IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 ACTIONMEDIA II DISPLAY ADAPTER 2MB IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 ACTIONMEDIA II DISPLAY ADAPTER/A 2MB IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 ACTIONMEDIA II CAPTURE OPTION IBM Announcement Letter Number 191-189 dated October 17, 1991 IBM US - Last Revised on October 17, 1991 Brief Description of Announcement, Charges, and Availability These ActionMedia II (1) multimedia adapters, which are part of the Ultimedia (TM) product family from IBM, allow the full range of still natural images, motion video, and quality audio information to be incorporated into new and exciting Personal System/2 (R) (PS/2 (R)) multimedia applications. The ActionMedia II Display Adapter 2MB (feature #9730) and the ActionMedia II Display Adapter/A 2MB (feature #9732) provide for the replay of DVI Technology (1) applications, and, with the addition of the ActionMedia II Capture Option (feature #9734), live sound and motion video can also be used as input to such applications. These adapters are supplied with device drivers and programming libraries which support a new ActionMedia II AVK (Audio Video Kernel) programming interface. AVK Version 1.0 will be provided for use with OS/2 (R). Planned Availability Dates: o March 27, 1992 -- ActionMedia II Display Adapter/A 2MB and ActionMedia II Capture Option. o June 26, 1992 -- ActionMedia II Display Adapter 2MB. (1) Trademark of Intel Corporation. (TM) Trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. (R) Registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Customer Letter Section HIGHLIGHTS o Improved user productivity, resulting from more natural ways of using personal computers. Supports all DVI Technology compression formats and a baseline JPEG still-image algorithm. o The all-digital DVI multimedia technology fits into existing information technology environments and, with suitable applications, becomes operable over LANs and data communications networks. o Configurations to suit most personal computer platforms with configuration options to grow with application demands. DESCRIPTION The ActionMedia II products consist of two PS/2 display adapters that are provided with Audio Video Kernel device drivers and libraries allowing applications to play motion video and audio information, together with natural image stills, when such information has previously been digitized and compressed as part of the application's development. Single monitor configurations, operating in either VGA 640x480 non-interlaced or in XGA (TM) 1024x768 interlaced modes, are supported when the text and graphics information provided by the host PS/2 may be overlaid on the images provided by the ActionMedia II display adapters. In these configurations, the keying of the overlay is controlled by the output of the host graphics adapter, such that a zero (black) output results in the host information becoming transparent to the images provided by the ActionMedia II adapter. A dual-monitor configuration is also supported, with one monitor used for the host's graphics adapter and a second monitor used for the images provided by the ActionMedia II display adapters, but that does not allow any host text or graphics overlay. The application's multimedia information may be stored on any standard personal computer storage device capable of maintaining the data bandwidth appropriate to the type of information and the way in which it has been compressed. Such information may also be transmitted to the personal computer over LANs or telecommunications networks using either batch or data-streaming transmission. With the addition of the ActionMedia II Capture Option, the display adapter's capabilities are extended to include the capturing and digitization of audio and of analog video input signals conforming to either NTSC or P.A.L. television standards, allowing such signals to be monitored on the PS/2 display screen, captured as still frames, or compressed in real time using the DVI Technology Real Time Video capability. USER PRODUCTIVITY Multimedia capabilities can enhance existing personal computer applications and open opportunities for new applications. The full multimedia capabilities of the ActionMedia II products can be used by application developers to make major improvements in the productivity of both experienced and inexperienced personal computer users. DVI Technology allows the power, flexibility, and interactivity of a personal computer to be combined with the visual impact and image quality of a television to form a platform on which applications can be developed offering motion video, stills, audio, text, and graphics. These adapters convert a personal computer into a multidimensional system for re-creating a sense of realism and excitement for a wide range of user applications, including interactive training and education, point-of-sale information, just-in-time job aids, executive presentations, and desk-top conferencing. For industrial training, full-motion video allows workers to receive lifelike operator training on machines in a cost-effective manner. The need for operators to be taken away from their place of work to receive job training will be replaced or reduced by the ability of these technologies to bring the necessary training to the place of work, and supplied as needed and when needed. Merchandisers benefit from the lifelike presentation and rapid information access that can be provided by use of these technologies. Desk-top conferencing applications using compressed digital audio, still, and motion images will make significant improvements in the effectiveness of personal communications, with potential reductions in the need for business-related travel. BUSINESS SOLUTIONS The all-digital multimedia capability provided by these ActionMedia II products will enable the integration of multimedia functions into many business solution areas that were unsuited to non-digital technologies. No longer is it necessary for a multimedia workstation to have a dedicated source of video information such as an interactive video disk because DVI Technology allows that information to now be processed so as to be compatible with other types of information that are part of today's personal computer inventory of text and graphics data. As such, motion video and audio can now be stored on magnetic or optical media and transmitted over LANs and communications facilities along with other computer data files. These capabilities will enable a new range of application- and presentation-generating tools and utilities so that business users can extend the types of information that they can build into their presentations and interactive programs. These products fully support the DVI Technology compression algorithms consisting of the asymmetric "Production Level Video" (PLV), which requires material to have been previously compressed on an Intel Corporation licensed Digital Compression Facility, and the symmetric "Real Time Video" (RTV), which covers customer's needs for the complete processing of full-motion video and audio in real time on the ActionMedia II equipped personal computer. At the same time, these products will also support a baseline still-image compression technique defined by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) proposed standard, so that some image interchange is possible within JPEG formats. GROWTH ENABLEMENT These ActionMedia II products are well suited to customers' needs to develop and pilot new applications and then grow those applications through their organizations, while still maintaining their capabilities to run all of their existing applications. The products are available for both Micro Channel (R) Architecture and PC Bus Architecture PS/2 computers -- with the freedom to add, through a customer-installable option, audio and video capture functions. The Audio Video Kernel application programming interface is independent of media file formats and is designed to be portable to future environments. This ensures that both applications and tools written to the Audio Video Kernel will be compatible with future DVI implementations. PRODUCT POSITIONING These products enable all of the advantages of a fully digitized solution to the whole range of multimedia personal computer applications. When motion video is digitized and compressed using the DVI Technology compression techniques, it can be treated like all other data objects, which are stored, transmitted, edited, and mixed along with digital compressed audio and natural still images on standard personal computer media and peripheral devices. This capability positions ActionMedia II as the right technology for the future, where multimedia is seen as the natural extension of the full range of existing personal computer applications, as well as opening up an opportunity for a new set of applications dependent on digital multimedia. STATEMENT OF GENERAL DIRECTION IBM intends to fully support the use of ActionMedia II with OS/2 Version 2.0. IBM also intends to enhance the ActionMedia II AVK device drivers to operate with Microsoft Windows (2) 3.0, and to provide a Media Control Interface to the AVK under the multimedia extensions of both OS/2 and Windows 3.0, in the future. IBM intends to enable the OS/2 version of the Audio Visual Connection (R) (AVC) 1.04 to support the playback of compressed DVI files with ActionMedia II. IBM intends to support the use of the ActionMedia II Display Adapters and the ActionMedia II Capture Option with IBM LinkWay (TM). IBM also intends to make available several LinkWay Educational Applications that use the ActionMedia II Display Adapters to display digital motion video. (2) Trademark of Microsoft Corporation. PUBLICATIONS The following publications are shipped with the product: o Adapter Installation Instructions, ActionMedia II Display Adapters o Adapter Installation Instructions, ActionMedia II Capture Option The following publications will be available March 27, 1992. To order, contact your IBM representative. o Hardware Maintenance Library (S92F-2728; part number 92F2728) o Technical Reference Manual (S92F-2729; 92F2729) SLSS is available. Customers currently subscribing to SLSS will receive publication updates automatically. EDUCATION SUPPORT A description of self-study and classroom courses is contained in the Catalog of IBM Education (G320-1244). Call IBM Telemarketing Operations at 1-800-426-2468 for schedules, enrollments, and orders for self-study courses. SCHEDULE The planned availability dates for these products are: o March 27, 1992 -- ActionMedia II Display Adapter/A 2MB and ActionMedia II Capture Option. o June 26, 1992 -- ActionMedia II Display Adapter 2MB. TECHNICAL INFORMATION SPECIFIED OPERATING ENVIRONMENT PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS: o ActionMedia II Display Adapter 2MB, with or without Capture Option: - Length: 340mm (13.4 inches) - Height: 107mm (4.2 inches) o ActionMedia II Display Adapter/A 2MB, with or without Capture Option: - Length: 305mm (12.0 inches) - Height: 89mm (3.5 inches) o ActionMedia II Capture Option: - Length: 200mm (7.9 inches) - Height: 80mm (3.2 inches) OPERATING ENVIRONMENT: The ActionMedia II features will operate in the same operating environment as the PS/2 computer in which they are installed, and meet the following certification requirements. o ActionMedia II Display Adapter 2MB: - FCC Class A -- This product is certified for commercial use only, but an application for approval for residential use (FCC Class B) has been filed with the FCC. o ActionMedia II Display Adapter/A 2MB and ActionMedia II Capture Option: - FCC Class B o ActionMedia II Display Adapter 2MB, ActionMedia II Display Adapter/A 2MB, and ActionMedia II Capture Option: - VDE Class B - EN55022 MACHINE REQUIREMENTS: The ActionMedia II Display Adapter 2MB can be installed in PS/2 machine types 8535, 8540, and the 7537 Industrial Computers. The ActionMedia II Display Adapter/A 2MB can be installed in PS/2 machine types 8555, 8557, 8565, 8570, 8573*, 8580, 8590, 8595, and the 7546 Industrial Computers. Use of the ActionMedia II Audio Video Kernel requires a minimum of 4MB of system memory. If additional OS/2 applications are required to run in the PS/2, then a minimum of 6MB of system memory is recommended. * Models 161 and 401 only, and when configured for external display only. The following graphics adapter and monitor cabling configurations are supported: o A PS/2 color monitor connected to both the ActionMedia II display adapter and the host VGA system using the ActionMedia II Video Cable. o A PS/2 color monitor connected to both the ActionMedia II display adapter and the host XGA system or an XGA graphics adapter using the ActionMedia II Video Cable. o A PS/2 color monitor connected directly to an ActionMedia II display adapter and a second PS/2 monitor connected directly to the host VGA or XGA output connector. PROGRAMMING REQUIREMENTS: IBM OS/2 Version 1.3 is required for the installation of the Audio Video Kernel Version 1.0 device drivers. The MEDIAscript (3) OS/2 Desktop Edition program product from Network Technology Corporation (NTC) is available from NTC for those customers who require an OS/2-based ActionMedia II application authoring and development environment. (3) Trademark of Network Technology Corporation. LIMITATIONS: The ActionMedia II Display Adapter/A 2MB must be installed either in a 16-bit expansion slot, or in a 32-bit expansion slot without Matched Memory Extension, of any supported PS/2 computer. When configuring a PS/2 with ActionMedia II, it may be necessary to limit the utilization of system expansion slots to avoid the possibility of overloading the 12 volt power supplies. If ActionMedia II is being installed WITH the Capture Option, then it is necessary to have a minimum of: o Either one empty expansion slot, or o One expansion slot occupied by an option card NOT requiring +12 and/or -12 volt power. As a guide, it may be assumed that option cards providing networking or communications support are likely to require 12 volt power. PLANNING INFORMATION CABLE ORDERS: Basic cables required to complete the adapter installation are supplied with the product. A cable for connecting the ActionMedia II Display Adapter 2MB to a PS/2 Internal SCSI CD-ROM Drive (feature #0845) is also supplied with the product. Additional cables required for customer-selected and installed video, audio, input, output, or recording devices are the customer's responsibility. PROBLEM DETERMINATION: Technical assistance and service for these products in the specified environments is available. The service and support telephone is 1-800-241-1620. Telephone calls may be placed to the IBM System Support Center Monday through Friday from 8.00 AM to 6.00 PM (Eastern time). IBM responds on a call-back basis and will assist the end user with telephone assistance in problem diagnosis, as well as status of previously reported problems. Central service, including the IBM Support Center, will be available until discontinued by IBM upon 12 months' written notice. The AVK device drivers provided with these products are supported by Services and Support -- Applications (SSA). Access to SSA will be provided through 1-800-241-1620. PACKAGING: # of Product Shipment Group Boxes ActionMedia II Display Adapter/A 2MB card 1 Display (Micro Channel architecture bus), Adapter/A 2MB ActionMedia II video cable, Installation instructions, Option diskette, Customer response form, Cover sheet and Program License Agreement, OS/2 1.3 device driver diskette, Two sample material diskettes ActionMedia II Display Adapter 2MB card (PC bus), 1 Display ActionMedia II video cable, Adapter 2MB Internal CD-ROM drive cable, Installation instructions, Starter diskette, Customer response form, Cover sheet and Program License Agreement, OS/2 1.3 device driver diskette, Two sample material diskettes ActionMedia II Capture Option daughter card, 1 Capture Option Audio/video capture cable and kit containing: - Cable (1m) with 8-pin DIN connector - 2 BNC to RCA phono socket adapters - 1 dual BNC to Y-C (S-VHS) adapter Installation instructions, Customer response form SECURITY, AUDITABILITY AND CONTROL These products use the security and auditability features of the host PS/2 system. User management is responsible for evaluation, selection, and implementation of security features, administrative procedures, and appropriate controls in application systems and communications facilities. TERMS AND CONDITIONS FEATURE SECTION WARRANTY PERIOD: One year. MES DISCOUNT APPLICABLE: No. FIELD-INSTALLABLE FEATURE: Yes. CUSTOMER SETUP: Yes. All other terms and conditions are the same as those applicable to the IBM PS/2 machine type in which the feature is installed. CHARGES -- FEATURES: FEATURE PART PURCHASE DESCRIPTION NUMBER NUMBER PRICE ActionMedia II Adapters: Display Adapter 2MB 9730 69F9730 $ 1,995 Display Adapter/A 2MB 9732 69F9732 1,995 Capture Option 9734 69F9734 890 CHARGES -- MAINTENANCE: ANNUAL MINIMUM MAINTENANCE CHARGES DESCRIPTION (IBM ON-SITE REPAIR) ActionMedia II Adapters: Display Adapter 2MB $ 130 Display Adapter/A 2MB 130 Capture Option NC NC= No Charge