CompuServe Thread

Ameritech/Scala

9 messages in this thread
#38756From: CRAIG ZWIENERFeb 17, 1994 3:06 AM
John, What information can you give me on the Ameritech/Scala alliance? IOW, what are the chances of consulting in the Illinois area for Ameritech on Scala MM300 apps? Craig
#38995From: John ChangFeb 22, 1994 5:10 PM
Ameritech will essentially be a Value Added Reseller of InfoChannel and related hardware. They will sell to their current corporate customers in their 5 state regional area (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin… one more state which I cannot remember at the moment.). They will also assist Scala in using high-speed digital ISDN lines for transmission of data to InfoChannel Player sites. This includes backgrounds, animations, sound files, etc. Eventually, we will be able to transmit MPEG videoclips using ISDN lines. Our initial tests with Amiga based ISDN equipment allowed InfoChannel to transmit a 300KB file in less than 30 seconds! As to consulting services on Scala products, that is a relationship that we have established ourselves with Scala Studios, a department of Scala which does 2D and 3D graphics, sound production and script development.
#39016From: Jerry ThompsonFeb 22, 1994 11:25 PM
"Our initial tests with Amiga based ISDN equipment allowed InfoChannel to transmit a 300KB file in less than 30 seconds!" Am I missing something here? That doesn't seem very fast. That's about the speed of a floppy disk. -Jerry
#39021From: Mark D. ManesFeb 23, 1994 12:40 AM
10k/per second is pretty fast. 🙂 Most 14.4k modems give you up to 1700 character per second using compression.
#39083From: John ChangFeb 24, 1994 7:46 PM
Granted, ISDN is not as fast as Ethernet, it is already in place in several parts of the country. The maintenance cost is really not that much more expensive than a standard telephone line, and it is a standard between many of the Baby Bells. As you may know, the so called "Information Super Highway" standards have not been established, probably take years to develop and will cost billions to install. ISDN is available now and has the potential to send large amounts of date economically. For multimedia applications, complete presentations that will include 5 minutes of MPEG video clips could be transmitted to a site in less than an hour! Not to bad in my book!
#39544From: Laurie CarrollMar 5, 1994 6:57 AM
John, A belated enquirey about the Ameritech/Scala-Infochannel link up. Is Ameritech the same company that owns Telecom here in New Zealand, if hear it usually referred to as Bell-Ameritech. I am being nosey because I am sure that there is an ISDN network in place here for central Auckland's business district and this is interesting. Re the Info Highway, with the Freeway system in the USA, they built the road part and private companies/market forces provided the cars-trucks etc. Shouldnt they (Govnt) take a similar position with the Info Highway and let the users/providors sort out the rest?? This would seeem to be a faster way to get it up and running. Laurie Carroll AKL NZ Longdistance Autopilot
#39028From: Dale LarsonFeb 23, 1994 7:00 AM
>300K in less than 30 seconds 128kbps and it took you 30 seconds to transfer 300k?
#39133From: Ron LegroFeb 25, 1994 8:05 PM
Interesting. BTW, you should know that some guy on another BBS is claiming that your Ameritech deal involves marketing of your product on Intel-based PCs. Could you confirm whether that's accurate?
#39253From: John ChangFeb 28, 1994 9:28 AM
Hello Ron. The statement, in part, is true. Ameritech will be involved as a Value Added Reseller of our PC product, when it becomes available. As you may know, it is not available, yet! ;-}