NEW ORLEANS, May 8, 2000 — Today at Cable 2000, backed by the support of five leading video-on-demand (VOD) vendors, Microsoft Corp. announced a significant step forward for VOD solutions that fully integrate with the Microsoft® TV Platform.
Concurrent Computer Corp., DIVA, Intertainer Inc., nCUBE Corp. and SeaChange International Inc. – all recognized leaders in providing VOD products and/or services to the cable television industry -are integrating with the Microsoft TV Platform and plan to have Microsoft TV-based VOD solutions available later this year. Several working models of their Microsoft TV Advanced-based VOD solutions running on digital set-top boxes are being demonstrated this week at Cable 2000, the annual National Cable Television Association (NCTA) convention, in New Orleans.
Support from key VOD vendors means that cable companies and other network operators will be able to build on the sound foundation of the Microsoft TV Platform to deliver new revenue-generating services to consumers, including a variety of on-demand services such as movies, sports, concerts, music videos, audio and programming.
“As a technology provider, Microsoft’s role is to enable network operators through our TV Platform technology to create and roll out new on-demand services for consumers,”
said Phil Goldman, vice president of the TV Platform Group at Microsoft.
“Our teaming with the leading VOD companies is a great way for them to extend their revenue models by broadening cable operators’ enhanced-TV service portfolios, which in turn creates a richer viewing experience for TV customers. We will continue to innovate with key VOD companies to offer the best solutions to the operators.”
Three Working Models of VOD Solutions on Display at NCTA Show
Cable operators and other NCTA participants can view working models of Microsoft TV Platform-based VOD solutions at the show this week. To see a demonstration of an advanced set-top box service developed by Intertainer and SeaChange, show attendees can visit Microsoft at Booth 3501, Intertainer at Booth 1319 or SeaChange at Booth 4671.
A VOD solution developed by nCUBE in cooperation with Microsoft will be demonstrated by nCUBE in Booth 5619 as well as at Microsoft in Booth 3501.
To view a demonstration of a DIVA end-to-end VOD solution, conference participants can visit DIVA in Booth 5643.
Top VOD Vendors to Deliver Solutions Integrating With Microsoft TV Platform
Concurrent Computer Corp.
Atlanta-based Concurrent (http://www.ccur.com/) has become a leading supplier in the emerging digital video server marketplace, including the broadband and cable, corporate training, education, hospitality, and in-flight entertainment industries. Concurrent’s MediaHawk, a high-performance, scalable, digital-video server, delivers true VOD and interactive services for entertainment applications. Concurrent today has an installed base of more than 30,000 systems and recently completed the world’s largest residential VOD launch in Hawaii.
“Concurrent is excited to be working with Microsoft to utilize the power of the Microsoft TV Platform,”
said Steve Nussrallah, president and CEO of Concurrent.
“The Microsoft TV Platform gives the cable operator the power to combine e-commerce and video on demand to enable new services for the cable subscriber.”
DIVA
DIVA (http://www.divatv.com/) is a leading provider of interactive VOD products and services for the cable television industry. Based in Redwood City, Calif., the company debuted its digital video-on-demand service in cable TV systems in the fall of 1997 and now has its service deployed in six cable systems in the United States.
DIVA recently began demonstrating an end-to-end VOD solution integrated with the client component of the Microsoft TV Platform. DIVA’s solution provides service operators with a viable opportunity to offer a compelling VOD service to customers using the DCT 5000+ series advanced set-top box from Motorola Inc. The DIVA solution is hardware-independent and designed to work with advanced set-tops supported by the Microsoft TV Platform.
“The industry now recognizes the need for deployment of multiple interactive applications on digital set-tops,”
said Ray McDevitt, executive vice president of Business Development and Product Management at DIVA.
“Microsoft TV Advanced is a strong platform enabling the cable operator to provide integrated interactive services and, more specifically, video on demand.”
Intertainer Inc.
Based in Culver City, Calif., Intertainer (http://www.intertainer.com/) delivers a large selection of movies, music videos, television and shopping on demand to PCs and televisions. The company is actively deploying its best-of-breed content-aggregation service, providing consumers with a broad variety of content via cable modems, DSL telephone lines and digital set-top boxes.
Intertainer is already collaborating with SeaChange to develop an end-to-end Microsoft TV-based VOD solution that integrates Intertainer’s broadband network with SeaChange’s ITV System. The advanced service is being demonstrated this week at Cable 2000.
“Intertainer has joined in this strategic relationship to offer consumers the most compelling entertainment experience on the Microsoft TV Platform,”
said Jonathan Taplin, president and CEO of Intertainer.
“We’re excited that our combined efforts will empower the cable industry with the content and the tools to enhance the interactive-TV experience forever.”
nCUBE Corp.
nCUBE (http://www.ncube.com/) is one of the world’s leading suppliers of high-end video-streaming systems and video application software. With headquarters in San Francisco, nCUBE has performed more than 100 VOD installations, delivering more than 17,000 streams of VOD systems featuring VCR functionality.
In cooperation with Microsoft, nCUBE has developed a VOD solution for customers with set-top boxes operating Microsoft TV Advanced. nCUBE provides the streaming media system, and Microsoft provides the VOD application on the Motorola DCT 5000+ set-top box and remote. Both nCUBE and Microsoft will demonstrate nCUBE’s solution at this week’s NCTA show.
“Microsoft’s TV Platform and nCUBE’s streaming media video system offer operators the ultimate VOD solution,”
said Michel J. Pohl, president of nCUBE.
“This leading-edge solution includes nCUBE’s VOD back-office management software, nABLE, the MediaCUBE 4 streaming-video system and Microsoft TV Advanced seamlessly operating as a complete VOD solution to bring operators the maximum returns on their investment.”
SeaChange International Inc.
SeaChange International (http://www.seachangeinternational.com/), based in Maynard, Mass., is one of the television industry’s leading suppliers of digital video systems. SeaChange is supporting numerous VOD installations worldwide. Rogers Cablesystems is deploying the SeaChange ITV system in Canada, and Telewest Communications is deploying it in the United Kingdom. In China, Guandong Cable TV is using it to provide educational VOD services.
An initial Microsoft TV Platform-based VOD solution that SeaChange is developing in conjunction with Intertainer is on display this week at Cable 2000. The turnkey solution integrates Intertainer’s broadband network with SeaChange’s ITV System, enabling SeaChange’s Entertainment On Demand service to run on Motorola’s DCT 5000+ set-top box.
“Smart, effective partnerships will help propel the success of VOD and subsequent interactive applications for cable operators,”
said Yvette Gordon, vice president of Interactive Systems at SeaChange International.
“SeaChange’s collaboration with Microsoft and Intertainer gives cable operators flexibility in making decisions and delivers the ROI that will make interactive television a success.”
About the Microsoft TV Platform
The Microsoft TV Platform is a comprehensive software solution for the television industry that makes television more useful, fun and engaging for consumers and creates significant new economic opportunities for network operators and their suppliers of programming, hardware and software.
The client software, Microsoft TV Basic Digital for current-generation set-top boxes and Microsoft TV Advanced for advanced set-top boxes, operate a range of TV-centric appliances from set-top boxes to integrated televisions. Microsoft TV Server and Microsoft TV Access Channel Server are a pair of server software products that offer network operators the tools to provision, manage, and operate a large-scale, commercial-grade enhanced-TV service.
The Microsoft TV Platform supports worldwide digital TV broadcast standards, including DVB, ATSC and ARIB. It also supports commonly used Internet standards such as HTML, JavaScript and Dynamic HTML, as well as all interactive content authored according to the Advanced Television Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) specification.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device.
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