White Pine integrates streaming media

White Pine Software has integrated streaming media technology into MeetingPoint conference server software and will demonstrate the new feature next week at the Internet World trade show in Los Angeles, a company official said.

MeetingPoint makes real-time group conferencing from multiple locations over an IP network using H.323 protocol possible. The software, which works on streaming media players and servers, now records conferences so that those who miss Web-enabled discussions can view them later. It also provides flexibility in deciding which participants are in an interactive mode and which ones can simply watch, said Roger Wallman, a product manager at the Nashua, N.H.-based White Pine.

Pricing hasn't been set yet, but Wallman said he expects the new version of MeetingPoint to sell for less than $5,000. The update is due out in June and, according to White Pine, will be the first integration of streaming technology with the H.323 conferencing protocol.

"I think what this does is open up the door to bring Internet conferences into a different light," Wallman said.

Users of Internet conference software now have found that when meetings are large-say, a shareholders meeting-it becomes unwieldy if everyone is able to interact. The result can be less than productive. The new MeetingPoint software is intended to help with that by putting participants who don't need to interact in a view-only mode, Wallman said.

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