QDesign
Provides C-Cube Microsystems with Real-time MPEG Audio Compression
Vancouver, Canada (October 21, 1996) - QDesign Corporation announced
today that C-Cube Microsystems has selected its i-Media Audio MPEG compression
software technology as the audio component for C-Cube's Author-Lite MPEG
reference design. This reference design provides a critical blueprint
for designing real-time digital video encoding systems based on C-Cube's
new family of low cost video encoder chips.
Launched at the International Broadcast Convention in September this year,
i-Media Audio is the industry's first MPEG audio compression software
to provide real-time, studio-quality encoding using the processing power
of a standard Pentium PC equipped with a Sound Blaster compatible audio
card. Based on a highly-optimized, proprietary implementation of the MPEG
audio coding algorithm, i-Media Audio delivers MPEG quality which was
previously impossible without dedicated hardware.
C-Cube Microsystems' new family of video encoders are targeted for applications
such as CD-ROM authoring, video e-mail, video presentations and Internet
and Intranet video. C-Cube is introducing its Author-Lite reference design
as a plug-and-play MPEG-encoding solution that turns a PC into a multimedia
platform. Author-Lite embraces QDesign's i-Media Audio MPEG compression
software to provide the most complete MPEG encoding solution for multimedia
PCs.
i-Media Audio offers:
1) seamless integration with C-Cube's video encoder application software
suite for CLM4110 and CLM4111 VideoRISC processors
2) real-time, studio-quality audio compression performed entirely in software
3) operation on a standard multimedia PC without any additional hardware
4) no need to switch audio connections for redundant audio equipment
5) significantly greater cost advantages over hardware audio solutions,
and
6) the widest range of audio coding parameters for optimizing audio quality
at all compression levels.
For example, CD-quality audio can be produced with 6 to 1 compression
-- reducing an one minute stereo audio file from 12 MB to 2 MB -- or Internet
quality audio can be created with 60 to 1 compression -- reducing that
same file down to 200KB.
"Audio is critical to enhancing the power of video as a communications
and entertainment tool," says Clint Chao, PC Market Segment Manager at
C-Cube Microsystems. "We selected QDesign's i-Media Audio technology as
the audio compression solution on our Author-Lite reference design because
of QDesign's outstanding audio quality and real-time performance. Coupled
with C-Cube's low cost MPEG video encoder chips i-Media Audio provides
a comprehensive real-time MPEG audio and video encoding solution for the
multimedia desktop at significant cost savings to OEMs."
"The demand for high fidelity audio compression is increasing dramatically
as multimedia authoring becomes more sophisticated," according to Richard
J. Beaton, President of QDesign. "QDesign is very excited to have i-Media
Audio selected as the reference MPEG audio technology by the industry's
leading MPEG video technology provider. It is quite an endorsement to
be associated with the best."
i-Media Audio is fully compliant with the MPEG Layer 1 and 2 standards
for audio bitrate reduction. It employs an advanced implementation of
the MPEG standard and a sophisticated perceptual coding model to deliver
the highest possible quality in audio compression. By enabling audio encoding
from a live audio source or a pre-recorded linear (.wav) audio file, users
now have the capability to encode audio directly from a CD and to MPEG.
This level of flexibility and affordability in MPEG audio compression
creates terrific new opportunities for the multimedia producer.
i-Media Audio is targeted for applications such as, Internet audio, audio-on-demand,
audio e-mail, multimedia authoring, music archival and distribution. i-Media
Audio is available as a stand-alone Windows 95/NT application and as 16
or 32-bit static and dynamic link libraries for OEM development.
About QDesign
Based in Vancouver, Canada, QDesign Corporation develops state-of-the
art interactive multimedia technologies and applications for the broadcast
and new media industries. With world-class expertise in compression technologies,
digital signal processing and advanced communications, the company offers
a platform of products and technologies which allow content providers
to compress, archive and distribute multimedia via any private or public
transmission network, including the Internet and private Intranets
Contact:
QDesign Corporation
media@qdesign.com
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