San Jose, California-based Compression Labs Inc has launched a new family of videoconferencing systems dubbed the Radiance family. The products offer either 15 or 30 frames per second transmission at speeds ranging from 56Kbps to 2.048Mbps, and are said to be compliant with TSS (formerly the CCITT) H.320 standards. They are based around Compression Labs’s Compressed Digital Video technology for compression of both the video and audio singals (with full duplex audio with built-in echo cancellation), and are further claimed to be multipoint-ready for videoconferncing with multiple locations simultaneously. There are also said to be optional network interfaces offering communications alternatives including inverse multiplexing, enabling users to combine several dial-up lines into a single circuit. The system uses the company’s GraphiCam document camera, enabling users to show still-image graphics or physical objects with a 10-to-1 zooming capability. There are four models in the family, with a choice of single or dual 27 monitors. US prices range from $45,900 for the single monitor, 15 frames per second model, to $63,900 for a dual monitor system running at 30 frames per second. The products are to be available next quarter.
