Apple's New Version of QuickTime Enhances Multimedia Architecture and
Capabilities

QuickTime 1.5 Features Larger Movies and Support for Photo CD

Dateline: Cupertino, California--October 19, 1992

Description

Extending its commitment to bring multimedia capabilities to mainstream
computer users, Apple Computer, Inc. has updated its QuickTime multimedia
architecture for the Apple Macintosh personal computer. QuickTime 1.5,
which is offered as an extension to System 7 provides users with improved
performance over QuickTime 1.0, enhancing their ability to integrate
dynamic data types such as video, sound, and animation into presentations,
training materials, and documents. QuickTime 1.5 offers higher compression
ratios, which results in larger movie frame sizes and better frame rates.
In addition, QuickTime 1.5 provides support for Kodak's new Photo CD
technology, and full screen/full motion video with available add-on
hardware.

Significance 

QuickTime enables users to cut, copy and paste video, sound and animation
with the same ease-of-use the Macintosh has always offered for graphics,
data and text. QuickTime 1.5 enhances users' experience with these dynamic
data types by offering better performance and added functionality.
QuickTime 1.5 continues to be compatible with all color-capable Macintosh
computers using a 68020 or higher processor; there are currently more than
4 million such systems in the installed base.

QuickTime is one of Apple's most widely adopted technologies and appeals to
a broad range of users in numerous industries. It is used for many
purposes, including training, entertainment, communication, and
presentations. Hundreds of applications are already available with support
for QuickTime. In the future, users and developers will be able to
incorporate and play QuickTime movies in the Windows environment, further
enhancing the adoption of the QuickTime multimedia architecture.

QuickTime technology is distinguished by its highly sophisticated modular
architecture, time-based synchronization model, human interface and
Apple's commitment to implementation across a variety of computer
platforms.

In addition to enhanced performance capability, QuickTime 1.5 offers the
following features:

* Larger screen, software-only movie playback--up to 320 x 240 pixels at 15
frames per second on a Macintosh LC II-class computer, which is four times
the current screen-area for playback. If the screen size remains at the
original 160 x 120 pixels, the frame rate increases up to 30 frames per
second.

* Integrated support for Kodak Photo CD. Photo CD technology enables users
to have their photos digitized onto a CD-ROM that can be accessed by
QuickTime with Version 4.0 of Apple's CD-ROM software. Features include
easily viewed "thumbnails," QuickTime overview movie of photo images, and
file-format translation so that Photo CD images can be pasted into any
Macintosh-based application that supports PICT files.

* Complete support for full-screen, full-motion digital video cards
provided by third-party developers. Hardware-assisted playback performance
is also doubled. QuickTime 1.5 supports third-party solutions offered by
SuperMac, NuVideo, and RasterOps at video sizes up to 640 x 480 pixels at
30 frames per second.

* Improved CD-ROM data handling for enhanced QuickTime movie playback from
a CD.

* Improved network performance for better CD playback on a computer
network.

* Faster 1-bit dithering, which offers enhanced and smoother viewing of
QuickTime movies on a Macintosh PowerBook or other monochrome Macintosh
computer.

* Generic media handlers, which allow developers to incorporate different
data types (beyond sound and video) into QuickTime movies to create new
movie track types. Apple used this capability to create a text track.

* Improved human interface, which enhances the consistency of QuickTime
across applications.

Availability 

QuickTime 1.5 is available immediately and will be distributed via a wide
variety of bulletin boards and user groups. In addition, QuickTime 1.5
will be bundled with the System 7.1 Update Kit, the System 7 Personal
Upgrade Kit and the System 7 MultiPack. It will also be available as part
of many Macintosh third-party applications. Finally, QuickTime 1.5 will be
included on the Developer CD available next month from APDA, Apple's
source for developer tools.

For additional information, APDA may be reached at the following numbers: 

1-800-282-2732 United States 
1-800-637-0029 Canada 
  408/562-3910 Other Countries

Pricing 

Apple recommends that the QuickTime 1.5 extension be available free of
charge. Bulletin boards, user groups and resellers may charge a nominal
fee for materials, labor and connect time.

Apple offers developer licensing programs, and pricing for these may vary.

System Requirements 

QuickTime works with all Macintosh computers that have at least a 68020
processor, 2MB of memory, and System 6.0.7 or any version of System 7.

Apple Computer Inc, 20525 Mariana Ave, Cupertino, CA 95014
408-996-1010

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