The Commetrex Outlook | February 2007

Gateways for IP-Based Fax Servers?

How can the overall market for enterprise fax servers continue to grow, even as investments in TDM fax-server systems are declining? The answer, of course, is that IP-based fax servers are more than taking up the slack. Obviously, fax-server vendors that continue to “sit this one out” run the risk of being permanently left behind. Fax-server vendors must add support for IP fax. But as IP networking is new technology for many of these vendors, there are plenty of questions. Chief among them are those concerned with the conversion between TDM and IP transport, the task of the IP-PSTN gateway. Then there are the issues of signaling (SIP, H.323, etc.), HMP, and T.38 versus G.711 pass-through.

What the fax-server vendor needs is an experienced HMP fax-media-server vendor, and Commetrex’ new white paper, BladeWare in the Enterprise, Vendor Considerations, to help you sort out your options.

Want a copy? Send an email to sales@commetrex.com and we’ll get one to you by return email.

BladeWare HMP Special Offer

For a limited time, we are making a special introductory BladeWare offer: Between now and March 30, 2007, license the BladeWare SDKs and receive 10 free ports of BladeWare, a $1700 value.

Specifically designed for OEMs and developers, BladeWare is a scalable and cost-effective host-media-processing platform for deploying media server applications on standard general-purpose computing platforms without the need for specialized hardware. BladeWare is currently shipping with support for terminating T.38 and terminating G.711 pass-through fax. Two deployment-ready applications are also available: BladeWare Fax Media Server, for use with seperate application servers, and BladeWare Fax-to-Email. In the near future, BladeWare will support a rich set of additional media-processing functions: multi-media messaging, IVR, conferencing, and video, enabling deployment of a wide range of powerful IP media-server applications, from contact centers and IP PBXs to social networking and conferencing platforms. And it’s completely open. This means there are SDKs to support development at any level, including, of course, the application level, but also system services, signaling, and media technologies.

Don’t wait! To take advantage of this limited-time offer, license the BladeWare SDKs by March 30 and receive 10 ports of BladeWare along with the SDKs at no additional charge.

For a personalized quote, call us at 770-449-7775 (push 1) or email us at sales@commetrex.com.

The MSP-H8 Has Shrunk!

Yep, it was too big. Since the MSP-H8 was first developed, PCI-card dimensions have shrunk, so the H8 has had to go on a diet. We’ve also moved a few things around. The original H8 is a high-precision 1-to-8 line analog PCM interface. We use it with OTF or BladeWare when a PSTN analog interface is required, and it makes a great low-cost analog fax board since all the signal processing uses host MIPS-no DSPs required. The line interfaces, which could be either FXS or FXO, were on individual SIMM-like modules.

The new MSP-H8/a has four trunk interfaces on the main board. Up to two two-port daughter cards, which may be either trunk or station interfaces, can be added, for up to 8 ports. No external power is required for the station interfaces, either. 16-bit linear data are provided, making our V.34 HMP fax modems very happy. And, speaking of fax, with both FXS and FXO (station and trunk) interfaces on the same board, you can implement some pretty high-function systems that include fax relay, PSTN terminations, and even support “behind-the-system ” legacy fax terminals.

Win32 and Linux drivers are available, so you can use it with either version of OTF/BladeWare. A board-level (embedded) SDK is also available, so feel free to use it with your host-level system. Asterisk users, this one’s for you.

Availability is early Q2.

Questions? Give Mike Coffee a call at 770-449-7775 X310. Or send him an e-mail at mcoffee@commetrex.com.

FaxTap For T.38 Now Available

Three years ago, Commetrex announced the availability of FaxTap, which converts PCM recordings of fax transactions to TIFF-F files. Now, FaxTap for T.38 is also available.

Commetrex’ FaxTap PCM-to-TIFF-F Converter performs an off-line conversion of a full-duplex PCM recording of an analog fax transaction to the TIFF-F image file. Now, we have combined our TerminatingT38 technology with the popular Wireshark (nee Ethereal) open-source IP protocol analyzer to create FaxTap for T.38. This means you can give FaxTap a “PCAP” file produced by Wireshark, and FaxTap for T.38 will give you the TIFF-F in return. FaxTap for T.38 also provides an analysis function that will return the decoded T.38 packets, T.30 frames, and general call-flow indicators.

Want additional information? Send an e-mail to marketing@commetrex.com.

See Faxing For Free Over Skype At VON Spring

NetGen Communications, a heretofore stealth-mode Commetrex spin-off, has a prototype of its first product, FaxIP for Skype, now running. It allows a Skyper to send faxes in real-time from fax machine to fax machine anywhere in the world absolutely free.

This is not store-and-forward and it does not use a third-party fax service. It’s real-time fax relay across the Skype network based on the T.38 protocol. You feed the paper into the sending machine here, place the call, and it comes out at the receiving machine there–all in real time-a legal document.

This patent-pending Skype-compatible technology takes advantage of Commetrex’ industry-leading fax-relay technology, the Skype peer-to-peer network, and a special version of the Eutectics IPP2000 RJ-11-to-USB converter.

NetGen anticipates that FaxIP for Skype will be in retail distribution in the second quarter of this year. The retail price of the IPP2000F will be less than $59.95 and the target price of the software is $19.95. Versions for Google Talk, AOL’s Total Talk, etc. are planned for the second half. Also, releases with enhanced functionality, for example real-time faxing from Microsoft Word, are planned for release throughout the year.

Questions? Contact Tom Ray at 770-449-7775 x320 or send him an e-mail at tray@commetrex.com. He’ll be happy to hear from you.