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In WAVE #936, the URL http://www.net-tv was not correct. The correct URL is http://www.net-tv.net.
***MathEngine
PLC Releases MathEngine Game Physics SDK.
(December 17)
MathEngine PLC has released a real-time game physics SDK. This SDK is available from the MathEngine website free for non-commercial use. The website also includes online documentation.
MathEngine provides scripted or planned sequences and scenarios with real-life, real-time physical dynamics. With the MathEngine API developers can add highly realistic physics to a game in a matter of hours instead of weeks or months. MathEngine is flexible and easy to use. Adding real physics through Mathengine gives an artist or a programmer a physics toolbox to work with. MathEngine has a set of algorithms to handle most situations in classical physics that are likely to be encountered when creating a virtual world. The algorithms are provided within a modular, flexible, computational framework that gives the utmost freedom to the developer.
MathEngine PLC has developed 3D computer simulation software. MathEngine PLC, was established in April 1997 to develop and implement MathEngine. The technical team at MathEngine is made up of research physicists and mathematicians and has close links with Oxford University. MathEngine PLC has its headquarters in Oxford, England and is in the process of setting up offices in Madras, Tokyo and San Francisco.
***Toshiba Produces 0.25 Micron Embedded DRAM ASIC (November 17)
Toshiba America Electronic Components announced that it is in production with a 0.25-micron system-level integration (SLI) ASIC with embedded DRAM (which TAEC calls dRAMASIC). This dRAMASIC was designed for Pixelwork's PW364 ImageProcessor, a flat panel display (FPD) controller on a single chip which will be used in FPD products, including LCD monitors, LCD projectors and plasma display panels. Developed using Toshiba's Timing-Driven Flow (TDF) methodology, the dRAMASIC boasts more than half a million gates of random logic, a 32 megabit (Mb) SDRAM core, an on-board integrated 16-bit processor, and runs up to 133 megahertz (MHz). In addition to being the first 0.25mm dRAMASIC, this is also the first time that this much DRAM has been built into an ASIC.
The Pixelworks chip also benefits from aspects of Toshiba's packaging technology. Housed in a low-cost tape ball grid array (TBGA) package with excellent thermal and electrical characteristics, the dRAMASIC also features ultra-low power consumption which allows the PW364 to run much cooler than most other graphic chips, and eliminates the need for thermal heatsinks.
The PW364 ImageProcessor is a key component in that it is expected to accelerate the adoption of products using flat panel technology. The PW364 ImageProcessor IC, the company's initial product, is the first time an integrated, flat panel display controller is contained on a single chip replacing several discrete components, meaning dramatically lower overall electronics and hence product cost. By supporting input resolutions up to UXGA and HDTV with complete image resizing, frame rate conversion, and automatic image optimization, display products using the PW364 will set new standards for image quality and ease of use.
***Viewpoint DataLabs Becomes Publisher of REM Infográfica 3D Model Bank (December 17)
Viewpoint DataLabs announced it has signed an agreement with REM Infográfica for the exclusive distribution rights to all of the 3D content in the REM 3D MODELS BANK. With the addition of nearly 5,000 REM models, Viewpoint's archive will contain more than 20,000 unique 3D models, images and motions.
REM originally created the REM 3D MODELS BANK to support its 3D business, and has since grown the library into a desirable source of photorealistic, render-ready 3D content for modelers and animators.
Model Bank Details
· 4,800 Models: The Model Bank contains approximately 1,200 unique 3D models, most available with four levels of detail, providing flexibility for use in projects ranging from high fidelity broadcast to interactive game development.
· Photorealistic Texture Maps: Each 3D model is available with a detailed texture map for 3D Studio MAX, providing render-ready models and significant time savings.
· Model Categories: 3D models are available in 15 categories including military and civilian vehicles, aircraft, ships, architecture, furnishings, plants, humans and several more.
· Discount Pricing: Model Bank members pay an annual subscription fee of $395 and receive up to an 80% discount on the license of individual 3D models in the Bank.
· Software Formats: The 3D models and texture maps were created in 3D Studio MAX and are popular among MAX users worldwide. Many of the models are also available in other widely used 3D software formats.The Model Bank will remain Web-based and will be available exclusively through Viewpoint effective immediately.
Model Bank members accessing the Bank through http://www.infografica.com will automatically be redirected to Viewpoint's Web site at http://modelbank.viewpoint.com. Existing Model Bank subscription memberships will be honored, and the way members access and download 3D models will be consistent for the foreseeable future. Also effective immediately, new memberships to the Model Bank are available from Viewpoint at the current annual subscription fee of $395.Through the annual membership, individual Model Bank 3D models may be licensed throughout the subscription period at prices ranging from $20 to $70 per model, a substantial discount to non-membership pricing.
***Trident's Claims WinBench 98 Score in excess of 910 for Integrated Chip (December 17)
Following up on the recently announced joint design effort with VIA Technology, Trident Microsystems released technical information and performance figures for the graphics integrating core logic chip, VIA's MVP4.
Created in cooperation with AMD, and running on a K6 400MHz system, the graphics portion of the chip is claimed to provide WinBench 98 numbers in excess of 910. Frame rates on the popular game Incoming, were in the high 40s with peak triangles per seconds at 1200. Using this chip, it is claimed that AMD's socket 7 and Super 7 solution can provide the sub- $1,000PC market with the complete gaming experience.
***S3 Enters 10-Year Cross Licensing Agreement With Intel (December 17)
S3 announced a long-term agreement with Intel Corp. which includes a 10-year cross-license agreement for all S3 and Intel patents for development of certain semiconductor products, a bus license for current and future Intel general purpose processors, and the selection of S3 as an Intel AGP 4X validation partner. S3 also announced that Intel is to purchase warrants to buy S3 shares under undisclosed terms.
While specific terms of the agreement are not being disclosed, Potashner, the CEO of S3, added, "Our agreement with Intel is another milestone in S3's long-term strategy to regain its leadership position in graphics and penetrate other new markets through integration. By bringing more value to our customers in terms of technology, support and industry relationships, we believe we can capture a significant amount of OEM and AIC design wins in 1999 and beyond."
S3 is currently the world's second largest supplier of single-chip 2D, 3D, and video accelerators for the desktop and mobile markets. Through this newly acquired technology base as well as its industry-first .18 micron process capability announced last week, S3 plans to broaden its product offering to incorporate additional functionality onto its accelerator chips. The types of technologies that will be integrated will be driven by OEM and AIC requirements and are scheduled to be unveiled over the next 12 months.
In addition to the graphics space, S3 also intends to pursue new markets that represent substantial growth opportunities for the company. Targeted products in these new markets may include set-top boxes, WinCE machines, consumer appliances, industrial point-of-sale systems, and automotive GPS systems, among others.
As an Intel AGP 4X validation partner, S3 is well positioned to be have a early AGP 4X-compliant product.
We find it interesting that when S3 cannot execute in its core business, i.e., selling leading 3D graphics chips, that is finds it must divert the business. The following from the release cited above tells it best:
Targeted products in these new markets may include set-top boxes, WinCE machines, consumer appliances, industrial point-of-sale systems, and automotive GPS systems, among others.This is another way of saying that we must defocus first to get the company back on track. We do not put much into this deal with Intel. S3 will likely get some near term money but this will be used to cover the payroll as the company continues to struggle. The Intel deal in no way changes these two critical issues: the company must execute, it must return to growth and profitability. Attempts to gain business headlines with another press release does not change the core issues surrounding S3's survival.
***Micro Linear's Video Encoder Chip Integrates Filters, Amplifiers, and D/As (December 14)
Micro Linear has announced a video encoder chip that integrates output filters, amplifiers, and D/A converters. The device accepts an 8-bit wide, high-speed stream of uncompressed digital video from an MPEG decoder and converts it into analog video for playback on a monitor, or TV in NTSC composite or S-Video formats.
The chip comes in two versions, the ML6461 for use in set-top boxes, digital cameras, camcorders, graphics add-in cards, and personal computers and the ML6460 version which includes Macrovision copy protection technology for DVD applications.
The devices are used in systems with digital video that must be converted back to analog for viewing. These systems typically store digital video in a compressed format using the MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) industry standard. During playback, an MPEG decoder chip decompresses the digital video and feeds it into a Micro Linear encoder which converts or "encodes" the digital video back into analog video.
The low cost of the devices will allow them to be used to design "TV ready" video outputs in graphics add-in cards. This capability allows consumers to use their family TV to view DVD movies and other video running on their PC.
The three D/A converters generate the Y (luma), C (Chroma), and sync signals respectively which are passed through the internal reconstruction filters. A built-in summer circuit combines the Y and C signals to form composite and S-video, and the 6dB video amplifiers boost the final output.
The ML6460 which includes the Macrovision copy protection technology is sampling now to Macrovision Licensees and will be in full production in January 1999. The ML6461 is also sampling and will be available January 1999. They are both priced at $8 for a 28-pin SOIC (Small Outline Integrated Circuit) in quantities of 1,000.
***Harris Semiconductor and Genesis Microchip Announce Partnership (December 14)
Genesis Microchip has incorporated chips from Harris Semiconductor to produce two reference designs that provide OEM customers with a complete solution for building flat-panel XGA LCD monitors.
The reference designs, will reduce OEM bill-of-material costs and thus continue to drive the widespread adoption of high-resolution, flat panel LCD monitors.
Genesis is using chips from Harris for an analog front-end solution that delivers digitized output to Genesis' image scaler. The Harris parts feature the H15667 analog-to-digital converter (ADC), an 8-bit, 60/80 megasamples per second (MSPS) ADC that delivers direct-IF digitizing at a fraction of the cost and power consumption of multichip and hybrid designs.
The Maui FRC EV4 reference design, which supports NTSC/PAL video input and frame rate conversion, is made possible by Harris' HMP8117 video decoder. The HMP8117 converts the analog signal from composite video to a digital signal, which is then scaled for resolution and de-interlaced for monitor display by Genesis' technology.
Key features of the HMP8117 include its Videolyzer Macrovision detect feature, Raw and Sliced VBI data capture and output; four output modes; two on-chip 8-bit A/D converters; patented comb filter for optimum color-luminance separation; and rock-steady digital PLLs for color, sync lock to consumers VCRs.
Genesis Microchip's gmZ1 ImEngine scaling IC zooms the source resolution - without image artifacts - to the output panel's resolution. Advanced scaling technology is critical as LCD monitors equipped with a scaling chip can significantly improve onscreen image quality.
The Maui FRC EV4 can also support MTSC/PAL video input support and frame conversion capabilities, provided by the Genesis gmFC1 chip. The gmFC1 IC converts the frame rates of incoming sigals to the frame refresh rate used by the display.
The Maui EV4 and Maui FRC EV4 are available now and the boards sell for $1,045.
***Philips Semiconductors Announced Support Chips for Double Data Rate Synchronous DRAM Dual In-Line Memory Modules (December 14)
Philips Semiconductors has announced three products which support Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM Memory Modules. The first DDR support circuits are currently being sampled by memory module engineers, with volume production expected to begin in late Q1, 1999.
DDR is a Joint Electronic Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) committee standard supported by major SDRAM manufactures. DDR SDRAMS are differentially clocked and include an on-chip DLL and SSTL_2 interface that permit a peak bus bandwidth of more than double that available on 100 MHz SDRAMS.
A DDR SDRAM clocked at 100 or 133 MHz will have a burst rate of 200 or 266 MHz which equates to a peak bandwidth of greater than 2.1 GB/S in an 8-byte application. Higher burst rates are needed to support the demands of higher speed core processors used in both PC systems and high-speed server applications.
A typical DDR memory module requires between 23 and 27 registered control and address lines, so two 14-bit SSTL 16857's are required on each memory module card. The SSTL 16857 is a 14-bit SSTL_2 registered driver with differential clocks and is available in a 48-pin TSSOP package. In order to synchronize signals on the individual memory chips, a PCK857 PLL is also required on each memory module.
The PCK857 is a 150 MHz differential 1:10 SDRAM clock driver in a 48-pin TSSOP package. Optional CBT3857 FET switches may be installed between DQ lines and the edge connector to disconnect the DQ nets on unselected DIMM's from the system bus. This reduces line reflections from unselected DIMMS. The CBT3857 is a 10-bit bus switch with 10k ohm pull down termination resistors available in a 24-pin TSSOP package.
In addition to the DDR standard, Philips offers DIMM vendors memory interfaces for industry standard SDRAM technologies such as PC100 and PC133. Philips Semiconductors ICs include high-performance registers, buffers, Phase Locked Loops (PLLs), and Cross Bar Technology (CBT) Field Emitting Transistor (FET) switches.
***Tut Systems Introduces "No News Wires" High-Speed Internet Access (December 14)
Tut Systems has announced LongRun which when combined with Tut's Express MDU access concentrator delivers data at 1 Mbit/sec at distances up to one-half of a mile using existing copper telephone wiring. LongRun operates concurrently with existing telephone services, allowing simultaneous voice and data access. Because of its long distance capacity, LongRun is the first "no new wires" Internet access solution for distributed garden-style building complexes.
Multiple LongRun line cards, connected to LongRun adapters, can be installed in the Express MDU shelf, providing private data access for up to eight subscribers per card. LongRun is a splitterless technology that operates over standard 24 AWG copper telephone wiring, turning every phone jack within the subscriber's premises into a network outlet.
To receive data, customers attach a LongRun external adapter to their desktop PC or Mac. The adapter can then be plugged into any phone jack. LongRun provides an "always on" Internet connection and is fast and more cost-effective than re-wiring the entire building.
Express MDU is a single box access concentrator solution to enable cost-effective provisioning of high-speed Internet access and data services for the tenants of apartment buildings, hotels, dormitories and other multi-dwelling units. The Express MDU architecture is designed to combine a low cost of entry with advanced features, creating a scalable system capable of delivering high performance and high port densities (up to 1,224 ports per 8-foot rack).
LongRun line cards and external adapters are currently shipping. Per line list price is under $500 per users.
***EDA
Consortium Endorses SPINE99
(December 14)
The Electronic Design Automation Consortium (EDA Consortium) announced their endorsement of the new SPINE99 initiative. This initiative was conceived by the EDA Consortium's Interoperability Committee. Cadence Design Systems and Synopsys together will spearhead the efforts to advance the initiative within the ranks of the Consortium's member companies.
The SPINE99 initiative established a design flow based on commonly used Cadence and Synopsys key tools as the "spine." It will also define interfaces for this design flow. EDA tool companies who wish to participate will integrate their tools to this design flow and test their interoperability at secure user research facilities (SURFs) that will be dedicated for this purpose. Ultimately, the SPINE99 initiative benefits customers through increased interoperability enabling them to optimize their design flow.
SPINE99 is expected to create a shift in how EDA tools interoperate. The SURFs will be available for EDA member usage Q1 1999. EDA member companies who wish to participate should contact Rich Goldman at richg@synopsys.com.
***PALMCHIP Launches CoreFrame DirectConnect Partner Program (December 14)
PALMCHIP announced the formation of the CoreFrame DirectConnect Partner Program, a collaboration of third-party hardware and software providers chartered to address the complexities of advanced system-on-chip (SOC) design. The program enables partner companies to port their intellectual property to the CoreFrame on-chip interconnect architecture, resulting in pre-verified, fully interoperable partner intellectual property (IP).
The goal of the partner program is to enable the rapid turnaround of multi-core and multi-sourced SOC designs. Initial DirectConnect partners include ARC, BOPS Inc., Charis Software Systems, CoWare, Cygnus, Denali Software, Design Acceleration, Embedded Systems Products, Escalade, GateField, ISS, Lexra, and others.
This network of IP, EDA, and third-party software companies affords the OEM a range of pre-verified IP and software from which to choose. The program therefore, enables PALMCHIP to deliver an SOC reference design that is both foundry and process portable.
CoreFrame provides a high bandwidth back-plane that supports "plug and play" connection of individual cores using a simple signal interface, thereby easing the design of multi-core SOCs. Customers requiring complex SOCs can work with PALMCHIP to create the design based on the extensive IP portfolio, EDA tools, and third-party software made available. The program assures first-time success for the customer that uses multi-sourced IP in their complex SOC design.
PALMCHIP develops and licenses silicon IP and provides design services for embedded applications within the mass storage, printer, mobile and Internet industries. PALMCHIP's product offering includes: GreenLogic peripheral and controller cores, the CoreFrame Architecture for system-on-chip integration, and embedded software.
***Summit
Design to Support VHDL+
(December 14)
As part of a joint collaboration with International Computers Limited (ICL), Summit Design announced plans to support VHDL+, ICL's extended hardware description language (HDL).
Summit's Visual HDL product is a graphical debugging tool for system-level design. Visual HDL supports HDL-based designs. Once the design is captured and verified, Visual HDL automatically generates optimized HDL code for leading logic and behavioral synthesis tools.
By extending the capabilities of Visual HDL to include VHDL+, Summit customers who use VHDL+ will be able to move to a higher level of abstraction by allowing system-level designers to capture system specifications in a simulatable form using one tenth the lines of code required with a behavioral-level VHDL. VHDL+ is compatible with existing VHDL models and, through its Mixed Multilevel Modeling capability, VHDL+ ensures the final RTL level VHDL used for logic synthesis fully meets the requirements of the original specification.
With VHDL+, designers and IP agencies solve the problem of how to supply standard VHDL-compatible models without including details of the system's design. These models can also include protocol information, which automatically checks what is allowed across different interfaces.
VHDL+ is an integral part of ICL's SuperVISE, a high-level design tool and methodology that can be used on existing workstations and is compatible with other industry standard VHDL electronics design packages.
***NetObjects Announces NetObjects Fusion 4.0 (December 7)
NetObjects has announced Fusion 4.0. Fusion 4.0 provides integrated, visual support for creating business sites that include generated data, e-commerce functionality, and rich content.
The product contains a Java-based component architecture that taps the full potential of the Java platform enabling the creation of components that provide seamless integration with several third-party products/technologies. The software also provides connectors to Allaire ColdFusion and iCat Commerce Online, and expects more components to be available from partners like IBM WebSphere and INTERSHOP.
Features:
*e-Publishing - Web builders can drag/drop components to connect to standard ODBC compliant databases including Oracle, IBM DB2, Informix, and publish generated data. Also new to 4.0 is pinpoint control over HTML with support for cascading style sheet positioning and layers.
*e-Applications - Feature-set to add application functionality to Websites. Components help query and display data using application server platforms including Allaire ColdFusion, Microsoft Active Server Pages, and Lotus Domino. These components can be used to incorporate dynamically generated data into their sites.
*e-Commerce - NetObjects has partnered with iCat to provide an out-of-box, drag/drop solution that will turn a Website into a Web store.Fusion 4.0 will be available by January 1999 and prices at $299.95. Customers who purchase Fusion 3.0 between December 1-31 can receive a free upgrade to 4.0. Customers who purchased 3.0 before December 1st can buy an upgrade for $99.95.
***Etalon
Offers Digital Imaging Solutions
(December 15)
Etalon Corporation announces 3D Digital Photo Gallery which allows users to create 3D environments using their own, unlimited number of images/design elements. User can add images, animation, sound, and 3D objects to create 3D scenes such as city skylines or household rooms for 3D screensavers and 3D albums.
Their second product, 3D PhotoClay applies the features of 3D modeling technology to shape 2D or 3D images into 3D sculptures, movies, or Internet-enabled animation files. The animations can be played back at different speeds, synchronized with sound, and changed with different lighting effects.
The programs have 60 frames/sec immersion, special lighting effects, and an intuitive interface. They support Win 95/98 and NT 5.0, and numerous 3D HW accelerators under Microsoft Direct3D. It has color depth from 16 to 32-bit, automatic detection and utilization of 3D hardware accelerators, and quality/performance control in software mode.
***SoftDVD
Certified by Microsoft
(December 14)
Zoran has announced that SoftDVD has been certified by Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) for Windows 98 using the DirectShow streaming multimedia architecture.
With the WHQL certification, manufacturers of PCs, graphics and audio add-in boards for PCs and PC-DVD drives can now ship products with SoftDVD, qualified by Microsoft for both Windows 95/98.
***Iridium
Handsets Selling Like Hotcakes
(December 14)
Mobile Phone News reports that Iridium's Motorola handsets are sold even before they reach the retail shelves. Iridium launched its global satellite phone system early last month and activated the paging/messaging network 2 weeks later. The company plans to sell more handsets when their second manufacturer, Kyocera Corp. solves a software problem.
Motorola's production of the dual-mode handsets is at 800 per day and is intended to increase to 1,500 per day in order to allow the handsets to be available by August or September 1999.
Another competing company, ICO Global Communications, expects to have dual-mode satellite and GSM handsets delivered by Matsushita Communication Industrial Co. Ltd. before the launch of its mobile satellite service in Q3 of 2000.
The handset Matsushita will make for ICO, under the brand name Panasonic, will be closer to the size of typical GSM terminals than the larger handsets used by Iridium, and will have a satellite-capable antenna. ICO has also hired Mitsubishi Electric, NEC, Nera ASA, and Samsung Electronics to supply handsets.
***Wireless IP Market to be Reshaped by Mobile IP Standards (December 14)
MRG reports that Mobile IP standards are about ready to change wireless communications. Mobile IP will enable Internet access across multiple mediums. The use of Mobile IP access could mean a greater adoption rate for wireless products than before, and may widen the field for wireless communication services available to consumers.
The report, Mobile IP - Technology Update, Standards, and Business Opportunities, includes a composite of the current activity related to this area. The report shows how mobile IP standards are now moving beyond earlier standards models, such as Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) versions.
Standards groups, including the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and its Mobile IP Working Group, are forging ahead to solidify the proposed RFC-2002 standard for mobile IP. Mobile IP applications are being developed by institutions such as Stanford University, University of Lancaster, State University of New York, and numerous companies.
The report describes Mobile IP products under development at network and transport layer-related companies, such as Bay Networks, Geoworks, Palm OS, Sun Microsystems, and others. Many systems integration companies are also described, including Cambridge Technology Partners, Core Systems Inc., Global Wireless Data LLC, Onyx Software, Puma Technology, SPS Technologies, and Trimble, among others.
Mobile IP - Technology Update, Standards, and Business Opportunities. This 126-page report, co-published by MRG and Fuji-Keizai USA, is prices at US $1,495 and is available in English or Japanese.
***Liberty Cellular to Trial LMDS Network in Kansas (December 14)
Liberty Cellular has signed a contract with Nortel Networks for a pilot network using Nortel Networks Reunion broadband wireless access technology. Liberty will use Nortel Networks technology to deliver voice and data services to customers across Kansas. Following a trial, expected to begin early next year, Liberty plans a full commercial network deployment.
Broadband wireless access technology enables service providers to utilize one of the fastest, most cost-effective methods of delivering multimedia communications. Using the LMDS spectrum, the Nortel Networks Reunion product can deliver data, voice, video and Internet services on the same high-speed, ATM-based network in whatever integrated communications mix each customer chooses.
The Nortel Network Reunion portfolio provides "last mile" access from the local network to customer premises for high-bandwidth wireless ATM service, using point-multipoint radios operating in frequencies from 2GHz to 42GHz.
***Wavepath Makes Wireless 'DSL' Available to Bay Area (December 14)
According to Wavepath, by using wireless Internet connectivity, Bay Area cybernauts can now get the same speed DSL (digital subscriber lines) but for an equal or lower price, with an almost 90% availability to home and businesses, and with installation times of less than a week.
Typical DSL lines are available to a fraction of the Bay area's 2.7 million homes and businesses due to technical issues with the reach of the service and the condition of the customer's phone lines. If a customer is within DSL service limits, the installation time is typically 2-3 weeks.
The Wavepath wireless Internet connection service, called iSpeed, is priced at $150 per month for 384K two-way speeds in comparison with the average price for DSL in the Bay Area of $210. Installation for iSpeed is as low as $800 and includes a wireless desktop modem, small send/receive dish, and all cabling.
The Wavepath Marketing Dept. produced this table after a phone survey during the week of 12/7/98.
Company DSL Speed Price Per Month
Pacific Bell sDSL 384K $159
Best sDSL 416K $325
Brainstorm sDSL 384K $200
Concentric sDSL 384K $199
DNAI sDSL 384K $179
SlipNet sDSL 384K $199
Average price per month: $210Requests for information are sent from the PC, Mac or LAN through a conventional 10BaseT ethernet link to a special modem. The modem forwards the request to a digital transceiver at the customer's location. The request is then transmitted through the airwaves to one of two iSpeed tower sites in the Bay Area, and then routed to the iSpeed POP.
The data is retrieved from the Internet over iSpeed's high-speed backbone connection. It is sent from iSpeed's transceiver over private, dedicated frequencies back to the digital transceiver installed at the customer's location. The transceiver downloads the data to the special modem, which then passes the information to the PC, Mac, or LAN.
iSpeed users can expect speeds of up to 1.5Mbps through a broadband delivery system utilizing the MMDS spectrum. This spectrum is in the 2.1-2.6Hz range. Faster speeds up to 6Mbps can be purchased in customized packages.
iSpeed is available through local ISPs including Concentric Network, LanMinds, DNAI, Slip.Net, IJNT, Bay Junction Technologies, MasterLink, NetGate, and Grendlenet.
***STB Systems Reports Financial Results for Q4 (December 14)
STB Systems announced operating results for the fiscal 1998 fourth quarter and the fiscal year ended October 31, 1998.
During Q4 the company incurred a net loss of $5.9 million or $.45 diluted net loss per share on net sales of $54.9 million. This is compared to net income of $3.6 million or $.31 diluted net income per share on net sales of $60.7 million for Q4 1997. There were 13 million average shares outstanding for Q4 1998 compared to 11.6 million in Q4 1997.
Revenues for the quarter were $54.9 million, a decrease of $5.8 million or 9.5% compared to Q4 1997. Compared to the previous quarter, revenues decreased by $3.9 million or 6.6%.
The gross profit margin for the quarter was 3.9%, compared to 25.1% posted during Q4 of 1997, and the 20.4% achieved during the previous quarter. The decline in gross profit margin was primarily due to price protection credits in the commercial channel, additions to inventory reserves, and unabsorbed factory overhead resulting from lower than expected production volumes.
Fiscal 1998 revenues increased 33.5% to $266.3 million from $199.5 million in 1997. The year's net income was $1.7 million, compared to $10.8 million for 1997. Net income applicable to common stockholders was $.13 diluted net income per share for 1998, compared to $.97 for 1997. There were 12.9 million weighted average share outstanding for 1998, compared to 11.1 million shares for 1997.
In the OEM channel during the quarter, the company launched Velocity 4400 with multiple OEM design wins for orders extending into Q1 1999. The Desktop TV tuner card also received multiple design wins during Q4.
***3D Studio
Max Review
By Amanda Rogos and John Guillette
(December 16)
The Kinetix 3D Studio MAX R2.5 version was released in May of this year. The product is an updated release of their 3D animation and modeling software for PCs. The primary market target is entertainment content creators for film, broadcast television, and interactive games.
New features in R2.5 include enhanced NURBS, camera tracking, support for the Apple QuickTime 3.0, Kodak Cineon and the Silicon Graphics RGBA support, a new mesh Boolean with superior output, rapid and precise polygon cutting and slicing, an interactive method for face-level material assignments, and VRML support.
The WAVE Report checked out the R2.5 and these are our results:
*We ran our examination on a Pentium II 350 machine with Win98 and 64MB RAM. Such a minimum configuration is not recommended and doubtful that this would happen in a normal production environment. In particular the renderer took a long time depending on the amount of RAM and number/complexity of the frames. The package suggests Win NT and 128 MB RAM, we agree, and would install as much memory as can be reasonably afforded
*The tutorials that are available are very helpful. Items such as Michele Bousquet's 3D Studio Max Playground (www.maxhelp.com) take you step by step through the production of animations and make the process much easier.
*We were pleased with how depth the program was and at the number of features that were available. The software comes with a disc of objects/animated scenes with which the user could experiment and add to their own creations. It also allows the user to add sunlighting effects by location in the world, date, and time of day. Life-like textures and a gravity feature made the scenes even more realistic.
*Another feature that adds to 3D Studio Max effects is the plug-in support that is offered. We discovered numerous plug-ins that were available, retail and free. Some of them free ones that we found include:
**Pcombust - to get volumetric effects using a particle system to control the shape of the effect.
**PIDs - two plug-ins that let you assign multiple material Ids to a patch surface.
**Interpolate Splines - an interpolate spline modifier to set the steps of a spline, contains optimization and adaptive setting for a spline after it has been collapsed.
**Scatter - a scatter utility that allows you to distribute one object across the surface of another.
Other plug-ins include:
**Outburst - a physics-based particle system that gives animators the ability to make rich imagery of realistic natural phenomena like snow falling and fire in a contained environment.**Lucidity RT - allows users to create real-time photo-realistic navigations of 3D Studio Max and 3D Studio VIZ models.
**Biovision Motion Manager - helps to create smooth, flowing animations.
**PolyTrans V2.1 - provide seamless and dependable import/export of the most 3D file formats.The 3D Studio Max R2.5 is available now for $3,495, upgrades from Max R2 are $95, and upgrades from Max R1 are $895.
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