Spea Software AG, the Munich-based graphics hardware and software company, has launched a set of multimedia accelerator graphics boards, a three-dimensional software package and monitors. Showtime, combining a super-fast Windows accelerator with a video processor and an MPEG-1 decoder, is comparable to VideoLogic Inc’s recently launched 928Movie board (CI No 2,418), but Showtime wins out with its MPEG capability, Spea claims. For though at the moment few MPEG software programs or boards exist, the growth of video-on-demand will increase the MPEG-compatible market. Showtime, targeted at the entertainment market, comprises a Windows and graphics accelerator based on the Tseng Labs Inc ET4000 W32/P graphics processor with 2Mb of memory, a Video for Windows accelerator based on the Tseng Viper video processor, and a MPEG-1 decoder and costs #340. Showtime supports PCI Version 2.0 and VESA VL bus systems and will be available next quarter. Spea Video Seven has added Mercury P-64, Mirage P-64 and Vega Plus to its range of graphics accelerator boards. Mercury, costing #340, aimed at professional graphics users, uses S3 Corp’s Vision 964 processor, has 2Mb of video RAM, is VESA and VGA compatible, and has a maximum resolution of 1,280 by 1,024 pixels with 256 colours. The package includes Bigwin for Windows 3.1 and Bigfocus for AutoCAD, Spea’s drivers, and is supported by Windows 3, Windows NT and OS/2. At #268 for the 2Mb version, the Mirage promises video RAM graphics acceleration at RAM Windows product prices. For the mid to high-end personal computer market, it uses S3’s 64-bit Vision 864 processor, and has refresh rates of more then 70Hz, supporting 256 colours at 75Hz and 1,280 by 1,024 pixels. The Vega, at around #90, for entry-level Windows users, has an Advanced Logic graphics accelerator processor, the ALG2301A or ALG2228, 1Mb of video RAM and displays resolutions up to 1,024 by 768 pixels in 256 colours at 75Hz, with a refresh rate of 75Hz. The V7-Storm and V7-Storm Pro graphics accelerators were also launched, priced at #745, using the Weitek Power 9100 graphics and the 9130 video and multi-media processors. They provide digital video playback at 30 frames per second running in a 1,280 by 1,024 pixels window, with up to 100Hz screen refresh rate. The 3D-World software package, at #330, for AutoCAD and 3D Studio users, comprises 3D Viewer and a animation previewer, and is available to V7-Mercury graphic board users. It enables the user to select a view of a drawing, position it on the main AutoCAD screen, and then carry on working on the altered or rotated view.
