Press Release
Ubicom Tool Helps Tune the Net for Games
Launches Free Online Playability Tool to Measure and Improve Network Performance
Mountain View, Calif. — Dec. 14, 2005 — Ubicom™, Inc., a leading provider of communications processor and software solutions, has launched a free testing tool to help online gamers defeat game lag. By using the tool, gamers can determine their OPScore, or Online Playability Score, a benchmark that measures 'game lag' under different network conditions. The OPScore benchmark can be used to effectively tune users' home networks and internet connections to greatly reduce game lag.
Online gaming performance can be affected by traffic congestion in Custom Premise Equipment such as broadband modems and routers. This congestion is caused by high bandwidth applications such as file sharing, e-mail, and picture uploads. Network congestion results in delay, jitter, and loss of data that is experienced as game lag. The OPScore benchmark, developed by Ubicom, measures the flow of game data and other traffic on users' own internet connection to give a precise OPScore.
OPScore values relate directly to scoring in games such as 'frags' per minute in Quake 3, ranging from 0.0 (unplayable) to 5.0 (optimal performance). This measurement technique is based on research conducted separately by major universities and Ubicom. The OPScore test can be run from any Windows PC with an internet connection and can be found at http://gamer.ubicom.com.
"The popularity of online gaming received a boost with the launch of the Xbox 360 just weeks ago and will again with PlayStation's launch this coming spring. As a result, gamers are demanding the best performance ever from their networks," said Keith Morris, Ubicom vice president of marketing. "Quality of Service technologies are found in many products, but are often difficult to set up and rarely used to their full potential. Our StreamEngine® technology already helps maximize bandwidth for superior performance and automatically scans the network for a wide variety of applications. Additionally, now with the OPScore test, gamers can determine how to improve their gaming set-up to maximize network performance."
About StreamEngine® Technology
StreamEngine® technology delivers an enhanced online experience by employing powerful Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms. The key to making this useable for a home or small office is Intelligent Stream Handling, a patent-pending algorithm which automatically manages the flow of traffic going to the Internet, without the need for user configuration. As a result, real-time, interactive traffic, such as gaming, VoIP, and video conferencing, are automatically given the appropriate priority when other users and applications use the network. In addition, Intelligent Stream Handling minimizes the impact of large packet, lower priority traffic on latency-sensitive traffic and eliminates delays caused by DSL or cable modem connections. StreamEngine® effectively eliminates the lag and breakup problem in online gaming and other voice/video applications.
About Ubicom, Inc.
Ubicom, Inc. is a leading supplier of communication processor and software platforms that address the needs of the rapidly evolving digital home and small office. Ubicom's StreamEngine® technology enables innovative, high quality, high performance wired and wireless networking products and services for broadband applications.
The company provides optimized system-level solutions to OEMs for a wide range of products that deliver consistent quality for real time interactive applications such as VoIP, video, audio and online gaming combined with exceptional coverage in wireless applications. The company's technology is deployed in a variety of areas including wireless routers, access points, VoIP gateways, streaming media devices, print servers and other network devices.
Ubicom's unique multithreaded processor design, real-time operating system, and application-level solutions combine to ensure a high-quality user experience with fast time to market for our customers. Ubicom is a venture-backed, privately held company with corporate headquarters in Mountain View, California. For more information, visit www.ubicom.com.
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Press Contact:
Michelle Homes
LEWIS PR for Ubicom
(415) 277-5467
ubicom@lewispr.com
Company Contact:
Michelle Sims
Ubicom, Inc.
(650) 210-1510
michelle.sims@ubicom.com
