| KDD R&D Laboratories, Inc. (Main Office: Kamifukuoka-shi, Saitama; President: Takuro Muratani), a 100 % subsidiary of KDD, has first in the world developed a system called "PrimeCast", which can perform broadcasting with up to 100 video channels on a PC without using any special hardware.
Based on a low-bit-rate video transmission system, "QualityMotion", and high-performance multichannel broadcasting technology, "MCSquare", developed by KDD R&D Laboratories, "PrimeCast" enables easy implementation of multichannel concurrent broadcasting like CATV by using a PC. With its extremely low bit rate of 10 to 512 kbps per channel which is flexibly assignable in accordance with the bandwidth for each used network, even if used in an intranet environment, it avails distribution of multiple video contents without affecting exchange of ordinary business information. The product requires no special hardware at either transmitting or receiving end. At the transmitting end, compression and transmission of one live video channel or up to 100 recorded video channels can be performed on a PC. At the receiving end, users can have each PC receive and play back/display up to 100 video channels simultaneously, select and play back only the desired video channel(s) among those in the multichannel mode or easily switch over among the channels like TV. Use of a Video-on-Demand feature further gives users capability to watch their desired video as and when necessary. KDD R&D Laboratories has applied for patents on the technologies of video distribution and simultaneous play back in the multichannel mode. This system doesn't require large-capacity network and additional hardware that have been needed for conventional internal concurrent broadcasting or other application, so it is expected that the system will pave the way for a wider variety of applications such as multichannel TV broadcasting within a company or a school, remote education, multipoint video distribution, multichannel video monitoring for security purposes, or dealing room video distribution. "PrimeCast" will become commercially available from April 15 through KDD Technology Corporation, a 100% subsidiary of KDD, and other distributors with promotional pricing until the end of September this year. A sample version of "PrimeCast" software is available from today for free download through the KDD Home Page http://www.kdd.co.jp).
 |