Multimedia technology is coming on in leaps and bounds as advancing processor power makes integrated digitised image, voice and speech systems more of a reality than a concept. A year after their joint agreement, Intel Corp and IBM have introduced the first two multimedia Digital Video Interactive boards for 80386-based personal computers in a new line of ActionMedia 750 adaptor cards. The two are built upon Intel’s 82750 video processors, and are the result of slimming down what was previously a seven-board set. The next objective according Intel is to scale the things down further on to DRAM parts for inclusion on the motherboard itself. Shipping the the second quarter, there will be 16-bit AT and 32-bit Micro Channel bus versions of the boards for UKP1,350 and IBM will offer the Micro Channel version for its PS/2s. An Intel Pro 750 running MS- DOS, with the boards – but without a monitor – will cost around $15,000. The delivery board decompresses full-motion digital video and audio in real-time for screen presentati on, the capture board converts the analogue video and audio inputs to digital data for the delivery board to process. Software includes tools such as Intel’s Real Time Video 1.5, 30 frames-per-second real-time com pressor, the Video Application Pro gramming Interface – VAPI – and a collection of C language functions for application building. Other third party tools available include an authoring system – Authology – from CEIT Systems, Luema, a painting package from Time Arts, and Media script from Network Technology Corp, Springfield, Virginia. To make all the image and sound wizardry happen on a personal computer – with a CD- ROM drive – the video and audio mat erial needs to be compressed and written to a CD. This can only be done at present on Intel’s Hypercube system with 64 80386 processors. A CD-ROM can deliver up to 650Mb data.
