News Releases

Video Furnace’s IP Video System delivers live, TV-quality IP multicasts with no media player installation needed

Successful installations provide live C-SPAN multicasts over Internet2 networks and 20 television channels via campus Ethernet network to students' computers at Northwestern University

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill.– May 19, 2003 –Video Furnace (www.videofurnace.com), an IP video software engineering and systems application company, today announced its IP Video System, the only end-to-end solution that brings live, TV-quality audio and video to any network-connected viewing device, such as notebook or desktop computer, that doesn't require users to install resident player software, browser plug-ins or hardware, which is an industry first.

Successful installations demonstrate that whether it is video multicasts over Internet2, or live cable stations multicast through an Ethernet private network, Video Furnace's IP Video System enables users to view broadcast-quality video without cumbersome media player installation and without the same quality of service issues prevalent with solutions based upon Internet client-centric streaming player technologies.

"Video Furnace's unique technology lets users watch any Video Furnace-enabled streams without having to install any players, browser plug-ins or other software on their viewing devices," said Howard Weinzimmer, Video Furnace CEO. "A very small, highly optimized viewer is delivered as part of the stream, and then it disappears entirely at the end of it. No other IP video solution allows computer users to enjoy a television-like experience without the encumbrance of proprietary-installed and difficult-to-maintain media players."

Successful Installations
Video Furnace's software-based, scalable IP multicast technology currently is being used at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., in collaboration with C-SPAN and Internet2, to deliver live C-SPAN and C-SPAN2 multicasts 24 hours a day to anyone with a notebook or desktop computer with an Internet2 network connection that is multicast capable. This experimental, research broadcast project is made possible through Northwestern University's high-performance networking and a cooperative partnership with C-SPAN. (See news release, "Northwestern University and Video Furnace provide live C-SPAN/C-SPAN2 broadcasts over Internet2 networks" at www.videofurnace.com/company/News_Releases.html)
The C-SPAN multicast over Internet2 networks uses the same Video Furnace technology that powers Northwestern's NUTV service. The first successful, large-scale implementation of its kind in the world, NUTV delivers 20 on-air and extended television channels to students' desktop and notebook computers in Northwestern's undergraduate residence halls through the university's existing IP network.
"The data for NUTV is delivered over our system at speeds comparable to cable television transmissions, which reduces the jerky or patchy video that is commonly associated with streamed video over the Internet," said Mort Rahimi, Northwestern's vice president for information technology. "The students" responses have been positive. They like the ease of use and the ability to watch their favorite programs on their computers while doing homework or exchanging e-mail with friends."

Video Furnace's IP Video System
Enterprise-ready and designed for mission critical service, Video Furnace's standards-based IP Video System comprises four key software applications that provide for a fully distributed, scalable architecture. It is extremely flexible and fully operable with all existing and anticipated new standards, such as MPEG-4 and ATSC.
A true client/server-based solution, Video Furnace's IP Video System requires no hardware or software to be installed on the client's computer. The client viewer, the InStream Player, is a small application with extremely low CPU requirements that is streamed to the client when the video is requested and does not stay resident after the session is closed or terminated. This unique feature allows it to be deployed in a wide variety of computing environments, including Windows, Mac and Linux.

“"Our technology brings TV-quality content to a desktop, notebook or other IP device on a network with users having to do little more than click on their screens and watch," said Weinzimmer. "Because the player is delivered as part of the stream, IT departments have complete version and usage control, avoiding the significant support overhead associated with thick client media applications."
Video Furnace's IP Video System receives and digitally encodes a live analog or digital video/audio source into MPEG-compliant streams, encapsulates it, encrypts it and multicasts the video data using standard protocols for delivery to IP-enabled devices over any IP-based high-speed network or stores it on the server for later use, or performs both functions simultaneously.
Universities, corporations, the military or institutions that want to bring live video to computing device displays can use Video Furnace's IP Video System. Possible applications include visual instructional services, corporate communications, the delivery of critical or classified video data and many others.
In addition to its Northwestern University installations, Video Furnace has active trials of its IP Video System currently deployed at other universities and with corporate enterprises.

About Video Furnace
Founded in 2002, Video Furnace is headquartered northwest of Chicago in Libertyville, Ill. Its technical team has extensive experience in digital video delivery systems and a long history of development in media, gaming and broadband video solutions. The privately held company is funded by angel investors. More information is available by visiting (www.videofurnace.com), e-mailing Howard.Weinzimmer@videofurnace.com or calling 847-362-6800.

InStream is a trademark of Video Furnace.

Video Furnace, 14052 Petronella Drive, Suite 202, Libertyville, IL 60048, 847-362-6800, www.videofurnace.com


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