PictureTel's 1414c Delivers Web-Enabled eVideo Application Server; Offers the First Complete Management Application of Streaming Media Webcasts - Product Announcement

Edge: Work-Group Computing Report, May 29, 2000

1414c, a wholly owned subsidiary of PictureTel Corporation (NASDAQ:PCTL), Monday announced eVideo Application Server (eVAS), a web-based software streaming solution that empowers companies to create, automate, and manage streaming media webcasts over the Internet and corporate intranets.

Delivered hard on the heels of the launch of the IP-focused subsidiary in April, eVAS provides organizations with the ability to utilize streaming media for communication, while preserving the elements of personal contact and visual collaboration.

The offering will be sold both as a product-directly from 1414c and 1414c resellers; and as a server via an ASP model from 1414c and from ASP's enabled by 1414c.

"The IP Web infrastructure is becoming more robust everyday," said Robert Byrnes, president of 1414c. "Industry analysts are predicting the ASP market will reach $23 billion by 2003. That said, the key missing ingredient is applications. eVAS is a killer application, increasing productivity and slashing the requirement for corporate travel by providing the first IP-based, global, content-rich interaction capability. In today's knowledge-based economy, eVAS empowers corporations to better leverage their precious human capital -- allowing stakeholders to share knowledge, experiences, and ideas -- and importantly, slashes the cost associated with distributing knowledge to geographically dispersed audiences. This is precisely the type of application that will drive companies to line up to sign up to the ASP model."

eVAS integrates IP-based streaming technology components with PowerPoint slides, interactive chat, and surveys to deliver a powerful web communication solution.

The solution enables speedy and cost-effective mass dissemination of corporate announcements, presentations, training sessions, videoconferences, and other events. eVAS streamed video broadcasts can be delivered live, or as on-demand stored events, to employees, customers, partners, or suppliers around the world.

The solution automatically delivers the same event across different bandwidths, networks, and players, to best match end-point capabilities. Importantly, it requires minimal technical intervention at the end points -- participants log into the event using a standard Web browser.

eVAS provides critical management capabilities to connect and control all the various elements that are part of the streaming media environment, including streaming servers and encoders. Administrators have complete control over bandwidth utilization, event scheduling, streaming delivery paths, and multilevel security, both locally and remotely.

The result is a powerful and intelligent rich-media platform, that is easy to deploy, manage, and use. eVAS is the first streaming solution with four areas of functionality integrated into one interface:

-- Video window
-- Synchronized slide show
-- Live Q & A chat window
-- Option for audience polling and surveys

eVAS supports multiple concurrent-streaming platforms, including Mircosoft Windows Media Technology, Real Networks RealServer Technology, and 1414c's own MPEG-based streaming servers.

Lutheran Brotherhood Insurance "We have an on-going requirement for meetings and educational seminars with our agencies around the country," explains Michael Malmquist, web analyst, in the information technology Web solutions center at Lutheran Brotherhood Insurance.

"Rather than bringing in the field representatives to a single location, or sending a trainer to all of the locations around the nation we have been investigating online training options and have recently been testing 1414c's eVideo Application Server," said Malmquist. "The solutions four areas of functionality: the live video window, the synchronized slide show, the live chat window, and an option for audience polling and multiple-choice questions, all contribute to the experience and content comprehension. We are looking for a streaming solution that offered a level of two-way interactivity, which eVAS provides with the live chat feature."

"In addition, as the solution is accessed via a standard Web browser, it does not impose technical requirements on the end users -- there is literally no learning curve, if the individual has utilized the Internet in the past," Malmquist noted.

Digital Image & Sound "The eVideo Application Server from 1414c is one of the most exciting new products we have seen in our 15 years of digital imaging," said Jim Froom, president, Digital Image & Sound Corporation. "The video, slide, and chat window, coupled with a live moderator, will allow professional presentations and briefings to be broadcast on the company network and on the internet to anyone, anyplace, or anytime. However, what is more impressive is how this software simplifies the management and setup of your event."

"You can rebroadcast with a moderator, or just have the event available anytime as video on demand," Froom continued. "The setup time can take minutes instead of hours or days for new events. eVAS will pay for itself in network administration and bandwidth savings alone. There will be huge savings from the aggregate costs of travel, air, hotel, off location meeting rooms, and other costs associated with your events."