Danvers, Massachusetts-based PictureTel Corp has released details of its new Prism Multipoint Videoconferencing Servers, described as the first family of personal bridges enabling users to set up multipoint videoconferences on demand. The company ha s also announced a new single-board videoconferencing system for PCI bus-based personal computers. There are two models in the new Prism family. The first, the Value Multi-point Conferencing Server, is designed to act as a regular multipoint control unit, connecting users over ISDN Basic Rate Interface T1/E1 lines. Additionally, says the company, multiple connections can be multiplexed for 384Kbps/336Kbps conferences. It complies with the H.243 bridging standard, says PictureTel. The second mo del, the Switching Multipoint Conferencing Server, is basically the same, but with the additional ability to connect sites within the same building or campus over standard telephone lines: according to the company, up to 16 videoconferencing systems can be linked internally in this way. Both products are shipping now. Pricing for the Value Server starts at $19,000, with the Switching Server costing from $24,000. The new H.320-based PCI-based videoconferencing offering, dubbed the Live200p, is said to use the high bandwidth of the PCI bus to eliminate the need for a specialized graphics board. PictureTel claims the thing can operate with the native graphics board of any PCI-based personal computer. Designed to operate over ISDN Basic Rate Interface services, it includes the firm’s LiveWare software which incorporates PictureTel’s Live-Share package for whiteboard collaboration, sharing multiple Windows applications, file transfer and information exchange. In terms of the hardware, i t includes the audio-video board, camera, headset, speakers and microphone. Live 200 is shipping now and costs $1,500.
