Narrative talks up multimedia on Web

Start-up Narrative Communications today announced a family of three software products designed to provide real-time delivery of high-fidelity multimedia content on the Web.

Narrative, founded in September by former top Lotus executive John Landry, was formed to combat the frustration faced by many users with slow-loading multimedia content. The Enliven software lineup announced today uses existing phone lines and modems to provide multimedia streaming over low-bandwidth connections.

The Enliven collection includes production, server, and viewing software. Enliven Producer is made for multimedia developers and presents a scene-based, drag-and-drop post-production environment that can import content created with third-party authoring tools such as Macromedia's Director.

The Enliven Server is for content providers and works in conjunction with Web servers to deliver multiple, simultaneous animation streams to multimedia computers equipped with the Enliven Viewer. The suite's viewer for individual users can be run as a Netscape Navigator plug-in, a helper application to any Mosaic browser, or as a stand-alone application.

The beta version of the Enliven Viewer for Windows 95 or Windows NT will be posted later this week to Narrative's Web site, along with examples of multimedia content for trying out the new software. The two server products, also for Windows 95 or Windows NT, will enter beta testing this summer, according to the company. The company did not specify pricing.

Related story:
RealAudio coverage: CNET Radio