VBrick Donates $100,000 in Equipment to Internet2 Effort

VBrick Systems, Inc., a maker of affordable DVD-quality videonetworking solutions, and Internet2, a consortium led by over 190universities working in partnership with industry and government, haveannounced that VBrick has provided approximately $100,000 in equipmentand software for use by Internet2 members.

Internet2's mission is to accelerate the creation of tomorrow'sInternet by helping members develop and deploy advanced networkapplications and technologies today. VBrick has providedstate-of-the-art MPEG-2 units and accompanying software to theInternet2 community - some units will be available for all members touse on a pool basis, and some units will be shipped directly to twouniversities.

VBrick Systems selected the University of California at San Diegoand Gallaudet University from over 20 institutions that submittedapplications for the award-winning technology. The University ofCalifornia will use VBrick technology to connect its five medicalcenters to the San Diego campus to provide continuing medical educationto rural clinics via UCTV, the University's direct broadcast channel.Gallaudet University, the world's only Liberal Arts University for theDeaf, will be using video conferencing, broadcast and video-on demandto supplement on-line courseware, sign language training, remoteinterpreting and special events broadcasts of deaf cultural events andprogramming.

"We are very pleased to have been selected by VBrick Systems toreceive this important technology," said Dr. Cynthia M. King, executivedirector of academic technology at Gallaudet University. "Real-timeremote communications using sign language will be greatly improved withthe DVD-quality available with VBrick's video networking products."

"Bringing together advanced networking capabilities deployed byInternet2 universities and leading-edge technology developed by anInternet2 corporate member will demonstrate the kind of collaborationcapabilities the Internet of the future will enable," said Ted Hanss,director of applications development for Internet2. "This effortembodies the cooperation between industry and academia that is at theheart of Internet2."

"VBrick has long supported the efforts of the Internet2 consortiumand we recognize the profound impact it will have on the evolution ofthe Internet," said Rich Mavrogeanes, president and founder of VBrickSystems. "It is our hope that by donating this equipment, theUniversity of California at San Diego and Gallaudet University, as wellas others in the consortium, will begin to experience first hand thepower that DVD-quality two-way television over IP can bring to theircommunities."

VBrick Systems offers a family of powerful yet affordable videonetworking products for use across a wide range of applications. Inaddition to MPEG video network appliances, VBrick Systems also offerscomplete turn-key Streaming Distribution Systems, Video On DemandServers, and software like StreamPlayerII and StreamPump as well as awide range of accessories.