LifeView, Inc. Introduces its `USB CapView' Video Capture Device

Business Wire, July 12, 1999

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 12, 1999--

Advanced USB-based Peripheral Captures Still Frame & Motion Video

Images up to 30 fps and Features a Hardware Snapshot Button for

Point-and-Shoot Image Capture

Need a high quality yet economical solution for video conferencing and video phone applications? Looking for a tool that makes it easier than ever to video e-mail messages to friends, relatives, and co-workers? Interested in having your own personal video studio for creating a digital photo album or custom greeting cards?

LifeView, Inc., a leading supplier of multimedia technology products, introduced today its USB CapView video capture device. Featuring USB architecture that provides for true Plug-and-Play installation, this advanced computer peripheral captures still frame and motion video images up to 30 fps at CIF format (352 x 288 pixels) for unparalleled display resolution, and also features a hardware snapshot button for simple point-and-shoot image capture.

With the new USB CapView, individual PC users, families, and small office/home office users can maximize the productivity of their PCs by effectively transforming them into a personal video studio, video mail, and video conferencing solution. Easy-to-use and highly portable, the USB CapView can be used with both notebook and desktop PCs, and requires no additional power source as it draws power directly from the PC's USB port.

The versatile USB CapView can accept video feeds from a variety of standard video equipment, including camcorders, VCRs, or desktop PC cameras. It allows users to display video up to full screen and capture still images or live motion video in up to 640 x 480 resolution with exceptional color quality, supports both a hardware and software snapshot function, and features a scalable video window size from 160 x 120 up to 640 x 480.

When combined with bundled Ulead VideoStudio(tm) software, the USB CapView enables users to easily create personalized photo albums, cards or exciting video/audio clips. The unit's ability to capture video at up to 30 fps also makes it ideal for use in creating professional-quality business presentations and training videos. The USB CapView can be used for video mail applications as well. In particular, by using it with a CCD camera (or other video input device) and bundled CyberLink VideoLive Plus video e-mail software, users can record audio and video and then attach it to an e-mail message that can be sent to family and friends via the Internet. Moreover, the recipient isn't required to have the same equipment, as the person receiving the e-mail simply needs to click on the mail attachment and it will automatically play back the delivered video mail message.

The USB CapView additionally allows users to perform video conferencing or video phone applications, as it is fully compliant with the ITU H.324 standard for Low Bit Rate direct dial-up video phones. It can be connected via analog telephone lines (POTS), digital lines (ISDN) or network (LAN, ATM, T1, etc.). When used with bundled Microsoft NetMeeting(tm) software and a microphone, it allows users to get a live audio and video feed for face-to-face Internet conferencing with friends, family and business associates throughout the world.

"The USB CapView provides truly unmatched still and full motion video capture resolution at a full 30 frames per second," said Jim Arno, vice president of LifeView, Inc. "The unit's built-in hardware snapshot function is just one of several user-convenience features that clearly differentiate it from alternative video capture solutions."

Other noteworthy features offered by the USB CapView include support for composite, S-Video and PAL video inputs, full TWAIN interface support for image editing applications, DirectX support, the ability to capture to a Microsoft AVI file format, and support for 16, 24 and 32-bit color depths.

System requirements for the USB CapView include an IBM PC compatible with USB port and a Pentium 166MHz or higher microprocessor, Windows 98, 16MB of RAM, a minimum of 10MB of free hard disk space, 1MB SVGA display adapter (2MB or more suggested) with DirectX 5.0 or better supporting 16-bit color or higher, a CD-ROM drive, and a 28.8Kbps or better modem for video conferencing.

The USB CapView sells for an estimated street price of $79.99, and includes Cyberlink VideoLive Plus, Microsoft NetMeeting, Ulead VideoStudio & iPhoto Express, and LifeView Utility software.

For more information, contact LifeView, Inc. by phone at 510/661-2968, via fax at 510/661-2978, or visit http://www.lifeview.com.

About LifeView, Inc.

Founded in 1997, LifeView, Inc. is a subsidiary of Taiwan-based Animation Technologies, Inc., a worldwide leader for the past nine years in the development and manufacturing of multimedia video technology. Based in Fremont, California, LifeView serves as the US headquarters of Animation Tech., and is responsible for conducting all sales, marketing and technical support activities in both North and South America. LifeView offers three major product lines, the Fly Video TV/Capture Series, PC Camera Series, and USB video capture series, all of which are designed for use in portable or desktop video, multimedia, imaging and other applications.