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ONT 2.37 Change: +0.12
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ONT 2.25 +0.27 +13.64%
ONT---10:07:32 2.100 5000 AMEX at Ask
In today's hyperspeed business environment, secure, efficient and streamlined communications are key to business success. United Parcel Service (UPS) and Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) announced in the US an agreement to develop the world's first digital-delivery solution for sending and tracking paper-based documents over the Internet - all with the push of a button.
Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will bring together two industry-first products: UPS Document Exchange, the first trackable, secure, delivery service for digital documents, and the HP 9100C Digital Sender, which electronically sends physical documents in a single step. The result is expected to be the industry's first solution that enables secure delivery of paper-based documents across the Internet.
The natural combination of these smart products - seamlessly integrated paper-based information and electronic messaging - is the closest you can get today to safe and immediate document delivery. By combining what UPS and HP do best, both companies can deliver superior solutions for electronic-document delivery and management. It help customers with one of today's greatest business challenges: simplified communications.
Because electronic transmissions are so efficient and cost-effective, companies are seeking to electronically manage as much of their data as possible. The HP 9100C Digital Sender allows companies to deliver high-quality, paper-based documents electronically - in monochrome or colour. At the same time, UPS Document Exchange enables users to send and track digital files securely across the Internet, using a service that features delivery confirmation, proof of receipt and a password-protection option. Now, critical paper-based documents that once were sent via overnight delivery can be sent in digital form to recipients almost instantaneously, at a fraction of the cost.
UPS Document Exchange integrated with HP's Digital Sender will help companies leverage investments in existing e-mail and networking systems because it allows users to send paper-based documents across the Internet and to other devices on the network. The combined product is a complementary extension to e-mail; a cost-effective alternative to physical overnight letter delivery; and a more convenient, secure alternative to faxing.
Companies looking to increase business-to-business e-commerce may find this product helps alleviate fears about conducting business electronically. Surveys of Internet users conducted by the Information Technology Association of America, Lycos and NetZero consistently identify security fears as a major barrier to the growth of e-commerce.
These concerns include the fear that sensitive data can be intercepted; uncertainty that recipients of information are who they claim to be; and the possibility that critical documents can be manipulated while in transit.
Companies today are under significant pressure to bring value to their organisations by leveraging information. UPS is in the unique position of having a robust portfolio of physical and virtual delivery offerings, a well-trusted brand, and an innovative set of electronic commerce solutions.
More information about the HP 9100C Digital Sender and UPS Document Exchange is available on UPS website at www.exchange.ups.com under "Our Partners - Extending the Advantage."
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UPS to spend $127M on tri-mode wireless driver terminals
By Bob Brewin
APRIL 15, 2003
Content Type: Story
Source: Computerworld
United Parcel Service Inc. plans to spend $127 million over the next five years on global deployment of a new driver terminal that features built-in cellular, wireless LAN and Bluetooth short-range wireless systems.
The DIAD IV driver terminal, a compact, rugged device powered by Windows CE .Net., includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a bar code scanner and a color screen. The DIAD (or Deliver Information Acquisition Device) IV terminals were manufactured by Symbol Technologies Inc. in Holtsville, N.Y.
Atlanta-based UPS spent $22 million to develop the DIAD IV, which will be used by 70,000 drivers worldwide, according to spokeswoman Donna Barrett.
The new terminal hooks drivers into the UPS worldwide network from a customer's premises, allowing drivers to enter package tracking data into the network without having to walk back to the truck and hook up the terminal to a wireless WAN -- as they have to do with the current system, Barrett said.
The new terminal also confirms deliveries almost instantaneously: Drivers scan the package bar code, collect the receiver's signature electronically, type in the last name of the receiver, push a single key to complete the transaction and distribute the data, UPS said in its announcement.
"This electronic data capture ensures that UPS customers have the most current package tracking information available to them anytime, anywhere," UPS CIO Ken Lacy said in a statement.
Dave Salzman, UPS program manager for information services, said the short-range Bluetooth wireless system in the DIAD IV is designed to communicate with peripheral devices that the company may add in the future, including printers and credit card readers.
UPS also plans to use the Bluetooth system, which operates in the same 2.4-GHz band as 802.11b WLANs built into the DIAD IV, to communicate with customer computers that use UPS shipping software and also have Bluetooth wireless connections, Salzman said. He added that one reason UPS chose the .Net version of the Windows CE operating system from Microsoft Corp. was because it supported XML messaging, which will make it easier for the DIAD IV to communicate with customer PCs.
The built-in 802.11b WLAN system will be used for in-building communications with WLAN systems installed in UPS stations and hubs, Salzman said. In October 2000, UPS detailed plans to install WLANs at all 2,000 of its sorting facilities worldwide (see story).
The DIAD IV, which UPS plans to start deploying next year, replaces the DIAD III. Introduced in 1999 at a cost of $100 million and manufactured by Motorola Inc. in Schaumburg, Ill. (see story), the DIAD III had a black-and-white screen and operated over a U.S. wide-area packet data network provided by Motient Corp. in Reston, Va., with a data rate of only 9.6Kbit/sec.
The DIAD IV, Barrett said, will operate over cellular networks based on the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) standard that have a data rate of 20Kbit/sec. to 40Kbit/sec. or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 1xrtt (single carrier radio transmission technology) networks that have an average data rate of 40Kbit/sec. to 60Kbit/sec.
UPS started a large-scale test of a GPRS network operated by AT&T Wireless Services Inc. in Redmond, Wash., with 4,500 DIAD III terminals earlier this year (see story). Last year, UPS completed an upgrade of 15,000 DIAD IIIs used in Europe so they would operate on a GPRS network operated by the T-Mobile division of Deutsche Telekom AG in Bonn.
Barrett added that UPS has not yet signed a long-term contract with AT&T Wireless pending the results of the tests. Cingular Wireless in Atlanta and the U.S.-based division of T-Mobile in Bellevue, Wash., also operate nationwide GPS-based cellular systems. UPS intends to use CDMA networks to provide coverage in areas not served by GPRS systems, Barrett added. Both Verizon Wireless in Bedminster, N.J., and Sprint PCS Group in Overland Park, Kan., operate nationwide CDMA networks.
UPS rival FedEx Corp. in Memphis started a rollout of a similar driver terminal based on the Pocket PC operating system last fall in a $150 million project designed to equip 40,000 drivers. The FedEx PowerPad operates over the AT&T Wireless Services GPRS network and incorporates Bluetooth technology as well as a built-in 802.11b wireless LAN system. But it doesn't have a built-in GPS like UPS's DIAD IV.
Barrett said UPS initially intends to use the GPS technology to aid dispatchers in Europe, where the company responds to calls for pick-up, unlike in the U.S., where the company has scheduled pick-ups on a daily basis at known customer locations. The DIAD's GPS receiver will transmit vehicle locations back to the dispatch center over the GPRS network, allowing dispatchers to quickly determine the vehicle nearest to a call, Barrett said. The DIAD IV has 128MB of memory, more than 20 times the memory in the DIAD III. A portion of the DIAD IV's memory could one day be allocated for maps that would be used with the GPS system, Barrett added.
Ken Pasley, director of wireless system development at FedEx, said that while his company uses GPS on long-haul trucks, the company had dismissed the idea of putting it into the PowerPad because of loss of coverage from the GPS satellites once a driver enters a building.
Pasley also said that FedEx eventually will be able to use cellular network-based location systems in the U.S., once the cellular carriers have rolled out the federally mandated service nationwide.
Salzman said that UPS doesn't need to track a driver inside a building; it just needs to know the driver's last stop location. He added that the cost of adding GPS capabilities to the DIAD IV was "incremental."
Pasley also disclosed that FedEx is considering using CDMA cellular service in addition to GPS in the U.S. to improve coverage and is looking for the industry to develop a chip-based GPRS/CDMA system.
Chris Kozup, an analyst at Meta Group Inc., said UPS and FedEx continue to lead the way with integration of wireless in vertical, enterprise markets.
"UPS and FedEx have always been innovators, and they are now pioneering the integration of multiple wireless technologies" into a single device, Kozup said. He said UPS needs to stay ahead on the technology curve because many of the concepts and business applications it pioneered, such as automated package tracking, have been adopted by rivals, including the U.S. Postal Service.
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Wednesday 16 April 2003
UPS to deploy trimode wireless driver terminals
United Parcel Service is to spend $127m (£81m) on global deployment over the next five years of a driver terminal that features built-in cellular, wireless Lan and Bluetooth short-range wireless systems.
The Deliver Information Acquisition Device (DIAD) IV includes GPS receivers and a barcode scanner.
"This electronic data capture ensures that UPS customers have the most current package tracking information available to them anytime, anywhere," UPS chief information officer Ken Lacy said.
Dave Salzman, UPS program manager for information services, said the short-range Bluetooth wireless system in the DIAD IV is designed to communicate with peripheral devices that the company may add in the future, including printers and credit card readers.
UPS will use the Bluetooth system to communicate with customer computers that have Bluetooth wireless connections and UPS shipping software. Salzman added that one reason UPS chose the .net version of Microsoft's Windows CE was because it supported XML messaging, which will make it easier for the DIAD IV to communicate with customer PCs.
The built-in 802.11b Wlan system will be used for in-building communications with WLAN systems installed in UPS stations and hubs. In October 2000, UPS detailed plans to install Wlans at all 2,000 of its sorting facilities worldwide.
The DIAD IV, which UPS plans to start deploying next year, replaces the Motorola-manufactured DIAD III introduced in 1999.
UPS started a large-scale test of a GPRS network, operated by AT&T Wireless Services, with 4,500 DIAD III terminals earlier this year. Last year, UPS completed an upgrade of 15,000 DIAD IIIs used by its drivers in Europe to use a GPRS network operated by the T-Mobile division of Deutsche Telekom in Bonn.
UPS has not yet signed a long-term contract with AT&T Wireless pending the results of the tests. Cingular Wireless in Atlanta, as well as the US division of T-Mobile, also operates nationwide GPS-based cellular systems.
UPS intended to use CDMA networks to provide coverage in areas not served by GPRS systems. Both Verizon Wireless and Sprint PCS Group operate nationwide CDMA networks.
UPS rival FedEx started a rollout of a similar driver terminal based on the Pocket PC operating system last autumn in a $150m project designed to equip 40,000 drivers.
The FedEx PowerPad operates over the AT&T Wireless Services GPRS network and also incorporates Bluetooth technology as well as a built-in 802.11b wireless Lan system, although it does not have built-in GPS
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UPS Drivers to Use Next-Generation Wireless Computer
ATLANTA, April 15, 2003 - UPS (NYSE:UPS) today unveiled a new generation of the wireless, handheld computer used by its drivers, ultimately ensuring customers have the most up-to-the-minute tracking information available at all times.
The fourth generation of the Delivery Information Acquisition Device, or DIAD IV, incorporates new radio communication links that allow it to communicate almost anywhere, anytime; dramatically expanded memory, and a color screen that allows alert messages to be color-coded for drivers.
The incorporation of three different types of radio communication links in each unit will ensure that package delivery information is available to customers almost instantaneously. The color screen will make life easier for drivers as well as customers signing for deliveries. Urgent customer pick-up messages, for example, can be color-coded to alert the driver. And the 128 megabytes of memory - 20 times that of the DIAD III - positions UPS to provide future features, like customer preference notes, to enable drivers to personalize service even more.
All of the new technology is focused on one result - the best customer service. The DIAD IV, for example, features a new link to Global Positioning Satellites that will allow drivers to easily verify customer locations for pickup or delivery of packages, particularly outside the United States.
"This technology will enable our drivers to provide even better service to our customers," said Ken Lacy, UPS's chief information officer. "It will make us more efficient and reliable while reducing errors."
UPS pioneered the use of handheld computers in the shipping industry in 1991 when it introduced the first DIAD. Since then, each successive generation of the device has broken new ground, opening the door to the comprehensive package tracking UPS customers enjoy today.
The DIAD IV will be the first handheld computer to include built-in wireless connectivity options for either personal, local or wide-area networks. The multiple options ensure maximum data transmission flexibility for UPS drivers, ultimately resulting in customers having the most up-to-the-minute tracking information available at all times.
Each DIAD IV will feature a built-in Global Packet Radio Service or Code Division Multiple Access radio (depending on the area of the world in which it is operating); an acoustical modem for dial-up access if necessary, and wireless local area network connectivity (WiFi) to enable transmission within a UPS center. The device also features a Bluetooth wireless personal area network and an infrared port to communicate with peripheral devices and customer personal computers.
Thanks to all the wireless communications technology, the DIAD IV confirms deliveries almost instantaneously. Drivers simply scan the package bar code; collect the receiver's signature electronically; type in the last name of the receiver, and push a single key to complete the transaction and distribute the data. There is no need to activate a cell phone or return to the vehicle to place the device in a transmission cradle.
"This electronic data capture ensures that UPS customers have the most current package tracking information available to them anytime, anywhere," Lacy said. "Since its creation more than a decade ago, the DIAD technology represents the front line of a global IT infrastructure that now captures electronic data on about 90 percent of the 13.3 million packages that move through our system each day - more than any other package delivery company in the world."
Developed in conjunction with Symbol Technologies (NYSE:SBL), UPS will begin deploying the DIAD IV in 2004 after completing extensive tests of the new device later this year. About 70,000 DIAD's are used daily by UPS drivers throughout the world. The pioneering technology forms the core of UPS's wireless strategy and is an integral part of how the company conducts business.
UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS), and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com.
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UPS and Symbol Technologies Backgrounder
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):
Question: How long have Symbol and UPS worked together?
Answer: Symbol has been a strategic technology partner of UPS for nearly 15 years. The technology solutions that Symbol has co-developed with UPS are central to the UPS system of picking up, tracking and delivering some 15 million packages and parcels every day. UPS scans nearly 75 million bar codes every day with a Symbol scanning device.
Question: What's new with the DIAD IV (delivery information acquisition device) that UPS announced on April 15, 2003?
Answer: The DIAD IV, co-developed with Symbol, will be deployed to the global network of 70,000+ UPS drivers over the next several years. DIAD IV is a highly rugged device designed to perform in any kind of weather or environment that a driver may encounter. It allows drivers to capture information about package pickup and delivery and includes signature capture on a bright, color screen. In addition to laser bar code scanning capabilities, the device includes three types of wireless communications: wireless LAN (the Symbol Spectrum24® wireless local area network), wide area network (WAN) and Bluetooth. It also includes GPS (Global Positioning Systems) that will allow drivers to verify customer locations.
Question: What is the revenue to Symbol for the DIAD IV project?
Answer: UPS has not announced specific revenue to Symbol however it did go on record that the project would cost $127 million over the next several years.
Question: Is Symbol involved in other technology projects with UPS?
Answer: Symbol provides the UPS wireless local area network for wireless communications in its 1,700 office buildings, sortation hubs, distribution centers and hubs. Spectrum24 will be fully deployed in 2004 with some 15,000 access points.
The wireless ring scanner (Bluetooth coexisting with WLAN) is also part of the UPS sortation solution where thousands of workers route parcels and packages each night.
Useful Links:
15 April 2003 - UPS to spend $127M on tri-mode wireless driver terminals
http://www.computerworld.com/mobiletopics/mobile/story/0,10801,80369,00.html
15 April 2003 - UPS Drivers to Use Next-Generation Wireless Computer (ups.com press release)
http://pressroom.ups.com/pressreleases/current/0,1088,4287,00.html
15 April 2003 - UPS Drivers to Use Next-Generation Wireless Computer (Yahoo version of the UPS press release)
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030415/155612_1.html
December, 2002 - UPS Uses WiFi & Bluetooth Together To Manage Packages at Shipping Hubs
http://www.mobileinfo.com/News_2002/Issue47/UPS_WiFi_Bluetooth.htm
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UPS Uses Bluetooth To Replace Weakest Link
In one of the largest such deployments so far, the United Parcel Service plans to outfit its package handlers with 55,000 Bluetooth scanner rings and Wi-Fi terminals around the world next year.
The handlers work in 1,700 UPS hub facilities where packages are loaded and unloaded. The scanner rings, made for UPS by Symbol Technologies, are worn on the finger and send data to Wi-Fi terminals on the waist. The tracking data taken from the packages is sent into UPS' computer network.
Tamara Schwartz, director of UPS global network services, told the Bluetooth Developers Conference last week the company will start rolling out the scanner rings in mid-2003 with completion in 2004.
UPS already uses Wi-Fi devices and scanner rings, but the two are connected by a cable. That cable is the weakest link in the chain and replacing it with Bluetooth will mean a 30 percent reduction in annual repair costs for the scanning system, Schwartz said.
The package carrier has been using the set-up in four beta sites and soon will begin a larger test before starting the deployment next June. UPS already is one of the largest companies deploying wireless technologies, using analog more than a decade as well as the Motient packet data network. It recently started using GPRS data in Europe and is running GPRS and cdma2000 1x tests in the U.S., Schwartz said.
UPS likely will continue to use all the air interfaces to ensure coverage wherever its delivery workers go. The next version of the company's DIAD (delivery information access device) handheld device likely will include a wide area technology such as GPRS or cdma2000, she said. A decision on which carrier networks will be used won't be made until next year, but probably will include multiple carriers. --By Brad Smith
New Digital Portable Products Focus of e.Digital, Softeq Partnership
2/20/2003 - e.Digital Corporation (OTC: EDIG) and independent systems integrator Softeq Development Corporation have entered into an agreement to partner on the development of new products for the digital audio market. The agreement paves the way for the companies to collaborate on the development of products using e.Digital's patented MicroOSTM technology and applying its expertise in portable product design.
An early customer of the partnership is Hewlett-Packard, who is working with the companies to explore opportunities for future digital audio products.
"This partnership is an example of HP's strategy of working with innovative partners," said Robert Corbett, director for Retail Industry Solutions at HP. "HP believes that doing so will result in the development of exciting new products that provide consumers with simple and rewarding experiences by making technologies work better together. It will also allow retailers to provide a more satisfying environment for their customers, and facilitate better customer service."
e.Digital brings to the partnership broad experience in the design of portable products, proven, patented technologies and success in integrating such sophisticated technologies as infrared communications into portable devices.
"We have developed, enhanced, and integrated several technologies that have resulted in a number of exciting uses for digital audio technology," said Atul Anandpura, vice president of research and development for e.Digital. "Our experience and expertise complements the strong reputation that HP has for putting innovative technology into the hands of the customer."
Research into possible new products is already underway.
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Please discuss your development plans as they relate to wireless technology.
A: We are incorporating wireless communication modules into our reference designs and expect to see products combining e.Digital technology with wireless features reach the market during 2003. As part of a project announced February 19, 2003, we are working with Softeq Development Corporation to develop and deliver a headset product incorporating a unique infrared interface for OEM customer Hewlett-Packard. In another development, we are working closely with a new OEM to incorporate wireless connectivity (not infrared) for other products and we expect to release more details this spring.
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TWIRLTM - Two-Way Infrared Link - Embedded firmware for bi-directional data transfer using high-speed infrared.
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HP Mobilizes Management, Information and Checkout with Wireless Retailing Solutions
Associate Mobility Offerings Help Companies Deliver Customer Service Anywhere in the Store
CHICAGO, Retail Systems 2002, June 26, 2002
Bringing wireless services out of the back room and into the storefront, HP (NYSE: HPQ) has launched a suite of wireless solutions specifically designed for retailing operations. Announced here at the retailing industry's premier technology exposition, HP's Associate Mobility solutions enable managers and employees to perform a wide variety of activities and transactions vital to retail sales and customer service operations.
"HP is continually taking mobility into new frontiers with our unsurpassed range of services, products and partners," said Jim Milton, managing director, HP Americas, and senior vice president, HP Enterprise Systems Group. "Retailers have been at the forefront of wireless applications for inventory control and management, but bringing this kind of 'smart mobility' to store managers and associates will help retailers bring customer service to a new level."
The HP Associate Mobility solutions operate on an IT backbone of industry-standard HP ProLiant servers and Evo desktop PCs, which wirelessly bridge via local area network or wide area network storewide and system-wide information systems and applications operated on HP iPAQ Pocket PCs in an associate's hand. The solutions are based on Windows® operating systems to support a broad variety of in-store applications.
To suit each retailing customer's unique business needs, HP will design or adapt a variety of applications, including:
"Queue busting" mobile checkout capabilities, incorporating point-of-sale (POS) functions and credit card/signature capture;
Fully mobile access for managers to their email, customer and merchandising information applications, providing them constant contact with their support systems even as they circulate in their store to work with employees and customers;
Wireless alerts to management or associates, such as inventory level and reorder or backorder status, or fraudulent credit card notification that will instantly signal a manager via their iPAQ Pocket PC when and where a suspicious card is presented; and
e-Learning, for training that helps store associates access and learn pricing, product information, store practices and checkout procedures, among many options.
"HP has built the Associate Mobility solutions to meet needs we've heard directly from leading retailers, all adding up to a wish for greater, more immediate customer care and ways to keep an interested customer engaged," said Robert Corbett, director, HP Retailing Solutions. "If the customer's satisfied with the quality and timeliness of service and information they receive, the store will make the sale."
About HP
HP is a leading global provider of products, technologies, solutions and services to consumers and businesses. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. HP completed its merger transaction involving Compaq Computer Corp. on May 3, 2002. The company would have had combined revenue on a pro forma basis giving effect to the Compaq transaction of approximately $81.1 billion in fiscal 2001 and operations in more than 160 countries. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.
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http://h18000.www1.hp.com/retail/
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/retail/news/05062003.html.
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Softeq Projects 2003
MP3 Headset
Softeq has partnered with HP and e.Digital to design, develop, and deliver an MP3 player headset with a unique IR interface. Softeq is responsible for beginning-to-end design, specification, development, and delivery. A multi-unit battery charger is also in development.
Read the press release
iPAQ Developer Program
Softeq has been selected to manage and administer the HP iPAQ Developer Program, and is acting as the system integrator between HP, the website developer, and the support portal. Softeq is responsible for day-to-day support, website management, loaner programs, and administration.
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The Infrared Data Association Announces MP3 Special Interest Group
Walnut Creek, California . . . January 20, 2000. . . The Infrared Data Association
(IrDA) has formed a Special Interest Group to produce a standard for inter-appliance
MP3 data exchange using IrDA's infrared technology. "Infrared data ports are the
smallest, lowest power, highest bandwidth, lowest cost ports available today" said
Lawrence Faulkner, IrDA's Executive Director. "Most of the notebook computers, Palm
Computing products and WinCE devices have IR ports. Every major mobile phone brand
has at least one IR-enabled handset and coming this fall wristwatches will begin to
incorporate IrDA data ports."
The rapid deployment of MP3 capable appliances begs for a standard connection between
the MP3 players, computers and the network. "This technology (MP3) will take an even
stronger hold when you can easily move music from device to device without a cable or
docking port. The handheld player should be able to transfer a song into your car stereo
or your home entertainment system," Faulkner said. The MP3 SIG will help coordinate
the process of identifying concerns specific to transferring MP3 data and building
solutions into the protocol. For example, we may need a standard way of identifying
copyrighted content and describing distribution restrictions to handle the MP3 content
appropriately."
IrDA's SIG will use its recently approved "Point and Shoot" Application Profile as a
starting point for the MP3 file transfer. Naming conventions and application specific
meta-data will be defined to serve the special needs of the MP3 Player industry.
Participation in the SIG is open to all IrDA member companies.
For more information contact Lawrence Faulkner via e-mail at lawrence@irda.org or by
telephone at (925) 944-2930.
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The Infrared Data Association (IrDA®) Announces the Release of Infrared Financial Messaging (IrFM™) "Point & Pay" Specification Version 1.0
Walnut Creek, CA., January 8, 2003 - A three year effort to develop a global, wireless, proximity payment standard, that enables a true electronic payment application, culminated with the General Membership and Board of Director's approval at the end of December, 2002. Infrared is the ideal technology for transmitting confidential wireless payment information, utilizing cell phones and PDA's (beaming between card readers, ATMs, kiosks, gas pumps, turnstiles and toll booths) due to its low cost, superior security, and one-to-one, short-range, very high speed directional connection.
The IrFM™ specification utilizes existing financial services infrastructures to process wireless payment transactions (credit cards, debit and smart cards, checks and loyalty programs) at the point of sale. The Financial Services Technology Consortium (FSTC) established a working relationship with the IrFM Work Group early in the development of the specification.
IrDA Executive Director Ron Brown stated, "the principle use cases developed by the work groups were proven through a massive commercial implementation effort led by Harex InfoTech in South Korea during the past 9 months." The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) in Korea revealed on December 24, 2002 that Korea will require compliance with IrFM v1.0 for that country's wireless payment standardization effort. Brown also said, "additional implementations and trials have been announced for 2003 in Japan, Europe and the U.S."
IrDA will officially introduce its IrFM Specification at The Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS) booth at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Show in New York City from January 13 through 15. The Digital Receipt specification developed by ARTS is the receipt of choice for use with IrFM. The IrFM Specification is now available to the general public and can be obtained from the IrDA website at no charge.
About IrDA
IrDA (www.irda.org) is an International Organization formed in 1993 and is dedicated to creating global, interoperable, low-cost infrared technology specification standards. The standards support a broad range of computing and communications devices. During the past 4 years an estimated 200+ million IrDA enabled cell phones and PDA's have been shipped throughout the world. For more information about an IrDA Market Report, or IrFM contact Ron Brown, Executive Director of IrDA at (925) 944-2930, email: ron@irda.org.
About Harex InfoTech
Harex InfoTech, Inc.(http://www.mzoop.com) is the originator of the ZOOPä Universal Mobile Payment Service (UMPS) based on infrared technology and is uniquely positioned as the world leader in implementing UMPS services for mobile phones.
CONTACT:
Ron Brown, Executive Director
(925) 944-2930, email: ron@irda.org
Mike Watson, IrDA Board President
(408) 799-5829, email:mwatson@mZOOP.com
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hp completes its offerings for retailers with
introduction of hp rp5000 point-of-sale device
HP rp5000 designed to meet the unique demands of retailers.
CHICAGO, RETAIL SYSTEMS 2003, JUNE 9, 2003 - HP (NYSE:HPQ) today unveiled the HP rp5000 point-of-sale (POS) device that brings HP technology from the back office onto the retail floor, completing the company's full line of offerings for retailers.
The HP rp5000 POS is an open-standards based platform that has been customized to withstand the rigors of the retail environment with enhanced peripheral support via powered serial and USB ports, enhanced power and cooling capabilities, as well as components that combine the functionality of popular proprietary systems with the low price and flexibility of PC-based POS systems.
"The rp5000 brings together the best traits of the PC with those of a high-quality, reliable POS system," said Leigh Morrison, vice president, retail sales and solutions, HP Enterprise Systems Group. "This device is truly the future of transaction management at the point of sale."
The introduction of the rp5000 is an example how HP is implementing its recently announced Adaptive Enterprise strategy to improve the ability of customers to respond to and capitalize on change, as well as their return on investment in IT.
Expected to be available by end of summer, the system's long, five-year lifecycle and industry-standard PC-based architecture make it easy for retailers to gradually transition from more expensive, proprietary POS systems. The combination of increased flexibility, manageability and low purchase price significantly reduces total cost of technology ownership for retail customers.
"The rp5000 is adaptable, cost-effective to acquire and operate, and able to power a broad range of applications," said Robert Corbett, director, retail industry solutions, HP Enterprise Systems Group. "It is made for forward-thinking retailers who want to have all the features of the very latest POS offerings, but who are keen to buy this at a PC-POS price.
The HP rp5000 POS device features four powered serial ports, four powered USB 2.0 ports, two standard USB 2.0 ports and two full height PCI slots for maximum connectivity to today's most common POS peripherals and tomorrow's high-speed USB 2.0 devices.
The configurable rp5000 incorporates embedded technology from Intel, including the Intel® Pentium® 4 processor with the 845GV chipset, and a choice of Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP Embedded or Microsoft XP Professional operating systems.
"The HP POS solution is an ideal platform for the development and deployment of retail-specific applications," said Brian Scott, general manager, retail and hospitality industry solutions group, Microsoft Corp. "HP's rp5000, powered by Windows XP Embedded, offers retailers a rich set of retail-oriented features, including remote boot functionality, a Device Update Agent to aid in deployment and management, dual-display support, enterprise-class connectivity, and an extended support lifecycle to meet the needs of retailers."
"HP's new Intel Pentium 4 processor-based POS system, the rp5000, will offer retailers the ability to transform their store environments to better manage their business and improve customers shopping experience," said Tom Gibbs, director of industry marketing, software market development group, Intel. "We're delighted to be working with HP to help retailers take advantage of Intel open-standards based technology to build flexible, high-performance solutions to improve the customers' experience in the store, reduce operating cost and improve inventory management processes. "
The device is designed to maximize space in constrained work areas, such as check-out areas, by allowing retailers to position it on the cash wrap or mounted vertically or horizontally under the cash wrap. It is also designed for easy serviceability with single latch entry into the unit, tool-less drive and motherboard removal, and rotating drive cage. Color-coded cables make set up easy, as well.
In addition to the new rp5000, HP offers other in-store technologies such as wireless networking, kiosks, printing, imaging and messaging solutions, as well as store-to-headquarters infrastructure. It also offers the services expertise to link these systems into a dynamic extended retail enterprise with solutions for Right-Now-Retailing such as: ZLE, eCRM, payment systems, financials, merchandising, and supply chain and remote store management.
HP Services also can customize comprehensive solutions or integrate new clients into a retailer's legacy system to extend their useful life.
about hp
HP delivers vital technology for business and life. The company's solutions span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing for consumers, enterprises and small and medium business. For the last four quarters, HP revenue totaled $70.4 billion. More information about HP is available at www.hp.com.
-----------------------------------------
PC Based Cash Registers or POS
PT-4000 Integrated Touch Screen Terminal PT-3000 Integrated Touch Screen Terminal
IT-2000 Flat LCD Touch Screen Terminal or PC Micro Plus Additional or Kitchen Display System
PT-4000 Integrated
Touch Screen Terminal
The CRS touch screen POS terminal is designed to simplify system integration with more functionality, performance, durability and reliability. With its expansion capabilities, connection with peripherals can be maximized. The POS Touch Screen can work in stand alone or network operation. it's dirt and spill resistant design provides reliable operation even in rough environments.
Intel Celeron 566-700 MHz+ or Pentium III 566-750 MHz+ Processor.
64MB up to 512 MG memory.
12.1" color TFT active matrix dual back-lit LCD.
Tilt and touch screen maximum 40°
Optional card reader.
Optional adjustable rear display.
CRS Part No. PT-4000
Options:
705002 PT-4000 Bar Code Reader
705003 PT-4000 Rear Display
705004 PT-4000 Pole Display
705007 PT-4000 External CD ROM
705008 PT-4000 Wireless Keyboard
705009 PT-4000 Slimline CD ROM
705010 PT-4000 Slimline Floppy Drive
705011 PT-4000 WKB EPROM
705012 Memory 32 Mg 168 PIN DIMM
705013 Memory 64 Mg 168 PIN DIMM
705015 Processor 233 MHz MMX
703007 Windows 98 Second Edition
Windows 98 includes license, manual and CD ROM
The PT-4000 Integrated Touch Screen Terminal is a complete self contained terminal designed to simplify system integration with more
functionality, performance, durability and reliability. With its expansion capabilities, connection with peripherals can be maximized. The PT-4000 Integrated Touch Screen Terminal can work in stand alone or network operation. It's dirt and spill resistant design provides reliable operation even in harsh environments.
SPECIFICATIONS
Processor: Intel Celeron 566-700 MHz+ or PIII 566-750 MHz+
Memory: 64 Mb SDRAM Standard, Expandable to 512 Mb
Flash Memory: DiskOnChip expandable to 288 MB, shares with SSD (optional)
Hard Drive: 3.5" IDE or 2.5" Internal
Display LCD: 12.1", Color, TFT Active Matrix Dual Back-Lit LCD
Resolution: 800 x 600
Touch Panel: 5 Wire Resistive or Capacitive
Dual Display: Dual Independent Video Output
LED Status Ind.: 5 LED for Power, Hard Drive, Keyboard Status I/O Interfaces: 4 RS-232C Ports, 3 External with D9 Pin Connector
Standard with +5V and +12V
1 Parallel Port Standard
1 Ethernet, 10/100 BASE-T with Boot ROM Standard
1 PS/2 Keyboard Port Standard
1 PS/2 Mouse Port Standard
1 SVGA Standard (CRT Support to 1024 x 768)
1 External Floppy Connector Standard
2 Cash Drawer Ports (24V) Standard
4 USB Ports Standard
1 Audio Out
Power Supply: AC 115/230 External Adapter Standard
Power Consumption: 5V/10A, 24V/3A, 12V/2A, 150W
Operating System: DOS, Windows, Windows NT, OS/2, Unix, Netware, Linux
Dimensions: 12.8"W x 13.4"H x 12.4"D
Weight: Net Weight 15.9 lbs.; Gross Weight 28.s lbs.
Safety and EMI: UL, CUL, FCC, CE, VCCI Classs A
FEATURES
DUAL BACK-LIT LCD Display
Tilt Angle Touch Screen Maximum 40°
OPTIONS
Magnetic Card Reader, Track 1 & 2 or Track 1, 2, & 3
Bar Code Card Reader
Adjustable Two-Line Rear Display
Two Line Pole Display
PCMCIA Interface
External Floppy Disk Drive
External CD ROM
Remote Wireless Keyboard
Disk on Chip
APPLICATIONS
POS Hospitality PC/Workstations
Financial/Banking Retail Scanning Hotel Front Desk
Medical Kiosks
Optional Customer Display
Optional MSR and Pole Display
Tilt Angle Maximum 40°
Easy Access Cable Management
PT-4000 touch screen terminal shown with optional magnetic card reader.
POS software not included.
-----------------------------------------
iPAQ Developer Program
printable version
» iPAQ Developer
Program
The new iPAQ Developer Program is designed to enable you to produce, promote and bring to market your solution for the iPAQ Pocket PC. This program assists iPAQ Developers over the entire product life cycle from concept to end-of-life by providing tools and services to enable you to design and manufacture iPAQ applications and solutions quickly and efficiently. In addition, the program has a variety of new opportunities that facilitate product certification and distribution and drive customer awareness.
In just a few minutes you can be registered and exploring the new iPAQ Developer's site. From the all-new Developer support portal to marketing guidelines and new certification and co-marketing programs, we're confident you'll be able to find something to help you.
===============================
http://www.executivetechnology.com/images/pdf/retalixpdf.pdf
In moving from proprietary to open systems,
retailers have numerous paths to choose from.
For most retailers, an immediate "rip and
replace" strategy is not practical. Instead, some
retailers use the freedom offered by open systems
to expand their choices in the hardware
area, selecting non-proprietary POS terminals,
state-of-the-art peripherals and in-store devices.
Others replace in-store controllers first, while
others see a need to move file systems from
proprietary to open systems.
The combination of Microsoft, Hewlett-
Packard and Retalix offers supermarkets a number
of tools for the migration path that's right for
them. HP offers a wide range of hardware
designed for an open, standards-based retail
environment. These include mobility devices
such as Tablet PCs and handheld iPAQ devices
as well as in-store kiosks, for use by both customers
and store associates. HP also offers POS
terminal hardware as well as printers for any
kind of retail application.
HP's ProLiant servers running Windows are
already installed in numerous retail locations.
"Many retailers choose the ProLiant as they are
moving from their proprietary in-store systems
to an open architecture in their stores," said
Robert Corbett, Director, Retail Industry
Marketing at HP. "They are designed to support
not only the store's POS systems but other
crucial applications such as merchandising,
labor management and customer relationship
management."
Multiple Migration Tools Available
Microsoft and the companies it partners with recognize that supermarkets
need to leverage their existing investment in information technology.
They need to migrate to open, standards-based solutions at a pace that
makes sense for their business needs--and in the areas that will give
them the fastest, and biggest, return on investment.
One of the most visible benefits
of moving to open systems is
easier support for mobility solutions.
For the retail environment,
Hewlett-Packard's iPAQ comes
equipped with a scanner and
credit card reader, and is able to
communicate wirelessly to the
in-store server.
===================================
Multi-Purpose Mobile Solutions
Create Shopper Satisfaction
Because of the high-volume, fast-paced nature of supermarket retailing, these companies are
often intently focused on the basics of customer service: keeping shelves stocked, ensuring
prices are accurate and maintaining fast throughput at the checkout. But as they move to
open, standards-based information technology solutions, supermarkets are discovering they
have the capacity to expand their range of offerings, significantly enhancing their customers'
experience in the store.
............................
The Mobility Movement
With the solid foundation of the Windows XP
Embedded operating system in place, retailers can
focus on a wide range of in-store improvements.
One of the most important ways supermarkets can
enrich the shopping experience is to take advantage
of mobility solutions in the store environment.
"When managers are freed from their desks
in the back office, they can get a better sense of
what's needed to make their stores run more
efficiently and to make customers happy," said
Robert Corbett, Director of Retail Industry
Marketing at Hewlett-Packard. "When store associates
can get easier access to information,
either from kiosks located throughout the store
or from handheld wireless devices, they can offer
information on pricing, products and promotions
when and where the customer needs it."
HP provides a wide range of mobility devices,
including tablet PCs and handheld iPAQs that run
on Microsoft Windows-based operating systems.
These devices can take advantage of retailers'
existing wireless in-store architectures. In addition,
"The flexibility of open systems allows retailers
to add new functions to their existing mobile
and handheld wireless devices, allowing them to
improve customer service while leveraging their
information technology investment and lowering
their total cost of ownership," said Corbett.
Store managers using an iPAQ as a portable
terminal can gain access to numerous backoffice
and communication applications while on
the move, including customer relationship management
databases, sales associate databases,
product, pricing, promotion, merchandising and
inventory information. They can also gain mobile
access to their e-mail via Pocket Outlook, as well
as web access via Internet Explorer.
"The iPAQ becomes not simply an extension of
what's available on the manager's desktop but a
completely portable productivity tool," said Corbett.
The Retalix PocketOffice application is another
simple way for retailers to gain additional usage
from their investment in mobile handheld technology.
"PocketOffice, based on Windows CE, is really
another ‘terminal' for accessing traditional backoffice
and front-office application functions," said
Jeff Yelton, CEO of Retalix. "Because of the tight
integration that the Windows platform provides,
PocketOffice can receive vendor orders through
the back office system, and also provide queuebuster
functionality through the POS system.
Windows CE provides the common platform to
allow multiple mobile applications to reside on a
single device. And the GUI user interface is consistent,
which greatly reduces training time. The
retailer's information technology department isn't
re-learning the whole application development
standards or database--it all just plugs right in."
Managers can also be better informed about
key operational issues within their stores, such
as ensuring that checkout lanes are adequately
staffed when a promotion is about to begin. In
addition, exception-based reporting alerts can let
them know when stock levels on key items are
reaching dangerously low levels.
Mobility solutions for store associates can
also be an important element in the customer
service equation, especially when the handheld
devices they use give them deeper information
about the products and services the supermarket
offers. With the tens of thousands of SKUs carried
by the typical grocery retailer, providing associates
with access to this data while they are in
the store aisles can not only address customer
service queries but can lead to upselling and
cross-selling of related items. For example, a customer
inquiring about gourmet pasta could be
directed to a "store-within-a-store" selling all the
makings of an Italian meal, including sauces,
breads and wines.
Conversely, if store associates have to go off
the store floor to check on prices or product
availability, time-pressed customers can get a
negative impression of the store's offerings and
its customer service capabilities.
"Mobility solutions allow store associates to
be productive for the entire time they are working,"
said HP's Corbett. "And by giving these
associates an increased ability to do their jobs
more effectively, the retailer is likely to see benefits
in the form of improved employee loyalty and
retention of their top-performing people."
It's even possible to make mobility solutions
part of the customer's own shopping experience.
HP's capabilities include being part of a cartmounted
mobility device equipped with RFID
technology that would be activated with a customer's
loyalty program card. When the cartmounted
device is activated with a particular
customer's card, the store manager would be
made aware that this customer is in the store. If
the customer is a high-spending, valued shopper,
the store manager could greet the customer by
name and offer him or her special promotions,
based on the customer's spending level, past
purchase history, or a combination of factors.
The ability to track this customer's movement
throughout the store opens up new opportunities
for customer service and improved sales, especially
in the higher-margin "perimeter" departments
such as meat, seafood, deli, floral and bakery.
deployed in StoreNext is the same application
infrastructure we're selling to the larger retailers
on an enterprise basis," said Yelton, adding that
120 U.S. supermarket stores are already connected
to StoreNext Retail Technologies USA.
AOL's 9.0 'Peek' Shows Ascendant IM
By Erin Joyce
December 5, 2002
When America Online unveiled a peek of its prototype version 9.0 during its analyst day in New York on Tuesday, it also highlighted the increasing dominance of instant messaging on computer desktops.
The new version of AOL's service, slated for release in 2003, offers 30 different personalization modules that users can choose from to set up welcome screens and desktop configurations, said David Gang, executive vice president of product marketing at AOL.
The new modules in version 9.0 -- welcome screens, e-mail and media players, for example -- are tightly integrated with AOL's IM client. Using enhanced presence engines, the key ingredient in IM's popularity, AOL members are alerted to new e-mail, can send e-mails, share pictures and files, and initiate streaming audio and video communications -- all from within their Buddy Lists.
Given the explosive growth of IM usage across homes and businesses, it stands to reason that the next version of America Online's proprietary service would reflect the increasing shift away from the Web browser as a dominant communications platform, to the IM client as a central manager of multimedia and communications applications.
That shift is reflected in version 9.0 of America Online's embedded instant messaging application. It shifts to the Buddy List much of the responsibility now handled in version 8.0 by the AOL "companion" -- which serves as a desktop "traffic cop" in managing incoming communications. In the Buddy Lists of version 9.0, tabs slide out to help users launch or manage incoming and outgoing e-mail, check whether new voicemail messages have been received by dialup users, and manage broadband media functions, like launching video and audio files and viewing rich media advertisements.
The applications have been built with extensive HTML integrated throughout each module, enabling more synchronization of functions on the desktop such as e-mail, media players and, of course, the IM client, thanks to beefed up presence engines underneath the application.
As a result, if users want to add images to e-mail messages they have launched from their Buddy List, one click brings up a palette of pictures they have stored online. From there, they can drag the image into the e-mail message. Working from their Buddy Lists, users will be able to integrate their e-mail address books and synchronize messages with other devices.
"There is more dynamic use of information," Gang said, adding that Buddy Alerts -- signaling when a Buddy List member logs on -- and reminders will be integrated with AOL's contextual search and commerce databases.
With more content from its corporate parent, AOL Time Warner (Quote, Company Info) expected to be offered to AOL's dial-up and broadband subscribers, vast online storage capabilities are also a major new feature in the next version.
"We're taking more advantage of our online storage capabilities," Gang said. "Today, AOL members can store more than 100 times their nearest competitor (can) with e-mail and pictures. This is a big advantage for us in a multi-band world. In a world where more content is stored and used by members, this will be key."
America Online vice chairman Ted Leonsis, who also serves as head of interactive services, said IM had become a major component in the company's strategy to beef up and integrate multiple forms of communication.
"We have a strong lead with IM," he said, but it is "one part of a multi-band approach" of integrating messaging platforms, such as mobile Instant Messaging with cell phones and mobile devices, or "listening" to e-mail via a voice portal the company has in the works.
Leonsis also said the greater features in America Online's embedded IM signal another way in which the company is repositioning itself not just as an ISP, but as "a valued-added Internet services company."
The repositioning of AOL IM, and the Buddy List in particular, as a central manager for media, comes as America Online is considering other applications to integrate communications channels. The company is quietly testing a standalone IM and e-mail client, dubbed AOL Communicator, which absorbs many of the functions now found in Netscape 7.0 as adjuncts to its Navigator Web browser.
The new features of America Online's embedded IM client also borrow from other initiatives currently in the field. For one thing, AOL's "other" IM client, ICQ, has for some time had features to alert users to new e-mail and wireless messages.
Additionally, iChat, an application developed by AOL and Apple Computer, features drag-and-drop file-sharing and displays Buddy List member icons within the List, similarly to AOL 9.0.
www.im-planet.com/public/article.php/1552841
http://www.instantmessagingplanet.com/public/article.php/1552841
Inquiring minds want to know how AOL is going to power the video components that have been identified in the above link as being built into IM? The one common element involved, without even adreesing the much bigger issue of true Video Instant Messaging, is the need for video compression. Which codec is AOL going to use? Think it will be WM9? RV9? MPEG-4, H264? VP5/6? ??? Make a case for whichever one you want. Just consider some basic realities, disregarding technical/qualititative issues, why certain of these aren't probable candiadates. Realize also that On2 has established, if not clear business dealings with AOL, and recently did a deal with another apparently struggling outfit called Viewpoint. What does Viewpoint do? They provide leading edge, rich media advertising services. Who does Viewpoint work with that would be of any particular interest to us? AOL for one.
What does AOL say it has plans to do? Hmmm....one plan looks to be to deliver up rich media advertising, sic streaming media ads, via IM. How, using Viewpoint is how. Why? Because the IM client runs on the desktop without having a browser loaded. Why? Because AOL recognizes the current static internet advertising model is going bye bye -heck they've already started to dismantle the current model by announcing intentions to drop pop up ads from other parties. Static internet ad revenues have also been dropping as clients have reducing their expenitures. What's the replacement? Targeted, rich media advertising. Guess who's rich media advertising products already run via IM. Viewpoint that's who. Yes the very same Viewpoint that has licensed VP5 and has deals in place with AOL.
Also bear in mind that AOL has made it abundantly clear that it has no intention of abandoning its dialup subscribers as it moves more agressively into the broadband space. They believe, and without getting into specifics, I think correctly, that the dial up market will continue to represent a very big chunk of their business. So what? Well the so what is that as AOL publicly extols the continued importance of their dialup customers they can't afford to deliver new products into the market space that don't provide a reasonable level of functionality over 56kbps dialup connections. If they do they run a huge risk of alienating their dialup customers. Rich media, streaming advertising delivered over both dialup and broadband connections to IM clients. Conjures up some thoughts regarding the technology necessary to accomplish the objective. Which codec(s) can provide the scalable performance that AOL will need to cover their bases? Here's a clue. The choices are a lot fewer than the list of possibilities I identified. Like four fewer. Probably the same four that the BBC considered before selecting VP5.
Now throw in considerations of the Microsoft challenge that AOL is confronting and what I believe to be the single most significant product AOL needs to get out ahead of them to maintain a captive subscriber base. VIM (Video Instant Messaging), meaning true, realtime, audio/video communication over both dialup and broadband. Why is that so important for AOL. Try over 100 million worldwide IM users as possible paying clients and targeted rich media recipients at the same. Again what's needed? You guessed it. A codec. And one more tme, not just any codec but a codec that scales efficiently across all connection speeds. The question is not to my way of thinking whether or not AOL will deliver VIM. It is a question of when, not if. I personally believe that 2003 will be the year for AOL VIM. Wheher early or late I can't say. I do think the clock is counting down. Which codec will they use to power it? Think they would choose not to use the most efficient, best video compression available, particularly if they are using it for other applications through the same IM client?
Watching the grass grow may prove to be not so boring after all.
SeaChange looks at the American and Global VOD market
By Noel Meyer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the United States, Video on Demand is becoming a reality. According to Forrester research, there were 400,000 VOD enabled households in America last Spring.
The company predicts that by the end of 2002, out of 23 million American digital cable subs, six million will be enjoying on-demand content. Ovum Research has predicted that by 2006 there will be 112 million VOD subs in North America.
AOL Time Warner has 60,000 VOD subs in Austin Texas. Programmers like HBO are introducing Subscription VOD, SVOD, for hit programming like The Sopranos and Sex In The City. On Friday September 28, Cablevision in Long Island threw the switch and launched VOD and ITV as part of their digital launch creating a potential market of 500,000 VOD subs, with that figure rising to over three million, by the time the deployment is over and done with. And Comcast has announced that 25 per cent of its 8.4 million subscribers will have access to VOD by the end of the year.
"The North American market has really come out in terms of making VOD a first priority in the ITV analysis of different applications," says Yvette Gordon, vice-president of interactive technologies, SeaChange International (pictured above). "We used to have to talk about whether or not it was seriously a business. You donÌt hear that anymore."
Gordon has been at the forefront of VOD and ITV for a long time, she was the chief engineer on Time Warner's Full Service Network ITV trials in the mid-90s.
Building on their digital ad-insertion expertise, SeaChange has been a leader in developing and deploying VOD systems. Putting aside North America, Gordon sees the international VOD market as three separate categories: Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific.
She characterises the European market as having gone through a roiling consolidation and positioning phase with the Liberty Media and Callahan acquisitions. "The next big step will be for these systems to integrate into a network structure that makes sense and then they are going to go upscale digital as well as VOD and probably an Internet service at the same time."
In Latin America Gordon says that the MSOs are very focused on getting out low-end two way digital boxes. "VOD will have a play but getting out the set top boxes is the first order of business."
Asia Pacific, however, appears to be the most appealing market. "I think there is a real awesome potential in that area in general. The region is trying to figure out what they want their infrastructure to look like. A lot of the people are still juggling between DSL and HFC, looking at set top boxes and standards. The potential overseas is far greater but the US is providing us with revenue."
Gordon breaks down the plethora of new services that will eventually come our way into two. First there are the VOD services and SVOD services. SVOD services where content holders have second markets for their titles were created she says, to avoid the bottlenecks some studios built to VOD by refusing to release their libraries for VOD distribution.
The second category she describes under the umbrella of middleware and what middleware allows to happen. Within that basket she puts email, chat and other web based activity. "A lot of applications will launch out of that middleware. A lot of people are looking at news, weather and other types of revenue opportunities as being dependent on middleware launches."
One of the developments Gordon finds interesting is that in the United States companies like TVGuide that were previously program guide providers are now writing software to launch directly from the program guide, thus eliminating middleware. "It will be interesting to see where the industry will be in a year. Will they still be waiting for the middleware or will they do it directly on the existing platform?"
SeaChange's architecture is based on open standards which helps to make it platform agnostic in some senses. When it comes to using MPEG II or MHP for example, either will do just fine. "Keep in mind our headend side, our video server and our management software don't care at all. We will work with platforms that are MPEG compliant and platforms that aren't compliant as well."
As for encryption, SeaChange is partnered with Motorola for DigiCypher, Nagra, and NDS, depending on the deployment and the box being used.
As to how the market for VOD distribution platforms breaks down Gordon gives the nod to cable and its HFC networks to take the lion's share of the market initially.
"The DSL market is still very small. We are seeing DSL interest significantly in Asia, Australia and some in Europe but the key that we see is that people still justify DSL purchase based on Internet to the home as opposed to broadband services so the modelling of how VOD will fit in is still somewhat unknown. In the short term it will be cable. But I won't kill off DSL. In the long term as we get cheaper network infrastructures and as people build their DSL networks there is a great business potential for us there."
Scalability will always be an issue. Theoretically VOD systems can be expanded limitlessly by adding on servers. The initial deployment at Cablevision's Long Island systems has started with 500,000 new potential VOD subscribers and that eventually will rise to three million.
"At SeaChange we have looked at how you scale the software, not just your video servers. That's a real competitive advantage. Our software scales in terms of hardware and software and processes in order to be able to handle those really large systems and we use clustering technology even on our software, the hardware that our automation software runs on, so we have a lot of emphasis placed on scaling at all those different levels."
Cablevision's digital rollout will significantly advance the American iTV experience. Along with on-demand programming, personalised programming including sports scores, local news weather and traffic, the service will offer a suite of Internet functions. Cablevision is charging $9.95 a month for the ondemand services and $9.95 a month for email and Internet access. Along with the first rollout of the Sony STB, the deployment will help sooth studio fears about content highjacking because it will be the first deployment of session based encryption where the stream will be decoded by a unique set of keys.
VOD is coming.
Video-on-Demand Service Expands into Japan
By Gretchen Hyman
January 30,2003
CinemaNOW, one of the few IP-based Video-on-Demand (VoD) subscription services still standing, made deep inroads into the Asian broadband market this week through a licensing agreement with Media Design Institute (MDI), a Japanese and American-based multi-media company.
CinemaNOW, a three-year-old company that is majority-owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, Microsoft, and Blockbuster, has managed to stay afloat against a tide of licensing restrictions imposed by some of the major Hollywood studios, while competitors like Intertainer.com, Movies.com, Digital Entertainment Network, and AOL Time Warner's Entertaindom have long since shuttered their doors, and newcomers like MovieFlix and Starz on Demand have not yet found their niche.
CinemaNOW's agreement with MDI is expected to give its film library significant distribution reach into the rapidly growing Japanese broadband subscriber pool.
As part of the agreement, CinemaNOW's movie content will be distributed through NTT-DATA, a Japan-based broadband content provider and its affiliate Solid Exchange, via ADSL, FTTH (Fiber To The Home), Broadband network PCs and set-top boxes, the company said.
NTT-DATA was formerly a part of Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, but became a separate entity in 1988.
According to CinemaNOW's CEO Curt Marvis, out of the company's 3,000-title film library, a subset of movies with international distribution rights will be translated with Japanese subtitles. MDI will start by distributing 250 titles, Marvis said.
CinemaNOW's deal with MDI is part of a larger strategy to tap into broadband markets in Europe and other parts of Asia through the licensing of its proprietary PatchBay technology, a complete platform based on Microsoft's Windows operating system for the secure pay-per-view delivery of movie content and the management of digital and territorial rights protection, as well as user profiling and report generation.
CinemaNOW has previously announced PatchBay licensing agreements with Singapore's Walker Asia, Chunghwa Telecom in Taiwan, British Telecom in the United Kingdom, Freeserve, the Wanadoo Group's ISP-Portal in the U.K., GOL Philippines, NextGentTel in Norway, Purocine in Latin America, and company representatives are in discussions with broadband providers in other international territories as well as the U.S.
"The growth of broadband in Europe and Asia is outstripping what is going on in the U.S," said Marvis. "Many movies are given the green light because of the foreign dollars that can be made and we feel that there is a huge opportunity to generate revenue out there."
One of the pioneers of IP-based VoD services, CinemaNOW boasts a customer base of one million users per month and gets the bulk of its movie content from licensing agreements with Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., Lions Gate Entertainment, Lot 47 Films, Vanguard Cinema, and Visionbox Media.
The company maintains a small staff of around 13 people, only two of whom are needed to maintain the CinemaNOW Website.
Unlike it's primary competitor Movielink, which has backing from the five major movie studios including Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal and Warner Bros., CinemaNOW has been slow but steady in building its licensing portfolio. Although Marvis predicts that in the coming year, all the pieces of the licensing puzzle will finally come together.
"The studios have been cautious in terms of their entry into this market because of security of intellectual property issues and the quality of the way the movie is being delivered," said Marvis. "But we're now in negotiations with every single studio in Hollywood and I have high hopes that we are going to complete deals with most of them by the end of this year," said Marvis.
CinemaNOW makes its movie content available through either a pay-per-view system, which offers films at a variety of price points, or as a subscription service, which provides users with an unlimited number of movie viewings for a single monthly fee.
CinemaNow's VoD service allows for both movie streaming and downloads.
Philips view of the digital future reads like they bought the play book form Sony. Read the following from Philips. Read Sony's vision for CoCoon. And we are riding the same rails as both of these guys. Man I love trains.
Philips
Opening the door to a dazzling, interactive future
You're working late at the office. Suddenly you remember the big soccer match is on TV tonight. No problem - you just phone your 'home entertainment centre' and ask it to record the game. When you get home, before you settle down to watch, you connect to the on-line supermarket via your TV and arrange for your usual groceries to be delivered next evening. Sounds convenient? These are just some of the possibilities digital technologies are opening up as TV and today's set-top boxes are transformed into multimedia gateways at the heart of the digital, connected home.
Exciting functions for real needs TV-based interactive services and interconnectivity will transform the way we enjoy home entertainment, the way we receive information, how we shop and much more. And set-top boxes and future sophisticated Digital TVs will be the keys that unlock this exciting world of services, multimedia and fun.
At the heart of the home entertainment network, the set-top box will act as a gateway to data networks and the broadcast infrastructure beyond the home, while also functioning as a server or 'home entertainment centre' interconnecting all kinds of consumer electronics equipment such as TVs, audio systems, video recorders, DVD players and camcorders, as well as home PCs. With a hard disk for local video storage and time-shifting of live TV, and a rewriteable optical storage medium for archiving, the 'home entertainment centre' will have all the resources in-home networking requires.
Philips Semiconductors is developing a range of solutions for DTV and home networking, created around a vision of this technology that is both imaginative and firmly rooted in real needs. The connectivity adventure must deliver valuable practical benefits, not 'technological gadgetry'. In our model, consumers will have access to a powerful, coherent home network via an easy-to-use interface which allows them to concentrate on what they want to do. Users will focus on activities and needs - "I want to watch the movie I downloaded yesterday", "I have to read my e-mail" - and simply use the most convenient device, whether it's a TV, a PC screen or any other part of the network.
Sony
"CoCoon" is a term for a series of home AV gateway devices equipped with a large capacity hard disk that enables consecutive recording and playback at the user's leisure of music and movie as well as always-on network functions that realize access to a variety of network services.
These new home AV gateway devices function as an "evolving product" and offer the following features; "Personalization" for a device to learn a user's preference and automatically choose and record matching television programs, "Ubiquitous Network" that enables an instantaneous preset recording of television programs from a PC or cellular phone by always-on network connectivity, and "Upgrading Ability" to realize an expansion of functions and use of new network services through automatic software upgrade. In addition, the "CoCoon" home AV gateway devices are designed to offer enhanced ease of use of consumer AV devices for every user to access various network services by a single remote control operation.
Sony positions "WEGA", "PlayStation 2", "VAIO" and "mobile devices" as the key gateway devices for users to easily enjoy a variety of content and services anytime, anywhere in the coming Ubiquitous "Value" Network era. A new lifestyle in a home environment can be realized through the Ubiquitous "Value" Network by merging "CoCoon" home AV gateway devices with "WEGA" television products which always seek after high definition picture quality
a few selected passages from some of my recent postings, with annotation as to the relevence vis a vis Philips.
That's where On2 comes into the equation. On2 VP codecs provide the opportunity for AOL and Sony (and numerous other less significant operators) to deliver their video initiatives without being servile to Microsoft. It also doesn't hurt that On2 VP codec products also demonstrate clear, qualitative superiority over video codec products Microsoft is pushing. What was that word I used earlier? Compelling? You got it. AOL got it. Sony got it. Pretty soon a lot people will get it.
Now Phillips Got it.
How significant is On2's advantage? Perhaps insignificant if one supposes that the technology transformation we are discussing is years away from happening. I highly doubt that. I think when it comes to next generation video that we are now peering over the edge of a volcano which is just waiting to erupt. This volcano has been smoking for three years. The pressure has been and continues building for it to blow from innumerable sources. Its going to happen and when it does it will produce a veritable flood of business for companies properly positioned to respond.
Philips just stoked those volcanic pressures quite a bit higher. Hmmm... Equator DSPs, TI DSPs, Philips Media Processors, On2 client SNE starting its own major chip foundry with Toshiba, On2 supplying MCS Japan (partly owned by NEC) with the VP codecs... Turn up the heat.
From my perspective I can't imagine being better positioned right now for what is to come. I spoke of the imminent arrival of convergence technologies and new media distribution models. That's just part of what's coming. What else is coming exists on a more cosmic scale: the head to head confrontation between the Microsoft axis and the AOL/Sony alliance across multiple markets. Microsoft has serious designs in staking out a controlling position in digital media delivery, which in turn if successful will give it a controlling position over content. AOL and Sony, both for common and somewhat distinct reasons, share a mutual imperative to keep Microsoft from grabbing too much turf.
Philips essentially just joined the SNE/AOL Time Warner Alliance. The importance of SNE and Philips, both world leaders in electronics, both erstwhile MPEG4 patent holdrers, along with AOL Time Warner, committing to On2 signals that the cosmic forces are aligning as I have foretold for well over two years. Plain and simple, what you are witnessing, and what the fools and morons who pop up here periodically can't/don't comprehend, is the birth of new video compression standard.
ADSL - (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) - A standard that allows a high data rate signal (6 megabits per second or more.) It has more bandwidth for downloading than uploading. VDSL technology can provide six times the bandwidth compared to typical technology which is being used today, (often ADSL.)
ADSL-based ITV Service - (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) - These high-speed phone based services offer much the same as do broadband cable connections. This include VOD, games, TV-based Internet etc.
ADSL-based VOD - (a.k.a. TV-over-ADSL, Broadband TV, Broadband-based TV. Associated with ITV-over-DSL) - VOD received through broadband phone lines/connections.
What Are Set-top Boxes?
(For a big list of set top box manufacturers and/or providers, go to www.itvdictionary.com/stb.html)
Set-top Box - (STB) - (May be known as set top, Set-tops, set-top box, set top box, STB, Receivers, Converters, Decoders, Intelligent Set-top Boxes, Smart Encoder, Digital TV Converter, DTV Converter, Voice-enabled Set-top Boxes, Digital Decoder, DTV Tuner, Descrambler, Digital Set-top Box, Addressable Converter, Demodulator, Smart TV Set-top Box, ITV enabled Set-top Box, Internet-enabled Set-top Box, ITV enabled Set-top cable box, Satellite- enabled Set-top Box, Cable-enabled Set-top Box, Low-end Boxes, Thin Boxes, Thick Boxes, Smart TV Set-top Box, Super Box, All-in-one Set Top Box, Integrated Set Top Box, Hybrid Cable Box.) - It's ancestor is often considered the Nintendo game box, as those ancient 8-bit game boxes had data ports. When the functions of a set-top box is built in to the TV, it's often known as a "Built-in". Do note that just because a TV has the set-top box functions built in to it, it doesn't mean it's a digital TV. In that case it's just an analog TV with set-top box functions built into it.
Set-top boxes are often associated with these major categories:
(1) Broadcast TV Set-top Boxes - (a.k.a. Thin Boxes) - The more elementary level set-top box with no return channel (back-end). They might however come with some memory, interface ports and some processing power.
(2) Enhanced TV Set-top Boxes - (May be known as: Smart TV set-top box, Thick Boxes) - These have a return channel, usually through a phone line, and are the mainstay of today's set-top boxes. These are capable of Video on Demand, Near Video on Demand, e-commerce, Internet browsing, e-mail communications and chat. They are giving way to the next category.
(3) Advanced Set-top Boxes - (a.k.a. Advanced digital Set-top boxes, Smart TV Set-top box, Thick Boxes) - These are in many ways like a PC. These have good processors, memory and optional large hard-drives. They're more often used with high-speed connections. The Explorer 6000 & 8000 set-top boxes from Scientific Atlanta are in this category.
(4) All-in-one Set-top Boxes - (a.k.a. Integrated set top box, Super Box; maybe be known as Advanced set top box) - A fully integrated set-top box. Features could include everything from high-speed Internet access to digital video recording to games and e-mail capacity. The opposite of this is when are two or more set top boxes (sidecars) are used in tandem by the subscriber's TV.
(5) Sidecar - This type of set-top box provides an additional transport stream of data from the content provider, to compliment the original stream that's being received by the subscriber via their original set-top box. With Charter Communications' important ITV rollout, the BMC-8000 (Broadband Media Center) is a sidecar box that works in tandem with the Motorola DCT-2000. A fully integrated unit would not require a Sidecar.
(6) Hybrid Digital Cable Box - A specialized and often more expensive Cable TV set-top box with high end functions. Motorola Broadband's DCP501 home theater system is an example. It has a DVD player.
Set-top boxes (STB) act as a gateway between your television or PC or PC-TV and your telephone, satellite or cable feed (incoming signal.) In terms of ITV, the STB receives encoded and/or compressed digital signals from the signal source (satellite, TV station, cable network, etc.) and decodes (and/or decompresses) those signals, converting them into analog signals displayable on your television. The STB also accepts commands from the user (often by use of a remote control {keypad} or keyboard) and transmits these commands back to the network, often through a back channel (which may be a separate phone line.)
Interactive television STBs can have many functions such as television receiver, modem, game console, Web browser, a way of sending e-mail, Electronic Program Guide (EPG), even CD ROM, DVD player, video-conferencing, cable telephony etc. Many STBs are able to communicate in real time with devices such as camcorders, DVDs, CD players and music keyboards.
Set-top boxes are usually computers that process digital information. These typically have on-screen user interfaces that can be seen on the TV screen and interacted with through the use of an Hand-held Interactive Keypad, which is little more than an advanced remote control. (These are also known as Control Devices.) STBs also have facilities for upgrading software such as browsers and Electronic Program Guides (EPGs). Some have huge hard-drives and smart card slots to put your smart card into for purchases and identifying yourself to your cable, satellite TV provider.
To provide interactive services, the set-top box, from the standpoint of its hardware, needs four important components: a network, an interface, a buffer, as well as decoder/synchronization Hardware.
(1) The network interface: Allows the user to receive data from the server and send data back to the server, in a manner that it can be understood by the server.
(2) The decoder: In order to save storage space, disk bandwidth, and network bandwidth, movies are usually encoded (compressed) before they are sent over the network. Thus, the end-users needs a decoder to decode (uncompress among other things) the incoming stream's data before it's viewable. This is part of what a modem does. The decoding process is sometimes known as Demodulation or Heavy Lifting.
(3) The buffer: Due to delay jitters in the network, the arrival time of a video stream cannot be determined exactly. In order to guarantee continuous consistent playback for the viewer (end-user/subscriber) the stream is often received one or even a few seconds before it's actually seen by the end-user. This way if there are fluctuations (even those measured in milliseconds) in the transport time of the video stream to that receiver, the viewer won't know the difference as their buffer has a bit of time to spare.
(4) Synchronization hardware: Let's remember that a movie (or whatever one watches via a set-top box) consists of both video and audio streams. They must be synchronized with each other before being viewed. Other streams may be added too which could include that which is Enhanced (ITV) related.
To provide interactive services, the set-top box, from the standpoint of it's software, needs the appropriate Platform, Middleware and Software:
Platform - (Sometimes also known as "ITV client") - (1) The underlying system and standards that makes up the Built-in
and/or set-top box. The platform enables interactivity (among other things.) Platforms can include ITV related software,
middleware and/or hardware. ITV platforms however are often associated with the Middleware provider. Liberate,
OpenTV, PowerTV, Worldgate and Microsoft TV (MSTV) are middleware platforms and/or Platform providers.
(2) The operating system (i.e. Windows 98, Windows NT, etc.) used by the computer that a visitor to your Web site is
using. (3) It can be used to refer to major communications such as digital terrestrial (MMDS), cable, satellite, and the
Internet. Thus these would be referred to as "cable platform," "satellite platform" etc.
Middleware - (a.k.a. System software or Platform software) - A general term for any programming that serves to "glue together" or mediate between two separate and usually already existing programs. It includes an application manager, the virtual machine (such as Java Virtual Machine™), the interactive engine, the libraries and databases. In terms of ITV related, that would often be software that provides services that occur between the server and end-user. This includes software that connects two separate applications together. This is particularly necessary as there are in use a number of different programs, platforms and software that are all oriented to the same goal of providing ITV. If the set-top box has a Resident Application, it's often thought of as in the Middleware category. In this case a Resident Application is a program or programs that are built into the memory of the set-top box. These are updated, often automatically, by the service provider via the data stream (signal) that the set-top receives from the service provider.
Software - (ITV Software, Set-top Box Software) - This is software that adds features to the set-top box that often it doesn't need to operate, or at least operate minimally. For instance if the set-top box was "Voice-enabled," so it obeys commands spoken by the subscriber, that would be largely be thanks to the voice recognition software in the set-top box.
Back Channel (a.k.a., Return Channel, Reverse Channel, Return Path) - The physical way that the end-user is able to send information/requests/demands back to the content provider. This can be an integral part of ITV. A Back Channel is a 2-way communications link between the TV viewer (end-user) and the Interactive Television content provider; (as opposed to the Front Channel, which is a 1-way communication link from the content provider, such a television network, just to the TV viewer - something we all experience by simply watching TV.) The Back Channel is often of much lower bandwidth than the Front Channel is. It's typically a modem and attached telephone line, although it could be a cable modem, DSL, satellite connection etc.
Decoder - (Might also be known as Set-top Box, Converter, Receiver, Descrambler) - It's a device or program that changes encoded data back into its original format. The term is often used in reference to MPEG-2 video and sound data, which must be decoded before it's viewable. Most DVD players, for example, include a decoder card which sole function is to decode MPEG data.
A digital set-top box (and the majority of set-top boxes are digital) and its television Built-in counterpart, usually has 3 decoders.
(1) Video Decoder - It decodes the video packets into images that can be viewed.
(2) Audio Decoder - It decompresses the audio bit-stream.
(3) Data Decoder - It helps you choose between the potentially hundreds of channels and ITV services. It's part of the MPEG-2 stream.
**(For a big list of set top box manufacturers and/or providers, go to www.itvdictionary.com/stb.html)**
Related Terms:
Addressable - A cable/satellite set-top box (decoder) that has a unique identity. The decoder can descramble a signal (program, channel etc) for that particular subscriber. See Conditional Access and Subscriber Management Systems in the main ITV Dictionary section..
Addressable Converter - A set-top box/decoder/converter that receives data from the Head-End such as downgrades, upgrades, free previews, Video-on-Demand and Pay Per View programming.
All-in-one Set Top Box - (a.k.a. Integrated set top box, Super Box; maybe be known as Advanced set top box) - A fully integrated set-top box. Features could include everything from high-speed Internet access to digital video recording to games and e-mail capacity. The opposite of this is when are two or more set top boxes (sidecars) are used in tandem by the subscriber's TV.
Application-specific Integrated Circuit - (ASIC) - A computer chip developed for a specific purpose. The demultiplexer in Set-top boxes and Built-ins often use ASIC chips.
Architecture - Refers to the total design and implementation of a network and/or product, including its transmission technologies, various communication related protocols, as well as management and security systems etc.
ASIC - (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) - An integrated circuit developed for special rather than general applications. The PC computer chip for standard home or office use is not ASIC. www.atsc.org
Black Box - A device whose internal make-up, design, or operation is discrete. It's function is known, but usually not its internal components. Set-top boxes, particularly in the past, have been known as Blackboxes.
Built-in - When a computer (or set-top box) is part of (and in the internal make-up) of a television. The "Built-in" has the same functions of a "Set-top Box" and/or "Network Computer." Please note that just because a TV has the set-top box functions built in to it, it doesn't mean it's a digital TV. In that case it's just an analog TV with a set-top built into it.
CISCs - (Complex Instruction Set Computers) - Another term for describing the standard desktop PC or it's equivalent. PCs are built to handle a number of instructions where the opposite is true of RISC computers. RISC computers are built to take only a comparatively few. CISC computers are generally substantially more expensive than RISC computers.
Commodity PCs - A generic term sometimes used to denote consumer and industrial appliances, large and small that use a processor and have some sort of memory. Technically these devices should also be able to except input in some manner whether it's via a device that's intrinsically part of their system (such as a disk drive) or receiving it off of a network. Examples can be (but aren't necessarily,) cellular phones, Internet Appliances and even set-top boxes. The current popularity of this phrase is questionable.
Common Interface - (CI) - Describes hardware and software architecture for Conditional Access Systems whereby the generic "host" set-top box is not dedicated to one particular encryption system. Consumers use detachable hardware, which allows them to receive encrypted services they pay subscription fee(s) for. The interface between host set-top box and the CI hardware is standardized (PCMCIA-Interface) so that the same set-top box can be used to handle a variety of encryption systems.
Consumer Appliances - (a.k.a. Electronic Appliances, Internet Appliances, Electronic Devices, Network Appliances, Consumer Electronic Devices, Information Appliance, etc) - Examples are telephones, TVs and VCRs. These are electronic devices that consumers use as part of their daily lives.
Control Device - A channel changer (remote control) like device.
Cross Platform - When software works on more than one ITV platform.
CPE - Customer Premise Equipment.
DAC - (Digital to Analog Converter) - (1) A chip used in CD players and Set-top boxes (STBs) for changing the digital signal to analog. It can supply amplification for reproduction of audio and/or video signals through speakers or television. (2) Reconstructing the original analog signal from digital data.
Data Communications Equipment - (DCE) - A communications device that can establish, maintain, and terminate a connection (for example a telephone.)
Data Encoding - The method by which certain communication devices (such as a modem) encode digital data onto an analog signal for transmission. Telephone line communications are typically analog but computers create digital data (not analog) thus computers need to turn their digital data into analog data before it can be transmitted over phone lines. A converter mechanism is necessary for computer data to be transported over phone lines. The most popular of these "converter mechanisms" is a modem. Fax machines also use modems.
Data Stream - (a.k.a. Stream) - All the data transmitted through a particular communication line for a particular program, operation or scheduled transmission.
DCT - (Digital Consumer Terminal) - A General Instrument's (Now Motorola Broadband Communications Sector) set-top box abbreviation.
Demodulation - What occurs on the receiving end of a transported signal. By doing this the constant carrier signal is separated from the variable data signals. This is part of what a modem does.
Demultiplexing - Separating data streams or individual channels of data from a single multi-channel stream. For example, video and audio streams must be demultiplexed before they are decoded. This is true for multiplexed digital television transmissions. The set-top box or Built-in must demultiplex the signal it receives before it can be watched.
Deployment - When a content provider such as a Cable or Satellite company distributes to its users a common platform/middleware/hardware for ITV.
Digital Media Platform - (DMP) - A digitized platform for media that allows real-time and/or delayed delivery of video, audio and/or data to multiple networks such as cable, satellite, digital terrestrial broadcasting and broadband. Delivery can be made via a variety of devices possibly including mobile phones, set-top boxes, PDAs and computers. Often the content can be produced generically eliminating the need for platform-specific content production tools.
Digital-to-Analog Converter - A device that turns incoming analog voltage waveforms into a readable sequence of binary digits.
Digital TV Subscription - With a set-top box and a standard (analog) TV set, viewers with this service can see a number of channels, more than with a standard TV subscription. Also the image can be better.
Digital-TV Tuners - (a.k.a. DTV Tuner, Digital TV Receiver) - See Receiver.
Digital Video Broadcasting-Multimedia Home Platform - (DVB-MHP) - A specification by the DVB. It's a software (middleware) specification that will be implemented in set-top boxes, integrated digital TV receivers as well as multimedia PCs. The MHP will connect the broadcast medium, Internet, television, computer and telecommunication world through these devices and their associated peripherals. www.mhp.org. The DVB-MHP is often known as the ITV arm of the MHP.
Liberate, OpenTV, PowerTV, and CanalPlus (Canal+) have all committed to supporting this set-top standard. MHP can support many content types, not just HTML/JavaScript. It's already been demonstrated across a range of set-tops, operating systems, and hardware platforms. DVB-MHP is a software (middleware) specification of the DVB, approved by the DVB in November of 1999. It will be used in set-top boxes, integrated digital TV receivers, as well as multimedia PCs. www.dvb.org/search/index.html (Type in DVB-MHP.)
DOM - (Document Object Model) - It specifies how objects in a Web page (text, images, headers, links, etc.) are represented. It can be used to add certain Enhanced (ITV) features to the transmission (broadcast,) after it's received by the end-user (viewer.) DOM might be used to help make the Set-top Boxes' ITV functions less dependent on the content providers. Literally ITV creators can give the TV content certain Enhanced (ITV) qualities after the viewers Set-top Box receives the original transmission. www.w3.org/DOM/faq.html
End System - What the end-user on a network uses.
End-to-End - (in terms of ITV) - Everything (from the beginning to the end) it takes from the production of the ITV content, including the broadcasting of the signal, to the viewing and interacting by the end-user.
End-user - The person(s) and/or subscriber(s) who actually uses and/or views the computer, TV or device on the network.
Endpoint - A destination, a place where data is expected and doesn't need to go any further.
Eurobox - (a.k.a. Multimedia Terminals for Cable) - A set-top platform for European cable set-top boxes as set forth by the ECA.
Front Panel Display Unit - The part of the set-top that lights up with numbers and/or letters.
Gateway - (May be known as Home Gateway, Digital Gateway, Media Appliance, Entertainment Gateway, Media Centers, Digital Media Center, Home Gateway Media Centers, Home Media Server, PC-centric Entertainment Center. Associated with Set-top Boxes Integrating PVRs. Can be part of Integrated TVs) - (1) See Media Center. (2) A computer system that transfers data between different and/or normally incompatible operating systems, devices and/or networks. A Gateway would make it possible (for instance) to watch on-demand content over a TV that that viewer had originally received from the Internet via his PC.
Hand-held Interactive Keypad - Looks a lot like a remote control for a VCR or TV. Through it people interact with the content on the screen. The NTN Playmaker® is an example.
Home Gateway Media Centers - See Media Centers.
Home Networking - (Associated with Whole-Home Services Delivery, Multi-TV Personal Video Recording) - Connecting computers and other devices/appliances with processors in the home to one central hub (computer and/or set top box) in the home. See Internet Appliance.
An FAQ on Home Networking is at www.cable-modem.net/gc/networking.html. Also see this Web site's Web page on it at: www.itvdictionary.com/itv_home_networking.html. A Home Networking glossary is at: http://www.xilinx.com/esp/home_networking/glossary/hnglossary-a.htm.
HomePNA - (Home Phoneline Networking Alliance) - A consortium of businesses and organizations oriented towards promoting, developing and establishing standards, specifications and the general concept of networking home computing devices including "intelligent" toasters and refrigerators. They have a particular interest in using Ethernet-based technologies. See Home Networking. www.homepna.com
Hot-swapping - Being able to, or the act of changing a card or other form of hardware in a device (such as a computer) without it having to stop functioning (which it would do if you had to turn it off.)
Hub - The device that serves as the central location for attaching wires from workstations or other devices. It can be passive, where there is no amplification of the signals, or active where the hubs are used like repeaters to provide an extension of the cable that connects to a workstation.
Hybrid Digital Cable Box - A specialized and often more expensive Cable TV set-top box with high end functions. Motorola Broadband's DCP501 home theater system is an example. It has a DVD player and high-end stereo and goes for $900.
ICAP - (Interactive Communicating Application Protocol) - Wink developed this protocol for Set-top boxes and TVs that aren't able to run a full HTML browser.
Intelligent Set-top Boxes - These track where the user goes, and/or what shows he/she watches, and/or their spending habits concerning T-com (television commerce) and presents shows, advertisements etc that the computer thinks the viewer would prefer.
Internet-enabled Satellite Boxes - The receiver (set-top box) Direct Broadcast Satellite customers have that allows them to get Satellite Internet service. Echostar is an example.
IP Media Appliance - A multi-media Web device that's capable of receiving, storing and playing back in real time, digital video and audio. The received signals, which might be encrypted, can be manipulated in a variety of ways - slow motion, 8 times zoom, freeze frame, pan, forward and reverse. Many IP Media Appliances have Internet Browsers.
IRD - (Integrated Receiver Decoder) - A Set-top box/receiver with a built in de-scrambler for decoding Pay-TV and other services.
Java - In 1990 a few geniuses at SUN MICROSYSTEMS went to work in developing a programming language that could control different consumer appliances as the major computer languages of the day were not suitable for that. They were successful. Their first Java program they developed was called HotJava. The first applications of Java were in handheld PCs and earlier TV Set-top Boxes.
Java is a cross platform language that processes on the client side (client browser.) In many ways it's a more efficient programming language. In fact it can run in anything that has a processor such as microwave ovens, cars and old slow computers. In addition it only needs to be written once for any computer. Thus Macintosh can use the same Java software as a PC. Java is an integral part of the ITV revolution.
Good JAVA FAQs are at www.davidreilly.com/java/java_network_programming & www.swtech.com/java.
JavaTV - (Java TV Application Programming Interface {API}) - Consumers, through a set-top Box or digital television that supports the Java TV API, will receive interactive television content such as Enhanced television, Video on Demand (VOD), Electronic Programming Guides (EPGs) and interactive multi-camera-angle sporting events (where you can choose the camera angle you view an event from.) www.sun.com/consumer-embedded/cover/javatv.html
Jini - Sun Microsystems' home networking software solution. Set-top boxes and other consumer appliances and computers can be networked together with Jini. www.sun.com/jini
Local Storage (in terms of ITV) - Most often refers to storing content at the subscriber's location (home or office) such as in their PVR (DVR). In many ways, the opposite of Local Storage is Network Storage.
Media Center - (May be known as Digital Media Center, Media Appliance, Entertainment Gateway, Multimedia Gateway, Home Media Center, PC-centric Entertainment Center, Digital Hub, Home Gateway, Home Gateway Media Centers, Home Media Server, Home Networking Gateway, Digital Home Media Center. Can be part of Integrated TVs) - A type of set-top box environment that can offer video, text, audio, graphics, streaming media, VOD, music downloads and games, content sharing, and videoconferencing via network (which may be the Internet) connectivity. Offered also are one or more interactive user interfaces and more typically is in the Cable TV category. Some or more of the above services that do not come with the customers original set-top box, may be added to their TV system with the addition of another set-top box called a "Sidecar." The Moxi™ platform is an example. With a PC-centric Entertainment Center, the center is replaced and/or controlled by your PC. (An example is Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center.)
Modulator (a.k.a. RF Generator) - A device that combines audio and video signals by coding them into a TV channel (radio frequency).
Net-top Boxes - More oriented towards Internet use but still can have ITV functions. Examples are AOLTV, Microsoft's UltimateTV, and Microsoft's MSNTV.
Net Device - (a.k.a. Internet Device, Internet Appliance) - A piece of hardware used for interacting with and/or accessing the Internet. A set-top can be a Net device.
Network Adapter - Typically a combination of hardware and software that enables a system to interact with others on a network such as the Internet. Big with video game players as it enables them to compete with others playing that game worldwide. These can be built-in to the Game Console or be a peripheral to it.
OCAP - The OCAP specification is largely based on the European Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) middleware specification created by the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) organization (DVB-MHP).
O.P.A. Unit - (Outside-Premise-Addressability Unit) - A unit much like an addressable converter, but located outside the customer's dwelling.
OpenCable - Managed by CableLabs. Their aim is to specify the standards and specifications for the next-generation digital devices for the home. These devices support digital cable services and systems with well-defined specifications to allow interoperability and to promote competition among system suppliers. These new devices enable a new range of interactive services to be provided to cable customers. Nearly 500 government and private-sector groups have worked on the project since its origination in 1997. See OCAP. www.opencable.com
Open Standard(s) - (Open Architecture) - In this scenario, typically the Operating System and/or Middleware's and/or Software specifications are non-proprietary so add-on products can be more easily created and integrated into the system. Often Open Standards product's specifications are made public, as is the case with Linux. It's more likely that if the product has Open Standards, you can buy it in retail outlets, and you can have more freedom on deciding on where to take it to be serviced. Lack of Open Standards can slow down development and adoption of a technology. Sometimes an equivalent to Open Standards (though technically isn't) is thought to be when a system is a De Facto Standard, (meaning a standard that exists because of its widespread use such as Microsoft Windows in PCs) and engineers use it as a basis for technology development. See OpenCable.
PC-centric Entertainment Center - With a PC-centric Entertainment Center, the Media Center is replaced and/or controlled by your PC. Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition is a major example of this. (Formerly code-named "Freestyle"). http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2875052,00.html. See the definitions for Windows XP Media Center Edition and Media Center. Click here for this Web site's Web page for PC-centric Entertainment Centers.
Peer-to-peer - (Sometimes known as Box-to-box Networking) - (1)When a brand or business' product(s)can only communicate with users of that specific brand or business's product(s). For instance peer-to-peer video-casting might be able to occur between, and among only one company's (for instance ReplayTV) subscribers and not between and among ReplayTV users and other company's PVR users (such as UltimateTV and TiVo subscribers.) (2) Networks where their hosts interact with each other on an equal basis, particularly in the exchange of data.
Phone-Based Web Boxes - A somewhat antiquated name for Set-top boxes that connect via phone lines (like Web TVs.)
Platform Independent - (May be known as Cross Platform, Platform Agnostic) - Meaning it doesn't matter which platform and perhaps middleware, the client uses. The French iTV tool provider IDP is an example - http://www.idp.fr.
Point-of-Development - (POD) - Security/access device roughly the size of a credit card that's inserted into Set-top boxes. A cable interface specified by the OpenCable Project. Also known as a POD module or POD card. In Europe these are known as PCMCIA cards. www.scmmicro.com/dvb/index.html
PORT - Physical connection areas on your computer (or set top box), usually on the back, for plugging in the lines from external devices such as printers, monitors etc. Certain ports are "specialized" like the port for the mouse (which is a serial port.) The two common computer ports are parallel and serial. A parallel port transfers data one byte at a time. Printers most often use parallel ports. Printers call their chosen port either LPT1 or LPT2. Set-top boxes can have input and output ports.
Portable Media Device - A player roughly the size of a paperback book that can store and playback digital video content from a PC via a USB 2.0 port or perhaps through wireless 802.11b networking technology. The device would have a hard drive and a passive matrix display, perhaps 4 inches in size. It works as an extension of a PC. Intel is making chips for it. Cost could be in the $400 range. Depending on the situation, it could be hooked up to your TV.
Receiver - (May be known as Set-top box, TV Tuner, TV Receiver, Tuner) - (1) This is the unit that typically is inside the house or business, which takes in signals from the antenna, satellite dish, or cable and turns the signal into something displayable on the TV. More associated with Satellite TV usage. (2) May be used interchangeably with "Tuner." This is the electronics in devices such as HDTVs that receives and decodes the broadcasted signal (data) so the viewer can see and/or interact with it. . The FCC has mandated HDTV tuners be integrated (built into) into HDTVs progressively starting in 2004 (depending on the size of the TV.) The major benefit to this is that people can the receive free high quality HDTV signals over the air with an inexpensive household antenna and not need to subscribe to satellite or cable TV to get HDTV reception.
Remote - The TV's or set-top box' mechanism that makes it respond to a remote control.
Remote Control - A keypad held in the hand that controls a device. Most use infrared light signals.
Resident Application - An application, programs or programs that are built into the memory of the set-top box. These are updated, often automatically, by the service provider via the data stream (signal) that the set-top receives from the service provider.
Resident Program Guide - The program guide, very probably an EPG or IPG, that the ITV system offers the viewer. It could be based in the set-top box or at the server.
Return Path -- Route the user of an STB (set-top box) can use to interact with the broadcaster. Literally it is the route the user uses to send data back to the broadcaster. It might be via a modem that's connected to a telephone line, satellite connection or some other network.
RISC - (Pronounced "risk") - (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) - A type of microprocessor that recognizes only a limited number of instructions. It's the opposite of the standard PC which is CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer). RISC computers can execute their instructions very fast because the instructions are so simple. Also RISC chips as easier to make (as they require fewer transistors.) There are Set-top boxes and other ITV related hardware that uses RISC.
Set-top-Based Banking - Banking activities via the set-top. This could include using a smart card slot for inserting smart cards, credit cards and other types of bankcards. After a connection is made to the network, financial transactions can be made
Set-top Boxes Integrating PVRs - A value-added set-top box environment that includes the digital video recording functions of the PVR (DVR). See Media Centers & Home Media Server.
Set-top Box Subscriber - The subscriber that signs up for the account that the set-top box is part of and thus theoretically could be responsible for what is viewed through it.
Set-top Browsers - (a.k.a. Web TV, Net-TV) - Being able to view and interact with the Internet via your Set-top box. See Net-TV.
Set-top Gaming - (a.k.a. Gaming) - Interactive games, in particular video games, are expected to be immensely popular in the broadband age.
Sidecar - This type of set-top box provides an additional transport stream of data from the content provider, to compliment the original stream that's being received by the subscriber via their original set-top box. With Charter Communications' important ITV rollout, the BMC-8000 (Broadband Media Center) is a sidecar box that works in tandem with the Motorola DCT-2000. A fully integrated unit would not require a Sidecar.
Standalone - A device, product or system that's not incorporated into another more comprehensive device, product or system. A PVR/DVR you put by your TV is a Standalone versus a PVR/DVR built-into a Home Media Server. As another example, offering VOD programming that you pay for individually could be considered Standalone VOD versus Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) which offers an unlimited choice of programming to those that pay a monthly (or otherwise regular) set price.
Storage - The word "storage" is often used to refer to memory that exists on disks and tapes. "Memory" is more often a
term used to indicate data storage areas that are in the form of computer chips. "Storage" areas retain the data put in them
after the computer is turned off whereas "memory" areas usually lose their stored data when the computer is turned off.
Local Storage in ITV most often refers to storing content at the subscriber's location (such as their home or business) as
their PVR/DVR does. Network Storage is when the content provider stores the content (or most of it) at their location,
typically on their servers. In VOD, Network Storage may be referred to as Network-based Video on Demand.
Subs - Subscribers.
Super Box - (a.k.a. All-in-one set top box, Integrated set top box; maybe be known as Advanced set top box) - A fully integrated set-top box. Features could include everything from high-speed Internet access to digital video recording to games and e-mail capacity. The opposite of this is when are two or more set top boxes (one being a "sidecar") are used in tandem by the subscriber's TV.
Tuner - (in terms of ITV) - (May be known as Receiver) - The tuner is for accessing QAM, OFDM and QPSK networks. As well as being able to receive data in digital form, most tuners can also receiver analog signals. Set-top and built-in tuners are often thought to be divided into 3 categories:
1) Broadcast In-Band (IB) - For this the tuner separates a channel from all the channels received and converts it into a single signal that the receiver makes viewable.
2) OUT Of Band (OOB) - Used often by cable TV set-tops. These can offer more interactive services.
3) Return Path Tuner - This type of tuner, or mechanism of a tuner, allows more readily the return of interactive data to a signal's source.
Tuner Kits - (Maybe known as TV Tuner Kits) - Hardware and/or software that can be added to gaming consoles and/or other hardware and set-top boxes, to make it able to receive and/or view TV signals. These may be added later by the customer or added at the factory prior to the item's sale. See Tuner.
Video-game Player (a.k.a. Video Game Console, Video-game Console, Videogame Player, Home Gaming Console) - The unit that video games are played through. This unit is typically connected to a TV or monitor for experiencing video games. These can have a bare bones operating system or a more powerful OS as well as numerous other functions including that of typical PCs and set top boxes, including a Digital Video Recorder. Sony's PlayStation 2, Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo's GameCube are the leaders. Through these are Video-game players, assuming it's enabled for it, players can browse the Web, record television shows, send e-mail messages and more. Microsoft's Xbox requires a broadband connection and is for competing against others on that huge network.
Picosoft (39580) KOSDAQ
Tel : 02-6240-8800
Address : 11TH FL.,DIPLOMACY CENTER,1376-1,SEOCHO 2-DONG,SEOCHO-GU,SEOUL
IR : 02-3460-6200
Home Page : www.picosoft.co.kr
Established 1993. 8.11 President Yu Joo-Han Corporate Bonds
Listed 2000. 7. 6 No. of Employees 53(2002. 6) CP
Group Picosoft Auditor's Opinion Unqualified Times Interest earned -25.25
Asset Reval. - Reference Bank Shinhan
As Korea's leading web-based software rental service (ASP) firm, Picosoft focuses on four business areas: digital media service, interactive gaming services, e-business network, and business service. It cancelled its management change plan with Tiger Pools. Reduced demand for ASP contributed to a sales decrease. Its COGS grew due to its entry into a new business. In addition, losses on valuation of investment securities gnawed its profitability.
Picosoft plans to post an improvement in sales with the help of its grand export plant that takes it to Brazil where it won a contract to supply system solution from a government agency. It also developed a new ADSL VOD set-top box jointly with a US company. Production will start from the fourth quarter. It plans to reduce borrowings and improve financial structure.
Sales Growth (%) R O E(%) Debt Ratio (%) Reserves Ratio(%)
Company - 63.34 Company 108.92 Company 23.32 Company 453
Sector Average - 7.73 Sector Average 1.10 Sector Average 48.73 Sector Average 350
Major Shareholders (%) Companies Invested (%) Payment Guarantee (100Mn.Won)
TigerpoolsINT`L 13.6 Sports toto 2.9 -
Yu Ju-Hwan 6.9 Kicom 39.2 -
-
Cost Breakdown (%) Sales Breakdown (%) Others (100Mn.Won)
Raw Materials 16.1 Sports Promotion Vote System 68.5 Book Value of Land -
Labors 2.8 Computer Accessory 20.8 Declared Val.of Land -
Overhead 80.9 ASP Service 5.7 Foreign Currency Assets -
Export Ratio Foreign Currency Liab. -
(Unit : 100Mn.Won)
Year 01. 4 01. 9 01. 9 01.12 02. 4
Type SD BI RI CB RI
Amount 1.50 7.83 7.46 2.14 0.83
(Unit : %)
Distribution - 1999.12.29 2000.12.31 2001.12.31
Government Body - - - -
Financial Institutions - - 6.80 0.70
Securities Houses - - - -
Insurance Companies - - - -
Other Legal Entities - 10.50 4.00 11.10
Foreigners - - - 0.10
Individual Investors - 89.50 89.20 88.10
Copyright (c) 2001 Korea Information Service, All Rights Reserved.
Webmaster@kisinfo.com Telephone : 02-3771-1000
http://www.kisinfo.com/eng2002autumn/html/39580_1.htm.
On2 Technologies Ports VP6 Codec to Philips Nexperia PNX-1300 Series of Media Processors
Tuesday May 20, 7:30 am ET
Processors Capable of Seven Billion Operations Per Second in Applications Requiring Real-Time Video, Audio, Graphics and Communications
NEW YORK, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- On2 Technologies, Inc., today announced that it is porting its new VP6 video codec to the Philips Nexperia PNX 1300 Series of Media Processors. These low-cost, high-performance chips deliver up to 200 MHz of power to a variety of multimedia applications.
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The PNX 1300 Series Processors feature an advanced TriMedia VLIW CPU, and are ideal for a variety of standalone and networked multimedia products. They can perform audio and video compression and decompression, while simultaneously running communications protocols in real time.
"This is a major step in our program to have VP6 available to the set-top and home entertainment markets worldwide and we are very pleased to have this partnership with Philips," said Douglas A. McIntyre, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of On2 Technologies, Inc.
PHILIPS AND SONY ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC COOPERATION TO DEFINE NEXT GENERATION NEAR FIELD RADIO-FREQUENCY COMMUNICATIONS
Electronics Leaders to Jointly Establish Wireless Technology to Significantly Enhance Access to Data and Services via Consumer Devices
Amsterdam, the Netherlands/Tokyo, Japan, September 5, 2002 - Royal Philips Electronics (AEX: PHI, NYSE:PHG) and Sony Corporation today announced that they will jointly develop a new near field radio-frequency communication technology, 'Near Field Communication' (NFC). The technology enables short-range communication networks between consumer devices incorporating an NFC interface, and is set to greatly improve the way consumers access data and services wirelessly.
Wireless NFC technology will operate on 13.56 MHz and allow for the transfer of any kind of data between NFC enabled devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras and PDA's as well as to PC's, laptops, game consoles or PC Peripherals, across a distance of up to twenty centimeters and aiming at speeds fast enough to transfer high quality images. At communication speed up to 212 kbit/s the NFC technology is fully compliant to both Philips' existing MifareTM and Sony's FeliCaTM contactless smartcard technologies.
The aim is to build a ubiquitous open infrastructure of NFC-compliant devices which effectively incorporate smart-key and smartcard reader functions, providing a convenient communication method for services such as payment (including credit card), ticketing, and accessing online entertainment content (e.g. gaming) through the devices. This can be done simply by holding devices or smartcards near each other. It is anticipated that the technology will play a key role in allowing content and service providers to offer various new ways of accessing their services. The consumer's primary NFC device (e.g. mobile phone or PDA) acts as a smart-key to gain access to chosen services from any NFC device, anywhere, anytime.
"This cooperation between Philips and Sony marks a breakthrough in establishing a new solution for an easy communication network between consumer electronic devices," commented Mr. Yuki Nozoe, Corporate Executive Vice President, Sony Corporation. "Together with Philips, we will study a vast range of new applications for NFC, and we look forward to welcoming other electronics and service companies in support of the technology."
Karsten Ottenberg, General Manager of Philips Semiconductors' Identification business, said: "This agreement will revolutionize the way consumers access services and see the penetration of identification chips move far beyond smart cards, with NFC becoming a standard component of new electronic devices, including those from Philips. It is another demonstration of Philips' strengths in the area of connectivity, and what our technologies can bring to the consumer, at home, in the office, or on the move. With the CD Philips and Sony demonstrated what their cooperation can bring to the electronics industry - we look forward to the success of this partnership."
Philips is already the global industry leader in contactless smartcards through its Philips'MifareTM technology, supplying some of the world's major transport systems, and the banking sector, with supply to customers such as Visa. Sony has a significant market position in Hong Kong and Shenzhen (China), Singapore and Japan utilizing Sony's FeliCaTM contactless smartcard technology, mainly in the transportation and financial sectors. As NFC is fully operable on both platforms, all consumer devices containing NFC technology will be compatible.
Philips and Sony will promote the NFC technology as an open standard in order to integrate it into consumer devices, including those of other manufacturers in the CE, PC, automotive, and other industries. The companies intend to explore new applications together with relevant content and network service providers.
About Sony
Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its music, pictures and computer entertainment operations make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of over $57 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2002.
Sony's Home Page URL: http://www.sony.net/
About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of EUR 32.3 billion in 2001. It is a global leader in color television sets, lighting, electric shavers, medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, and one-chip TV products. Its 184,000 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, consumer electronics, domestic appliances, components, semiconductors, and medical systems. Philips is quoted on the NYSE (symbol: PHG), London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other stock exchanges. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter
ON2'S MPEG-4 POSITION PAPER
In 1997, the Department of Justice approved1 a proposal by a group of nine companies and one university2 to create a one-stop-shop clearinghouse through the pooling of patents owned by this group. These patents were needed by entities looking to manufacture electronic equipment that stores or transmits compressed video data. This video compression technology is known as MPEG-2 and the jointly owned licensing agent for the MPEG-2 patent holders is named MPEG LA.
Operating under the auspices of the MPEG-2 Approval, since 1997 MPEG-2 has obtained at least a 95% market share in the digital television video compression market. Fast forward to 2002, and a new group of companies (consisting of many of the MPEG-2 patent holders as well as some new patent holders) is attempting to pool patents for a new video compression technology called MPEG-43. This group of companies is using the same licensing agent (MPEG LA) as the MPEG-2 group. MPEG-4 is aiming to be the international standard for interactive video compression in three fields: digital television, interactive graphics applications, and interactive multimedia, i.e. the World Wide Web.
For MPEG-4 to become such a standard, MPEG LA will need approval by the Department of Justice of its new patent pool. There are two critical questions: (1) Does the 1997 MPEG-2 patent pool approval currently cover the new MPEG-4 patent pool? and (2) Should the 1997 MPEG-2 Approval cover the MPEG-4 Patent Pool?
1. Does the 1997 MPEG-2 Approval Currently Cover to the MPEG-4 Patent Pool?
The simple answer is NO. MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 are comprised of different patents and different owners for different technologies.
The MPEG-2 Approval explicitly limited its application to the MPEG-2 technology. There is no evidence that the MPEG-4 patent holders have even applied to the Justice Department for approval of the MPEG-4 patent pool. MPEG LA, however, is creating the impression it had such an approval - - it is offering licenses to its technology and has set fees associated with encoding, decoding and overall usage of MPEG-4 as though it has approval for the new patent pool4. MPEG LA's recent public statements suggest a steamroller approach. In commenting on recent questions as to the legality of the MPEG-4 patent pool, MPEG LA attorney Garrard Beeney stated: "I don't anticipate any further communication from the Justice Department."5
2. Should the 1997 MPEG-2 Approval Apply to the MPEG-4 Patent Pool?
The MPEG LA patent holders are using a Trojan Horse maneuver by trying to extend an approval of one patent pool (MPEG-2) to cover another pool of different patents (MPEG-4) held by a different group of patent holders for a related but very different technology for which no lawful patent pool should exist.
An underpinning of the MPEG-2 Approval was the importance and procompetitive benefits of establishing an international video compression standard.6 If there were a case to be made for standards, it might have been made in a market that is immature and needs accelerated growth - as could be argued was the case for MPEG-2 in 1997. If end-users would suffer due to the lethargic pace of advancement without a standard, or because of the exorbitant cost created by the lack of a standard, a cartel might be justified, especially when hardware is the primary component. However, this is not a fair assessment of the video compression field that MPEG-4 intends to monopolize. If anything is true, it is that the present video compression market sought to be exclusively run by MPEG-4 is an active robust market served by several competing companies (with more to come), offering technology that does all of the things that MPEG-4 claims to do.
A number of companies with their own patents in video compression and interactive technologies already operate in this market. These companies include Microsoft, Real Networks, On2 Technologies, Sorenson, and DIVX, and this is, by no means, an exhaustive list. Several of these companies make video compression tools that can be and are used in the three markets that MPEG-4 falsely claims requires a "standard". The RealPlayer is on 200 million personal computers and has been programmed to work on wireless devices, hardware chips, along with interactive graphics. It can be used in interactive television set-top boxes, and its player and decoder are available to the public for free. Microsoft Windows Media Player is on 160 million computers and Microsoft has already ported its technology to dozens of platforms that MPEG-4 claims require a "standard" to operate. Microsoft also gives away its player, decoder, encoder and server software. And in a somewhat ironic twist, some MPEG-4 technology is actually based on an early version of Apple Computer's QuickTime product called "Bento". The current version of Apple's QuickTime player and decoder are free as well.
In September 2001, On2 Technologies made a version of its compression technology, VP3, available to the open source community. VP3 became the first true common format that is open, documented and free. It can be altered by any user and adapted for any use, as long as the additions to the code base are published for the open source community.
Many of these competing compression technologies currently communicate with each other and are seamless to the consumer. In part, this is because these and future versions are software based and relatively easy to program for such compatibility.
These technologies and others represent a thriving global field of video compression technology that has been operating for at least five years. One of the reasons that this arena is so robust is the competition among the technology providers has led to rational pricing and rapid advancement of improved video compression techniques. The companies in this field are forced to innovate quickly and price fairly as a matter of normal competition and survival. There could hardly be a less likely candidate for a sector of the economy in need of "standards".
MPEG-4 would make the argument that if there were only one "standard" it would be easier for end-users. That is untrue. In essence, they posit that if all computers, televisions, PDAs, cell phones, and other video-enabled devices had only one technology that the world would be easier to navigate for consumers. That is, however, akin to saying that the cellphone industry should have one standard for manufacturing hardware and software. This is clearly not the case in the cell phone industry, or most other industries, and the consumer is not only able to talk on a mobile phone, but the phone is less expensive and more technologically advanced due to the competition that has existed in the industry from its infancy. Just as competitive technologies for cell phones exist now without any communication problems, the same applies to the software based video compression and interactive community.
The argument for a government blessed technology standard could also try to be extended to digital rights management ("DRM"). DRM is the technology that content providers use to protect their content from piracy. Major studios are putting their content on the Internet through initiatives like MovieFly and Movies.com. These enterprises use DRM technology from Real and Microsoft. Already, there is an entire vigorous industry of private enterprise DRM providers for video content, which includes companies like Intertrust and SecureMedia, that is flourishing without a standard.
Conclusion
MPEG-4 is trying to monopolize the substantially software based interactive video compression industry, plain and simple. It is a move by a few very large companies to dominate a market and fix prices. Recent pricing policies by MPEG LA for MPEG-4 and the customer reaction to them are ample evidence of this.7
The changes in technology, the marketplace in general, and the composition of the patent pool since the MPEG-2 Approval are more than a sufficient basis for the Department of Justice to take a close look at MPEG-4. The Department of Justice has established a set of administrative guidelines for examining, among other things, patent pooling by potential competitors.8 Section 2.4 of these guidelines states that: "The competitive effects of a relevant agreement may change over time, depending on changes in circumstances such as internal reorganization, adoption of new agreements as part of the collaboration, addition or departure of participants, new market conditions, or changes in market share. The Agencies assess the competitive effects of a relevant agreement as of the time of possible harm to competition, whether at formation of the collaboration or at a later time, as appropriate." The appropriate time for such an assessment of MPEG LA is now.
No matter what else may be said, the Justice Department has not extended the patent pool for MPEG-2 to cover MPEG-4 and any representation by MPEG LA that says otherwise is false.
The individual MPEG-4 patent holders should maintain their own patents, license the technology that derives from these patents as individual companies, and compete in the market for interactive video compression just as the rest of the private enterprises in this field already do. If their technology is better, it will be selected. If not, it will fade away as the current vigorous video compression market continues to grow naturally in the capitalistic system without unwanted and unnecessary government assistance.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 The MPEG-2 Approval was granted pursuant to the Department of Justice's Business Review Procedure. See the June 26, 1997 Letter of Response to MPEG LA from Joel I. Klein, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice The full text of the MPEG-2 approval letter is available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/busreview/1170.htm. The press release announcing the MPEG-2 Approval is available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/1997/June97/267at.htm.
2 This original group consisted of: Trustees of Columbia University, Fujitsu Limited, General Instrument Corp., Lucent Technologies Inc., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Philips Electronics N.V., Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., and Sony Corp. Since 1997 the number of MPEG-2 patent holders has increased to also include: Canon, Inc., France Télécom (CNET), GE Technology Development, Inc., Hitachi, Ltd., KDDI Corporation (KDDI), Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), Philips, Samsung, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Toshiba, and Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC).
3 See MPEG LA's press release announcing the terms of the proposed MPEG-4 license at: http://www.mpegla.com/mpeg4/news_release31Jan2002.html. The MPEG-4 patent holders include: Canon Inc., France Telecom, Fujitsu Limited Hitachi, Ltd., Hyundai Curitel, Inc., KDDI Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Microsoft Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd., Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Sony Corporation, Telenor AS, Toshiba Corporation, and Victor Company of Japan (JVC).
4 This licensing structure requires licensees to pay 25 cents for each MPEG-4 product - such as decoders and encoders - they ship, with fees capped at $1 million annually per entity for each type of product shipped. MPEG LA competitors such as RealNetworks, Microsoft and On2 Technologies currently offer their decoders (commonly known as "players") for free. In addition, MPEG LA has proposed charging an unprecedented per minute fee of $0.00033 with no cap. The potential impact on a home watching eight hours of television or streaming Internet video per day is roughly $5 per month.
5 http://www.hive4media.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?sec_id=2&article_ID=2757
6 See Section II. A. of the June 26, 1997 Letter of Response to MPEGLA from Joel I. Klein, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice. Beyond the scope of this position paper is the fact that the MPEG-2 patent holders were very involved in the adoption of MPEG-2 as a supposed "international standard" while at the same time these same patent holders exercised collective control of the consumer electronic market that the technology standard was developed to address.
7 A compilation of news articles documenting the negative customer reaction to MPEG-4's proposed licensing policies is available at: http://www.on2.com/news.php3.
8 Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors, available at: http://www.ftc.gov/os/1999/9910/jointventureguidelines.htm.
DivX gets physical
Video codec spreads to hardware
Matthew Miller, Special Projects Editor -- CommVerge, 3/26/2003
A worldwide user community with a population of 75 million can't be wrong. That fact explains why consumer-electronics vendors are sitting up and taking notice of the DivX video codec. Although the format, which compresses video seven to 10 times tighter than MPEG-2, got its start as a piece of PC software, chip-level support and a certification program initiated by DivXNetworks are now driving it into more hardware products.
Like MP3 before it, DivX caught fire on the Internet because it allowed a heretofore unwieldy form of entertainment to be transmitted easily via email and downloads. As a result, the format has inspired fevered trading of video clips--both legal and pirated--as well as new content creation.
But for all its popularity, the format has been confined more or less to PC applications. Some PC video cards can decode DivX video and then output it to a television for living-room enjoyment. A hard-disk-based handheld product, the Archos Jukebox Multimedia (left), allows DivX fans to tote their favorite clips around and view them on either a tiny LCD or (via an output port) a TV screen. And one software product, BroadQ's QCast Tuner, sends PC-based DivX clips to televisions by routing them via Ethernet through Sony PlayStation 2 video-game consoles that are equipped with a $50 add-on network adapter.
However, it now appears that DivX access is about to get a lot more convenient in the living room and elsewhere. For starters, DivXNetworks has begun a testing program that, according to the company, will lead to DivX-certified portable video players, DVD players, video and still cameras, set-top boxes, media gateways, and even high-definition products.
Participants in the program include consumer-electronics companies, makers of embedded software, and chip vendors. Companies building DivX capabilities into silicon include Texas Instruments, Philips, Equator Technologies, and--as of today--Cirrus Logic. The latter company announced today that it will incorporate DivX decoding into its DVD player chips, a move it expects will result in DivX-enabled DVD players that retail for less than $149 by late this year.
Consumers in some markets don't have to wait that long to enjoy some fruit from the certification program. European consumer-electronics maker KISS Technologies recently introduced two DivX-enabled DVD players powered by DivX-certified chipsets from Sigma Designs. Both players can decode DivX video stored on CD-R/RW or DVD-R/RW discs, and the higher-end of the two models (pictured at the top of this article) also features an Ethernet port that presumably allows it to access DivX video from a networked PC or the Internet.
The spread of DivX to DVD players and other hardware products carries with it a tasty bit of irony. Followers of the DVD arena may recall an earlier technology with a similar name, "Divx." Championed a few years back by retailer Circuit City, a few consumer-electronics manufacturers, and the Hollywood studios, Divx was essentially a pay-per-view scheme using DVDs as a distribution mechanism. Divx DVDs retailed for far less than normal DVDs, but users were expected to pay $3 to $5 for additional viewings beyond an initial 48-hour period (a Divx player required a phoneline connection so it could report to central servers). Consumers resoundingly (and rightly) rejected this intrusive scheme in favor of full ownership of their favorite movies.
Anyway, the original developers of DivX (the video codec) apparently chose the name as an amusing jab at Divx (the pay-per-view plan). Today, one wonders how the advocates of the original Divx--who lost big money when the effort crashed and burned--will feel when they once again see a "DivX" logo adorning a DVD player.
Equator Demonstrates Microsoft Windows Media™ Encoder 9 Series On Equator's BSP-15 Processor at CES 2003
Real-time encoding with Microsoft's Windows Media 9 Series allows OEMs to build next-generation, full-resolution home recording devices
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (January. 9, 2003) - Equator Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance, programmable and power-efficient system-on-a-chip (SoC) processors for video streaming and image processing applications, announced today support for real-time encoding using the Windows Media Encoder 9 Series from Microsoft on the Equator BSP-15 processor.
The BSP-15 processor is the first chip for consumer electronics devices that supports high-definition (720p) playback of Windows Media Video 9 encoded content. The addition of the encoder support on this same breakthrough platform will enable a new breed of digital media consumer electronics devices such as DVD-burners, CD-burners and personal video recorders, giving CE manufacturers an unprecedented, innovative edge with breakthrough video compression technology. At the compression rate and resolutions supported by this technology, a full 120 minutes of content can be recorded to a single CD-R at full resolution.
"This new development with Equator's BSP-15 processor enables the CE industry to tap the dramatic video compression innovations in Windows Media 9 Series for totally new scenarios on consumer devices," said Dave Fester, general manager, Windows Digital Media Division. "We are excited to see the next step forward in Equator's support for Windows Media 9 Series. It's great to see OEM products on the CES show floor powered by Windows Media and the Equator chip, and we look forward to seeing breakthrough products using this technology on store shelves this year."
The BSP-15 processor provides the base for real-time encoding of full-resolution (D1) video with a software implementation of Windows Media Video 9. The BSP-15 processor can be used in full-resolution digital video cameras, CD-burners, DVD- burners, personal video recorders, or other consumer-level video recording devices that want to offer a step up in video quality, reduce video storage requirements or support an end-to-end Windows Media interoperable suite of devices.
" The Windows Media Encoder 9 Series on our BSP-15 chip family provides unbeatable value for OEMs looking to differentiate and future-proof their offerings," said Rich Christopher, president and CEO of Equator Technologies. "Our DVD reference designs incorporate these capabilities and the software pairing with Windows Media 9 Series technology makes it a reality for 2003 products. We are pleased to be working with Microsoft and to enable OEMs with such capabilities."
More Than 200 Devices Now Support Windows Media
Equator and Polaroid Demonstrate the First DVD Player Supporting Windows Media Video; New Devices From Alpine, Apex Digital, JVC, Kenwood, Panasonic, Pioneer, Toshiba and Zenith Support Windows Media on DVD Players and Car Stereos
LAS VEGAS -- Jan. 9, 2003 -- At the 2003 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) today Microsoft Corp. announced that more than 40 new devices supporting Windows Media® are being unveiled by leading consumer electronics manufacturers. This brings the total number of devices that support Windows Media to more than 200. These devices include DVD players, CD players, car stereos and portable audio devices, all supporting the advantages of the breakthrough audio and video compression of Windows Media to provide the best-quality music together with the most music storage on CDs and devices. Thanks to the backward compatibility of the recently released Windows Media Audio (WMA) 9 technology, all the new and existing devices can play back audio created with this latest version of Microsoft's high-quality audio compression technology and the new Windows Media Player 9 Series.
Among the new devices shown at CES is the first DVD player to support Windows Media Video, unveiled under the Polaroid Corp. label based on a reference design by Equator Technologies Inc. This new device shows how, for the first time, home movies and high-definition video can be played back on a standard red-laser DVD player using the breakthrough compression of Windows Media Video 9.
"Today's announcement represents dramatic progress in bringing the benefits of Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series right into the living room," said Dave Fester, general manager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft. "At last year's CES we unveiled the first support for WMA on the fastest-growing consumer electronic device in history: the DVD player. Today we see how Windows Media Video 9 can enable a whole new level of quality for DVD players, even making high-definition content playback possible."
New DVD Players Supporting Windows Media
The following new DVD players support Windows Media, as announced at the 2003 International CES:
Apex Digital Inc. is introducing 11 new DVD models with WMA support including the AD-1120 sold at WalMart Stores Inc., as well as two new recordable players, a personal video recorder (ADR-1000) and a DVD +R, +RW (AD-3000), an interactive player (ADI-2800), a new five-disc changer model ADM-5000, a full-size and midsize progressive-scan component video model, and three new home theater systems.
Panasonic Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. unveiled seven new models of digital AV audiovisual products supporting Windows Media that will be the first consumer electronic devices to have built-in support of the new HighMAT (TM) technology. These include the Panasonic DVD-LX9 portable DVD player, DVD-S55 single-disc player, DVD-F65 five-disc changer, DVD-F85 five-disc changer, SC-HT900 DVD/CD home theater system, SC-DT310 DVD/CD music system and SC-DP1 DVD/CD music system.
Pioneer Corp. unveiled two new DVD players at 2003 CES supporting WMA playback: the Pioneer DV-563A and DV-463. Both support the playback of custom CDs using Windows Media Audio to enable over 22 hours of music playback on a single CD.
Polaroid unveiled the DVD-DVR 700, a breakthrough consumer device licensed from Aeon Digital and based on the new Equator reference design, offering the ability to play back both Windows Media Audio and Video from custom CD-R/RW disks as well as to access the Web directly to stream Windows Media Audio and Video.
JVC will be featuring the XV-N50 DVD player, which offers 45mm-height slim design and includes WMA playback and JPEG playback.
Toshiba unveiled five models of DVD players supporting WMA that will be available in 2003, including the SD-2900 (single tray), SD-3900 (progressive scan single tray), SD-V290 (DVD/VHS dual), SD-V390 (progressive scan DVD /VHS dual), and the SD-P2500 (progressive scan portable with 8.9-inch LCD).
Zenith will be demonstrating the Zenith DV7934NM DVD player, which features WMA support and DVD, CD, CD-R, CD-RW and VCD playback.
New Car Stereos Supporting Windows Media
The following new car stereos support Windows Media, as announced at the 2003 International CES:
Alpine Electronics of America Inc. will be demonstrating its first products supporting WMA with five new car stereo models, including the HDA-5460, CDA-9815, CDA-9813, CDA-9811 and CDA-9807.
Pioneer will feature seven car stereo models supporting WMA for CD-R playback at 2003 CES ranging in suggested retail price from $250 to $800: the Pioneer DEH-P5500MP, DEH-P7500MP, DEH-P8500MP and DEH-9400MP, and the Pioneer Premier DEH-P750MP, DEH-P850MP and DEH-P940MP.
Kenwood USA Corp. (Booth 13407) has three incredible mobile entertainment products at 2003 CES with support for WMA, including the Kenwood Excelon KDC-X969 (CD/MP3/WMA receiver) and KHD-CX910 (Kenwood Music Keg -- 20GB digital music player), as well as the Kenwood KHD-C710 (Kenwood Music Keg -- 10GB digital music player).
About Windows Media
Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, used by consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations throughout the world. The Windows Media 9 Series platform includes Windows Media Player 9 Series; Windows Media Services 9 Series, the powerful streaming server feature in Windows® .NET Server 2003 for distributing content; Windows Media Encoder 9 Series for content creation; Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series for the best-quality audio and video; Windows Media Digital Rights Management to help protect content; and the Windows Media Software Development Kit for software developers to develop digital media products and services. Windows Media Player, available in 26 languages, is now the leading media player. More information about Windows Media can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/.
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.
Microsoft, Windows Media and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft® Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft's corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at hhttp://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.asp.
On2 6/03 equities presentation re 2003 guidance
Picosoft/Ninelanes boxes going to be marketed stateside
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on2/picosoft/equator/korea/adsl
On2 Lands ADSL Set-Top Box Deal in Asia
By NY Staff
Video compression specialists On2 Technologies (AMEX:ONT) announced a deal with Korea-based Picosoft Co. to design a low bit-rate ADSL video-on-demand set-top box.
The New York-based On2 said the device will use On2's VP4 compression codec, client and server software, and Equator Technologies' Dolphin reference design platform based on its MAP-CA chip; Web browser and e-mail clients would be included as well. The new set-top box will be capable of streaming DVD-quality video at connection speeds under 1 megabit per second
Picosoft would build the box for ADSL users in Korea and distribution into additional Asian markets. Manufacturing and integration work of the box is set to begin in the second quarter of 2002.
This is a seven figure deal that will start generating revenues for us this month, said Douglas McIntyre, On2's CEO and president.
In addition to the licensing fees the company will collect for each set-top box sold, On2 is taking in consulting fees for retrofitting the On2 compression applications with the other software applications in the boxes.
On2 will work with Picosoft and chipmaker Equator to configure the set-top boxes with video and audio operating systems and digital rights management functions; McIntyre reckons that between four and five million homes in Korea have broadband connections through ascynchronous DSL connections.
The only disadvantage to that kind of usage is that the subscribers farthest away from the ADSL central office have more signal degradation. That makes for plenty of market opportunities for On2's compression technology that helps the broadband provider squeeze more into the subscriber's bandwidth potential.
On2 makes money from licensing its video codecs for use in set-top boxes, electronic gaming devices and wireless applications. The company also offers video encoding, hosting, streaming and consulting services for streaming media plays.
December 12, 2001
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Picosoft Licenses SecureMedia's Encryptonite System to Secure
Broadband Video-On-Demand System
- Encryptonite to Protect DVD-Quality Video Delivered through ADSL Set-Top Box
NATICK, MA - March 21, 2002 - SecureMedia, Inc., a leading provider of encryption and Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, announced today that Picosoft Co., Ltd., a leading application software developer based in Korea, has licensed SecureMedia's Encryptonite System for use in Picosoft's new broadband Video-On-Demand system and ADSL set-top box. The Encryptonite System will provide high security content encryption, key management, and rights enforcement for digital content delivered through the Picosoft system.
The Encryptonite System secures virtually any media type (ex. MPEG-2, MPEG-4, On2's VP4, RealMedia, MP3, etc.) for streaming and download distribution over IP and other digital data networks. As an open platform solution, the Encryptonite System also integrates readily with multiple hardware platforms and third party applications (e.g. e-commerce, billing, subscriber management, media asset management, etc.).
Picosoft's VOD system and set-top box will be capable of delivering DVD-quality video at connection speeds under 1 Megabit per second. The system employs the revolutionary VP4 video compression codec from On2 Technologies (AMEX: ONT) along with On2's playback and TrueCast server software. The set-top box is built on Equator Technologies' Dolphinä reference design platform, which is based on the MAP-CA Broadband Signal Processorä chip. The Picosoft set-top box is designed for the Korean ADSL market and will also be sold in other Asian markets.
Korea has more than 4.5 million ADSL subscribers, and we are extremely pleased to have been chosen by Picosoft to provide the essential content security infrastructure for their VOD system. The end users of the Picosoft system will experience the best that broadband can offer in terms of the instantaneous delivery of the highest quality video with the ability to pause, rewind and fast-forward playback at will, said Jack Oswald, CEO of SecureMedia, Inc.
Picosoft chose SecureMedia's Encryptonite System because it supplies comprehensive, high security encryption and rights management while also providing the flexibility to integrate easily with our other best of class component suppliers. We had evaluated other DRM suppliers, but SecureMedia was the only supplier who could deliver a cost effective solution for the set-top box we intend to deploy. With the Encryptonite System, Picosoft has completed a VOD solution that will allow service providers and content owners to satisfy the growing demands of broadband customers for enhanced, on-demand entertainment services, said Joohan Yoo, CEO of Picosoft Co., Ltd.
Douglas A. McIntyre, President and CEO of On2 Technologies added, We are proud to have been selected by Picosoft for their ADSL VOD service based on the superior performance of our VP4 codec over competing technologies. Working with SecureMedia is an added benefit as we will integrate their Encryptonite System with our leading compression technology to provide the highest quality and highest security video distribution platform.
About SecureMedia, Inc.
SecureMedia (http://www.SecureMedia.com) is a leading provider of encryption and rights management solutions for the delivery of IP Broadband Media, focusing on Video-on-Demand solutions in streaming and download modes. The Company provides a range of content security solutions from the comprehensive Encryptonite System to software toolkits, hardware cores and plugins for third party media delivery systems. SecureMedia's customers represent industry leaders such as RealNetworks (NASDAQNM:RNWK), Oak Technology (NASDAQNM:OAKT), NTT (NYSE:NTT), DivXNetworks, King Biscuit Entertainment Group, Tranz-Send Broadcast Network, InvisiMail Ltd., MediBridge and Communicado/Satlink. SecureMedia's investors include CB Capital Funds LLP, SONY Corp. (NYSE:SNE), Macrovision Corp. (NasdaqNM:MVSN) and Trans Cosmos Inc.
About Picosoft Co., Ltd.,
Picosoft (KOSDAQ:PICOSOFT) (KOSDAQ:39580.KQ) is a leading information technology company providing application software, online wagering solution, interactive gaming services, and digital set-top box for VOD services. Since its foundation in 1993, Picosoft has concentrated on developing user-oriented software and providing professional services specifically for small and medium companies. From 2001, Picosoft extended business area to Digital Media Services like VOD related services, DVD publishing system. The Company provides an interactive gaming solution that enables large scale transaction processing and network integration to domestic game service provider. (http://www.picosoft.co.kr)
About On2 Technologies, The Duck Corporation
On2 Technologies (AMEX: ONT) is a leading technology firm at the forefront of video compression. The Company revolutionized video encoding with the creation of its advanced full-motion, full-screen, video compression and streaming technology (TrueMotion VP3/VP4/VP5). On2 licenses its high quality video codecs for use in set-top boxes, consumer electronics devices and wireless applications. In addition, On2 offers a suite of products and services, including high-level video encoding, customized technical support, and consulting services. Headquartered in New York City, the Company has an office in Albany, NY, and operations in London, UK, and Seoul, Korea. On2 may be reached at 145 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013, telephone 917-237-0500 ================================================
Picosoft Selects EnReach's Media Center Applications for Broadband VOD System
Business Editors/High Tech Writers
NAB 2002
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 2002--EnReach Technology, Inc., a leading global provider of digital video entertainment solutions for broadband IP networks, announced today Picosoft Co., Ltd., a leading system integrator based in Korea, has selected EnReach's Media Center Applications and Backend Service Management System for inclusion in Picosoft's broadband video-on-demand (VOD) system.
EnReach's Media Center Applications enable VOD, web browsing and e-mail capabilities on the Picosoft set-top box. Picosoft's set-top box is powered by Equator Technologies, Inc. chip. EnReach has ported their media center applications onto Equator's platform for Picosoft's VOD system offering. In addition to Equator's platform, EnReach's applications have been ported to more than 16 different chipsets and popular embedded operating systems including Embedded Linux, VxWorks, and pSOS.
Picosoft will also utilize EnReach's Backend Service Management System to enable key functions such as set-top box registration, subscriber self-provisioning, service enable/disable, remote set-top box software upgrades, remote set-top box graphical user interface (GUI) customization, VOD server/service management, TV channel packaging, service charging policies, billing system interfaces and content distribution system interfaces.
We evaluated other middleware and application software companies and found that EnReach's Media Center Applications were the most portable and flexible for this system, said Joohan Yoo, CEO of Picosoft, Ltd. EnReach has ported to more than 16 different chipsets and operating systems and we felt their solid technology worked well with our other best-of-class component suppliers.
In addition to the selection of EnReach, Picosoft has teamed multiple leading technology vendors to successfully complete the VOD system offering capable of delivering DVD-quality video at connection speeds under 1 Megabit per second. The system employs On2 Technologies' (AMEX: ONT) VP4 video compression technology along with On2's playback and Truecast server software. The set-top box is built on Equator's Dolphin (TM) reference design, which is based on the BSP(TM) chip. SecureMedia Encryptonite System (TM) will provide high security content encryption, key management, and rights enforcement delivered through the Picosoft system.
There is a tremendous market opportunity in Korea and the Asia Pacific region for new broadband entertainment services. With more than 4.5 million ADSL subscribers in Korea, we are delighted to have been selected by Picosoft to play a pivotal role in their VOD system offering, said Bo Wu, President and CEO for EnReach. Additionally, the other component suppliers Picosoft has selected will provide content owners and service providers with a best-of-class VOD solution that will deliver the latest in digital video technology to subscribers throughout Korea and Asia.
Picosoft's VOD system will be deployed over Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Loop (ADSL) networks in Korea and other Asian markets. Roll out of the systems is slated for Korea and Japan in the fourth quarter of this year.
About EnReach
EnReach is a global provider of digital video entertainment solutions for broadband IP networks. EnReach has developed complete broadband-ready entertainment systems for Residential, MDU and Hospitality operators to offer revenue-generating services such as: VOD, TV over IP, Internet and E-mail to their subscribers. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, the privately held company has offices in Toronto, Canada, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shenzhen, China. Additional information regarding EnReach Technology, Inc. is available at www.enreach.com.
About Picosoft Co., Ltd.
Picosoft (KOSDAQ: PICOSOFT) (KOSDAQ: 39580.KQ) is a leading information technology company providing application software, online wagering solution, interactive gaming services, and digital set-top box for VOD services. Since its foundation in 1993, Picosoft has concentrated on developing user-oriented software and providing professional services specifically for small and medium companies. From 2001, Picosoft extended business area to Digital Media Services like VOD related services, DVD publishing system. The Company provides an interactive gaming solution that enables large scale transaction processing and network integration to domestic game service provider. (http://www.picosoft.co.kr)
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On2 Extends Relationship with Korean Software Company
Seoul, Korea and New York, NY, May 3, 2002 -- On2 Technologies Inc., The Duck Corporation (AMEX: ONT), the industry leader in compression technology, today announced Picosoft Ltd. is a reseller of its encoding and server software in Korea.
Picosoft Co., Ltd., one of the leading application software developers in Korea, and On2 previously announced they were developing a low bit-rate ADSL video-on-demand set-top box that features On2's VP4 video compression and TrueCast server technology. This additional agreement grants Picosoft the right to sell On2's VP4 and VP5 Encoders and TrueCast server software throughout Korea.
As we move forward with Picosoft in building the set-top box in Korea, they are a logical choice as a reseller. With their knowledge of the Korean market, we feel our VP4 and VP5 based products can achieve maximum distribution, said Douglas A. McIntyre, President and Chief Executive Officer of On2 Technologies.
VOD has tremendous potential in Korea and throughout East Asia. Korea already has more than 8 million broadband users and Picosoft's goal is to capitalize on this burgeoning market. The Picosoft-On2 set-top box will be the first product of its kind capable of delivering DVD-quality video at connection speeds under 1 Megabit per second over broadband IP, stated Juhan Yoo, CEO and founder for Picosoft. This reseller agreement will allow Picosoft to play a pivotal role in both the server solution and high-end encoding software markets for Internet PC, PDA, and set-top-box deployments, as well as allowing us to provide best-of-class services to major content owners by the second half of this year.
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Equator and Picosoft Introduce Low Bit-rate VOD Set-top Box
- BSP family of chips and Dolphin reference platform help Picosoft bring STB to production in record time -
CAMPBELL, Calif. - Aug. 20, 2002 - Equator Technologies Inc., a leading provider of high-performance, programmable and power-efficient system-on-a-chip processors for video streaming and image processing applications, and Picosoft Co. Ltd., a leading application software developer in Korea, today announced the development of a low bit-rate ADSL video-on-demand (VOD) set-top box based on Equator's high-performance, award winning MAP-CA processor. The Picosoft VOD system will be deployed over ADSL networks in Korea and other markets, with rollout scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2002.
The new set-top box was developed using Equator's Dolphin reference platform, which enables OEM manufacturers like Picosoft to bring new products into production in record time. To achieve high-quality video at the lowest possible bit rates, Picosoft chose On2 Technologies' VP4 video codec and TrueCast server technology, which allow the set-top box to provide DVD-quality video at bit rates lower than 1 Megabit/sec. Network operators can now offer high-quality video to nearly 100% of their customers without the significant investment in cable infrastructure that was previously required.
With In-Stat/MDR projecting 17 million subscribers worldwide for VOD over Internet in 2006, there is a tremendous market opportunity for ADSL-based set-top boxes, said Avi Katz, president and CEO of Equator. We are delighted that Picosoft selected Equator to play a pivotal role in their VOD system offering. By using our Dolphin reference platform to speed the time it takes to bring products to market, Picosoft was able to maintain focus on its core business of application software.
We selected Equator's MAP family of chips as it allows us to rapidly deploy advanced high-quality VOD services and significantly expand our product features. With the Equator Technologies, Inc. MAP-CA as the heart of our system, we can offer our customers a recurring value through product upgrades and feature additions, said Yoo Ju-Han, CEO of Picosoft. The Dolphin reference design significantly improved our time to market and gave us a jump on our competition.
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ONT COMPETITION
Leading Set-Top-Box Chip Makers Embrace Windows Media 9 Series
Broad Support by Equator Technologies, National Semiconductor, Sigma Designs, STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments Paves Way for Next-GenerationHome-Entertainment Experiences With Digital Media
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- Sept. 12, 2002 -- Today at IBC2002, Microsoft Corp. announced that the leading manufacturers of chips for set-top boxes and next-generation digital media appliances have announced support for Windows Media (TM) 9 Series. Manufacturers announcing support for Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series today include Equator Technologies Inc., National Semiconductor Corp., Sigma Designs Inc., STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments Inc. This announcement, on the heels of the Windows Media 9 Series launch last week, paves the way for manufacturers such as Pace Micro Technology PLC to create set-top boxes with tremendous digital media processing power at a low cost while at the same time offering consumers new high-quality content delivery services over satellite, DSL and cable modems.
Windows Media 9 Series is a significant step forward in the evolution of digital television, especially for telcos and broadband network operators that deliver more content and services than ever, said Tim Fern, chief technology officer at Pace Micro Technology. Advanced silicon supporting Windows Media 9 Series has been important to our development of the world's first Windows Media 9 Series capable set-top box, which will be on show at IBC2002. Not only has it helped us make product costs viable, it has reduced our time to market -- crucial factors for our telco and operator customers.
Also at IBC2002, several companies will demonstrate for the first time how Windows Media 9 Series can be decoded and encoded at the chip level. Equator will be the first company to demonstrate high-definition video decoding of Windows Media at 720p (1280x720) on a chip -- video resolution that is two and a half times the resolution of a DVD today. Texas Instruments will be the first company to demonstrate encoding of Windows Media Video 9 directly on a chip. These breakthroughs in using Windows Media 9 Series video technology at the chip level will open up new consumer possibilities for next-generation set-top boxes delivering services directly over IP-based networks, new applications for encoding Windows Media Video and new consumer electronics devices. Windows Media Video 9 Series will offer significant advantages by allowing TV programming to be recorded in the same quality as MPEG-2 technology but tripling the storage capacity with its superior video compression.
Offering Windows Media 9 Series support at the chip level was the next logical step in our vision to enable seamless access to digital media content any time, any place and on any device, said Dave Fester, general manager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft. The breadth of support today shows that Windows Media 9 Series can flexibly offer the best quality audio and video at any bit rate and, by locking the video bit stream for silicon, create new opportunities for network operators, chip makers and consumer electronics device manufacturers.
Leading manufacturers of chips for set-top boxes that support Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series announced today at IBC2002 include the following:
Equator Technologies' BSP series System-on-a-chip processors support playback of Windows Media 9 Audio and Video. The BSP-15, as demonstrated on Equator's Tetra (TM) hardware platform at IBC2002, supports high-definition 720p playback. Equator provides chips to many leading set-top box manufacturers, including Pace Micro Technology, a world leader in digital television technology, for its IP400 and IP500 family of home gateways.
National Semiconductor's Geode processors and Geode CS1301 media coprocessor support the playback and decoding of Windows Media Audio and Video. National Semiconductor currently provides chips to Pioneer for its recently announced DigitaLibrary Digital Network Entertainment device. National also provides chips to other Japanese manufacturers that will be announcing products later this year.
Sigma Designs' new EM8500 DVD decoder chip will support playback of Windows Media Audio, and a future series of decoder chips will support Windows Media Video as well. Sigma provides chips to Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Kreatel Communications AB -- all leading sellers of set-top boxes in their respective markets.
STMicroelectronics is the world's leading supplier of MPEG-2-based chipsets to the set-top-box market. The ST200 family of media processors will support Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series technologies and complement its OMEGA family of set-top-box and DVD decoder ICs. This will enable the combination of traditional digital TV and DVD platforms with a new range of audio and video applications enabled by Windows Media 9 Series.
Texas Instruments' fully programmable 600MHz TMS320C64x DSP platform uses Windows Media Encoder 9 Series to help bring convergence one step closer, enabling IP-based set-top-box OEMs to design an all-in-one product for digital media compression, streaming video transmission, HDD storage and more. This means that consumers using devices with this new chip can now play back and encode Windows Media 9 Series. This chip will open up opportunities for real-time encoding of content into Windows Media Video 9.
About Windows Media
Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, used by consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations throughout the world. The new Windows Media 9 Series will power the next wave of digital media, delivering the best playback experience, unmatched audio and video quality, and integrated optional digital rights management technology, and is the most comprehensive platform for developing digital media products and services. The Windows Media platform includes Windows Media Player; Windows Media Services, the powerful streaming server for distributing content; Windows Media Encoder for content creation; Windows Media Audio and Video for the best-quality audio and video; Windows Media DRM for protecting content; and the Windows Media Software Development Kit for software developers. Windows Media Player, available in 26 languages, is the fastest-growing and now leading media player. More information about Windows Media can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/.
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Emerging video codec set to draw crowd at IBC
By Junko Yoshida
EE Times
September 13, 2002 (10:03 a.m. ET)
AMSTERDAM -- As the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) opens for business Friday (Sept. 13), a new video coding technology, formerly known as H.26L or MPEG-4 Part 10, will be a hot issue. New chips, evaluation boards and software tools targeting the emerging video codec have begun to trickle into private -- and even a few public -- demonstrations.
Chip companies and software technology vendors such as Amphion Semiconductor, Envivio, Equator Technologies, iVAST, Texas Instruments, UB Video and VideoLocus will unveil their strategies for the emerging video codec.
With the ability to reduce bandwidth by 50 percent or more, the yet-to-be-ratified standard is on the brink of turning today's video market upside down. The video-coding approach, now officially designated ITU-T H.264, or the Proposed JVT/AVC,promises to deliver Internet Protocol (IP)-based, broadcast-quality video at a data rate of less than 1Megabit per second.
The broadcasting industry's interest in the JVT/AVC codec is no longer just talk. For one, Europeans are already planning to include MPEG-4 audio and JVT/AVC video as new options for IP-based video delivery, by revising the current Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) specifications, Ken McCann, chair of the AV coding group at DVB, told EE Times. McCann, a director of ZetaCast, an independent technology consulting company specializing in DTV, said DVB's decision to go with JVT/AVC is not a done deal, but it's very near. Unless some work within JVT goes horribly wrong, DVB's AV coding group, working in concert with JVT/AVC, is well on its way to putting together JVT/AVC implementation guidelines for DVB's broadcast applications, he said.
JVT/AVC's coding efficiency, however, comes with a price. The consensus within the industry is that the gate counts of a new chip will likely increase at least threefold, compared with current MPEG-2 silicon. ZetaCast's McCann said the complex algorithm used in JVT requires a JVT chip to carry out at least two or three times more instructions in decoding.
McCann doesn't believe the complexity of JVT/AVC silicon will be hurt its chances of success. Rather, a potential barrier lies in intellectual property rights issues for JVT/AVC. Although the intention is to offer H.264's baseline profile free of charge, McCann doesn't believe this can be achieved. The licensing terms for JVT/AVC could be a lot more complex as fundamental techniques used in MPEG-2 are common to JVT, he added.
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Market Demand for Highest Quality Digital Video Drives DivXNetworks and Equator Alliance
- High quality DivX digital video powered by Equator's BSP-15 chip entices consumer video entertainment device manufacturers -
Amsterdam, Netherlands - Sept. 16, 2002 - DivXNetworks, Inc., the company that created the revolutionary patent-pending DivX video compression technology, and Equator Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance, programmable and power-efficient system-on-a-chip processors for video streaming and image processing applications, today announced an alliance to provide best-of-class, DivX-certified solutions for next generation consumer video electronics devices. The relationship between DivXNetworks and Equator will ensure that DivX-branded products provide consumers with the highest level of video quality and performance.
With over 65 million worldwide users, DivX is the leading video compression technology compatible with the MPEG-4 standard. The global market demand for DivX video compression technology among consumer electronics manufacturers is driving the need for best-of-breed video processing. Equator's BSP-15 system-on-a-chip solution provides the ideal platform for next generation DivX-powered consumer entertainment devices. At 400MHz, the BSP-15 system-on-a-chip delivers up to 40 GOPS of image processing power and high-definition delivery.
Equator is a natural partner to complement our focus on delivering the best DivX video experience to a wide range of consumer electronics devices and ensuring that those products reach the market in a timely manner, said Jordan Greenhall, co-founder and CEO of DivXNetworks, Inc. Equator's BSP-15 system-on-a-chip is a leading high performance processor at a price point appropriate for a wide range of consumer-electronics appliances, and it meets our rigorous technical demands for high-quality video.
Our fully programmable platform allows us to support market-accepted compression technologies with implementations available now for next generation consumer video entertainment device planning, said Avi Katz, president and CEO of Equator. DivXNetworks has a broad market following and we are excited to work with DivXNetworks and jointly meet the high quality video expectations.
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MPEG4 rivals are getting upper hand
H.264 is sometimes referred to as ‘part 10' of the MPEG4 standard. Equator Technologies' programmable video and image processors are the perfect solution for keeping up with the changing standards for video over IP. H.264 is just one such example. While fixed solution providers are worried over the potential adaption of non-MPEG-4 approaches, products using the BSP Family of chips are confident they can keep their customers current with the state of the art no matter what the improvements in compression technology.
MPEG4 rivals are getting upper hand
By Nick Flaherty
EE Times
September 20, 2002 (11:33 a.m. EST)
The current generation of the MPEG4 compression standard looks set to lose out in the broadcast field to technology from Microsoft and coding technologies under development.
Broadcast equipment leader Tandberg and receiver specialist Pace Micro Technology are both backing Microsoft's non-MPEG4- compatible Windows Media 9 (WM9) as the next wave for compressed media.
At the same time, the industry is still finding ways to get more out of the existing MPEG2 technology.
Charles Cartwright, product manager for advanced coding systems at Tandberg in the UK, said: MPEG4 doesn't offer enough advantage over MPEG2 to make it worth the swap. Windows Media 9 is definitely better than MPEG2.
Pace is backing a programmable approach for its Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) set-top box launched at IBC. Based around the BSP-15 chip from Equator Technologies, Pace's 440 and 442 are among the first set-top boxes to run WM9, although they can be programmed with MPEG4 and other proprietary codecs.
Fujitsu Siemens has also developed an IPTV set-top box, based around a PC architecture and running WM9. Further down the line, the H.264 standard threatens to supersede MPEG4. Work here is also led partly by Microsoft.
Philips demonstrated an H.264 codec at IBC, and Avi Katz, chief executive of Equator, says a codec will also be on his company's chips by the year-end.
H.264 is sometimes referred to as ‘part 10' of the MPEG4 standard. It will use the existing system infrastructure but will require more complex hardware for coding, meaning that existing MPEG4 decoders will not run it. This has led to the focus on WM9 for streaming video in applications such as video-over-broadband DSL lines.
Rob Koenen, president of the MPEG4 Industry Forum, said: The DVB Digital TV group is looking at going to MPEG4 part 10 straight away.
Supporters of MPEG4 say work should continue on the standard because of the need for open standards and multiple sources.
Envivio, a spin-off from France Télécom, has teamed up with French operator Canal+ to port an MPEG4 decoder for an interactive set-top box. Julien Signes, Envivio's president, said: MPEG4's an open standard and I think that's important to the operators.
Urgency over licensing
The MPEG4 Industry Forum (M4IF) is rushing to plug holes in the licensing and interoperability of the video compression standard.
Licensing issues over the current generation of MPEG4 delayed its commercial rollout until this month. The M4IF is determined that this will not happen with the next generation standard called H.264, or MPEG4 part 10.
Rob Koenen, the forum's president, said: Licensing this time will be much, much, much faster. The process started last week with the call for essential patents, and we are compressing into two months what took a year for MPEG4.
The M4IF has also joined with the Internet Streaming Media Alliance to work on the interoperability of different MPEG4 systems.
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On2 Ports New VP6 to Equator's Industry Leading BSP(TM)-15 Video Processor
Codec Delivers Low-bitrate, High-resolution Video Compression to Equator's Tetra(TM) Hardware Platform
On2 Technologies, Inc. (AMEX: ONT), a leading designer of software-based video compression algorithms and streaming technology, and Equator Technologies Inc., a leading provider of high-performance, programmable and power-efficient system-on-a-chip (SoC) processors for video streaming and image processing applications, announced today that On2's new VP6 codec has been ported to the Equator BSP-15 chip. The BSP-15, coupled with On2's VP6, works in conjunction with Equator's Tetra hardware platform, to offer a complete streaming video solution that delivers low-bitrate, high-resolution video-on-demand for set-top boxes and entertainment devices.
"The VP6 on our BSP-15 offers OEMs a solid solution for differentiating their set-top box offering for delivering streaming video to the home," said Rich Christopher, CEO of Equator. "We're excited to support On2's ongoing commitment to delivering powerful video compression technology. As an open source provider of programmable video processors, we find true value in being able to enable our customers with new technologies today, instead of tomorrow."
VP6 is the newest and most powerful codec offered by On2 and has been designed to support large image files, including high-definition, to deliver increased sharpness and resolution. The codec uses up to 50 percent fewer CPU cycles on DSPs allowing faster decoding times, for real-time and archived video, than its predecessor VP5. The VP6 codec also produces PSNR (peak signal-to-noise ratio) numbers that are superior to VP5 and other industry leading compression formats.
"Equator is our most enduring relationship in the DSP industry and we are pleased to announce that VP6 works on the BSP-15 and is available now, ahead of any other product in the market," said Douglas A. McIntyre, chairman, president and CEO of On2. "Equator and On2 have been producing a winning combination for more than two years, and this partnership now takes its next step to deliver next-generation VOD technology to the market."
About Equator Technologies Inc.
Equator Technologies is a provider of high-performance, programmable and power-efficient system-on-a-chip (SoC) processors for video streaming and image processing applications. Equator offers its proprietary BSP family of chips, iMMediaTools® software development toolkit, media libraries and reference platforms to more than 150 customers worldwide. Equator's video- centric SoC solutions are available for digital media, digital video communications and video security and surveillance applications. Founded in 1996, Equator is a privately held company headquartered in Campbell, California, with additional offices worldwide. More information about Equator is available online at www.equator.com.
About On2 Technologies, The Duck Corporation
On2 Technologies (Amex: ONT) is a leading technology firm at the forefront of video compression. The Company revolutionized video encoding with the creation of its advanced full-motion, full-screen, video compression and streaming technology (TrueMotion VP4/VP5/VP6). On2 licenses its high quality video codecs for use in set-top boxes, consumer electronics devices and wireless applications. In addition, On2 offers a suite of products and services, including high-level video encoding, customized technical support, and consulting/integration services. Located in New York City, the Company has an office in Clifton Park, NY, and operations in Cambridge, UK. On2 may be reached at 21 Corporate Drive, Suite 103, Clifton Park, NY 12065 or info@on2.com or sales@on2.com.
PluggedIn: 'Jetsons-Age' Pocket TV Jukeboxes Arrive
Sat Jul 5, 2003
By Franklin Paul
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Portable digital video players make it easy to pack Bach, Beck and a season of "Brady Bunch" episodes into one pocket-sized gadget, but consumers initially may balk at the hefty cost and limited video programming choices.
This new wave of gadgets is aimed at frequent travelers and young people who are comfortable with digital music and video. About the size of a John Grisham paperback and encased in shiny metal, they can hold dozens of full-length movies, thousands of music files and pictures, with space left over for storage.
The Jetsons-age vision of carrying all your favorite television programs and songs in the palm of your hand brings to fruition a dream: that one man can be a walking warehouse of good tunes and moving pictures.
Twenty years ago such a claim might have meant that a person had his media collection -- on hundreds of albums, cassettes and video tapes -- loaded in one's recreational vehicle, with a "roadie" waiting to lug it around.
Still, despite their small size and "gee-whiz" appeal, it may be years before consumers warm up to personal video players -- also called PVPs -- in the same fashion as its popular digital cousin, the MP3 player.
"There is not nearly as much momentum behind portable video as there is behind portable audio," said Yankee Group analyst Ryan Jones. "But it's still pretty early for these devices."
Just three years ago, downloading movies and sharing digital video was still considered a far-off notion. Only recently have portable music players became mainstream gadgets, and prices for digital home video cameras have come down. As such, the portable video market has arrived sooner then expected.
POWERFUL, YET PRICEY
The video jukeboxes come with a screen about 3 inches wide and 2 inches tall -- just larger than a credit card. The first two models originate in France, from Archos, with its AV320 and Thomson's (TMS.PA) RCA Lyra RD2780, due this fall.
Starting with 20 gigabytes of memory, each is about the size of a paperback book but has the weight of a hardcover. Both can play back digital video transferred from a video camera or other material acquired at home or on the Internet.
In addition, they record from television, much like a video cassette recorder, and Archos sells an add-on camera that turns the jukebox into a video camera. RCA's Lyra lets users program it to start and stop recording television shows at a set time.
Danielle Levitas, an analyst at research firm IDC, said consumers wowed by the their abilities may be put off by the price: the Archos tops $500, and the LYRA sells for $400.
"Most consumers think twice before they drop $400 ... and I don't see the cost coming down dramatically for a couple of years," she said. "Plus, there is competition from existing popular technology like portable DVD players."
Indeed, video-in-your-pocket is not a new idea. Frequent airline flyers can often be seen watching Hollywood's best on portable DVD players, whose screens are bigger than the PVP. Many of the same people who might buy PVPs already own laptop computers, which can play both DVDs and digital video files.
Other devices, such as Panasonic's SV-AV30, let users record from TV and play back the video, but have far less capacity. These machines, popular with camera enthusiasts as a way to view digital pictures, record data in increments of about 256 megabytes, or 80 times less capacity than a 20-gigabyte drive.
Personal digital assistants (PDAs) -- such as Sony's TG-50, JVC's MP-PV331 and Palm Inc.'s (Nasdaq:PALM - news) Zire 71 -- also play video in the MPEG-4 format. This is to video what the more familiar MP3 is to digital music recordings. But PDAs also carry very limited memory for watching films, and are pricey: Sony's and JVC's models sell for more than $400 each.
Besides the fact that the world doesn't need another three-letter acronym to remember, PVPs face other issues that could keep buyers away, such as concerns over short battery life and difficulty acquiring videos to view on the machine.
With the advent of PCs that pull songs from CDs and turn them into MP3 for portable use, music files are ubiquitous in homes and on the Internet, although not without some protest from music industry bigwigs who worry about unlawful swapping.
"We are seeing between 5 and 6 million households in the U.S. downloading feature-length content on a regular basis," Jones of Yankee Group said. "That's not just car commercials; that's TV shows or full-length movies."
Should these models succeed, experts see competing devices coming from companies such as Apple Computer Inc. (Nasdaq:AAPL - news), whose iPod dominates the audio "hard drive" market, and Sony Corp (news - web sites).(6758.T), the world's biggest consumer electronics maker.
(The PluggedIn column appears weekly. Comments or questions on this one can be e-mailed to franklin.paul(at)reuters.com.)
ONT__Last: 1.600
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SSP- on 4/30 you posted amex penny groovers which included ONT which had just climbed to $0.75-- no one has posted anything further about ONT's continued grooving:
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Technology Giants Team Up for Easier Home Networks
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Seventeen of the largest computer, consumer electronics and mobile phone companies on Tuesday said they have agreed on common standards to make it easier for consumers to swap digital music and pictures at home.
Companies in the Digital Home Working Group (DHWG) include Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ - news), International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM - news), Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq:MSFT - news), Intel Corp. (Nasdaq:INTC - news), Gateway Inc. (NYSE:GTW - news), Nokia (news - web sites) (NOK1V.HE), Sony Corp (news - web sites). (6758.T), Matsushita (6752.T), Sharp Corp. (6753.T), Samsung Electronics (05930.KS), Thomson (TMS.PA) and Philips (PHG.AS).
"A seamless environment for sharing and growing new digital media and content services will make home networking transparent, so consumers can more easily create, manage, access and share digital content," the group said in a statement.
The first products that are compatible with the new standard will be on the market by the second half of 2004, said Cesar Vorhringer, chief technology officer at Philips's consumer electronics unit, Europe's largest consumer electronics group.
"The timetable is aggressive," he said, adding that any other company was welcome to join the group.
He said there were too many, sometimes conflicting, standards that prohibited consumers from easily sending pictures from a digital camera to a television set, or music from a computer to a digital HiFi set.
The working group had already agreed to make certain technologies de facto standards. WiFi, for instance, will be set as a wireless (news - web sites) standard for the physical network, while other technologies have been selected for network protocols, device control and digital formats.
All companies supporting the initiative would support these open standards in their products, alongside their own proprietary technologies if they wish, he said.
One element they have not yet agreed upon is how to set standards for digital rights management (DRM), which is aimed at protecting copyrighted media, such as music and films.
"We're going to be busy establishing that framework. We have to set the basic rules and tools to deal with that," Vorhringer said.
The fact that DRM issues still needed to be sorted out would not mean a slowdown of the rest of the standardization process, because most homes own a lot of digital content that is free from copyright, such as home videos and pictures, he added.
"A large part of content is 'in the clear', and we'll have to make sure our devices interoperate for that content," he said.
Senate to Examine Online Copyright Dispute
By Andy Sullivan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A dispute between Internet providers and the recording industry over copyright protection and customer privacy has drawn the attention of the Senate Commerce Committee chairman.
The committee's chairman, Arizona Republican John McCain, said he would hold a hearing after Kansas Republican Sen. Sam Brownback asked him to look into the issue.
McCain's decision means Congress will wade into a legal dispute that so far has played out in the courts. However, he did not say when the hearing might be scheduled.
The Recording Industry Association of America (news - web sites), a trade group representing the five largest record labels, has been aggressively trying to shut down "peer to peer" networks like Kazaa and Morpheus, which allow users to download songs for free, and also has been pursuing individuals who use those services.
The RIAA asked Verizon Communications last summer for the name of one customer suspected of distributing more than 600 songs, but Verizon refused to do so without a court subpoena, saying such a move would violate privacy and due-process rights protected by the U.S. Constitution.
A U.S. court ordered Verizon to turn over the customer's name earlier this month, along with three other customer names subsequently requested by the RIAA.
The RIAA on Friday sent out cease-and-desist letters to the Verizon customers and one to an EarthLink Inc . customer.
Verizon is appealing the case, but Brownback has prepared a bill that would require the RIAA and other copyright investigators to file a formal lawsuit, rather than simply getting a court clerk's signature, before obtaining the names.
The current arrangement could allow stalkers, spammers, telemarketers and others with dubious motives to easily track down anyone they wanted, Brownback said on Thursday.
"I support the protection of copyright, but this is a big privacy issue," he said.
Brownback tried to attach his measure to another bill at a committee meeting Thursday morning, but withdrew it after McCain promised to hold a hearing.
Compressed expansion Digital music player shipments to surge
Matthew Miller, Special Projects Editor -- CommVerge, 6/16/2003
Compressed audio is leading to an expanded market opportunity, according to a new forecast from market researcher IDC. The firm says broad consumer acceptance and a diversity of available player types will drive the worldwide market to nearly $44 billion in revenue by 2007--a 30 percent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over five years.
The report notes that although players based on flash memory and hard-disk drives will show impressive growth, the "other" category--encompassing devices to which manufacturers add compressed-audio handling as an additional feature--will drive future shipment and revenue growth. Examples include conventional CD players, DVD players, game consoles, and PVRs (personal video recorders), according to IDC analyst Susan Kevorkian.
IDC predicts 24 percent CAGR over the forecast period for flash-memory-based players, thanks to the declining cost-per-megabyte of flash chips. However, the report throws some cold water on what--at least according to media buzz--is currently the hottest segment: hard-disk-based players. IDC claims that the cost of hard disks will inhibit growth in the segment by keeping end-user prices above $200. That may be so, but with hard-disk capacities still rocketing upwards, buyers who are willing to part with more money will enjoy capacity sufficient to tote around their entire collections.
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just wondering-
has anyone confirmed that edig will be getting royalties or any revenues related to the sales of mpio hd100???
Wear your MP3, batteries not included
Anthony Fordham
JUNE 17, 2003
BATTERY size and power consumption are two main factors keeping wearable MP3 players and similar technology off store shelves since their announcement early last year.
Despite numerous companies promising clothing with integrated electronic circuitry, MP3 players and mobile phones, the smallest technology available today still runs the risk of ruining the cut of a good suit.
Electronics developer Austria Micro Systems (AMS) blames power sources for the bulky size of devices, noting that standard batteries account for 78 per cent of a package built using the smallest available electronics.
AMS also identifies power consumption as a key area that needs development and says run-time energy estimation chips need to be created to handle power use inside ultra-compact devices.
Without these chips, power economy is left up to software programmers, who must second-guess a device's power profile to create software that puts the lowest possible demand on batteries.
AMS has proposed the creation of a chip called JouleDoc, which will actively monitor the hardware's power performance and adjust parts of the processing cycle accordingly.
System on Chip (SOC) and System in Package (SIP) architecture will also help reduce the size of a device's circuitry and its demand for power.
Integrating a number of processors on to one chip in SOC maintains a device's performance and functionality while dramatically reducing its size.
SIP is a cheaper alternative to SOC, and works by creating all the required chips for a device at once, on a single die. This improves the energy efficiency of a device by reducing the distance electricity has to pass through circuits, reducing resistance and improving battery life.
Despite power problems, a number of companies are poised to unleash wearable technologies, from MP3 players invisibly integrated into clothing and operated by voice command to fully functional PCs light enough to be worn beneath a jacket or jumper.
Infineon Technologies, in Munich, has been developing textiles with integrated microelectronics since early last year, including an integrated MP3 player.
The company is also developing smart garment tags containing circuitry identifying the brand and fabric. This would be most useful to dry-cleaners and large laundries, and help limit brand piracy.
Smart home washing machines could identify clothes, set temperature and spin cycles, and prevent colours from being washed with whites.
Infineon's other projects include a range of fabrics for medical applications, such as unobtrusive biometric sensors, and devices that generate power using human body heat.
Larger wearable technology is already in the field. Xybernaut's range of wearable PCs has been adopted by telecommunications companies and other industries needing high-powered computing in cramped conditions.
The Mobile Assistant V is bulky by MP3 player standards, but is fully Windows-compatible and can be operated by voice commands combined with a head-mounted VGA display or touchscreen flat panels.
Wearable PCs are enjoying success in areas such as warehouses, where users must be away from their desks and need more information than a standard PDA is able to offer.
reminds me of old wounds
Pervasive Computing in the Palm of Your Hand
Jun 09, 2003 (Internet.com via COMTEX) -- IBM plans to show off its commitment to Java-based pervasive computing at this week's JavaOne Conference in San Francisco by unveiling Palm as well as two other leading device manufacturers as its newest partners for the Websphere Micro Environment ( WME ), a Java-powered embedded runtime environment.
On Tuesday, IBM plans to announce that Palm and QNX Software Systems, a telematics that developed the Neutrino operating platform, will integrate IBM's WME middleware with enterprise applications. In addition, Nokia will integrate IBM's Websphere tools for developers to create enterprise applications can be extended to its handsets.
The move comes at a time of re-emerging interest in handheld computing, as evidenced by the favorable market reaction to last week's stunning merger between long-time rivals Palm and Handspring. At the time of the announcement, those handheld companies projected the compound annual growth rate for wireless devices at 23 percent through 2006.
But while the consumer-driven demand is still a bit of an enigma, growth from the enterprise side of the business will likely depend greatly on the ability to connect into back-end systems to support vital applications like messaging or remote data accessing for enterprise customers looking to automate their salesforce or mobilize their workforce.
"So what we're really focused on is delivering software to help customers deal with the fact that technologies and the network will change," said Joe DaMassa, vice president of marketing at IBM's Pervasive Computing division.
Thanks to the "write-once-and-run-anywhere" capabilities of the Java specification, WME can interoperate with IBM's DB2e, MQe and Lotus Sametime to help provide ready access to database, portals, messaging and instant messaging capabilities.
"What we want to avoid is customers implementing silo systems," DaMassa told internetnews.com during a recent telephone interview.
Of the three newest Websphere partners, Palm is showing the deepest commitment. Palm Solutions plans to incorporate and ship WME with its Palm Tungsten handheld devices including the Tungsten C and W models, running PalmOS 4.1, 5.2 and above. To help developers build wireless applications more easily on Palm devices, IBM and Palm plan to collaborate to expand the functionality of IBM's WebSphere Studio Device Developer tools.
As DeMassa explained, the deeper relationship is evidence that both Palm and IBM share a common vision of not only bringing java-compatibility to wireless devices but also to building out a new ecosystem that offers a value proposition for both companies. Those sentiments were echoed by Palm officials.
"Now we have a complete ecosystem from the J2EE server to the handheld device," said Chris Morgan, director of Startegic Alliances at Palm Solutions. "This ecosystem that they are building around is just right on target from our perspective."
Palm has a mult-phased approach for rolling out the Java runtime environment onto its Tungsten line. The company will make a download available to all existing Tungsten users later this summer. Palm will then bundle the Java component with newer Tungsten releases going forward.
IBM and Palm have been partnered up since June when the two began work on WebSphere's other mobile platform, WebSphere Everyplace Access . When asked about IBM's reaction to Palm's acquisition plans, DaMassa replied:
"The acquisition is great because it provides more platforms to deliver this capabilities."
MusicNet Does Windows Media
Music service will offer tunes in Microsoft's audio format.
Scarlet Pruitt, IDG News Service
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Online music service MusicNet said Thursday that it is offering its entire catalog of more than 350,000 songs in Microsoft's Windows Media 9 Series file format, giving the software giant greater presence in the booming digital music market.
The deal underscores digital media companies' desire to get a strong footing in the online music industry, which has been dominated so far by renegade peer-to-peer file swapping services.
Apple Computer's recent success with its iTunes Music Store, which boasts more than 2 million downloads since its launch in April, demonstrates the potential of legitimate players, however.
Multiple File Formats
Although MusicNet has had support from traditional Microsoft rivals--the service is currently distributed through America Online and has recently received funding from digital media competitor RealNetworks--the deal with Microsoft will allow MusicNet to offer music in multiple file formats.
This agreement marks the first time a digital music service has offered multiple file formats, according to a statement released by MusicNet President and Chief Executive Officer Alan McGlade.
For Microsoft, the agreement allows it to further propagate its file format, and reach digital music consumers, despite MusicNet's close relationship with AOL. In fact, Microsoft and AOL have recently decided to ease their rivalries and work together to deliver digital media to consumers, after settling a private antitrust suit late last month.
MusicNet offers music for streaming, downloading, and burning online, with content from the Big Five labels as well as independent record companies.
The service's main competitor, Pressplay, was acquired by Roxio last month. Roxio has said that it intends to use the service as a foundation for the relaunch of fallen song swapping service Napster.
MusicNet is hopeful that by offering multiple file formats, it can get a leg up on the competition, however.
Jun. 12, 2003 Spreading digital music through the house
By Jon Fortt
Mercury News
Computers have evolved into the best place to store and manage music files, and a new breed of affordable DVD/surround-sound systems have brought Dolby Digital sound into more family rooms.
But hooking the computer and the stereo together is still a challenge.
Audio hobbyists sniff at these advances. Digital music is usually stored on computers in compressed MP3 files but these are too low-quality to deliver concert-hall sound, aficionados would say, and affordable home theater systems deliver an experience that's mediocre at best. To them, joining the two experiences together is a lost cause.
While that might be true -- especially if you're trying to fill a room larger than 13 feet by 20 feet with jazz or classical music -- the affordable systems are more than good enough to impress most people with theater-type sound in a dorm room or a den.
So what is a music lover to do? How do you get the sound out of that laptop and into the stereo system? The good news is, it's neither as difficult nor as expensive as you might think.
There are several ways to move music around the house. FM transmitters cost between $20 and $40, and use a radio signal to carry audio between a PC and a stereo. Several manufacturers including Creative Labs, Onkyo and Xitel make external sound processors that connect to a computer's USB port. The USB devices do roughly the same thing as sound cards, but users don't have to crack open the computer case to install them.
Motorola's Simplefi, which sells for about $300 and uses HomeRF radio frequency, is an expensive but viable example.
The most promising method for delivering music through the house, though, is Ethernet -- the same connection that carries data between a computer and a cable or DSL modem. Hewlett-Packard has a digital media receiver for $200 to $300 that uses wires Ethernet or WiFi wireless to stream music from computer to stereo.
Tech Test Drive columnist Mike Langberg says the HP receiver isn't a great product, but at least it's a start.
Richard Doherty, analyst at Envisioneering Group, said he expects a new company called HopHog to introduce an even more affordable $100 Ethernet-based digital media receiver sometime this year.
Alan Lofft, a New York-based home-theater expert, said for connoisseur-level sound, you should expect to pay $2,000 -- about $1,500 for surround-sound speakers and a subwoofer, and $500 for a receiver. But you can achieve very good sound for less than that, with surround systems that cost as little as $200.
``Because the speakers are small, if you think of a speaker as a miniature air pump because that's what it is, they have real limitations in how loud they'll play and the fidelity,'' he said. ``But the compromises in many cases are handled very well.''
Lofft said the most important things are to make sure your front and center-channel speakers are the same brand, and to make sure that if you want good sound out of MP3 files, you encode them at 256K or higher.
Ways to improve sound
for $15 to $50
RCA plugs: Don't pack away that old shelf-system stereo if the detachable speakers are still good. If the stereo has two red and white ports in the back -- they're usually labeled ``Video/Aux'' -- it could be good for hooking up to a PC, TV or DVD player. Even if your TV has pretty good built-in speakers, chances are the ones on your old stereo are still better, especially if they have built-in subwoofers for bolder bass. You can even get the illusion of surround sound if you place the speakers at least 10 feet apart.
All you'll need to get the job done is cord that has a headphone jack on one end and RCA plugs on the other -- RCA is the type with the red and white ends. If your computer has a sound card with built-in RCA, that's even better. Often this results in clearer sound with less hum. A warning, though: You can't string RCA cord forever without consequences. String it longer than 30 feet and the cord begins to pick up buzzing interference.
FM Transmitter: An FM transmitter is also a good option for going short distances, 100 feet or less. The transmitter plugs into the headphone jack of a PC or laptop and sends a signal to the radio. These often cost between $20 and $40.
Speaker wire: For some reason, the surround-sound systems available for $400 or less rarely come with enough speaker wire. They will often include just 10 feet or so for the side speakers, and if you want to string the wire along a wall -- or if you just want to place them creatively in a larger room -- that's not nearly enough. You can buy 50 feet of speaker wire for a little more than $10 and have your pick of speaker locations. A couple of warnings, though. The farther the speaker is from the receiver, the lower the quality of the sound. Also, be sure to get the same size speaker wire that came with the system. Thicker wire might be more expensive, but it often doesn't work with basic systems.
Ways to improve sound
for $50 to $150
MP3 CD: If you just want lots of music out of your basic home theater system, consider burning a CD full of MP3 music files. A CD burner costs just $65, and a 10-pack of blank CDs is less than $5. You can pack about 150 songs onto a CD in MP3 format -- that comes out to nearly eight hours of music. That should be enough for just about any dinner party. Pop it into your DVD player and the sound will play out of the same speakers you use to watch movies -- and most every DVD player made in the past two years plays MP3 CDs.
USB Sound Processor: You can always just install a sound card in your desktop computer. But laptops are increasingly popular, a lot them don't have sophisticated audio capabilities built in, and adding internal sound cards to them is often not an option.
A good way around that is a USB sound processor. At the entry level, $50 sound processors from Creative Labs, Onkyo or Xitel are good buys -- you can string RCA from the processor to the stereo. The sound processors also include audio input plugs.
Those provide a good way to turn your old vinyl records into digital files -- just take sound from the audio output plug on the turntable into the sound processor. The sound-processor solution works best for laptops that you can place near the stereo system.
Sent--I just have one question; I know who "everyone in general" is but who is "no one in particular"? Just thought I would add to the inanity (word?) of it all. cksla
D&M Holdings Buys Escient / openglobe
By Steve Smith
TWICE
4/24/2003 11:21:00 AM
Tokyo - A week after D&M Holdings was the high bidder for the ReplayTV and Rio business units of SONICblue, the company has bought the assets of U.S.-based OpenGlobe and Escient Convergence, subsidiaries of Escient Technologies.
Escient, a leading developer of digital home entertainment devices including the FireBall digital music managers, will be merged into the digital development group with ReplayTV and Rio
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
These companies will form the new Escient Division within Digital Networks North America, Inc. (DNNA), the new platform established by D&M to further the development of core technologies in the emerging entertainment-based home networking market.
Escient's flagship product is FireBall, an all-in-one digital audio jukebox that finds and plays both physical discs and digital music files while also displaying album cover art, album and song titles and artist information through an onscreen interface.
FireBall supports up to five managers for distribution of music around the home, receives weekly software updates through the Internet and plays music from both Internet radio stations and higher-speed satellite radio stations, D&H said.
D&M Holdings also announced the senior management leadership team for DNNA. Michael Seedman, a director of D&M Holdings, becomes chairman of DNNA and Bernie Sepaniak, current Escient president/CEO, will remain as president of the Escient Division of DNNA. D&M Holdings anticipates that most of Escient's employees, including its technical team, will join DNNA.
'Our goal is to provide access to entertainment anytime and anywhere throughout the home. This acquisition furthers that strategy,' said Tatsuo Kabumoto, president/CEO of D&M Holdings.
Today's announcement represents the company's fourth investment in technology to create entertainment-based digital home networking solutions. In addition to its pending acquisitions of ReplayTV and Rio, D&M Holdings also made an investment in 2002 in Mediabolic, a San Francisco-based company that provides an embedded software platform for entertainment devices. Denon will use the Mediabolic platform in new products that will be launched later this year.
Encryptonite Will Secure Digital Content
Distributed from PCs to Networked DVD Players
SecureMedia, Inc., a leading provider of encryption and digital
rights management (DRM) solutions, announced today that it is
supplying its Encryptonite(TM) technology to Oak Technology, Inc.
(Nasdaq: OAKT) as part of their new Oak MaestroLink(TM) home gateway
solution, the first solution for low-cost, consumer friendly, home
media networks.
The Oak MaestroLink solution bridges the home DVD player and the
PC using a wired or wireless connection to enable the viewing of
streamed video, music, photos, games or Web content on the TV. The
solution includes a low-cost ASIC which can be easily designed into
any conventional DVD player and media processing software for the PC.
SecureMedia is supplying its Encryptonite core encryption technology
as an embedded element of the Oak MaestroLink home gateway solution to
secure
=========01/08/2003 08:01:00=========
jobs-- i have seen it 2x recently during NCAA basketball playoffs.
IBiquity Digital, the developer of HD Radio technology
that lets broadcasters send a digital signal alongside their existing
analog transmissions, announced that Fujitsu Ten Limited of Japan has
licensed the technology for integration into automotive components.
Fujitsu Ten's Eclipse brand is one of the top five sellers in the hi-end
category of aftermarket automotive receivers. The technology allows users
to receive digital signals with improved audio fidelity, and provides for
the development of additional on-demand interactive audio and wireless
data services.
http://www.ibiquity.com/press/pr/PressReleasesiBiquity.htm
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