
ISIBase -- ISDN network communication software ISIBoard/S --intelligent
ISDN controller ISI/BTX Videotex -- software implementation of videotex
terminal         Y Y Y              Bristol Group ISO Fax -- network fax
delivery and management
 Y    Y              R
Helios Systems Helios COM+ -- fax modem            Y

Samsung Software Replix -- fax software       Y    Y
 R
Synaptel* Synway IP -- TCP/IP router over ISDN and x25 networks.
      Y
TGI Technologies Ltd. Scinet 3000 -- distributed fax message server
      Y
V-Systems FXServer -- fax server    Y    Y              R
Unipress Software, Inc VSI*FAX -- external fax modem    Y    Y
 Y


Speech Recognition  HP   SUN  DEC  SGI  IBM
Command Corporation IN3 Voice Command -- allows users to speak commands
instead of typing            Y
Square* Voice Commander -- speak commands     Y



Simulation and Animation      HP   SUN  DEC  SGI  IBM
Deneb Robotics Envision -- realtime 3D animation IGRIP -- 3D graphics
simulation       Y   Y Y             Y
DUX Software Sim City -- multimedia simulated adventure
 Y              W
ISEC, Inc. SWAMI -- color graphics with photo-real visualization and
animation       Y

Video     HP   SUN  DEC  SGI  IBM
Apunix Computer Services* Animator -- record image data to video
recording devices Computer Controlled VCR -- VCR with software control
Film Printer -- create slides, etc.            Y Y Y
Diaquest Animaq --integrated video system  Series II S/SP -- video
controller
Image Node -- fully integrated video system   Y Y       Y Y Y
 Y Y       Y Y
Eneranalytics Media EA Device Control Server -- share and interact with
external audio and video media devices        Y    Y
Focus Graphics ImageCorder, ImageServer, ImageMaster -- solutions to
create film-based output     Y    Y         Y    O
Folsom Research* Video/Scan Converter -- video scan converter and frame
grabber
      Y    Y
Image Manipulation Systems IMS/1000 -- video card            Y

Lyon Lamb Video Animation Systems Series of products for video
conversion, generation, and control   Y    Y         Y
Parallax Graphics  VideoView -- video in a window Xvideo -- live video
in a window          Y Y
RasterOps Corp. Various videoboards      Y    Y    Y         PC
RGB Spectrum HRVM -- real time video generation Videolink -- video
converter RGB/View - see full-motion on workstation      Y Y       Y Y
  Y Y      Y Y Y      A A

     Pricing
     This section provides a price comparison of MPower and each of it
competitors. A discussion of pricing in the PC market is included at the
end of the section.
     Notably, MPower wins in pricing across the board. HP provides more
capabilities than its competitors, integrates the capabilities, and
provides a price advantage. The HP solution costs:
          60% of the Sun solution.
          52% of the DEC solution.
          28% of the IBM RS/6000 solution.
          less than 50% more than SGI solution which does not offer any
collaborative capabilities.
Sun MIcrosystems

     HP   Sun
MPower for 10 users      $1,495 for server + $495 per user = $6445
Not applicable.
GUI for 10 users    $0   $0
Audio for 10 users  $0   $0
Image for 10 users  $0   VideoPix $719 per user = $7190
SharedX for 10 users     $0   Not available.
Shared Whiteboard for 10 users     $0   ShowMe for 10 users = $2300
MM Mail for 10 users     $0   $0
Print for 10 users  $0   NeWSprint $695 per user = $6950
Fax one per system       Need hardware only. Choice available.*
Multitech $300
     Choice available.* Bristol Group ISO FAX hardware and software $995
SUBTOTAL  $6745     $17,435
Video one for system     $2275     Choice available.*  RasterOps SPARC
Card TV II $1499
Scan one for system      ScanJet software and scanner $3350
Choice available.* Vividata ScanShop software ($695) + HP ScanJet IIP
($1095) = $1790
TOTAL PRICE    $12,370   $20,724
* When a choice is available, the least expensive option identified is
used.

Digital Equipment Corporation

     HP   DEC
MPower for 10 users      $1,495 for server + $495 per user = $6445
Not applicable.
GUI for 10 users    $0   $0
Audio for 10 users  $0   $0 on Models 20 and 25* $1995 for other models
($0 used in total.)
Image for 10 users  $0   DECimage application services $1180 per user =
$11,800

SharedX for 10 users     $0   Not available.
Shared Whiteboard for 10 users     $0   Not available.
MM Mail for 10 users     $0   Z-Code Z-Mail for 10 users $2495
Print for 10 users  $0   Not available.
Fax one per system  Need hardware only. Choice available.* Multitech
$300
Unipress Software VSI*FAX external with hardware and software = $1600
SUBTOTAL  $6745     $15,895
Video one for system     $2275     TX Frame Buffer $3995 + DECvideo/PIP
$1995 = $5990
Scan one for system      ScanJet software and scanner $3350
DECimage Scan Software $530 + DEC image scanner* MD30C $1299 = $1829
TOTAL PRICE    $12,370   $23,714
* When a choice is available, the least expensive option identified is
used.
Silicon Graphics Inc.

     HP   SGI
MPower for 10 users      $1,495 for server + $495 per user = $6445
Not applicable.
GUI for 10 users    $0   $0
Audio for 10 users  $0   $0
Image for 10 users  $0   $0
SharedX for 10 users     $0   Not available.
Shared Whiteboard for 10 users     $0   Not available.
MM Mail for 10 users     $0   Z-Code Z-Mail for 10 users $2495
Print for 10 users  $0   Not available.
Fax one per system       Need hardware only. Choice available.*
Multitech $300
SGI said must purchase from systems integrator. Rep I spoke to could not
give me a name.
SUBTOTAL  $6745     $2495
Video one for system     $2275     $2500
Scan one for system      ScanJet software and scanner $3350
From Systems Integrator GBA in California [phone] a high-end 600
dpi
$12,500 and lower end 300 dpi $2150*
TOTAL PRICE    $12,370   $7145 (but much less functionality)
* When a choice is available, the least expensive option identified is
used.

IBM Workstations

     HP   IBM WS
MPower for 10 users      $1,495 for server + $495 per user = $6445
Not applicable
GUI for 10 users    $0   $250 per user + $1000 for nine users = $1250
Audio for 10 users  $0   Audio adapter hardware = $495 / user = $4950**
Image for 10 users  $0   BDS Xcaliber EFSC = Server base price $22,400 +
10-pack of clients ($8,000) = $30,400
SharedX for 10 users     $0   Not available.
Shared Whiteboard for 10 users     $0   Not available.
MM Mail for 10 users     $0   Z-Code Z-Mail for 10 users $2495
Print for 10 users  $0   NA
Fax one per system  Need hardware only. Choice available.* Multitech
$300
Choice available.* Bristol Group ISO FAX hardware and software $995
SUBTOTAL  $6745     $40,090
Video one for system     $2275     Video adapter hardware = $2250
Scan one for system      ScanJet software and scanner $3350
From systems integrator TriMarc of Maryland 301-953-0255 with low-end
Ricoh
Scanner = $1500*
TOTAL PRICE    $12,370   $43,840 (with much less functionality)
* When a choice is available, the least expensive option identified is
used.
     ** Does not include software. Would provide audio/video
capabilities to authoring development products and productivity
applications (e.g. Clarity Rapport) that support these data types. No
end user software tools seem to be available.
PCs and Compatibles
     Comparing pricing for PCs and workstations is difficult because
basic functionality that is included with a workstation, such as
networking capabilities, must be added on to a PC. In addition, the PC
market offers users a plethora of choices. This section, then,
identifies the components that must be included in a collaborative,
multimedia PC and provides ranges for the pricing available. Prices in
this section come from the Computer Select Library and from looking at
the ads in PC Magazine. Since the ads show discounted pricing, those
prices are identified.
     Note that some multimedia PCs are available on the market, fully
integrated. These systems generally include audio capabilities, a high-
quality monitor, a graphics accelerator board, a CD-ROM, headphones, and
speakers. Almost all come with the operating system bundled. Some come
with CD-ROM titles that take advantage of multimedia. Others just supply
the hardware. None come with networking capabilities. These systems
range in price from $2000 to $6000 (PC Magazine, March 16, 1993).
GUI The operating system, generally, DOS 5.0 with MS-Windows 3.1 and
sometimes OS/2 with Multimedia Presentation Manager, is bundled with
most PCs on the market, whether or not they are multimedia-capable.
Audio
     Over 100 hardware audio boards and adapters are listed in Computer
Select Library, ranging in price from $149 to $2195. Soundblaster from
ATI Tech. is the most popular and is a de facto standard in the PC
market. Several versions of Soundblaster are available at discount
prices from $95 to $225 (PC Magazine, March 16, 1993).
Imaging
     Note that many PCs are not sold with monitors or graphics
accelerators that can handle high-quality images or full-motion video.
Therefore, these must be added to the PC before it can be used for
multimedia. A good-quality monitor costs $500 to $1500. A graphics
accelerator costs $100 to $250 (PC Magazine, March 16, 1993).
     In addition, approximately 25 software products that provide image
handling capabilities are listed in Computer Select Library. These range
in price from $70 to $695.
Video
     As noted under Imaging above, a good monitor and graphics
accelerator are needed for full-motion video. In addition, about one-
half dozen full-motion video products are listed in the Computer Select
Library.
     These range in price from $495 to $22,000.
SharedX
     SharedX capabilities are not available on PCs.
Shared Whiteboard Capability
     IBM's Person-to-Person/2 appears to be the only equivalent product
in the PC market. Note that it requires OS/2 instead of Windows. IBM
sells this product for $280 / user or $1875 / 10 users.
Multimedia Mail
     Note that networking hardware and software (see below) should be
added to a basic PC in order to take advantage of multimedia mail.
     Several multimedia mail products are available for PCs at various
prices:
          Lotus Notes $296 / user or $62,500 / 200 users
          MS Mail $695 / server and $395 - $22,500 / multiuser licenses
          cc:Mail from Lotus $295 / office
          M-Mail from Interactive Inc. $89 / user
Scan
     Nearly 200 scanners are listed in Computer Select Library as being
     compatible with PCs. These range in price from $99 to $109,000.
Print
     No products comparable to SharedPrint/UX are available for the PC.
Fax
     More than 250 fax and fax/modem boards are listed in Computer
Select Library, ranging from $38 for send-only boards to over $2000 for
full-featured boards.
     In addition, over 100 software products were listed, ranging from
LAN-based routing software at $9995 to software that allows a Windows
application to send and receive faxes at $79.
Networking
     Again, many different network cards, adapters, and software
products are available. As an example for pricing, a Novell Netware 10-
user pack costs about $1350 and a board would be approximately $150 /
user (PC Magazine, March 16, 1993).
CD-ROM
     The MPC standard (see Section 6, below) calls for a CD-ROM as part
of a compliant machine. A CD-ROM for a PC ranges from $200 to $500 (PC
Magazine, March 16, 1993).



     The PC Market
     Putting together a collaborative, multimedia system on the PC
platform is not a straightforward undertaking. Competing multimedia
standards have been introduced which adds confusion to the market place.
What's more, PCs were not designed to provide the networking and
graphics capabilities required for collaboration and multimedia.
Therefore, these capabilities must be added, requiring that users select
and integrate products from an abundance of third party vendors
themselves.
     This section discusses competing standards and gives a brief
description of difficulties in putting together a collaborative,
multimedia system on the PC platform.
Standards
     Microsoft and the Multimedia PC Marketing Council, a subsidiary of
the Software Publishers Association, released its a standard for a
Multimedia Personal Computer (MPC) in 1990. Since the MPC standard
supported Windows 3.1 and showed no inclination to add OS/2 to its
specification, IBM has introduced its own standard, the Ultimedia Tool
Series (UTS).
     Vendors are introducing products that meet one, both, or neither
standard.
     It appears that much more software is available for Windows than
for OS/2.
     Dataquest projects that, given the large installed base of Windows
3.0 and 3.1 users and the growing number of MPC-compliant machines, the
MPC standard will win (Dataquest, 1992).
MPC The MPC standard is a specification announced by Microsoft and many
PC vendors. Machines stamped with the MPC logo must be compatible with
Windows Multimedia Extensions which allows any Windows multimedia
application to talk to the soundboard and CD-ROM drive. The
specification also defines a minimum hardware configuration, which the
trade press seems to feel is inadequate. (PC World, May 1992). MPC
products are not tested and developers pay a fee in order to display the
logo.
     The MPC standard includes 16 MHz 386SX CPU, VGA graphics, 30MB hard
disk, 8-bit soundboard, and CD-ROM drive with 150 kilobit-per-second
transfer rate. The UTS standard specifies high-fidelity, 16-bit audio,
CD-ROM XA (an extension that makes it easier for developers to
synchronize image and sound), and motion video based on Intel's Digital
Video Interactive (DVI) compression technology. A touch screen is also
part of the specification.
UTS
     The goal of UTS is to provide innovative software tools to
multimedia application developers. Tool Series partners worked to
develop the UTS architecture. The architecture defines standard file
formats for file exchange; standard techniques for data manipulation and
invoking tools; and common look and feel through user access standards.
Programs compliant with the architecture should work together and have a
compatible and consistent look and feel. (EDGE: Work-Group Computing
Report, 11/13/92)
     UTS does not say how an application accesses sound and video
hardware. (This is usually done via Windows' or OS/2's multimedia
extension or proprietary drivers under DOS.) UTS does, though, mandate
that any compliant application run under OS/2 either as a native
application or in a DOS or Windows box. IBM has invested in reseller
MediaSourcery Inc. to market, distribute, and support all UTS products.
MediaSourcery will test all software for compliance, and applications
will bear the UTS logo free of charge. Companies who say they will
support UTS include AimTech, Asymmetrix, Autodesk, Gold Disk,
Macromedia, and ZSoft. (PC Week, 12/8/92)
Messaging Standard
     Multiple standards are being promoted in the area of collaboration
as well. Microsoft has a Messaging Application Programming Interface
(MAPI) and Lotus, Borland, and others are promoting the Vendor
Independent Messaging API (VIM). Apparently the two standards are not
compatible. (PC
     Magazine. December 8, 1992)
Difficulties with PCs for Collaborative Multimedia
     While it is possible to put together a collaborative multimedia
system on the PC platform, doing so is much more difficult than putting
together such a system on a workstation platform. The difficulty arises
from the basic design of the hardware and operating systems. This
section briefly outlines these areas:
       Networking: Networking / distributed computing environment are
essential for collaborative computing and distributed access to
multimedia data and applications. PCs were not designed to be networked.
Instead, the ability to network has been added to the system design,
making it much less transparent to the user and much more difficult to
administer.
       Graphics: Quality graphics is necessary for imaging and full-
motion video. Again, PCs were not designed for high-quality graphics. To
get the quality needed for imaging and full-motion video, a user must
purchase a high-quality monitor and a graphics accelerator card. These
components are generally not bundled with standard systems.
       Speed: Top performance is essential for compute-intensive tasks
such as video compression. While PC performance is increasing all the
time, it simply does not match that offered by RISC chips used on
workstations.
       Storage: High-capacity disk storage and memory are necessary for
       handling large image or audio files. These features must be added
on to PCs. In fact, many PCs use CD-ROMs for storage.
       Integration: Integration makes a system easy to use. Since all
the various components for collaborative, multimedia computing on the PC
platform must be purchased from different vendors, getting them to work
together efficiently and easily is a difficult, if not impossible, task.
       Drag-and-drop capability may be installed only by purchasing a
desktop application that sits on top of the operating system and its
desktop/window environment.
     Why HP Wins in Collaborative Computing
     HP is the only vendor to offer a total solution, one that includes
all the tools and components needed for effective and efficient
collaborative multimedia. HP offers users natural and effective
communication and collaboration with the result that they can get their
jobs done better and faster.
     No other vendor makes it so easy. With MPower, everything works
together from day one. And still works together when there's an upgrade.
No other vendor provides as many tools for collaboration -- such as
SharedX. Plus, no other vendor puts all the multimedia capabilities on
the desktop.
     Better yet, no other vendor offers a single-vendor solution -- with
single-vendor support, technology that designed to work together
seamlessly, and upgrades that go smoothly. Best of all, no one can beat
HP's price which means the HP solution works for every desktop.
Ten Reasons Why HP Wins
     HP wins because its solution is:
     1. Complete
     2. Integrated
     3. Single-vendor
     4. Flexible
     5. Expandable
     6. Easily upgradeable
     7. Lower cost
     8. Truly collaborative
     9. Pre-installed
     10. Quality
1. Complete
     HP offers all the components that a user needs for collaborative
multimedia. All the features that most users will ever think of using
are right there -- integrated on the desktop in one easy-to-use, easy-
to-learn package.
     And for those users who do have additional requirements, HP has
worked with selected third parties to assure that best-of-breed
solutions are available.
2. Integrated
     HP's solution is integrated. All of the components are designed
from the ground up to work together seamlessly. So users don't have to
worry about incompatibilities. They're also designed to have the same
look and feel.
     So users don't have to learn new interfaces.
     This means that a user can grab a video frame and then drag and
drop it to the email or fax icon to share it with a colleague. Or, a
user can scan an image, bring it into SharedWhiteboard for a meeting,
and mark it up, in real time, with others.
3. Single Vendor
     When the entire solution comes from a single vendor everything
works more smoothly -- from installation and daily use to technical
support and upgrades. HP pre-installs MPower so there's no hassle
upfront. On a daily basis, all the components of the system interact
perfectly because they're designed that way. Only HP is accountable for
problems should a technical support question arise -- so users don't
have to turn to multiple vendors to get an answer. And when HP upgrades
HP-UX, it will also provide a new version of MPower if necessary. Even
use of system resources works better since HP optimizes each component
of MPower to take advantage of the PA-RISC architecture.
4. Flexible
     Every business and every worker has different needs. So HP designed
MPower to be a flexible solution. One that provides better user-to-
computer communication for the times a user works alone. Better user-to-
team communication for the times users share information with each
other. And better collaborative communication for the times users work
together.
     MPower also gives each user flexibility in what to share -- text,
graphics, images, audio, and full-motion video and flexibility in how to
share -- mail, SharedX, Shared Whiteboard, fax, printing, and scanning.
5. Expandable
     HP's solution is expandable. Adding an application or tool to the
HP VUE desktop is simple and quick. By utilizing HP VUE user interface
capabilities, both customers and channel partners can add to the MPower
solution. The best part is that the new applications will work
seamlessly with other MPower components. As a result, the MPower
solution can grow to meet each user's expanding needs.
6. Easily Upgradable
     When HP upgrades HP-UX, then HP will provide a new version of
MPower, if necessary. So the upgrade goes smoothly. So everything works
together.
     It's a promise no other vendor can make. Because all of the other
solutions rely on third-party components. And when another vendor is
involved, there's no guarantee.
7. Lower Cost
     The HP solution costs:
          60% of the Sun solution.
          52% of the DEC solution.
          28% of the IBM RS/6000 solution.
          less than 50% more than SGI solution which does not offer any
collaborative capabilities.
     MPower is aggressively priced with a client component at $495 and a
server component at $1495. It's a solution that everyone can afford for
every desktop, a solution that should make HP the leader in
collaborative multimedia computing .
8. Truly Collaborative
     Truly collaborative means the ability to work with anyone. HP
SharedX is the only product that allows users to truly share the data
and application. All other products share a snapshot of an image or page
of data. In addition, HP's SharedX product works with any X terminal or
workstation, not just HP's. And, SharedX does not require that the
application or data be on the LAN or the receiver's system, only on the
originator's system. Which means a collaborative session could even
include DOS users who run an X-based environment.
9. Pre-Installed
     MPower is available pre-installed through Instant Ignition. So
users don't have to worry about installing many different components and
trying to get them to work together. As a result, the user can start
working productively with the system right away.
10. Quality
     Quality. Everything works all the time -- reliably. Everything
works together because they're designed that way. Everything is easy-to-
use and easy-to-find. And, when maybe something does go wrong or
customers have a question, they know exactly where to turn.
Selling Tips
     This section contains specific tips to use when selling against the
competition.
Sun
     When selling against Sun, stress the following points:
       Sun does not provide a complete solution.
       Sun relies heavily on third parties to provide multimedia
solutions, which means:
          Upgrades will be a nightmare when Sun releases a new OS. Users
will have to go to each different vendor to upgrade its product. In the
meantime, there's no guarantee that the older version of the product
will work with the new OS. There's also no guarantee that new versions
of various third party products will work with each other.
          Components are not well-integrated and might need options set
and reset in order to work together.
          It's not clear where to turn for support.
          Learning and using products will not be easy since each is
sure to have some unique quirk in its user interface that is not the
same as the Sun specification.
       Sun's solution is more expensive because components that are
bundled on the HP systems must be purchased separately, specifically,
imaging, video software (as well as hardware), fax, scan, NeWsPrint,
ShowMe, and headphones.
       SharedX is not provided.
       The quality of the solution simply cannot be as good because
there's no single vendor to make sure that all the pieces work together
the way they should all the time.
DEC
     When selling against DEC, stress the following points:
       DEC is no longer updating its multimedia offerings. It has
disbanded its multimedia team.
       DEC does not provide a complete, integrated solution. Instead it
relies on third parties. As a result, currently, few end user tools from
DEC or third parties are available. Reliance on third parties means:
          Upgrades will be a nightmare when DEC releases a new OS. Users
will have to go to each different vendor to upgrade its product. In the
meantime, there's no guarantee that the older version of the product
will work with the new OS. There's also no guarantee that new versions
of various third party products will work with each other.
          Components are not well-integrated and might need options set
and reset in order to work together.
          It's not clear where to turn for support.
          Learning and using products will not be easy since each is
sure to have some unique quirk in its user interface.
       There is no SharedX or shared whiteboard capability on DEC. DEC
provides less collaborative capability.
       No equivalent to SharedPrint/UX.
       DEC does not provide a graphical desktop with drag-and-drop
operation so the system is not as easy to use or learn, or as flexible.
       DEC's solution is more expensive because customers have to
purchase the following items: audio on some models, imaging, fax,
multimedia mail.
       DEC will have lower quality because there is no single vendor
making sure all the components work well together as well as the fact
that no new resources are being put into this area.
SGI
       When selling against SGI, stress the following points:
       Collaborative products such as SharedX, shared whiteboard
capability, and video conference are not available.
       SGI has systems designed for authoring not collaboration, which
means its solutions are not necessarily easy to use or learn for someone
who does not develop multimedia applications every day. The systems are
not oriented toward the business user who sees multimedia as a means to
an end and not an end in itself.
       SGI relies on third parties, which means:
          Upgrades will be a nightmare when SGI releases a new OS. Users
will have to go to each different vendor to upgrade its product. In the
meantime, there's no guarantee that the older version of the product
will work with the new OS. There's also no guarantee that new versions
of various third party products will work with each other.
          Components are not well-integrated and might need options set
and reset in order to work together.
          It's not clear where to turn for support.
          Learning and using products will not be easy since each is
sure to have some unique quirk in its user interface.
       Solution not as well integrated into the desktop as HP's. Plus
       integrating new applications to expand the solution is not as
easy.
       SGI's solution is more expensive because customers have to
purchase the following items: fax, scan, headphone, multimedia mail. Fax
and scan are from integrators only.
       No equivalent to SharedPrint/UX.
       Lower quality for collaboration because the focus is on the high-
end and few choices available for collaboration.
IBM -- Workstation
     When selling against IBM workstations, stress the following points:
       No collaborative products including SharedX, shared whiteboard
capability, and video conferencing available.
       Heavy reliance on third parties, which means:
          Upgrades will be a nightmare when IBM releases a new OS. Users
will have to go to each different vendor to upgrade its product. In the
meantime, there's no guarantee that the older version of the product
will work with the new OS. There's also no guarantee that new versions
of various third party products will work with each other.
          Components are not well-integrated and might need options set
and reset in order to work together.
          It's not clear where to turn for support.
          Learning and using products will not be easy since each is
sure to have some unique quirk in its user interface.
       Nothing is integrated with the desktop which makes the solution
harder to learn and use. In addition, integrating new solutions is not
as easy as on an HP system.
       More expensive because customers have to purchase the following
separately: Audio software, image solution, fax, and multimedia mail.
       Scan only from integrator.
       Quality is lower because the solution lacks many components and
those that are available are not designed to work together.
IBM -- PC
     When selling against IBM PCs, stress the following points:
       PCs do not provide a distributed, client-server environment.
       PC networking capabilities are weaker than those of workstations.
       Support for OS/2 is questionable relative to Microsoft Windows.
       Heavy reliance on third parties, which means:
          Upgrades will be a nightmare when Microsoft releases a new OS.
Users will have to go to each different vendor to upgrade its product.
In the meantime, there's no guarantee that the older version of the
product will work with the new OS. There's also no guarantee that new
versions of various third party products will work with each other.
          Components are not well-integrated and might need options set
and reset in order to work together.
          It's not clear where to turn for support.
          Learning and using products will not be easy since each is
sure to have some unique quirk in its user interface.
       More expensive because customers have to purchase the following
separately: networking capabilities, audio software, image solution,
fax, shared whiteboard capability, and headphones.
       No SharedX capability.
       No SharedPrint/UX capability.
       Good person-to-computer capabilities for authoring or kiosks, but
less workgroup collaboration.
Bibliography
     This section contains a list of publications and other sources used
for this document as well as a list of HP personnel interviewed and
other sources used.
Publications and Other Sources
     Barr, Christopher, "Are You Talking to Me? Workgroup Apps to
Enhance Collaboration," PC Magazine. December 8, 1992.
     Buckler, Grant, "New for PC Lotus Notes Document Imaging,"
Newsbytes.
     September 15, 1992.
     Caruso, Denise, "Silicon Graphics Tastes the Future," Digital
Media: A Seybold Report. June 22, 1992.
     Computer Select Computer Library, Ziff Communications Company,
December, 1992.
     Cruickshank, Douglas, Digital Media: Changing the Way We
Communicate,"Computing Canada. June 8, 1992.
     "Distributed Multimedia," DEC Professional. July, 1992.
     Emigh, Jacqueline, "Sun Workstations, Servers Targeted at PC
Users," Newsbytes. November 11, 1992.
     Gillin, Al, "IBM Grows the 220," MIDRANGE Systems. June 23, 1992.
     "Global Networking: SunConnect Intros New Global Networking
Products," EDGE On and About AT&T. November 2, 1992.
     Graphics, Imaging, Visualization, and Animation Catalyst Portfolio,
Sun Microsystems, June, 1992.
     Grunin, Lori, "Multimedia IBM Style," PC Magazine. December 8,
1992.
     Higgins, Steve, "Lotus to Ship Beta of New Notes Add-On," PC Week.
August 17, 1992.
     "Hewlett-Packard, Silicon Graphics Walk Away with the Midrange,"
Digital Review. June 22, 1992.
     Manel, Kimberly, "Notes Gets In the Picture," Datamation. July 15,
1992.
     Marshak, D, "Digital Designs Distributed Multimedia Strategy,"
Patricia Seybold's Network Monitor. November, 1991.
     McLachlan, Gordon, "Workgroup Software Foreshadows NT," LAN
Computing. November, 1992.
     Mehler, Mark, "Notes Fanatic," Corporate Computing. August, 1992.
     "Microsoft New Windows for Workgroups Graphical User Interface,"
Software Industry Bulletin. October 26, 1992.
     Multimedia Catalyst Portfolio, Sun Microsystems, September, 1992.
     "Multimedia Computing -- Unleashing the Market Opportunity Focus
Report,"
     Dataquest Incorporated, November 16, 1992.
     Multimedia Distributed Computing: IBM's Direction for Multimedia
Distributed Systems, (white paper distributed by IBM). November 10,
1992.
     "Multimedia: IBM States Plans for Multimedia Conferencing
Applications," EDGE On or About AT&T. November 13, 1992.
     PC Magazine. March 16, 1993.
     Quick, Gregory, "Silicon Graphics Incorporates Digital Media,"
Computer
     Reseller News. April 20, 1992.
     Rohrbough, Linda "New Video for Windows Supported by 150
Applications,"
     Newsbytes. November 11, 1992.
     Schultz, Gary and Nick Arnett, "Workstation Multimedia: Major
Vendors
     Begin to Show Strategies," Multimedia Computing and Presentations.
February 10, 1992.
     Seymour, Jim, "Silicon Graphics: Hidden Power," PC Magazine. May
12, 1992.
     "Silicon Graphics Offers Full-Motion Video Board," PC User. May 6,
1992.
     Smith, Gina, "IBM PS/2 Ultimedia M57 SLC," PC-Computing. October,
1992.
     Spanbauer, Scott, "Buyers Guide: Multimedia Systems," PC World.
May, 1992.
     Sullivan, Kristina B., "SGI to Offer Avid's Multimedia Wares on
Iris
     Workstations," PC Week. July 6, 1992.
     SunFLASH (distributed by Sun Microsystems). April, 1992.
     "Ultimedia Tools: Ultimedia Tools Series Available from IBM," EDGE:
     Work-Group Computing Report. November 13, 1992.
     Varney, Sarah E, "DEC Multimedia Program Uses DECstations," Digital
     Review. November 4, 1991.
     Vendor-published sources.
     "Workgroup Windows: Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1 Makes
Information
     Sharing Easier," EDGE: Work-Group Computing Report. November 2,
1992.
Other Input
     In addition to the above sources, many HP personnel gave input to
this document. Some were interviewed on the telephone prior to
development of this survey. Others provided written reports they had
already developed.
     Still other reviewed the drafts.
     Sales reps and pre-sales support personnel at each of the vendor
companies also provided extensive (if unknowing) input.
     As noted in Section 4 "Channel Partners," the Computer Select
Library wasalso used for this report. Specific articles are listed
individually above. In addition, the Hardware and Software Product
Specification sections were used extensively.
HP Personnel
     Jim Belcher
     Janet Dobbs
     Charlie Fernandez
     Eric Grall
     Eric Handgen
     Marsha Haugen
     Dennis Kelly
     Bill Kemper
     Petra Kinsman
     Ron McKenzie
     David Moreno
     Pauline Mustazza
     Sameer Nadkarni
     Lou Petrella
     Frank Recchia
     Gary Rose
     John Rose
     Jef Shen
     Jan Silverman
     Dick Thompson
     Peter Vescuso
     Bill Yoder

The Post Group
     Joe Jaynes
     Lynn Post