A new product on the market lets you call family and
friends and see them on your TV. The Vialta Beamer adds video to your
conversations using an ordinary telephone line.
Vialta's new Beamer TV gives you the ability to instantly add video to
phone calls using your existing home phone and television. Beamer TV works
with any home phone (corded or cordless) over any standard analog phone
line (one-line or two-line) to display full color video of the person
you're talking to. All you have to do is pick up the phone, dial a friend
or family member (who also has a Beamer TV or Videophone), and press the
Start/Views button on the remote control.
Beamer TV is small, so it fits in narrow spaces; it is designed to sit
atop your television. It has a built-in 0.25-inch CMOS camera that can
capture full-motion video and transmit it to your recipient at 4 to 15
frames per second. Transmission speed is dependant on phone line quality
and connection rate, as well as the amount of motion and detail being
transferred.
When not in use, the remote control rests in a recessed niche so it's easy
to find, and a camera cover protects the lens from dust and scratches.
And, the Beamer TV has a skid-proof base to prevent accidental slipping
and the need to realign the built-in camera.
Setup is easy--simply plug your phone into Beamer TV, plug Beamer TV into
your NTSC television's RCA video jack, connect Beamer TV to your wall
phone jack, and plug in Beamer TV's power adapter. There is no special
wiring or equipment required, and no service agreement so the only charges
that will appear on your phone bill are your standard call rates.
