Microsoft Helps Set Multimedia Computer Standards
In an effort to boost the development of a major new market for personal computer hardware and software, Microsoft Corp. and a number of PC manufacturers on Tuesday announced a set of basic standards for so-called multimedia computers.
Multimedia combines traditional computing functions with high-quality sound and video, thus opening a broad new range of possible applications. Technological advances over the past several years have rendered multimedia practical on standard personal computers, and many companies have seized on multimedia in recent months as a key growth area.
Tuesday’s announcement was an effort to establish a minimum set of criteria for multimedia personal computers, thus allowing software developers to write multimedia programs with a knowledge of what kind of hardware will be available.
Tandy Corp., parent company of the Radio Shack electronics chain, joined with nine other computer vendors in agreeing to ship a multimedia machine by next year. Such a system will include an IBM-compatible personal computer with either a 286 or 386 microprocessor from Intel Corp. that’s equipped with at least 2 megabytes of memory, a 30-megabyte hard disk drive, VGA graphics, a digital audio system and a CD-ROM laser disk drive. In addition, the machines will include Microsoft’s Windows operating software equipped with special multimedia extensions.
A multimedia package would add about $1,000 to the cost of a typical business PC.
International Business Machines, while not committing to specific hardware deliveries, is supporting the initiative in promoting the development of multimedia software for its OS/2 operating system.
Among the computer vendors joining Tandy in supporting a multimedia platform are AT&T;, NEC, Fujitsu, Olivetti and Zenith. Tandy said it would promote multimedia through special promotions in its Radio Shack stores.
While Tuesday’s announcement should give a lift to multimedia development efforts, it did not resolve many of the thornier issues, such as exactly how full-motion video will be handled in future multimedia computers.
Meanwhile, computer vendors whose machines are not IBM-compatible, such as Apple Computer and Next Inc., are pushing ahead with their own multimedia plans.
