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Technology Powered by On2's VP6 Video Codec
Friday November 28, 8:00 am ET
NEW YORK, Nov. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- On2 Technologies, Inc. (Amex: ONT - News) today announced that BBC television journalists are being equipped with new technology that enables them to broadcast "live" reports into news bulletins using laptop PCs.
Armed with just a camera and laptop, correspondents can hook up to any IP connection, such as a Satphone, ISDN, Wi-Fi etc., and go "live". The new software developed by QuickLink (www.quicklink.tv) follows on from an earlier version which enabled journalists to transmit edited reports from their laptops. Adding a "live" facility offers journalists a very powerful newsgathering tool.
Peter Mayne, Executive Editor BBC Newsgathering, said: "BBC Newsgathering now has Quicklink systems deployed around the world. The system was used extensively during the Iraq war by our news teams who were in the most forward positions and being in the thick of the action needed to travel with the smallest and lightest equipment possible. We will be updating all our systems with the latest software to take advantage of the new facility that provides live feeds at low data rates."
Richard Rees, director of QuickLink, said: "It's very encouraging to have the BBC invest in our new software. We have an excellent product that generates very good video quality."
He added, "Technical advances are leading to fundamental changes in the way that television news is gathered. We're determined that the QuickLink brand will remain at the forefront of these developments."
The new "live" software is scaleable depending on what IP connectivity is available. It can operate at below 64Kb/s and rise to 1Mb/s and beyond. The higher the bandwidth, the better the picture quality.
The QuickLink software offers television journalists enormous flexibility. It can be used in an office to send reports back to base very quickly, as well as to go "live" in good visual quality. And when a story breaks out of town, the journalist simply takes the laptop with him and connects to whatever IP connection is available.
The QuickLink software is powered by the VP6 codec developed by On2 Technologies, Inc.
"On2 is extremely excited to see the VP6 realtime capacity deployed in an application and environment that challenges both the quality and flexibility of the codec. This opens the door to an entirely new series of uses for the VP6 software," said Douglas A. McIntyre, On2 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We could not find better partners than the BBC and QuickLink. We have worked with them in the past and their reputations for quality work are widely known," he added.
About On2 Technologies, The Duck Corporation
===============================================================QuickLink offers the television broadcast industry three main products and services:
A network for distributing broadcast-quality video files via the internet. A major advantage of the system is its ease of expansion; new end-users can join the network by simply downloading the QuickLink software decoder.
Live Broadcaster. This software application - installed on a standard desktop or laptop PC - enables users to broadcast a "live" video signal over an IP network and achieve very good picture quality (even at low bandwidth, such as 128Kb/s). The greater the available bandwidth, the better the visual quality
.
File Broadcaster. This software application enables a PC user to encode and transmit broadcast-quality video reports across the internet or any IP network and achieve very fast transmission times. In our opinion, the video compression technology we use is the best available.
QuickLink is owned and operated by QuickLink Video Distribution (QVD) Services Ltd - a company that was formed as a result of collaboration between Fourth Broadcast Network Ltd. (4BN) and TVZ Ltd.
4BN (www.4bn.com) is a leader in the design of software-based encoders and solutions for, web-cast, streaming media, and web-based conferencing, training etc. 4BN also has an extensive server base connected to the internet backbone through its partnership with Tiscali.
TVZ (www.tvz.tv) is well-known in the television newsgathering industry. Its founders have considerable experience in developing innovative ways of transmitting broadcast-quality news reports via the internet.
The two companies have been developing video transmission systems for the Broadcast industry for the past two years and have achieved considerable success with their Laptop News Gathering (LNG) system. It has been adopted by several broadcasting companies, including BBC Newsgathering and ABC News.
QuickLink was launched to build on the success of the proven LNG system.
The LNG technology has been adapted to create a network for distributing broadcast-quality video over the internet. Any video that is encoded using the LNG File Broadcaster can be played out in broadcast quality by an end-user who's installed the QuickLink software decoder. The decoder is free of charge.
The QuickLink video distribution service is designed to improve and simplify the way in which broadcasters, corporates, agencies and independents currently transmit and exchange video.
To back up its advanced technology, QuickLink combines technical and marketing support to help maximise clients' potential and exposure to the market.
At QVD Services we are committed to setting new standards and creating new opportunities for the distribution of video content, giving power to video producers to market and distribute their footage quickly and cost effectively to a global broadcasting audience.
SVA's EVD press release http: //www.sva.com.cn/news/listnews.asp?id=1583
From all walks of life focuses attention on has been long, the core technology completely for the China independent intellectual property rights new generation of high definition, high nurtures the divine or pristine element within oneself the video compact disk machine - EVD®broadcast machine (high density numeral laser video disc system), to November 18, 2003 in Great Hall of the People grand announcement official delivery market.Today, Beijing, the Great Hall of the People, the Shanghai broad electricity information industries limited liability company, the Jiangsu new electron group company, the Xiamen mansion new electron limited liability company, the Dongguan city gold numerical code science and technology limited company, the Guangdong backgammon electronics industry limited company, Wan Lida the group company, Beijing Jin Yuxing the electronic technology limited company, created the Uygur group, the Sichuan rainbow electric appliance limited liability company and so on nine domestic renowned electrical appliances giants hand in hand promotes including has unfolded the product, 11 kind of different models EVD broadcast machine in the Hong Kong international electron which just won an award with the Shanghai international industry®exposition at.The national development and reform committee Assistant Director Zhang Xiaoqiang, national science and technology department Committee Member Chen Zu Tao, country information industries department Vice-minister Low diligent and thrifty, national department of commercial affairs Wei founds a nation vice-minister as well as ministries and commissions and so on country intellectual property rights bureau Wang Jingchuan Bureau Chief leads can to the domestic video compact disk machine industry alliance - China numeral compact disc technology unified body as well as the EVD®technology system research and development unit - China numeral compact disc technology unified body substantialized enterprise Beijing 阜 country numeral technology limited company expressed warmly congratulates, fully had affirmed since 阜 the country numeral four years have implemented the foundation achievement which the country intellectual property rights strategy and the standard strategy, has been through repeatedly difficultly poverty-stricken obtains, and expressed mutually will coordinate, Sells in view of®EVD from the entire machine production to small dish piece publication each link gives the video compact disk machine industry alliance to be comprehensive, the system policy instruction and the concrete support, promotes the EVD®product rapid popularization, thoroughly reverses the passive aspect which the video compact disk machine profession at present faces, realizes the entire profession to surmount the type development.In recent years, rapidly seized the international market by the low price strategy "China to make", joined WTO after our country, bitter experience to multinational corporation intellectual property rights this double-edged sword blockade, but the intellectual property rights exactly were "China made" the soft rib are at, first is hit the soft rib is the domestic video compact disk machine industry, exported US along with our country some electrical appliances enterprise 150,000 DVD to detain, just ended in previous month at 94th session of Guangzhou Export Commodities Fair, also had because the 6C alliance to pursue the patent fee, 5 domestic DVD production merchant is expelled by the collective the Guangzhou Export Commodities Fair conference site the awkward event.
Facing this stern challenge and the historical opportunity, in original national 经贸委 and under the information industries department organization, the domestic video compact disk machine industry mainstay cartel have established the Chinese numeral compact disc unified body this industry alliance, and sets up the joint stock system entity company in the unified body foundation according to the modern enterprise system, unites carries on the core and the general character technical development, through in the development according to the industry needs to persist has the behavior to be able to refrain from doing things the principle, through in grasps the development initiative under the premise to persist independently innovates and the international cooperation unifies, passes through the nearly four year arduous struggles, The new generation of high density laser video disc system (EVD®) finally crossed the technical system development, the core chip development production, the entire machine industry scale production and so on the multichannel difficulty, the EVD®product sells busy season period at the end of this year started the mass to put in the market, the entire profession starts in the intellectual property rights aspect passive condition to change, has the development initiative the promotion aspect to form.EVD®product Xie Xiangdu is DVD five times, to on international for the first time simultaneously realized in the sound effect aspect has high nurtured the divine or pristine element within oneself and surrounds the sound, a EVD®video compact disk at present may save approximately 110 minutes video and music programs, was advantageous for the audience integrity, continuously appreciates the majority the movie. EVD®will shock the sound effect and 亮丽 the picture nature perfect union, has realized the high definition numeral festival goal memory and the broadcast for the first time in the world based on the compact disc, has brought the high clear time video compact disk machine for the Chinese, will let the Chinese most early enjoy in the world to the most superior seeing and hearing quality.
China's Alternative To DVD
Nov. 27, 2003
If I were an entertainment industry executive, I'd worry less about college students sharing files on the Internet and more about what's happening in China.
The Chinese government just announced a government-funded project to develop an alternative to the DVD. Called "EVD" (for "enhanced versatile disc"), the new format is reported to be technically superior to DVD, especially for recording and showing high definition television programs (HDTV).
Normally, I don't get too worked up over a new recording or storage format, especially when it's competing with an already entrenched standard such as DVD or CD. But every other time I've reported on a new standard, it was being pushed by a company or, at most, a consortium of companies. It's extremely difficult for a few companies -- even when it includes the likes of Sony or IBM -- to overturn an entrenched standard, but we're not talking about companies here.
We're talking a country that's home to 1.3 billion people. In 2002, according to the CIA Word Fact Book, China had a purchasing power of $5.7 trillion dollars. OK, the U.S. has one-fourth as many people and twice as much purchasing power, but China is still an emerging economic powerhouse that is getting stronger and richer all the time.
It wasn't long ago when China was in the technological dark ages, but that is changing. A significant and growing number of Chinese students are seeking advanced degrees in engineering, compared to the shrinking number here in the United States. Although it's taking place slowly, China is also on the way to becoming a consumer economy with a growing middle class.
OK, enough about China's economy and commitment to technology. You get my drift. The country's on a roll.
What is perhaps more important is that the nature of Chinese engineering may be changing. China, for years, has been an efficient source of manufacturing for all sorts of high-tech products. In fact, it's the world's leading supplier of DVD players, with about 60 percent market share. Yet, even though China is cranking out a record number of DVD machines, it's not a major consumer of the devices. Even among the technologically privileged Chinese, a lot of people use VCDs, or Video Compact Discs.
In other words, China's EVD proponents don't have to unseat an entrenched incumbent technology when it comes to the domestic Chinese market.
Contrast this to the United States and Europe, where DVDs are well on their way to replacing video cassettes as the preferred format for watching movies. They've also invaded the vast majority of new personal computers and are on the verge of becoming the preferred medium for home video recording.
With such momentum, the DVD is going to be with us for quite some time, but just because it has become a standard in America and most of the rest of the world, doesn't mean it will dominate China. If popularity in America were that important to the Chinese, most people over there would be eating with forks, rather than chop sticks.
It's quite possible for China to develop and popularize a media format regardless of what has caught on in the rest of the world. And, considering China's population, economic clout, cheap labor and manufacturing prowess, the impact could be felt around the world.
For starters that means that the Chinese won't be buying American DVDs. It also means that -- depending upon the encryption technology built into EVD -- Chinese movie buyers may not be subject to the same copy restrictions as people who buy DVDs in the United States and the rest of the world. Commercial DVD movies are encoded with encryption that not only -- in theory -- makes them not able to copy but also renders them unplayable on machines in other regions.
In other words, if you buy a DVD in London, for example, you can't play it on most DVD players bought in the United States. Of course, that same encryption can be broken by anyone who has a vested interest in piracy. That's exactly what is now happening. Pirate copies of American DVDs are easy to find on the streets of Beijing and many other Asian countries.
That fine piece of technology was brought to us by the U.S. movie industry, anxious to protect its "intellectual property" (as if intellectual and movie can be used in the same sentence). The Chinese do have a movie industry but, like most of the Chinese economy, the government has a great deal to say about how it operates. The same will be true of the EVD industry which is growing up with government funding.
©MMIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
best EVD analysis seen so far. Huge for ONT.
http: //www.usb.com.cn/news/news_show.asp?id=732036987586285
The EVD technology appears the beginning to end: The core technology buys from the American enterprise .In 2003 is doomed is a DVD profession lively year, because it is facing the entire profession promotion, to was high clearly engraves records the function the demand to propose the agenda. Under this profession background, along with from decides the standard the promotion and self- intellectual property rights owner, once fully suffered 3C, the 6C alliance patent fee exploits the bitter domestic DVD enterprise to have to go as if seizes the market taking the initiative.The large amount patent fee expedites childbirth.Domestic standard alliance.The domestic DVD enterprise from the birth first day, lacks the patent fee and intellectual property rights protection consciousness. But in the world DVD all technologies all come from to be established in on century 90's the later period DVD FORUM organization, certain enterprises are convenient for the patent permission, tie up form some several technical in the same place the alliance, this is so-called 3C, 6C, the 9C technology alliance. When these alliances to the Chinese enterprise demanded the patent permission is time-consuming, the domestic DVD enterprise displays is caught off guard. Beijing ¸· country numeral technology limited company General Manager Hao Jie pointed out that, "Today sues the domestic enterprise is 3C, 6C, which hasn't one day formed a several C alliance, again needs to demand some several technical to the Chinese enterprise the patent permission expense".Starts from 1999, in original national ¾Ã³Î¯ and under the information industries department organization, the domestic enterprise started the DVD profession core technology research and development. At that time, was new, Xia Xin and so on nine domestic video compact disks machine mainstays cartel establishes Chinese numeral compact disc unified body this alliance. The Beijing ¸· country numeral technology limited company from this the being established, it invests the shareholder besides these 9 mainstays enterprise, but also bought in another 6 to be connected the organization and the unit, on broad electricity group became its first major stockholder by 40% many stocks.The core technology buys from the beautiful business.EVD appearing is inseparable with US'S two companies. On2 Corporation took the world video frequency technology the leadership enterprise, grasped has been able to satisfy the high clear interconnection function VP5 and the VP6 two video frequencies compressions technology. Because of the American stock market's entire circulation characteristic, its stockholder's rights structure highly disperses, ¸· the country initial plan is draws up in its stock market murkiest time purchases its 3% about by 1 million US dollars prices the stock, and plans to delegate General Manager Hao Jie to take the post of its board of directors member. Because this amount stockholder's rights had sufficiently guaranteed ¸· the country knows the circumstances of the matter the power to its board of directors significant decision-making. Òź¶.µÄ.ÊÇ ¸· country because the domestic correlation policy department's examination and approval, has delayed can stipulate in the American state policy jail in the time completes the work, to this August, this purchase plan has not finally been able to succeed.
Part 2
But two contacts certainly not in light of this terminated. The EVD video compact disk machine has 6 cores technologies, including physical form, navigation, video frequency compression algorithm, audio frequency compression algorithm, captions, encryption algorithm. ¸· the country took EVD standard the technical provider, the physical form, the audio frequency compression algorithm, aspect and so on captions is its manager, took Chinese audio frequency standard leading hand, ¸· the country has achieved the world synchronization level in the audio frequency compression technology. But the video frequency compression technology actually is it "the short board". But this just is Microsoft, the On2 these companies' long quarters in. ¸· the country finally signs the agreement with On2: ¸· the country pays 50,000 US dollar VP5 and the VP6 video frequency compression technology patent permission expense to On2. 50,000 US dollars patents permitted Fei Rangfu country General Manager Hao Jiepo had has picked a cheap contentment in vain: "Is 50,000 US dollars, also is about 500,000 Renminbi, but is not 1 million US dollars which other media reported mistakenly, moreover VP5 and VP6 also only will be future we promotes the EVD standard time to be possible the option".
Not only that, in the bilateral negotiations, the member which Hao outstanding becomes the On2 Corporation board of directors, enjoys its board of directors significant decision-making to know the circumstances of the matter the power. "Really has the such good small advantage facing newspaper reporter to let the Chinese enterprise picks in vain" the question, the Hao Jie reply is: "Had to thank entire European and American economy not to be booming at that time before, On2 Corporation negotiated the stock price in and us once to achieve more than 40 US dollars, negotiated when and us were its stock market displayed is murkiest, each does not only have 1 US dollar price".
"Has picked a small advantage in vain" in the core technology, on core part chip then is "is opportunistic", this is another specially is engaged in the chip production American enterprise LSI LOGIC. ¸· the country enable both sides through its negotiations to reach the agreement, both sides to this year beginning of the year establishes the EVD chip union laboratory in Beijing, both sides united the research and development, the technology turns over to both sides together all, simultaneously ¸· the country gave the chip generation of labor power this company, its generation of labor expense sufficiently supported LSI in the LOGIC technology the permission expense.
The core technology and the core part huge cheaply let ¸· country's general managers nearly is the very happy acknowledgement "EVD truly is transferred the monstrous fetus which market each kind of demand factor was opportunistic". This version writes article/newspaper Reporter Zheng Xiaoma
2003-11-28 author: Origin: New ¾©±¨
Blu-ray is officially dead, sentenced by DVD committee in New Year last week.
---17 of the world's most famous boxers pulled down by a 3-year-old boy---
17 DVD committee included IBM, Intel, NEC, Time Warner, Matsushita Electric
Industrial Co, Sony, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Toshiba,
Hitachi, Sharp, JVC, ....
After much delay, the DVD Forum finally selected HD-DVD as the next generation
with violet-ray technology to replace Blu-ray. The Vio-ray at the first day
took the helm already faced a strong enemy, the 3-year-old boy who killed this
elder brother. The little boy named ¸·¹ú, a small Chinese private firm never
heard by Chinese until lately came up with EVD.
Technology:
CD, VCD, DVD and EVD are all in the same group, Red-ray, its wave length
is long at about 650 nm. Blu-ray used 305nm wave length blue ray. HD-DVD
uses violet-ray has even shorter wave length. Shorter wave length is harder to
capture with todays technology. It is harder to store, very sensitive to scratches,
finger prints or dust on HD-DVD. EVD shares mature red-ray hardware used in CD,
VCD and DVD. With small modification EVD can read DVD, VCD and CD.
Loyalty(License penalty):
Last year, DVD penalty was $15-$20 each copy. The price of DVD player was
$200 to $100 in market. Currently, DVD penalty is $9 when DVD players sell
as low as $20 each(Best-Buy price). HD-DVD license penalty is not going
to be cheap compare with DVD. Maybe starts with $50 per copy.
Chinese EVD penalty is set at $1 to $5 at the beginning($1 for group members,
$5 for non-members), may drop to $1 or Even lower in couple years.
Introduction schedules:
EVD is in market now, before its previous schedule. Set to sell 1 million boxes in Q4-2003.
Blu-ray was expected to hit market by 2005, terminated last week.
Vio-ray is expected to intro at Christmas-2004 if no delays. Blu-ray was
canceled after many times delay. There is still a year to go, difficult to
expect for a smooth introduction without delay.
Density:
Blu-ray has the highest at 25 Gbytes per side (a bit more than 5x DVD)
EVD comes at second 23.5 Gb per side (is 5x DVD)
Vio-ray inferior to them at 15 Gb (3x DVD)
Costs:
Since EVD used many low cost red-ray tech and hardware, it sells at
$240 each now, will drop below $100 next year is for sure.
Vio-ray DVD is tough new tech, if it hit the market next year-end,
it will cost $500 or more to sell, compete with reliable, proven EVD
players sell at $100 each or even lower at the same time, in
the same market. Vio-ray is too late, to small to compete.
** Blu-ray was developed by 10 powerful consumer electronics companies,
including Sony, Philips, Hitachi, Sharp and Samsung.
** Violet-ray is HD DVD format proposed by Toshiba, NEC as the next-generation
DVD format was finally approved by the DVD Forum's steering committee during
Nov-2003 meetings in New York.
http://www.eet.com/sys/news/OEG20031126S0034
berge--OT- did you like our little lightning display the other night.
China looks to make great leap forward
By Mure Dickie
Published: November 14 2003 4:00 / Last Updated: November 14 2003 4:00
The latest sleek silver box built by Chineseelectronics maker Yuxing Infotech looks little different from countless other video disc players stacked under television sets around the world.
This one, however, is special - it plays Enhanced Versatile Discs, or EVDs, a homegrown Chinese standard that will be launched next week and which its corporate backers hope will soon be challenging the DVD for the loyalties of couch potatoes everywhere.
"We can offer a much better audio and visual experience than DVD," says Hao Chieh, president of Beijing E-world Technology, the venture set up by a consortium of Chinese DVD player producers to develop the new standard.
The idea of China as the source of a new electronics format may surprise consumers used to the dominance of US, European and Japanese companies but the EVD push is part of a broad effort by China to play a greater role in shaping global standards.
PC and consumer electronics companies have teamed up to develop a standard for communication between devices such as computers and mobile phones, while local telecommunications manufacturers are trying to develop a homegrown "third generation" telecoms standard.
The effort is given weight by the rapid growth of China's domestic market and its emergence as a global manufacturing workshop.
Such strengths are apparent in the drive to promote EVDs, which were developed with the enthusiastic support of the Beijing government and are soon to be approved as a national technical standard.
Beijing E-world, whose chairman is a member of the Chinese Communist party's Central Committee, says its shareholders account for 70-80 per cent of the output of digital video disc players in China and 30 per cent worldwide. E-world says its new standard allows much higher definition video and better sound to be stored on discs that are physically the same as DVDs.
Mr Hao says that the core technology designed for EVDs is better suited to network applications, a key strength given the convergence of video and computer products. They also offer functions such as subtitles that change colour to stand out from their background and - no small benefit in China - space for more karaoke tunes.
Of course, the Chinese are not alone in looking beyond the current DVD format and they can still appear puny matched against rivals such as Sony, Samsung or Philips.
But with rival standards some way from the mass market, Mr Hao thinks EVDs can succeed with the help of a carefully plotted "road map" for the introduction of steadily improved versions.
Crucially, all EVD players will also be able to play DVDs and will cost less than Rmb2,000 ($242). More than 1,000 films are already available in the new format.
Marketing will seek to leverage demand for high-definition televisions. HDTV set sales are growing fast but buyers currently find themselves with little high-definition content to watch.
Yuxing alone expects to sell 200,000 EVD players in the next year, with Mr Hao estimating total sales will climb from 1m in 2004 to 12m in 2006.
EVD's backers hope overseas demand will force international rivals to adopt the standard, giving local companies new leverage in negotiations over foreign-held technology licences.
Beijing E-world corporate investors will use the EVD standard for free, with other Chinese companies expected to pay $1-$2 per player and foreign manufacturers around $4-$5. But detailed rates will vary by company.
"To those that are fierce to us on royalties . . . wewill be the same," says Mr Hao. "If you give me a preferential deal, I'll do the same for you. But if you try to choke me to death then I won't show you any mercy either."
Success is far from guaranteed. A Hong Kong-based sector analyst scoffs at the idea that Chinese companies will sustain the R&D effort and co-operation needed.
But Zhu Jiang, vice-president of Yuxing, argues that even if overseas markets prove difficult, EVD sales in China would provide an important boost for manufacturers that have seen margins on DVD players tumble.
On2 Technologies And Seachange To Offer VOD Over IP Solution
Files Compressed in On2's VP format Now Capable of Being Served via SeaChange's VOD System
New York, NY, May 29, 2002 -- On2 Technologies Inc. (AMEX: ONT), The Duck Corporation, the industry leader in compression technology, announced today that SeaChange International, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEAC), the leading supplier of digital video servers for television, is now capable of streaming video files encoded in On2's proprietary VP format over IP based networks.
On2's VP4 and VP5 video codecs are recognized for their ability to deliver full-screen, DVD-quality video at significantly lower data rates than other video compression technologies. Content encoded in these formats can now be served from SeaChange's MediaCluster-based VOD systems to a TruePlay client allowing for high-quality video delivery over IP connections.
In tests across a broad spectrum of content, VP5 has outperformed its competition in quality, data rate and performance while maintaining lower decode and encode complexity. Competitive codecs typically require data rates 50% higher than VP5 to achieve comparable video quality. VP5 also offers real-time encoding and the ability to handle interlaced content.
"Potential clients seeking to deliver DVD-quality video at manageable data rates will now be able to capitalize on the benefits of our VP4 or VP5 codecs and SeaChange's VOD systems," said Douglas A. McIntyre, President and CEO of On2 Technologies. "As On2 moves forward in our efforts to be the global codec of choice for low bit rate VOD deployments, it is great to have a partner with the reliability and reputation of SeaChange."
"SeaChange systems are driving the proliferation of video-on-demand and together with On2 will provide new cost-efficiencies for low-bit rate deployments around the world," said Yvette Gordon-Kanouff, corporate vice president, business strategy, SeaChange International. "Cable, DSL and other operators are taking advantage of IP networks to deliver new advanced television services and SeaChange and On2 are providing a comprehensive, economical system to deliver these exciting new applications."
The escalating deployment of VOD and the promise of advanced television services demand a video server system that supports vast metropolitan populations without interruption. SeaChange's VOD system is distinguished by the patented MediaCluster storage technology, which provides the most economical platform for storing and streaming media -- a critical benefit as all television programming becomes personally interactive. Integrated software provides the VOD system's automated functionality, ensuring easy operation and expansion in support of new subscribers, more content and emerging interactive television applications.
Six of the eight largest cable operators in North America have selected SeaChange VOD systems for over 34 cities with the two largest cable systems in the U.S., including Cablevision's New York tri-state operation. Today, these deployments include thousands of video servers capable of delivering over 200,000 streams.
About Seachange
SeaChange International, Inc. is the world leader in digital video systems. The Company leads the VOD industry in twelve-month trailing revenues and planned subscribers. In advertising, SeaChange serves 85 percent of the U.S. local cable market. The Company creates powerful server and software systems that manage, store and distribute professional quality digital video -- with over 7,000 systems deployed. SeaChange's innovative products are based on a scalable, distributed software architecture and standard technology components to continually deliver substantial improvements in digital video cost-performance. As a result, SeaChange enables broadband, broadcast, satellite and new media companies to streamline operations and reduce costs, allowing for expanded services, new applications and increased revenues. SeaChange is headquartered in Maynard, Massachusetts and has product development, support and sales offices throughout the world. Visit www.seachangeinternational.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® 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 or info@on2.com. Investor inquiries should be sent to invest@on2.com.
kinda reminds me of the days of double digit OEMs--LOL
By: Sentinel $$$$
Reply To: None Wednesday, 16 Aug 2000 at 11:10 PM EDT
Post # of 608146
A conversation with Robert Putnam….8/16/00
I spoke to Robert Putnam by phone tonight, after emailing him a lengthy list of questions this afternoon.. My intent was to go through each question point by point. As it was, our conversation was tangential, and his knowledge of topics far greater than mine. As such, while he spoke and I scribbled notes, some points were glossed over and some points were added. My apologies to those who helped author the questions, if my dictation fell short of your aspirations. Below is what I could decipher/remember from our conversation. Responses appear in bold. It is my own synopsis of his explanations, unless I attribute something specifically to him. Enjoy, or not, as you choose….
The Questions:
Q: In the past, the phrase ''DOUBLE DIGIT'' has been used to number the OEM's we have interested in the reference design player, as generated by both EDIG and Maycom. Is this still accurate, or are OEM's migrating toward more simple solutions (MP3 or single codec players) in light of the lack of significant content being released by the labels? Of course an interested party does not necessarily equal a revenue generating contract. Can you comment at all on how many of these "interested parties" can be considered "done deals" at this time?
A:No, EDIG cannot discuss the status of the individual relationships, even generally saying something like, "There are 4 done deals". The "DOUBLE DIGITs" phrase was a broad guideline from early on to give people the understanding that EDIG was working with a significant number of companies, rather than depending on one or two relationships. The "DOUBLE DIGITs" includes negotiations, deal, consultations, etc., a whole range of relationships. The OEM's are not migrating to simple players, and in fact are going to strive to distinguish themselves with unique feature sets, which is where the MicroOS shines.
Q: Can you comment at all on the caliber or status of these parties, i.e., are they household names in the US or Europe?
A: These companies are both household names and start-ups from around the world. EDIG is open to all who wish its services.
==========================================
Posted by: bostonredsox
In reply to: Tinroad who wrote msg# 2341 Date:5/22/2001 10:49:08 PM
Post #of 51217
eDIGITal Theme Song
Read to the tune of the Gilligan's Island theme song. If it helps, open this link in another window for the background music:
http://www.gilligansisle.com/theme.html
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
a tale of our frustrations,
that started in San Diego,
as Norris Communications.
Fred Falk was a mighty business man,
Robert Putnam brave and candid,
these employees set forth that day,
to set a global standard. A global standard.
The markets started getting rough,
the NASDAQ "app" was denied.
If not for the courage of the engineers,
MicroOS would not be inside. MicroOS would not be inside.
The company signed NDAs
with DOUBLE-DIGIT OEMS,
with Bob Putnam,
Fred Falk too,
Hammmacher and his Schlemmer,
an Intel exec,
Lanier and Hy-Tek,
We been waitin' on Treo for a while.
So this is the tale of our shareholders,
they're here for a long, long time.
They'll have to make the best of things,
it's an uphill climb.
Fleishman-Hilliard, the PR firm,
will do their very best,
to get reviews in the news and the media
to say the very best.
No Pucks, No Treos, no revenues,
not a single press release,
if they don't deliver this quarter,
may the stock rest-in-peace.
So join us here each trading day,
all you EDIG longs,
and download multi-codec formats,
of this EDIG song.
==================================
Equator Technologies and Leading OEMs To Demonstrate Multi-Format Consumer Video Solutions at IBC2003
Windows Media 9 Series to Deploy in Volume on Equator BSP-15 Chip Platform
SAN JOSE, Calif. (September 10, 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, will be joined by its technology partners and leading OEMs to demonstrate its BSP(tm)-15 processor driving multi-format video processing in IP set-top boxes (STB) and other video centric solutions from providers worldwide at IBC2003 (International Broadcasting Convention) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 12-16.
Equator's high-performance C/C++-programmable, SoC solution is based on proprietary VLIW/SIMD architecture and is optimized for video-intense applications. Operating at 40 GOPS (billion operations per second), the BSP family of chips delivers the power and flexibility to support any codec at any time, enabling multi-format video on a single platform. The BSP-15 platform allows OEMs to introduce new features sooner, differentiate products more readily and extend product lifecycle through simple software upgrades.
"Windows Media 9 Series and multi-format video support is in production, here and now - that's our message at this year's IBC. We are thrilled to see our BSP-15 chips adopted in every part of the value chain that makes up the growing streaming media market, doing what it was made to do - deliver multi-format video and enable adoption of new and evolving standards," said Rich Christopher, president and CEO of Equator. "IBC offers a great platform to highlight our support for the streaming media market, from infrastructure to consumer premise devices. We are proud to see so many products on the IBC show floor that use Equator's BSP technology and look forward to continuing to deliver value to our customers."
Equator will be showcasing several new advanced IP STBs from leading OEMs including PACE Micro Technology PLC and NineLanes. Powered by Equator's SoC chips, each IP STB can support multi-format video in MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and the new Windows Media 9 Series. From Windows CE .NET 4.2-based systems to single-chip designs, these systems offer complete STB solutions including DRM, Web browser and programming guide. Taking full advantage of the underlying BSP-15 programmable platform, these STBs also have the ability to deliver services such as home videoconferencing that can create recurring revenue streams for the service providers.
"STBs continue to find greater acceptance worldwide, allowing OEMs to deliver a viable solution to consumers not yet ready to invest in new DTV products," said Michelle Abraham, senior analyst at In-Stat. "Equator is delivering a cost effective solution in the BSP-15 platform, enabling OEMs to offer their customers a multi-format video solution that meets their needs now and into the future."
Equator will be demonstrating multi-format video solutions at booth 3.412 near the New Technology Campus. To schedule a briefing or demo contact Helen Garrett/Chris Hansard at hgarrett@sheltongroup.com or chansard@sheltongroup.com.
About the Equator BSP-15 Processor:
Equator's BSP-15 processor is a 100% C/C++ programmable, system-on-a-chip solution that is based on proprietary VLIW architecture. The BSP-15 processor is unmatched as a multi-format media-processing engine, with a list of supported codecs that includes Windows Media 9 Series (in standard definition and 720p high definition), H.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, RealVideo, DivX, H.263, H.263+, and VP6. The BSP-15 processor unifies host processor functionalities with media processing capabilities, SDRAM and PCI interfaces, a DES engine, and a rich multimedia I/O system to meet all of the system needs of high performance digital media applications. With this flexible platform, Consumer Electronics OEMs can choose use the BSP-15 processor as either the industry's most powerful media accelerator in a co-processor environment or in single-chip designs to reduce system cost.
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(r) software development toolkit, media libraries and reference platforms to more than 180 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.
The following are trademarks of Equator Technologies, Inc., and may be used to identify Equator products only: Equator, the Equator logo, Equator Around, the Equator Around logo, MAP, MAP1000, MAP1000A, MAP-CA, MAP Series, BSP, FIRtree, DataStreamer, DS, iMMediaC, iMMediaTools, iMMediaToolsLite, Media Intrinsics, VersaPort, SofTV, StingRay, Dolphin, and Tetra. Other product and company names contained herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. ###
That's computainment!
As convergence brings PCs and TVs together, will the future go boom or bust?
By Elizabeth Millard
Most likely to succeed
Although many companies are rushing to make computing devices that can be used from the couch, some have devices that are, simply put, much cooler than the rest. The contenders:
Alienware Area-51: For those whose convergence experience means gaming, gaming, and gaming, here's the ultimate machine. It's tricked out with audio subsystems, a killer graphics engine, and speakers your neighbors will hate. Added bonus: At around $3,000, it's actually more affordable than the company's past offerings.
Escient Convergence FireBall: This digital audio receiver is much pricier (at $2,000) than its kin, but for the feature-hungry, it may be worth the price. With a built-in CD burner and a 40GB hard drive that stores about 700 hours of MP3s, the component can also be connected to virtually any brand of TV for onscreen menu displays.
Sony's Altair: Not yet released, but the goal is certainly ambitious. The company claims this plasma screen TV can tune in streaming video from home networks and the Internet, along with regular TV programs. It's expected to include a Web browser, but Sony says this isn't Web TV redone: it will be used via remote control, not keyboard.
Beyond's Icebox FlipScreen: Why should the living room attract all the entertainment junkies? This computer mounts under a kitchen cabinet and, true to its name, can be flipped up, out of the way. It has a CD/DVD combination drive, an input jack for cable TV and an Ethernet jack for Internet access. The PC card slot means wireless is a single installation step away.
Apple's Digital Hub: Touting what it calls the "digital lifestyle," Apple continues to crank out a host of living room options, with new G4s and software like iLife, an all-in-one multimedia pack that manages music, digital photography, digital video, and DVD creation.
Sony TV would grab streams from the Net
Last modified: April 4, 2003, 4:00 AM PST
By Evan Hansen , Stefanie Olsen and Richard Shim
Staff Writers, CNET News.com
Sony is developing a plasma screen television set that's intended to tune in streaming video from home networks and the Internet as easily as regular TV programs, according to sources familiar with the plans.
The project, code-named Altair, is one of the company's latest efforts to make digital content more accessible on its consumer-electronics devices, and it reinforces Sony's vision of the television as the centerpiece of its strategy for networked digital media. The new Sony TV will include a built-in Internet connection and tuners for receiving broadcasts from cable, satellite and over-the-air transmissions, according to sources.
The TV is expected to include a Web browser but is not envisioned as a run at Web TV. The device will be manipulated by a remote control rather than a keyboard and will use the Internet primarily as an alternative way to deliver video to the TV screen. Sony has formed partnerships with several streaming-media companies, including chipmaker Equator, On2 Technologies, RealNetworks and Secure Media, to help deliver that video.
"They're really sticking their necks out and betting that streaming to TV is going to be really big," said one source familiar with the project, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Tokyo-based entertainment and consumer-electronics giant has been working on the project for the last six to eight months, and a device is nearly complete, according to sources.
Although the sources said Sony is committed to the project, its plans could change. Before its release, the device under development could evolve beyond its current focus to add features or drop existing ones. In addition, the company could determine that such a project is not commercially feasible because of high production cost or low consumer demand.
Although it is considered a manufacturing juggernaut, Sony has placed bad bets in the past. It built an Internet appliance called eVilla in 2001 to capitalize on the Web craze, but pulled the $499 device just weeks after it reached the market.
Plans were set to debut an Altair product in Tokyo in June, but that schedule has been pushed back because of technical obstacles. An introduction in the United States would follow if the product sells well in Japan.
Earlier this week, Sony said it was working with eight other Japanese companies--Hitachi, Matsushita Electronics Industrial, Sharp, Toshiba, Sanyo Electric, Victor of Japan, Pioneer and Mitsubishi Electronics--to develop technical specifications for digital televisions so they can connect to the Internet. Those specifications will be finalized in October and will likely be used in a product based on work from the Altair project, suggesting its launch will come later this year or early next year.
The name of the project recalls a key product in computing history. Altair also is the name of a home computer introduced in 1975 that was the first to sell in significant quantities and the first to run Microsoft software.
Center of attention
The project comes as rivals are intensifying efforts to make the PC into the central device for the home digital-entertainment hub. Microsoft last year released a specialized version of its flagship operating system, Windows XP Media Center Edition, and a new version of the software is already expected later this year. The new operating system gives the PC some TV-like qualities--for example, it lets users access multimedia on a computer using a remote control.
Although PCs hold advantages over television systems when it comes to creating and organizing content such as home videos, they fall far behind when it comes to viewing it. Sony is betting that gap will keep viewers glued to new generations of TV sets that produce much larger images than typical PC screens.
A Sony representative declined to discuss the project, but reiterated the company's broader plans regarding television. "Sony is thinking that television will become the center of a Ubiquitous 'Value' Network," the representative wrote in an e-mail. "We are considering various possibilities to realize this vision. We haven't decided on specifics, but wireless networking is one option."
So-called media convergence has meant different things to different companies, but for Sony it has always meant a chance to deliver its broad content offerings to consumers through new digital consumer-electronics devices. Sony owns film studios, music labels and a games unit in addition to its huge electronics division, giving it all of the pieces to connect the digital entertainment universe. That makes Sony a unique player in both the media and consumer-electronics industries, offering it enormous advantages if it can pull the parts together successfully.
However, infighting between the entertainment and electronics divisions over fears of piracy and the need to distinguish products have slowed collaboration efforts to date.
There are signs that Sony is getting more serious about pushing its considerable content through new digital channels. Notably, the company has recently begun to beef up its content-protection technology, allying with Philips Electronics to purchase digital rights management developer Intertrust Technologies last year.
Well-recognized branding has helped Sony establish and maintain higher margins than its competitors in the electronics business have, but unlocking access to its entertainment content could make possible even higher margins and new product categories, according to Richard Doherty, a director at research firm The Envisioneering Group.
"This project would not just fit into Sony's vision, it would help to bring parity to its parts," said Doherty.
Home designs
The device would be yet another from Sony that gives people access to content over a network or the Internet. The company's home networking device, called RoomLink, is already available in the United States, and its digital video recording device, CoCoon, will come later this year, depending on when Sony can establish a DVR (digital video recorder) service.
The Altair project builds on a strategy presented by Kunitake Ando, Sony's chief operating officer, earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
"The first 50 years of color television was just the infancy stage," Ando said during a keynote address in early January. "The PC has been a champion in the industry. But now the television is about to be reborn."
At the time, Ando said future televisions would be the center of home entertainment networks and would let consumers access data and services found on other devices connected to the network.
One obstacle to the realization of this networked vision has been the slower-than-expected adoption of broadband access, which is essentially the pipeline to the outside world for connected devices. However, with subscriptions for high-speed Internet access on the rise and with the arrival of easier accessibility to networks through Wi-Fi technology, the company's vision may be getting a boost.
"The electronics division has fully embraced that the dominant delivery mechanism this decade will be broadband," said Doherty.
Still, Ando commented in January that Sony would also work to use open standards in future products, to make it easier for consumers to access content on devices. He urged other companies to help to establish these standards to help the industry progress.
Putting the pieces together
In 2000, Sony released in Japan a similar networked portable TV device called the Airboard, but sales have not met expectations. Sony's plasma television project is not portable and the screen is much larger than the liquid-crystal display (LCD) that was built-in to the Airboard.
Although there is a bright future for flat-screen TVs using LCD technology, prices for plasma screens have been falling dramatically as display makers have improved the manufacturing process, according to Riddhi Patel, an analyst with research firm iSuppli/Stanford Resources. The result has been that plasma screens are less expensive in larger sizes and come with bigger dimensions than LCDs.
Televisions from the Altair project will be powered by Equator's system-on-a-chip processor for video streaming and image processing, and will be used to move the central functions of digital imaging, communications and media applications into software. On2 Technologies will provide the video compression and decompression technology for the television. In addition, Sony will employ a decoder to play files encoded in MPEG-4, the industry standard for video and audio compression.
RealPlayer, the media player from RealNetworks, is also being used in the project to allow playback of digital media files.
Equator, On2, RealNetworks and Secure Media declined to comment for this story.
RealNetworks and Sony have a longstanding relationship, with Sony owning a 1 percent stake in the digital media company. Last year, the two companies announced a strategic partnership in which they would collaborate on the distribution of digital media on upcoming and existing consumer-electronics devices. The RealOne Player is already available on Sony's Net MD Walkman and on more than 20 Sony Music devices.
Sony is also an investor in Secure Media.
Sony Sets TV as Center of Digital Media Home
Sony's newly announced plasma TV, code named Altair, with built-in broadband access and a wireless networking-connected companion web pad remote control with its own display, clearly signals Sony's intent, as it has repeatedly promised, to make the TV the home's digital media center. Sony's product philosophy contrasts sharply with that of Microsoft whose so-called Mira project uses the PC as the base for what it calls the "smart displays" that a consumer carries around the house to access the web.
The Sony TV will receive broadcasts from a cable TV or satellite service and over the air via an antenna just like any TV would. More importantly though, the set will be equipped to receive and display streaming media content from the Internet. Sony is obviously intending to have hardware ready for the digital media future as broadband reaches more homes. Sony is counting on having some of its own music, movies and TV programs available for web streaming and is hopeful other content providers will follow suit.
Sony needs some new high-end leading-edge hardware to help re-establish its reputation among consumers, leading it back to better sales and larger profit margins. The company's recent financial results have not been worth writing home about. It suffered from poor returns in its TV set, movie and PlayStation operations.
The Altair remote control can be used independently of the TV as a web browser or as part of what Sony calls an intelligent home network. Its 6-inch by 3.5-inch display with 800x480 resolution is comparable in size to a handheld. The remote control displays web pages and software "buttons" that can be touched to do various functions.
In addition Sony has incorporated what it calls an "air baton" in the remote control that understands various finger strokes and converts them into commands much the way an orchestra conductor would prompt his musicians.
Communication between the remote control and the TV is via Wi-Fi 802.11g, a faster version than the currently more popular 802.11b. Its higher speed - 54 Mbps compared to 802.11b's 11 Mbps - is required to stream video to the remote's display.
The new Sony models are expected to be available in Japan later this year:
Model Screen Size Price
KDE-P50HZ1 50 inches $12,000
approx.
KDE-P42HZ1 42 inches 10,000
approx.
Broadband and wireless networking are clearly the two technologies that Sony is counting on to prepare the market for current and future Altair products. The technology used in Altair includes:
- A "system-on-a-chip' from Equator to get video streams off the net and do image processing.
- Video stream compression and decompression from On2 Technologies
- A decoder to play MPEG-4 video files. MPEG-4 is the emerging industry standard for video formats in competition with Microsoft's proprietary Windows Media.
- RealNetworks' RealPlayer for playing back digital media files as it's done for Sony's Net MD Walkman and another 20 or so Sony products. Last year Sony and RealNetworks made a pact to collaborate on distributing digital media files over the web and incorporating the functionality in Sony gear. Sony owns 1% of RealNetworks.
Microsoft's 10- and 15-inch Mira remote control displays use a stylus to input data and commands to a PC elsewhere in the home. Communication between the PC and the smart display is via Wi-Fi 802.11b and permits browsing, viewing documents and accessing e-mail. Mira uses Microsoft's Windows CE for SmartDisplays as its operating system. ViewSonic has announced products based on the Mira technology.
The code name Altair may have been used by Sony to tweak Microsoft because Altair was the first ever PC to run Microsoft software back in 1975.
Sony's first two entries in the digital media market were its RoomLink for home networking and its CoCoon digital video recorder.
Sony COO Kunitake Ando said in January at the Consumer Electronics Show, "The PC has been a champion in the industry. Now the television is about to be born." Whether it's the current Altair project, which could of course be scrapped, or some other development, Sony is determined to prevent the PC from becoming the heart of tomorrow's digital media home by giving the TV many more functions.
The Japanese Digital Media-TV Gang of Nine
Sony said this week that it and eight other Japanese companies were developing technical specifications for connecting digital TV sets to the Internet. The specs should be completed by October. With Sony in the lead, it can be assumed that its Altair products will comply with the specs.
The Japanese Internet-Digital TV Nine include:
Sony
Hitachi
Matsushita
Sharp
Toshiba
Sanyo
Victor of Japan
Pioneer
Mitsubishi
Notably missing are the Korea-based Samsung and LG Electronics, old Sony pal, Holland-based Philips, plus France-based Thomson, which sells products in the states under the RCA brand.
Equator Technologies' BSP-15 Processor Selected For Use In New Broadband Plasma TV System
Tuesday August 19, 11:17 am ET
CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 19, 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 that its BSP(TM)-15 processor has been chosen to provide advanced multi-format video processing for a new broadband plasma TV system.
Equator's BSP-15 processor is adopted by Sony for its new plasma WEGA TVs, in models KED-P50HZ1 and KDE-P42HZ1, which will be launched to the market in fall of 2003. The BSP-15 processor is chosen for its video processing performance and for its ability to handle all major video formats for broadcast TV and for media on the Internet. Within these Sony TV models, the BSP-15 processor acts as the media accelerator in the media receiver, driving the plasma display and decoding multi-format digital content. The BSP-15 processor is also used for real-time re-encoding of audio and video into a low bit-rate stream, which is delivered wirelessly from the main media receiver to the portable media palette via 802.11a technology.
Equator's BSP-15 chip also provides video processing in the companion "Air-Tact" LCD palette of Sony's new plasma WEGA TVs. There, the BSP-15 processor acts as a complete video-centric SoC, running an embedded real-time operating system, an Internet browser and performing all media decoding, including reading JPEG images stored on a Memory Stick.
"We are proud to count Sony as one of our most valued customers," said Rich Christopher, president and CEO of Equator. "Sony's vision in the consumer electronics space has pushed us to realize the potential of our hardware and software solutions, and we look forward to continuing our relationship to produce advanced consumer electronic appliances."
About the Equator BSP-15 Processor:
Equator's BSP-15 processor is a 100% C/C++ programmable, system-on-a-chip solution that is based on proprietary VLIW architecture. The BSP-15 processor is unmatched as a multi-format media-processing engine, with a list of supported codecs that includes Windows Media 9 Series (in standard definition and 720p high definition), H.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, RealVideo, DivX, H.263, H.263+, and VP6. The BSP-15 processor unifies host processor functionalities with media processing capabilities, SDRAM and PCI interfaces, a DES engine, and a rich multimedia I/O system to meet all of the system needs of high performance digital media applications. With this flexible platform, Consumer Electronics OEMs can choose to use the BSP-15 processor as either the industry's most powerful media accelerator in a co-processor environment or in single-chip designs to reduce system cost.
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 180 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.
The following are trademarks of Equator Technologies, Inc., and may be used to identify Equator products only: Equator, the Equator logo, Equator Around, the Equator Around logo, MAP, MAP1000, MAP1000A, MAP-CA, MAP Series, BSP, FIRtree, DataStreamer, DS, iMMediaC, iMMediaTools, iMMediaToolsLite, Media Intrinsics, VersaPort, SofTV, StingRay, Dolphin, and Tetra. Other product and company names contained herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Sony bundles portable display with flat-panel TV
By Martyn Williams
IDG News Service, 08/06/03
Consumers buying Sony's latest plasma display panel (PDP) television will be getting a little more than just a monster flat-panel television.
Sony is providing a gadget, called a palette display, that is based on Linux, sports a 7-inch touch-sensitive LCD and looks a little like a small tablet PC. It stays in touch with the PDP via an IEEE 802.11a wireless LAN link and can be used to watch television, access the Internet or control the PDP and other devices through its remote control function.
Both Internet data and television signals are sent across the wireless LAN, the latter as a streaming video signal. While this is more complicated than simply fitting the palette display with its own TV tuner it means that the picture should always be clear because the streaming video can be sourced from an external antenna or cable TV signal present at the PDP.
There is a dual-tuner for terrestrial channels, so different stations can be simultaneously displayed on the portable unit and PDP, and a single tuner for satellite channels. The set does not offer a tuner for digital terrestrial broadcasting, which will begin in Japan in December this year.
It's the first time Sony has bundled such a device with a television, although the basic concept for the palette display is not new. Sony's Airboard, which was first launched in 2000 and most recently updated with a third-edition model earlier this year, has many of the same functions and features. Unfortunately, the palette display has some of the same weak points too.
Battery life is short. A fully charged set of batteries provides enough power for between two and three hours worth of TV viewing or Web browsing, so it will be able to last the length of most sports events or movies but will fall short of an evening's entertainment. Also, the wireless link has limited functionality. It cannot be used as an access point so you won't be able to connect from another device, such as a notebook PC.
The palette display is available with either the KDE-P50HZ1 or KDE-P42HZ1 televisions, which were launched this week and are 50-inch and 42-inch widescreen PDPs, respectively. The 50-inch panel has a 1,365-pixel-by-768-pixel resolution and the 42-inch panel has a 1,024-pixel-by-768-pixel resolution. Screen resolution on the palette display's 7-inch screen is 800 pixels by 480 pixels.
As you might expect, all of this technology doesn't come cheap. However, the price tag might still surprise. The 42-inch version will go on sale Sept. 10 and carries a price tag of $9,560. That's about double the current price of equivalent-size PDPs from other manufacturers.
In addition to the purchase price, there is also the running cost. In common with other PDPs the new Sony sets suck up power at an impressive rate. The 50-inch panel draws 540 watts in use while the 42-inch panel draws 460 watts. The tuner box, common to each, pulls another 78 watts. In contrast, a Sony 36-inch CRT set, one of the largest CRT sets the company sells, draws just over 200 watts in use and a more modest 24-inch set draws around 100 watts.
The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.
Sony's new plasma TV adds home smarts
Last modified: August 5, 2003, 10:11 AM PDT
By CNETAsia Staff
Special to CNET News.com
Sony on Monday unveiled a plasma TV with built-in broadband networking that is linked to a Web pad-like remote control by wireless LAN technology.
The KDE-P50HZ1 and KDE-P42HZ1 plasma TVs are 50 inches and 42 inches in screen size and will go on sale in Japan later this year, for around $12,000 and $10,000, respectively.
The plasma display's networking features allow it to be used for Web browsing, or as part of an intelligent home network, according to a statement from Sony.
As previously reported, the project, code-named Altair, is one of the company's latest efforts to make digital content more accessible on its consumer-electronics devices, and thus reinforces Sony's vision of the television as the centerpiece of its plans for networked digital media.
The remote control unit can operate independently as a Web pad, or with the main display as a secondary TV screen. It has a small 6-by-3.5-inch display with an 800-by-480-pixel resolution--about the same image size and quality as large handheld computer.
It connects with the main unit with 802.11a networking, which is a high-speed wireless LAN standard more commonly used in computer networks. This standard has a theoretical speed of 54mbps, compared with the 11mbps of standard 802.11b Wi-Fi-based networks. The need to stream video from the main unit to the handheld requires the higher speed.
When used as a remote, software buttons are overlaid on the screen. But Sony emphasized that the pad also understands gesture-based fingertip strokes: Moving the finger across the screen in set patterns executes different commands. Sony has dubbed this its "air baton" feature because the movements resemble those made by an orchestra conductor.
The Sony plasma TV's remote unit has much in common with smart displays, which were launched in January this year by companies such as ViewSonic.
These pads, which Microsoft developed under the code name Mira, are typically a 10-inch or 15-inch detachable monitor running Microsoft's Windows CE for Smart Displays operating system. They funnel requests to, and receive data from, a base station PC running Windows XP.
Once detached, the smart display connects back to the PC using 802.11 wireless networking for accessing e-mail, surfing the Web or reading documents. A stylus, rather than a keyboard, is used to input data.
CNETAsia staff reported from Singapore. News.com's Michael Kanellos contributed to this report.
sony altair TVs
So-net distributes contents for "VEGA" with wireless LAN
(2003.08.5)
So-net an ISP service by Sony Communication Network, will start distributing contents for plasma television "VEGA" with IEEE 802.11a wireless LAN functionality as of September 10. The contents are free of charge for the moment and can be viewed on 42V type "KDE-P42HZ1" and 50V type "KDE-P50HZ1".
Both KDE-P42HZ1 and KDE-P50HZ1 are plasma televisions that support satellite digital hi-vision. The two products are the same except for screen size, with 10BASE-T/100BASE-T LAN interface and supporting 5.1ch surround. KDE-P42HZ1 will be launched on September 10 and KDE-P50HZ1 on October 10. The list price of KDE-P42HZ1 is 1,150,000 yen and KDE-P50HZ1 is 1,400,000 yen.
Both include "Palette Display", a Memory Stick capable 7V type LCD-equipped terminal. This terminal has IEEE803.11a networking capability, so you can operate TV and also browse web sites on the Internet by fingertips on the palette display. The communication using IEEE802.11a is possible only between a media receiver of a TV set and the palette terminal, and you cannot use this for communication with other IEEE802.11a supporting communication devices.
Both the media receiver and the palette display support Real and on2 format movies. Movie contents on the Internet can be viewed either on a TV display or on the palette display by operating the palette terminal. But web browsing can be possible only on the palette display and not on a TV display.
So-net will start the content distribution service for these VEGA products on September 10, the day KDE-P42HZ1 will be on sale. The main contents distributed in the service include those distributed by So-net's movie portal site "So-net TV", such as "Neco-chan Daio" and "HITOE'S REAL LIFE", as well as transportation guide, weather forecast and TV program guide. The contents can be viewed on the VEGA terminals for free, but cannot be viewed on PCs. The contents might be charged depending on services added in the future.
The movie contents are based on Real system and So-net will distribute the contents at the rate of about 300Kbps to 1Mbps.
Skyworth Multimedia International Ltd. Is a major, publicly-listed group of companies with a full array of innovative TV sets and audio products, which occupied a large market in China. We have invited Mr. Henry Liu, Chairman and CEO of Skyworth Multimedia, to share some of his strategies on the development of business and electronic industries. Skyworth recently joined the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association as a Patron Member.
HKEIA: The Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association
Liu: Mr. Henry Liu
HKEIA: Why did you start Skyworth Multimedia International Limited? What were the reasons for you to choose TV industry to be your target business?
Liu: "To be a leading Industry, we should develop an enterprise with large scale." We started an electronic trading company in 1990, but we found that the trading industry was not stable in gaining profit. As a result, we started Skyworth as we have foreseen the goodwill of television production is the prerequisite of a country's success in electronic industries. That's why the level of television production represents an industry level in one country. Another reason for us to choose TV industry is that TV sets are a necessity in every family nowadays; we can keep in development and TV production by the constant demand and supply.
HKEIA:Elec & Eltek has just celebrated its 30th Anniversary this year. Could you briefly describe the production trends and needs for PCB in these past three decades? HKEIA: After Skyworth Multimedia International Limited has been established, what were the strategies of the company in order to clutch the market and drive it to be a successful business?
Liu: Technology is our major strategy in TV production. There are over 30 television production companies in Mainland China, but these companies are not well in management and cannot make use of technology. As a result, these companies cannot develop markets in China. Remember there were 7 to 8 TV production firms in Hong Kong, but those are closed down for they could not make use of technology to enhance their products. It is a fact that if products lose their competitiveness, the company will lose business opportunities even though it may be good in marketing and promotion.
To take advantage of the huge market opportunities in China, we have to promote a revolutionary designed television, a multi-system television to China in 1992. Hence, Skyworth is the first company to promote television sets with multi-systems in China.
HKEIA: Skyworth has a distribution network of over 200 outlets in China, what are the procedures to setting up these outlets? What is the structure of these outlets? Joint venture or branch?
Liu: In order to build up our markets, at first we made our products by OEM to Panda, Beijing and also exported our products to the European markets in 1991. However, the entire TV market suffered an economic downturn in 1993 and our OEM companies suspended their purchases of our products. We therefore started to sell our products by using the name of "Skyworth" instead of OEM to other companies' brands. Under our efforts to promote Skyworth, we began building up a pool of customers who gave high recommendations to our products. We sudden aware by became of the importance of brand name. When customers labeled the brand which is highly recommended, they would devote their confidence to its products. For example, Sony is a well known label internationally. Consumers are confident to the company and so they would buy its products. This was an important lesson to Skyworth and therefore we spent 10 years' efforts to build up our own brand name.
HKEIA: How did Skyworth build up its brand name successfully in China? By what methods: advisement? OEM etc?
Liu: As mentioned before, it took up 10 years to build up our brand name by the means of advertisement and technical improvement. We invested over a hundred million dollars in advertisement every year. In addition, our company's strategies are another key to build up our brand name successfully in China. In fact, we did not have enough resource to market our products at the beginning. Then we thought "how can we use the limited resources to cope with our business development?" To run a successful business, we believed that it was important for a company to centralize its resources only to potential areas at the beginning. We selectively traced out the Ghougdong region to be our first target and our first office was stationed in Ghougzhou.
In addition, we needed talents and professionals to enhance our business. I believe our business would be ruined without them. A scheme of talent hunting was one of our strategies for every five years. That's why we invited 200 university graduates for our office vacancies including managers, engineers and all levels of junior staff every year. With the talent scheme, we could put a right person in a right position.
Teamwork was an important factor helping to drive our business to success. Within a few years, we set up 80 new offices, with more than 200 distributors and regional agencies in China with nearly 5,000 staffs. We observed and mirrored the business models of some other successful enterprises such as Intel etc. for our reference in building up our own business model of Skyworth.
Skyworth's net profit over the past 10 years was expected to rise 30% each year, and yet there might still be room to expand in the TV market. However to continue future growth, we must rely on new technology. So far, we are the leading TV exporter and ranked third largest in China for the past eight years.
¡@
HKEIA: Most technology innovation is sourced from foreign countries; all the innovative technology will provide new ideas to manufacturers in further technology development. Will you invest in R & D for developing newly technology so that Skyworth can be a technology pioneer? How much resources will you invest in R & D? What are the difficulties in doing R & D?
Liu: R&D and innovation are worth while for a company to invest in, but it should act according to one's ability. It is difficult for a small size industry to invest a huge sum of money in R&D at the beginning, as well as the beginning stage of Skyworth. We could offer a ratio of capital to R&D and marketing promotion after the company has reached some level of return. Roughly, we put 5% in R&D and 3% in advertising every year, and the amount of investment in these two areas would be adjusted according to profit return of the company. Recently, Skyworth invested $300 million to set up a Digital Application Research Center in Shenzhen, in order to ensure our products are always taking the lead.
In addition, good management is the key to survival for the new ventures. That's why Skyworth adopted an American Sale and Marketing Management Model named (SMBA). It is widely used by international companies such as AT&T and IBM etc. However, most Hong Kong companies do not adopt this model but instead opted for personal management. "Mass wisdom" is much better than management by one person only. One advice to businessmen in Hong Kong is the role of the boss should be a supervisor only; the more you interfere, the quicker to failure.
To a degree, difficulties in searching skilled professionals are inevitably in a company which is the factor affecting the progress of R&D. According to the announcement of Human Resource Department, the majority of the working hours are spent searching for professionals to join our company by the means of advertisement including web advertisement, referrals and recruiting talents from other corporations or businesses etc.
¡@
HKEIA: What will you estimate the level of market adoption if a newly technology exposed from Skyworth?
Liu: We have three standard steps before promoting our product to the markets. The first step is marketing research. We train our staffs to stand in the frontline to communicate with consumers in order to collect the needs of the market which is the means to pave the road for future marketing. What follows is product mapping that enhances the quality of the product by mapping the research result. This is the stage of selecting or to give up the production train. Finally, production stages mean the production of the product. As we have to address the challenge of the products before promoting the sales to the market, we are assured that over 90% of our products are successful in the market.
HKEIA: Do you think that the HKSAR restricts or supports the development of the TV industry? With your experiences in both China and Hong Kong, which government policy do you prefer? How do you use both government policies as a complement to industrial development?
Liu: The HKSAR won't interfere with the development of the TV industry, and would give less support to it. On the contrary, the Chinese government is pitching in to help the TV industry get back on its feet and she is partnering with us in a bid to boost competitiveness. The Chinese government offers substantial assistance to us such as funding Skyworth to organize exhibitions in foreign countries and government officials attended press conference to help with promotions. Meanwhile, government officials including Vice Secretary General of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Secretary for Commerce, Secretary for Foreign Trade, Commissioner of Customs and Excise, and Commissioner of Inland Revenue are working together in keeping pace to understanding our difficulties and helping to fix the problem as soon as possible.
Today, the HKSAR Government has been improving and making effords to strengthen strategies to assist local industries. If the HKSAR has a new turnaround strategy such as "investment to enterprise is the first priority", Hong Kong's economy should be able to improved. The reason is the market living space for small-sized companies are limited; they will be bankrupted or forced to merge with other enterprises under monopolization. But to survive, small-sized companies should rely on enterprise. I believed one to two international enterprises similar to Samsung and Sony would emerge in Hong Kong if the HKSAR government would revise its policy towards helping local industries.
Skyworth is planning a similar move. We targeted $250 million returns in five years. After achieving this target, we plan to invest $8 to $10 million in developing core industry such as IC Design, IC production and optic components.
¡@
HKEIA: Hong Kong has been a service-oriented centre since 70s. The major income source was by selling land and gave prosper of financial and banking sectors. As an industrialist, do you think the HKSAR needed to redesign the policy in industrial development by injecting into and making efforts in pumping up brainpower? If the HKSAR would provide enough incentives for foreign technology investors to flock in, will you start industry in Hong Kong?
Liu: Brainpower is important in developing industry, but how much brainpower is available in Hong Kong? For example, it is more difficult to invite an IC Design Engineer to come to Hong Kong than to Taiwan, Korea, Japan and America. In fact, lack of professionals in the field of electronics industry in Hong Kong is hampering our development.
However, many of the past hurdles remained, too. For instance, the atmosphere of science and technology is not mature in Hong Kong. These are not enough professionals working in the same work group and sharing the same topic of conversation. This is one of the hurdles restricting brainpower flooding into here. The language barrier is another problem. Most Hong Kong people only speak Cantonese which others speak English better than Mandarin. Therefore professionals coming from Taiwan or Mandarin speakers find it difficult to communicate in Hong Kong. Together with the evasive policy of the HKSAR government, I would not consider to invest in the core industry in Hong Kong at this moment.
Anyway, a lot of that is changing now - ever so gradually. The Science Park is one of competitive new projects to gather high-tech technology and professional scientists in Hong Kong which is an opportunity to drive the development of science and technology to a new stage. To stand out among the pool of competitors, Hong Kong should direct against its weakness and improve. Example: Shanghai is one of the strong competitors. Hong Kong should focus on how attractive of its marketplace and make efforts to go beyond.
¡@
HKEIA: The styles and functions of TV sets are similar worldwide; will Skyworth investigate other styles and functions of TV sets to break through the tradition?
Liu: First of all, Skyworth has been striving to achieve a goal of being the No.1 enterprise in the production of display and multi media products in the world in 2010. Display products include Digital TV, Plasma, LCD, Projectors and HDTV. Recordable DVD, Hard disk video recorder and Digital Camera are the core development products under planning. Recently, we are developing a Home multi-media centre which is to get sounds and image together and fitting a family needs for multi-media system in 10 years. On the other hand, just think how efficient we could be without them!
In short, we have a caution idiom "Skyworth may bankrupt within 120 days". This is very important for an entrepreneur to be conscious of. Only an enterprise with creative thinking and have the courage to develop can stand in this competitiveness world.
HKEIA: Thank you for your time, Mr. Henry Liu.
http://www.hkeia.org/jan03/.
China ready to finalize EVD specs soon?
China has planned for years to develop its own alternative to DVD-Video format, in order to avoid paying patent royalties to Western electronics companies. Now it seems that they're finally getting the specs ready.
According to Chinese sources, China's Ministry of Information Industry will announce the final specifications of Enhanced Versatile Disc or EVD in November. Chinese government launched the EVD project in 1999 and the working group includes all major Chinese DVD player manufacturers and various other Chinese technology companies. China plans to submit the specifications to international standards committees as well, in order to get the standard more widely accepted outside China.
The technical specifications currently available are rather vague, but according to them the picture quality will be roughly 5 times better than in DVD-Video. EVD is supposed to be compatible with HDTV specifications and therefore it would make sense that its resolution would be compatible with HDTV resolutions, including those of 1920x1080 (compared to DVD-Video's max of 720x576 in PAL countries and 720x480 in NTSC countries).
If EVD really gets ready within next couple of weeks and manufacturers can start shipping devices in first half of 2004, this might mean interesting times for digital video world, as DVD Forum yesterday managed to cause a disappointment for most of the digital video lovers and Blu-Ray still costing too much (and really only available in Japan), EVD might have its chance for success outside China as well, provided that the players will include DVD compatibility (which, obviously is kinda against the idea of avoiding DVD-Video royalties, but pretty much required anyway).
Source: ChinaDaily
China-made DVDs Take Largest Market Share in the US
Chinese brand DVDs such as Shinco, Malata, Hongtu, Amoisonic are enjoying rising market shares in the US, especially Shinco's double round DVD sets. China has become the world biggest DVD manufacturer while the US is the biggest DVD consumer.
Chinese brand DVDs such as Shinco, Malata, Hongtu, Amoisonic are enjoying rising market shares in the US, especially Shinco's double round DVD sets.
China has become the world biggest DVD manufacturer while the US is the biggest DVD consumer, according to China Electronics News. Statistics show that since China's DVD export to the US saw sharp rise in the former half of this year, in which, China after catching up with Japan for the first time in April, had exceeded Japan to become the biggest DVD original producer on US market.
China's DVD exported to the US are mainly from Jiangsu and Guangdong, represented by Shinco and SAST respectively. Shinco now sees around 100,000 sets exported to the US every month, Shinco sales staff said.
By PD Online Staff Li Heng
Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, August 16, 2002
EVD format still on the drawing board
Although the Industrial Technology Research Institute and some makers in Taiwan and mainland China are conducting research into the new Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD) format, significant progress has yet to be announced.
Some makers said even if the new EVD format is launched, most players would still have to be able to support DVD formats as well. Given that the DVD format has already achieved huge success on the global market, an attempt to develop a new-format player that does not support DVD would be unwise, industry sources said.
Greater China is expected to be the main potential market for EVD players, although the exportability of such models would still be important as the United States and Europe remain the world's largest DVD player markets.
Posted : October 22, 2003
Portable DVD players
http://www.electronics.globalsources.com/am/article_id/9000000045944/page/showarticle?action=GetArti....
China Develops Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD) System
A new system of Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD), developed by davform and with China's own intellectual property rights, has passed state appraisal, ending the monopolization by foreign countries of such technology as seen in the core technology for VCD to DVD manufacture.
Sponsored by the State Trade and Economic Commission and the Ministry of Information Industry, the system was developed by davform and put into trial by the SVA (Group), which hopes to begin production and bring EVD onto the market within the year.
The system could be applied have many functions and be applied to household electric appliances, computers and communications, with its technological section containing 22 patents and 5 sets of software.
The EVD standard has become a trade standard and has been submitted to the International Electrotechnical Commission and International Organization for Standardization as an international standard proposal.
The EVD system shows apparent technological advantages over DVD system, according to experts from the appraisal committee, and fills in blanks of storing and displaying of hi-definition programs. EVD technology actually uses a DVD disc that has multi-layers and is capable of storing 10 times more information compared to a conventional DVD disc - a conventional DVD disks can store 4-6 GB of data while an EVD can store over 50 GB of data per disc. Its EAC (Exact Audio Copy) is able to produce an audio frequency of higher quality than dolby AC-3 under the same rate as it duplicates an audio signal into a digital format removing all noise level from its modulated signal.
(Source: People's Daily)
EVD Players Approach
Chinese makers of audiovisual equipment, reeling under the effect of DVD royalties agreed to earlier this year, are close to wheeling out their secret weapon.
It is visual technology they say will yield images five times as sharp as those from DVDs. And this time they own the patents.
Shanghai SVA Information Industry Co. Ltd., a major maker of DVD players on China's mainland, recently said it is developing enhanced-versatile-disc technology to be used in a new generation of discs and machines.
Played through a high-definition television, EVDs will produce pictures with five times the definition of today's DVDs, the company said. But the players will also be usable with ordinary televisions and DVDs.
"Since people are always asking for better picture quality, we believe the new technology will be accepted throughout the world," said Zhou Haishan, an engineer for Shanghai SVA. "EVD players will appear on the domestic market as early as year's end."
Shanghai SVA estimates their retail cost at about 3,000 yuan.
What makes the product a potential lifesaver for Chinese audiovisual manufacturers is that for the first time, they - not Japanese or American concerns - will own the underlying technology.
"We have registered some patents covering the EVD player in China. When the product finally come out, we will register them in other countries, so foreign makers will have to pay us royalties if they want to produce the machines," Zhou said.
Shanghai SVA teamed up in 1999 with nine other domestic makers, including Shinco and Malata, to establish an EVD research-and-development company in Beijing.
Domestic makers said it was the high royalties asked by DVD-technology owners that pushed them to develop their own system.
After initial warnings and about two years of negotiation, the Chinese companies agreed to pay royalties of 4 percent of a DVD player's factory price to the 6C group: Hitachi, Matsushita, Mitsubishi, Time Warner, Toshiba and Victor Co. of Japan.
The mainland manufacturers say their profit margin is only about 5 percent.
More than 100 companies exported around 10 million DVD players last year, almost 40 percent of world output.
(Shanghai Daily August 8, 2002)
China aiming at better-than-DVD format
By Staff, CNETAsia
Tuesday, October 28 2003 2:44 PM
Teams in China aim to release full specifications for a higher-end complement to the DVD format next month.
The new format, called EVD (Enhanced Versatile Disc), will be playable only on EVD players and promises five times the image quality of DVD movies and a higher computer data storage capacity, according the official Xinhua news agency.
The first EVD players for home consumers will become available in China next year. Details about the format, such as storage capacity, compression format for audio and video files and type of reading laser used have so far been kept under wraps.
Development on the EVD standard began in 1999 and since then, several announced launch dates have been cancelled.
The China-developed EVD standard is among several projects supported by the government in its drive to reduce license fee payments and "shake off dependence on foreign technologies in production", according to Xinhua.
The EVD standard does not appear to be a user-recordable format for now, and aims to complement the DVD movie format for those with high-definition TVs. Talks are going on with film distributors to introduce content on EVD.
An EVD player will cost about US$240, compared with around US$85 for the average cost of a domestic DVD player. China-made home DVD players account for up to 70 per cent of the world market. China produced over 30 million DVD players last year.
Chinese manufacturers will welcome the new format, which promises to lead them out of low-end price wars and into the higher-value end of the market, said Xinhua.
The company developing EVD, Beijing E-World Digital Technology, comprises government bodies and 10 domestic electronics manufactuerers.
Outside China, competitors have developed similar high-capacity optical disc formats in order the push DVD technology forward.
A DVD-recordable standard, known as Blu-ray, is being promoted by companies including Hitachi, LG Electronics, Matsushita Electric Idustrial, Pioneer, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sharp, Sony and Thomson.
Blu-ray technology is designed to allow a single-sided, 12-centimeter disc to hold up to 27GB of storage. The technology uses a short-wavelength blue-violet laser--instead of the red lasers in current optical drives--to read data.
Ding Kangyuan, and official with the trade body the China Audio Industries Association (CAIA), believed that if EVD products appear in China within the next three years, it can outflank Blu-ray, at least in the home market.
The Ministry of Information Industry (MII) will issue the industrial standard for the home-developed EVD (enhanced versatile disc), a next-generation disc format that will hopefully replace the currently popular DVD (digital versatile disc), in November.
The launching of such a standard signals that China, for the first time, establishes what is expected to help domestic disc player manufacturers shake off their previous dependence on foreign technologies in production, experts said.
"As far as I know, the MII will issue the standard next month," said Zhang Yijun, deputy chief engineer of the Shanghai-based SVA Group.
"We are quite confident in the next-generation digital disc technology, where we will possess our own intellectual property," he said.
While being chosen as a testing base for the EVD technology, SVA has been actively involved in the development of some core components in the new technology, according to Zhang.
SVA is part of a fledgling Chinese digital disc technology alliance - initiated by the MII - that involves more than 10 domestic enterprises and research institutions in the industry, including a majority of China's disc player producers.
Operating under a corporate entity called the Beijing E-World Digital Technology Co Ltd, the alliance has been engaged in EVD technology development since 1999.
While the national standard of EVDs is in the near future, the new disc format is currently under the scrutiny of related global industry organizations before it will be accepted as an international technical standard, Zhang said.
He revealed that a large amount of homemade EVD chips are now available as core parts of EVD players that are expected to supply the domestic market from next year.
EVD player prices will be set around 2,000 yuan (US$240), compared with around 700 yuan (US$85) for the average cost of a domestic DVD player.
Talks with domestic and overseas filmmakers and other video programme producers are under way regarding the market supplies of programmes stored in the EVD format, Zhang said.
Players powered by EVD technology are expected to offer as much as five times the quality of image definition compared with DVD players that dominate the market at present, and that is EVD's biggest advantage over DVD technology, according to experts.
As it gradually matures, the technology will enable EVD players to become a platform with various multimedia functions in the future.
In that respect, EVDs will hopefully turn out to be a next-generation digital disc format choice for domestic manufacturers, whose products account for up to 70 per cent of the world market.
China produced over 30 million DVD players in 2002 - almost doubling the figure in 2001 - and nearly 20 million units were exported last year.
For those manufacturers, the domestic DVD player market has, after six years of growth, entered a bottleneck where many competitors have to resort to price wars to take on their rivals. Even worse is that they have to pay hefty sums in royalties each year for the foreign technology patent applied in their products.
The appearance of EVDs is regarded by some as a challenge to the "Blue Ray," a next-generation disc technology, which is being jointly developed by a number of global electronics companies like Sony, Samsung and Philips.
"It (EVD technology) is a landmark achievement for us... we believe it will find its position on the domestic market," said Ding Kangyuan, vice-director of Disc Industry Promotion Committee of China (DICC) under the China Audio Industries Association (CAIA).
Ding attributed predicted market acceptance to the quickly growing domestic high-end colour TV market, especially in the high definition television (HDTV) segment, which calls for complementary disc-playing equipment like EVDs.
Ding predicted that Blue Ray technology will not form its large-scale application within the next three years. If the software sources of EVDs or video programmes stored in the EVD format can be guaranteed, the players will very likely first enter the high-end domestic market segment where consumers can afford costly display products like HDTV.
A number of DICC member companies, mainly current domestic DVD player producers, have been paying close attention to the EVD technology's progress, according to Ding.
"After all, it's our own technology," he said.
Analysts, however, have pointed out that it is hard to say whether EVD technology will be quickly accepted on a global basis, even though it may find its niche in the vast Chinese market.
And as future EVD players are supposed to be compatible in terms of functions to current DVD players, domestic manufacturers will still have to pay royalties on DVD technology patents owned by foreign firms.
Source:
http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/en/do...tent_276124.htm
SVA to Substitute DVD with EVD Players of Property Rights
Jiefang Daily reports that SVA Information Industry Co., Ltd. announced recently while it declared to reduce the price of high-end color TVs that the company will introduce into the market some high-end household appliances of independent property rights this year, including EVD (Enhanced Versatile Disk) players developed by the cooperate efforts of Shinco, Malata, BBK, Konka and certain other domestic enterprises. The research is initiated by the Science and Technology Division with Ministry of Information Industry and the estimated market price of an EVD player is around RMB 2,000.
According to an early report of the information center, the system includes 22 invention patents and five sets of software. With an resolution of 1920x1080, the EVD player provides image quality five times better than that of an average DVD player and can support all the TVs over 800 lines. It uses audio compression arithmetic of independent intellectual property right to produce more excellent sound than Dolby AC-3 does and supports flexible subtitle function, reinforced interactive function and network functions while a typical DVD player is only an isolated product. Compatible with common video formats of VCD, SVCD and DVD, the player also puts programs under effective property protection applying the property right technology of digital water mark.
(09/10/2002)
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Summary of SVA
SVA Group was founded in 1995. Over the past seven years, by the chastening and ablution of the market economy, SVA has developed from a simple television producer to one leading information products manufacturer and services supplier in electronic and information industry in China.
Up to now, SVA Group has 27 thousand employees and 120 member enterprises all over the world, and business in five continents: SVA has a tech lab in the US, and production and sales bases, tech institutes and telecom service bases in China, US, Austria, Argentina, South Africa, etc. Under the group, there are four major business groups, namely: broadband value-added services, information products manufacturing, photoelectric displaying devices and overseas affairs. They provide customers with network accessing services, telecom value-added services; home appliances like analog/digital televisions (including CRT, PDP, LCD and DLP TVs), digital video disc players, refrigerators, washing machines, etc.; CRT, vacuum fluoro monitors, LCD monitors (including modules), PDP monitors, vehicle lamps,lighting products and components,etc. In 2001, the group achieved a sales revenue up to 38.3 billion RMB, profit 2.3 billion RMB, export 1.8 billion USD. It has been ranking among the top ten electronic and information enterprises in China.
The group has invested directly for 33 enterprises, including two listed companies: SVA Information Industry Holdings Co., Ltd.(600637) and SVA Electronics Holdings Co., Ltd.(600602, 900901). It has also cooperated with many famous multinational companies for joint ventures, such as: Shanghai Panasonic PDP Monitor Co., Ltd., Shanghai SHARP Electric Appliances Co., Ltd., SIEMENS Shanghai Mobile Communication Co., Ltd., Shanghai Suoguang Visual Products Co., Ltd., Shanghai Xu Electronic Glass Co., Ltd., Shanghai Yongxin Color CRT Holdings Co., Ltd., etc. The products of SIEMENS, SONY, National/Panasonic, SHARP, JVC, KENWOOD brands are well sold both at home and abroad. Cooperative partners also include: Toshiba, Hughes, Samsung, InFocus, etc. It has wide joint venture experiences and fine business reputation. At the end of 2001, Total capital of the group reached 36 billion RMB. In 2001, SVA Group set up Central Research Institute for the research of wireless high frequency transmission technology, and strived for a breakthrough on the ECHO technology. Meanwhile, it had established satellite transmission technology development and experimenting platform, cooperatively with IBM established home network technology development experimenting lab, with domestic famous university established flat monitor development platform, and with Microsoft established a software college for IC design personnel fostering.
SVA Group is a ever developing multinational enterprise. We warmly welcome excellent talents from various countries and cultural backgrounds to join us for utmost creativity exertion in the orderly competitive environment. Our goal is to provide continuously advanced electronic products and information services to the society for civilization and progress of the world.
Business scope of SVA Group:
including Shanghai Science and Technology Network: www.stn.com.cn, White Magnolia Long Distance Education Network: www.jymec.com, VAST and Broadcasting, Film and TV certificate; and telecom value-added services joint-ventured with Telstar from Australia, such as: email, audio email, online information and data searching (and treatment), electronic data exchange, etc.
Information Accessing system and equipment: including Internet accessing service, satellite BTS, network switch, network security equipment, cable modem, set-top box, etc.
Home information terminals and appliances: DTV, DLP, LCD-TV, PDP-TV, projector, mobile and desk-top telephone and BTS equipment, desk-top and note-book PC, video disc players, air conditioner, refrigerator, washing machine, microwave oven, home music center, vehicle electronics, etc.
Key display devices: LCD display (LCD-TN/STN), PDP-display, vacuum flouro display (VFD), CRT glass cover and shading cover, etc. From year 2004, we can also offer film crystal tube display (TFT-LCD) products.
http://www.sva.com.cn/english/aboutus-2.asp
http://www.epinions.com/Flat_Panel_Televisions-HDTV_Ready-SVA_USA
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China Develops Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD) System
A new system of Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD), developed by davform and with China's own intellectual property rights, has lately passed state appraisal, ending the history that core technology from VCD to DVD had been monopolized by foreign countries.
Sponsored by the State Trade and Economic Commission and Ministry of Information Industry, the system was developed by davform and put into trial industrialization in SVA (Group), which will be put into batch production and brought into the market within this year.
The system gathers up many functions as household electric appliance, computer and communications, with its technological section containing 22 patents and 5 sets of software, superior to DVD in term of technology. The EVD standard has become a trade standard and submitted to the International Electro-technical Commission and International Organization for Standardization as an international standard proposal.
The EVD system shows apparent technological advantages over DVD system, according to experts from the appraisal committee, and fills in blanks of storing and displaying of hi-definition programs. Its EAC is able to produce an audio frequency of better quality than dolby AC-3 under the same rate, which has reached world advanced level.
(07/16/2002)
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China-made EVD Players into the Market by Yearend
Sources say that EVD players of China's own standards will be brought into the market at a price of 2,500 yuan or so by the end of this year.
The production of EVD players is divided into two phases. In the first phase is at the yearend with products for fans and offices, which can play Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD) only, and the price is set around 2500 yuan per set. The second phase, i.e. the first half of next year, will see products for civilians and compatible with DVD, VCD and CD.
As learned, when products are made compatible with the said discs, scales of production and sales will be enlarged and price reduction accelerated. At present, seven to eight domestic companies including SVA has put the system into production and applied for international standards.
(11/05/2002)
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Domestic Made EVD to Debut in Shanghai by Year End
Shanghai SVA Group, the leading domestic home appliance maker, is to put enhanced-versatile-disc (EVD) players on the market by early next year, the Shanghai Morning Post reported on Nov.6.
The Shanghai SVA group, a major maker of DVD players in China involved in royalty issues with foreign manufacturers, owns the patent for EVD players.
The EVD player, with visual technology said to yield images five times sharper than those from DVDs, are predicted to be priced at around 2,500 yuan (US$301), said the spokesman with the Shanghai SVA Group.
EVD players have combined functions including hi-fi, karaoke, video tape recorder, game player, set-top box, visual telephone, Internet access and computer.
The first batch of 1,000 EVD players soon to debut in the market will pay more attention to high-definition images and other functions will be available in EVD products introduced next year, the spokesman said.
China's ownership of the EVD patent will help the nation draw up the international criteria of EVD players and join the international competition as well, said an industry analyst.
(11/06/2002)
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APRIL 14, 2003
INTERNATIONAL -- SPECIAL REPORT -- ASIA TECH
Master of Innovation?
China aims to close its technology gap with Korea and Japan
Wang Chuanfu is a little sleepy these days. The 37-year-old Chinese engineer has been jetting back and forth to the U.S., courting investors in Byd Co. This company, which Wang founded just seven years ago in Shenzhen to make cell-phone batteries, now employs 17,000 workers and has a market capitalization of $1 billion.
That's not the story Wang is selling, however. Byd aims to be the world's first major producer of cars powered by electric batteries. It's an attractive idea, but one so beset with challenges that most auto giants have given it up. Not least, it requires forging new standards for breakthroughs in technology and manufacturing that would sharply reduce the exorbitant cost of batteries. "So many companies have failed because they didn't have the right technology," says Wang. "But we have the strongest R&D team in the industry. We have a deeper understanding."
Some say Wang is a visionary. Others call him foolhardy. Either way, he's part of a movement that has transfixed other Asian nations and sent shock waves across the Pacific. Drawing on human and financial resources scattered across Asia and the West, China wants to reinvent itself as the home of innovation -- and wellspring of technical standards that will be adopted throughout the world. Already a production hub for PCs, televisions, and DVD players, the country now yearns to close its technology gap with Korea and Japan. It aims to achieve this by 2008, when Beijing hosts the Olympics. And there is more at stake than prestige: As war rages in Iraq, Beijing's generals are determined to burnish their military might with electronic weaponry, to preempt any future threat from the U.S.
To raise their stature in global high tech, the Chinese are pursuing a potentially risky strategy. The government is offering subsidies and other sweeteners to companies that come up with homegrown alternatives to Microsoft software (MSFT ), Intel microprocessors (INTC ), Cisco routers (CSCO ), and other standards that are the building blocks of an information economy. The twin risks are that China will alienate the multinationals it depends on for technology transfer while its focus on originality distracts local companies from the low-cost manufacturing they do best. Nonetheless, in a drive to reduce royalty payments on foreign technology and reward local innovators, Beijing seems intent on setting global standards for everything from digital TVs and DVD players to next-generation cell phones.
Many in the region believe Beijing's strategy will eventually succeed. While the best Chinese companies still lag far behind the likes of Sony Corp. (SNE ) and Samsung Group, that situation could change quickly. "China will go from being on the receiving side of technology to the generating side," predicts Frans van Empel, chief technology officer for Philips in Shanghai.
One example of China's quest to create homegrown standards is state-owned Datang Mobile's work with Siemens (SI ) of Germany to develop a standard called TD-SCDMA for third-generation cell phones. Some industry experts say that phones built to these specifications can transmit data in densely populated areas better than phones built to the standards of Europe and Japan (W-CDMA) and the U.S. (CDMA 2000), while consuming less power. But the new standard holds an even bigger attraction for China, says Tang Ruan, chief operating officer at Datang in Beijing: avoiding the royalties on existing cellular systems that China has had to pay to foreign companies that owned the intellectual property rights.
The only way to get around those payouts in the future is for Beijing to back a domestic standard. Despite predictions from many Western executives that China's standard will flop, Tang believes TD-SCDMA will win 30% of the market in China and another 10% overseas following its launch next year.
That may not be so far-fetched. "China is the biggest market, so once the Chinese government sets a standard, it will be a world standard," observes Jung Nam Cho, vice-chairman of SK Telecom Co. (SKM ) of Korea. Whether that turns out to be TD- SCDMA or some other local concoction, the principle is probably correct, says Rich Stomp, a vice-president in IBM's (IBM ) global telecom division. Within a few years, he contends, "we will see standards emerging from China that the rest of the world will adopt."
Consumer electronics is another area where China wishes to create unique intellectual property. And it's counting on help from local players such as Skyworth Multimedia International Ltd., the nation's third-largest manufacturer of TVs and a top producer of DVD players. Skyworth belongs to the Shanghai-based consortium of 20-odd Chinese companies developing "enhanced videodisc" (EVD) players. The EVD Forum hopes to supplant the current DVD standard. That won't be easy, but even a partial triumph would be sweet for Henry Lau, Skyworth's 38-year-old CEO. It would slash the royalty payments Skyworth now pays to Japanese competitors. "And if Sony and Philips (PHG ) want to sell EVDs, they will need to pay the EVD Forum for a license," says Lau.
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http://www.skyworth-smi.com/major%20customer.htm
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Skyworth Multimedia International Co.,Ltd (SMI) was invested by Skyworth Digital holding Co.,Ltd in Nov.2000,whose major business is TV sales to the overseas market and sales of the multimedia video & audio products such as DVD and digital cameras to both China and overseas market. The company has world-class manufacturing facilities for the production of color TV and DVD,with annual production capacity of 3 million color TV sets and 2 million DVD; SMI¡¯s global purchase network, ensure its competitive purchasing costs for each piece of raw materials. SMI has an excellent R&D team with more than 100 engineers at Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Equipped with cutting-edge digital video and audio technologies SMI engineers are working day and night to launch new TV and AV products. Furthermore, guaranteed by the international standard QC system, each and every product made by SMI is a globally competitive product with highest quality. SMI has established as many as 80 sales offices and 50 provincial and regional distributors, its DVD products are best sold in every provinces and cities all over China. The total turnover of SMI in 2002 is estimated around 2 billion RMB.
The technology is updating and world market is changing day by day. The demands from customers are limitless. SMI is facing the double challenges from international marketing and tense competitions. Nevertheless SMI is determined to turn these challenges into opportunities and sustain its leading position in this industry.
China¡¯s electronics industry is going rapidly, the competitive costs of labor and electronic components have made China the world¡¯s major production base for color TV,DVD and other electrical appliance in a relatively short period. By its solid strength, SMI will take advantage of this great business opportunity, and drive the company into the highway of development and profits. In order to achieve this goal, SMI will improve its control on quality and production in accordance with international standards, put more capital on the management of ¡®the global chain of lowest price supply¡¯, and apply the latest technology into production, make all effort to enable the company to be the largest color TV and DVD manufacturing enterprise in the world.
We all believe that SMI will play a major role in this tense competition. Our advantages lie in our most competitive products. Our turnover increases by 30% annually. Meanwhile, SMI regards the market as the center of all our business activities, offers customers with satisfactory services. The market is the information resource we need, from where our strategies and guidelines are made.
With the advent of economical globalization, as a young, vigorous and competitive international company, SMI will improve herself continuously to attain bigger achievements.
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SKYWORTH EXPORTS 2 BILLION US DOLLARS
MAKING ONE EXAMPLE OF SUCCESSFUL CHINA ENTERPRISES AFTER CHINA JOINING WTO
2003-2-22
Closing to the end of the year, it is time for big companies to deliver the achievements report. Many well-known enterprises in the past have got into trouble because of the depressed global economy. May called,¡± few happy, few worry¡±, however, SKYWORTH Group which stride forwarded into the top three color TV manufacturers with a growth rate of 50% in 2002 again earned brilliant achievements. According to the statistics sum from Shenzhen Customs, in 2002, it shows that SKYWORTH Group¡¯s exports volume is nearly 2 billion USD with the sales of TV more than 1.5 million sets and AV Products more than 1 million sets, growing 113.4% than the corresponding period of last year. While going outside to expand the overseas markets, SKYWORTH Group¡¯s products have won the consistent approval from domestic consumers for its fashionable appearance, reliable quality , excellent service and the extensive sales network. By the end of Dec,2002, SKYWORTH Group became the one with the fastest growing rate in top 100 enterprises on electronics and information with the domestic sales of nearly 6 million sets, growing 65.1% than the corresponding period of last year.
¡° SKYWORTH products are sold well in more than 80 countries around the global. Besides the traditional European and US market, Russia, Malaysia and Singapore (etc.) have also become the new developing markets, where SKYWORTH products have occupied a important market share.¡± Liuhuiyang, vice Chairman of Board of Directors of SKYWORTH Group, who is responsible for exporting told to the reporter. Meanwhile, Liuhuiyang talked about a few big changes in SKYWORTH exportation, the 1st change is high-end large screen models high-tech contents are now selling more faster, nowadays models with large screen of more than 25inch , high-tech contents TV such as pure flat TV and line by line TV (etc.) are now enjoying a good popularity unlike in the past ,14Inch&21 Inch TV sets occupied a large proportion of the market share. 2nd is the additional values of ¡° SKYWORTH¡± brand added a lot, SKYWORTH products together with world-class famous brand products such as SONY, SAMSUNG, PANASONIC have entered the main stream sales channel of overseas market. Also, SKYWORTH focus on the future and expand its overseas market constantly. By now,
SKYWORTH products have been successfully launched to the market in Southeast Asia, Europe, South America , Russia(etc.)
When talking about how SKYWORTH Group earned such brilliant achievements in such a global economy depressed situation, Liuhuiyang said there are totaling 3 reasons. No.1 is in 2002 SKYWORTH received a lot of big orders from some famous foreign companies such as MITSUBSHI, THOMSON. No.2 lies in that SKYWORTH goes forward step by step and takes every customer equally. Some companies may not pay much attention to the small order which they think is valueless, but whatever quantity the customer wants, SKYWORTH will produce out the high-quality products as per the customers¡¯ requirements and never make every customer disappointed. Thus, SKYWORTH exports have been maintaining with a rapidly growth rate and the sales volume is quite considerable. No.3 is with the great efforts of SKYWORTH Group staff, the products strength, sales strength and brand strength of SKYWORTH in 2002 have been strengthened with considerable success, the promotion of comprehensive strength of SKYWORTH has established good foundation for the domestic and foreign sales of products this year.
During the interview, Huanghongsheng, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SKYWORTH Group said SKYWORTH plans to launch its product to India and U.S.A Markets within this year and is going to establish a lot of overseas offices. He also pointed out that overseas business has been the main growing power of SKYWORTH Group, it is estimated that the proportion of the foreign sales will increase to 50% in future 5 years. At the same time, the European Union market still is the key area to which SKYWORTH will continue to pay much attention in the future. A few months ago, SKYWORTH started Russian production base, which it will take as a gangplank to launch to the European Market.
The year of 2003 is the second year since China joining WTO, the home appliance industries will face more severe challenges. Some specialists say that by 2010 the color TV market of the whole world will be divided by 5 tycoons. ¡°SKYWORTH must be the one who will laugh the most brightly. We have eliminated the doubt on the pros and cons of China joining WTO with our export achievements.¡± Huanghongsheng said with fully confidence. SKYWORTH has made one example of successful China enterprises after China joining WTO.
If China succeeds in launching important new standards, many secondary benefits would flow. For example, such technology leadership would likely spur the growth of semiconductor design businesses, which typically enjoy higher profit margins than the contract chip-manufacturing facilities China has built so far. The standards-and-design synergy is real: Beijing plans to endorse a new digital-TV standard, and the government-owned Shenzhen State Microelectronics Co. is already working on a circuit design for the new set-top boxes.
China's chip-design companies are still tiny players on the world stage. But last year, Beijing began setting up seven design hubs around the country that will provide startups with financial support. Results could come quickly. Design revenues are already growing at a 30% annual clip, says U.S. market researcher iSuppli Corp. Moreover, the industry is increasingly becoming integrated with its more mature counterpart in Taiwan. Combine the two, and this "Greater China" chip-design industry will surpass that of North America in about six years, accounting for a 40% share of global revenues, according to iSuppli.
On the mainland alone, the range of China's state-sponsored chip-design work is impressive. Last year, the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched a homegrown microprocessor, dubbed the Godson. Now, Beijing-based engineers are refining that design and aim to unveil a low-cost microprocessor that they hope will become as popular for all sorts of electronic gizmos as Intel Corp.'s chips are for PCs. And in March, university researchers in Shanghai unveiled the first locally developed digital signal processor, a type of chip used in cellular phones and other wireless communication equipment. Today such chips are supplied largely by Texas Instruments Inc. and other Western companies.
Setting standards in computer software is also a government goal. And, as in chip design, Beijing is seeking to close a yawning gap with the West. In 2001, Chinese companies exported just $720 million in software -- much of it programming work contracted out by U.S. companies. By 2005, Beijing hopes to raise software exports to $5 billion.
To overcome its shortage of software engineers, Beijing has initiated a $2.4 billion plan to open 35 software colleges. And at least one goal will be to generate original PC software, including operating systems. Of course, Beijing can't dictate the success of these products, but the country's immense size confers some advantages. "It's only a matter of time before it surpasses everybody" and becomes the world's largest PC market, says William J. Amelio, Dell Computer Corp.'s (DELL ) president for Asia Pacific. If homegrown software is available, Beijing will expect to see it pre-installed on Chinese PCs -- and companies such as Dell will have no incentive to resist Beijing's wishes.
China's military leaders are especially interested in becoming more self-reliant in software, says Jerry Huang, head of Hewlett-Packard Co.'s (HPQ ) industry standard servers division for China and Hong Kong. When it comes to encryption and other security uses, "China is ahead or on par with the developed world," he says, adding that the People's Liberation Army generals were among "the earliest adopters of Linux, building systems from the ground up." One reason the PLA has been active in boosting Linux is that sales of supercomputer hardware and software to China is restricted under U.S. law. Linux facilitates alternatives to conventional supercomputing. "They are using Linux to do large-scale clustering -- over 100 servers [working together] in one system," says Huang.
Many factors could inhibit China's efforts to become a technology pioneer, including the absence of mature capital markets and almost no brand recognition for any of its products outside China. Even in chips, a strong suit for China, there are some troubling signs. Beijing is counting on greater integration with Taiwan's chip industry to smooth the way to a lucrative future in chip design. But the Taiwanese themselves are struggling to keep pace with industry leaders such as Intel and IBM (box). The risk for Beijing is that it will throw a lot of resources at homegrown standards that end up with little commercial value outside China, while failing to upgrade the nation's all-important manufacturing base. Even if China's chip-design industry rockets ahead by 2006, as iSuppli predicts, "two generations of technology will still remain between most local integrated-circuit companies and major foreign counterparts," notes a recent iSuppli report.
China's shortcomings bring relief to other Asian nations. As much as Korea and Japan count on China as a manufacturing base and a market, they have no desire to compete with it in the upper reaches of electronics, software, and emerging fields such as nanotechnology. Ironically, their struggles to stay a few steps ahead of the giant are bound to inspire China's best minds to reach even higher. The inventions, technical standards, and scientific ideas that emerge from this arms race of innovation will inevitably reorder the corporate hierarchies within Asia's borders -- and beyond.
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China downplays new format's challenge to DVD
By Lucy Liang
EE Times
August 9, 2002 (11:20 a.m. ET)
BEIJING -- Brushing off claims that it is trying to avoid royalty payments to U.S., Japanese and European companies, a Chinese government-backed research concern developing next-generation video-disk technology is reporting progress on a new format called Enhanced Versatile Disk (EVD).
Beijing E-World Technology, a collaboration of about 10 Chinese DVD manufacturers, is conducting research sponsored by China's Ministry of Information Industry and the State Economic and Trade Commission. A goal is to develop EVD intellectual property (IP) that would allow resolution five times higher than DVDs while helping China's consumer electronics industry escape full royalty payments to the DVD Forum.
However, Hao Jie, E-World Technology's general manager, said EVD is not intended as a competitor to the DVD standard. "EVD is by no means the so-called 'super DVD' or a contender to DVD," Hao said. "EVD is a brand-new technology architecture standard intended for home-media electronics, somewhat similar to the MHP [Multimedia Home Platform], an open and interactive broadcast standard used in Europe."
While EVD has its own development time frame, Hao said it is "currently compatible with DVD for the sake of market transition. EVD doesn't intentionally evade the basic patents in DVD, such as MPEG-2, patents in video disk owned by Philips and Thomson. But the patent fees involved are less."
He added that EVD also wouldn't require use of the Content Scrambling System, Dolby AC-3 and other patented technologies "since its architecture is different from DVD."
Technical progress
Hao said technical progress on the EVD format includes development of a proprietary control chip that contains patented technology and manufacturing know-how. Other IP being developed includes the format itself, audio, a network interface and plug-and-play capability, Hao said. Some components of the new format could be available as products by the end of the year, and work has begun on a single-chip system that integrates new features.
For a test platform, ATI Technologies Inc. has provided full hardware support based on PC architecture, including video decoding, file system interpretation and DSP decoding. The cost is a little bit higher than that for DVD player systems, but it is expected that the single-chip solution will lower the total cost. The single-chip solution will integrate a video/audio decoder, CPU controllers and TV encoder, and use a PC-based IDE interface. OEMs would be able to pick and choose application functionality depending on the end market.
China announced more than a year ago that it was developing a format, called Advanced Versatile Disc, that it said would be used only in the Greater China region that includes Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. In April, 19 Taiwanese companies came up with their own next-generation standard, EVD, which is basically compatible with China's. The capacity potential is about 1 Gbyte higher than that of today's single-sided, one- and two-layer DVDs. Current red-laser technology would be used.
Hao confirmed that Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute and leading consumer electronics manufacturers are involved in the formulation of the EVD standard. "We have been taking an active part in promoting coordination within the industrial circle," he said.
So far, companies such as disk maker Ritek Corp. and electronics giant Philips are known to be involved. Other parties that would show expected interest include DVD chip makers Mediatek Inc., ALi Corp., LSI Logic Corp., ESS Technology Inc. and Zoran Corp., though none of these companies has confirmed their involvement. "We are watching it closely," said Chin Wu, president of ALi, who was still unsure if the Chinese government would try to leverage any EVD patents against the DVD Forum to mitigate royalty fees now paid by Chinese system houses. "It would make sense," he said.
Currently, Hao said there is no plan to use the EVD patents in such a way, adding that it would not be compulsory for DVD systems sold within China to support the standard, thus giving chip makers the choice of whether to add the functionality or not.
EVD proponents in China are promoting the format as technology system to be applied to home interactive devices like Playstation and Xbox. Hence, they estimate the total market for EVD in China that includes videodisk players, home terminal devices and support for high-definition TV services could approach $4.8 billion.
DVD overlap
Hao said parts of the EVD format overlap DVD, but most parts do not. "For those parts overlapped, patent fees should be paid," he said. He stressed that DVD is a "big system," and that a new format did not have to be compatible with the entire DVD format to work. "Which parts should be compatible with [DVD] depends on which parts are commonly used by consumers. Then it is left for manufacturers to make the final choice."
EVD aims to eventually go beyond DVD. The "global market is certainly our final target after we finish our steps in the domestic-market journey," Hao said.
For now, DVD makers are taking a wait-and-see approach. Shinco Electronic Group, China's biggest exporter of DVD players, and Panda Engineering are actively involved in the EVD project, but haven't made plans to mass produce EVD systems.
Lucy Liang is online editor for EE Times China. Mike Clendenin also contributed to this report.
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http://www.itri.org.tw/eng/research/cno/re-cno-b002.jsp?tree_idx=0000
Optical Information Technology
Technology Summary
The main objective for the optical information project is to develop optical information system technology, which includes optical storage (optical disk drives and high-density disks), optical input devices (3D scanners, digital video cameras), optical output devices (printers), optical display devices (projectors, PTVs, 3D displays).
Current Status
Developing key technologies for high video quality DVC, 3D image retrieving, animation and anthropometric measurements, and color processing technology.
Developing system integrative technology for HD-DVD, Pickup technology, Spindle Motor, Decoder chip design and key technology for optical disk production.
Developing key technologies for picture-quality ink-jet printing head and printing related process.
Developing non-axisymmetric system technology for optical disk drives and optical assembly manufacturing technology, high frequency video signal processing technology and key modules for laser projection and its system integration technology.
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Beijing E-World Technology, a collaboration of about 10 Chinese DVD manufacturers
Skyworth Multimedia International Co.,Ltd
SVA Information Industry Co., Ltd.
Shinco Electronic Group, China's biggest exporter of DVD players
Panda Engineering
Malata,
BBK,
Konka
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EVD to Surpass DVD Players
A Chinese company announces the invention of an Enhanced Versatile Disk or EVD machine, which it believes can replace the DVD player in the future. In addition, it can play an alternative role to CD, VCD, and DVD players.
Just last week, a Chinese company announced that it had invented an Enhanced Versatile Disk, or EVD machine, which it believes can replace the DVD player in the future. And more importantly, the machine's patent is Chinese owned. Our reporter Lu Feng talked to the president of the company and filed this report.
2002 has been a hard year for Chinese DVD manufacturers, after being asked to pay high royalty fees by overseas DVD manufacturers for using their technology.
But according to Hao Jie, president of Beijing E-world Technology Co. Ltd, the question of DVD patent fees won't bother domestic manufacturers too much in the near future.
"EVD has its independent technical system, which is mostly Chinese patented. In addition, it can play an alternative role to CD, VCD, and DVD players."
On top of that, Mr. Hao says the EVD machine also has some unique advantages.
"It has better visual and audio quality than the DVD. Also, the machine can be used as a simple computer in the home. With it, you can play video games, leave massages for your family members, draw pictures, and even connect to the Internet, view websites and receive and send emails."
In addition, the EVD disk has great storage capacity. Mr. Hao says that at present, an ordinary EVD disk can store the equivalent of two DVD movies on one side. And quite soon, a more advanced EVD disk, which is officially called Red-Ray Disk and has the same storage capacity as five DVD disks, is to come onto the market.
But, there are still some overlaps between the technologies used in EVD's and DVD's. That means that Chinese manufacturers will still need to pay royalty fees to some of their overseas counterparts who hold the intellectual property rights.
The good news is that the fee will go down dramatically from 14 dollars to 4 dollars.
Furthermore, Mr. Hao says he is not the least bit worried that overseas DVD manufacturers will raise their royalty fee again, as DVD technology has not yet become the international standard. On the contrary, there is a distinct possibility that EVD technology will become the International standard for disk production.
And Hao Jie says if that becomes the case, domestic manufacturers will benefit.
"First, it will guide the development of this sector. According to WTO rules, the international standard should be considered first in the production of any sector. So if EVD technology becomes the international standard for disk production, it will mean great profits, since we will be able to win royalty fees from our overseas counterparts."
The next step, Hao Jie says, involves playing two roles.
"On the one hand, we'll play a minor role, which means we'll entrust the patent to domestic manufacturers to let them produce their own EVD machines. We'll also play a leading role in applying for the International standard for the EVD."
Finally, Mr. Hao says he is quite positive about the future development of EVD system, although many difficulties still exist.
The first batch of EVD machines is expected to hit the market at the end of this year, and will be priced close to current DVD machines.
For Cutting Edge, this is Lu Feng.
Updated at 2002/07/29 10:33
Gateway Chases Consumer Electronics Sales
ELLIOT SPAGAT, AP Business Writer
POWAY, Calif. - In the last year alone, Gateway has become a serious player in flat-panel TVs and entered hot categories like digital cameras, camcorders and music players. Its stores got a $20 million facelift that relegated PCs to the back to make room for the new gizmos.
Other big changes are largely invisible to consumers. Gateway stopped manufacturing its products -- save for some large, custom accounts -- and it hired outsiders to handle everything from shipping to employee benefits. As a result, Gateway will employ 6,700 people by the middle of next year, down from 11,500 at the end of last year and 25,000 in 2000.
"It was just a gut-wrenching level of change," said Rod Sherwood, executive vice president and chief financial officer. But it was a change chairman and chief executive officer Ted Waitt had to make, for the company was hemorrhaging money and becoming an also-ran against Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co.
Yet a turnaround is anything but certain for a company that has lost money in 11 of its last 12 quarters. The holiday season will be a pivotal test of whether Gateway's gamble pays off. On Tuesday, the company rounded out its lineup by expanding its offering of TVs to 12 models and adding two digital cameras, a DVD recorder and a digital music player.
Waitt and a longtime supplier began talking about the flat-panel TVs that were turning up in high-end consumer electronics showrooms. They were sleek enough to hang on living-room walls like paintings and offered sharper images than standard tube TVs. But with prices starting around $5,000, few people could afford them.
The holiday results may determine the company's chances of competing against the likes of Sony, Panasonic and Samsung. Gateway's strategy has been to undercut well-known brands with prices in the ballpark of no-name manufacturers found at Wal-Mart and other discount retailers.
Steve Baker, an analyst at NPDTechworld, gives Gateway high marks in such higher-margin categories as flat-panel TVs and digital cameras. He notes only one hiccup in execution -- the indefinite delay of handheld computers, originally scheduled to be launched in July.
"My early impressions are that most of what they've done has been right," Baker said. "My biggest worry is how many things they can actually pull off in such a short period of time."
And Gateway may face a new threat from old foes. Last month, Dell introduced a 17-inch liquid-crystal display TV for $699 -- matching Gateway's price -- and two digital music players in what it described as an initial assault on the consumer electronics market.
Dell can't match Gateway with a chain of retail stores -- a key advantage if customers want to see and touch the pricey gadgets before digging for their wallets. And Gateway ended the third quarter with more than $1 billion in cash, giving it some cushion as it tries to reverse its decline in sales.
Although last year's Christmas season was disappointing for Gateway, Waitt concluded that his plasma TV idea was a winner that augured well for further diversifying away from the now-commoditized world of PC sales. The 42-inch TVs had sold out quickly at $3,000 apiece.
So the ponytailed executive and a new cadre of lieutenants charted plans to remake the company.
Sherwood, a 49-year-old mountain climber who worked at Chrysler Corp. during its turnaround in the 1980s, joined in October 2002. Other newcomers were Joe Formichelli, 60, a former IBM executive who set out to overhaul manufacturing and distribution; Scott Edwards, 41, a marketer from Sony's consumer electronics division; and Bill Parker, 56, who came from Gap Inc.'s Banana Republic chain to remodel its shrinking chain of nearly 200 stores.
In May, Waitt walked on stage at a San Diego hotel to tell analysts what he was up to. Wearing his signature blue jeans and blazer, Waitt boasted that Gateway could slash prices and still post healthy profits simply by avoiding the usual retail channels, like Best Buy and Circuit City. Instead, it would sell over the phone, the Internet and at Gateway's own stores.
Around the same time, Gateway decided to close its PC assembly plant in Hampton, Va., eliminating 450 jobs as part of broader move to exit manufacturing. It hired Affiliated Computer Services Inc. to take over myriad corporate functions from payroll administration to finance and accounting. Affiliated performs some of those jobs in Dallas and plans to shift more to India.
Gateway decided to stop funneling merchandise through its own warehouses in North Sioux City, S.D., on its way to stores. Beginning this month, Ingram Micro Inc. will handle that work from warehouses in Mira Loma, Calif., Millington, Tenn., and Jonestown, Pa.
Waitt, a 40-year-old University of Iowa dropout and son of a fourth-generation cattleman, set up Gateway in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1985. He moved the company to San Diego in 1998 and later to suburban Poway.
Waitt has a home in the Sioux City area, which has been stung by the latest round of job cuts, and visits about once a month. The company still employs about 2,000 people in the region.
On a recent trip home, after the layoffs and his father's death, Waitt said that while some wished him well -- even people laid off by Gateway -- he did encounter hostility from a nurse who said the area would have been better off had he never set up shop there.
Personal trials aside, Waitt's biggest challenge may come from Dell, whose ability to wring out costs in the manufacturing process has caused Gateway fits in the PC market.
Waitt has no illusions that the head start he's got over his old nemesis in consumer electronics will last for long.
Dell is "extremely tough, they're ruthless," he said. "They'll pay some lip service to (consumer electronics), they'll wait and see what happens, they'll test a few things out, then they'll jump in in a bigger way. But by that time, we'll have critical mass and there'll be enough room for both of us."
coincidence?--Remodeling done, Gateway to open store doors
By John G. Spooner
CNET News.com
November 7, 2003, 6:58 AM PT
URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-5103974.html
Gateway plans to hold a grand reopening for its retail stores next week.
The company is set to formally announce on Tuesday that it has completed renovations of its 190 retail stores and to discuss several new PC and storage products at an event in New York, according to sources familiar with the company's plans.
Ted Waitt, Gateway's CEO, is expected to make the announcements at a reopening ceremony at the company's Union Square store in Manhattan.
The store renovations are the last phase of the PC maker's drive, launched earlier this year, to establish itself as a consumer electronics brand and to use home electronics products to help it climb back to profitability. After launching more than 50 new products, the company is heading down the stretch toward the holiday shopping season, which begins at the end of this month.
Gateway will now use its stores as a showcase for its home electronics gear. Customers will get detailed, hands-on views of Gateway's Connected DVD player, music player and digital cameras, and will be able to see how the devices can interact with PCs, home theater gear and flat-screen televisions, the sources said.
The new stores, which Gateway has said will have a living-room motif, will include multiple stations that show off the different products, from digital cameras to PCs and TVs. Gateway expects that, if it does its job correctly, holiday shoppers will leave its stores with more products than they came in for, the sources say.
The Gateway stores--remodeled over a period of about 90 days--are also expected to include new stations for business products, such as servers and storage systems.
In addition to unveiling the redesigned stores, Gateway will discuss several products. It plans to launch a convertible tablet PC, along with a new computer design, whose chassis puts it somewhere between a desktop and a notebook, sources familiar with Gateway's plans said.
Gateway has been experimenting with different PC designs. The company recently launched two new all-in-one desktop computers, which offer a built-in screen. One, the Profile 5, is aimed at businesses, while the other, the Gateway 610 Media Center PC, was designed to allow consumers to watch videos, play games and view television programs.
The company's transformation hasn't been an easy one. Gateway has cut about 3,200 jobs and closed 82 stores since January in its quest for profits. The holiday season should provide the first real test for the consumer electronics strategy.
To succeed, the company needs to avoid creating a technology museum and instead present its products in a manner that encourages consumers to buy, said Steve Baker, an analyst with NPD Group.
"One of the things about being a retailer is presenting stuff in an agreeable fashion," Baker said. "This shows the customers you're serious about providing them with the products they want."
One factor working in Gateway's favor is that it can control the environment inside its stores, Baker said.
"It has to take that as far as it will go," he said. "What you want to see is that it's gaining sales and sales momentum in this category. It's possible (Gateway) might not make money (this quarter). But what I want to see, on an overall basis, is it's starting to drive some revenue."
see message #44568
sentinel--btw, i seriously doubt that Gateway or any other household name is the branded O1000 company otherwise i would have expected FF/RP to highlight the O1000 platform more than it appears that they did; i have not actually listened to the webcast myself
gil--with all due respect to doni, i highly doubt that creative is licensing edig's core;
with respect to:
"When answering a question on MicroOs "Core Technology", both Fred and Putnam were clear that the "Core" was aimed at providing a "Platform" for "Licensees" who wished to produce products for their "Customers" without long delays associated with "Development" time."
i don't go as far back as many around here, but that has been Falk's mantra since at least 1999 that I am aware of--
fwiw i see GTW is selling creative labs audio players on its website
me too--I'm from MO
niz--if your photo is any indication where you live,
http://stores.gateway.com/stores/40001177.htm
Las Vegas , NV
Address:
6810 W. Sahara Avenue
Las Vegas , NV 89146
Phone:
702-251-1162
Store Hours:
Mon - Sat 10am-8pm Sun 12pm-5pm
Service Desk Hours:
10am - 7pm Monday - Saturday
Closed Sunday
Directions:
Follow Interstate 215 north to Interstate 15. Follow Interstate 15 north to Sahara Avenue west (turn left).
The Gateway Store is located on the northeast corner of Sahara and Rainbow, behind Chevy's restaurant.
sent-- if it is, an argument can be made for gateway (but at this point edig will have to show me before i will put any stock in that) pun intended
if we start with a $B asian oem (which means that wistron is a strong candidate) tied to the article that gateway is cutting back on manufacturing and was considering 3 manufacturing candidates one of which was wistron and it was the only asian oem under consideration with the already announced pr by GTW that it is coming out with a HDD player (however no timetable was stated)with the fact that if GTW was bringing out a HDD product they would want to do it before XMAS with the fact that the webcast notes state it will be sold retail in the US and e-tail everywhere else with the fact that GTW has its own retail stores in the US and nowhere else with the fact that if it is coming out in a couple of weeks for XMAS in retail that with respect to other retail outlests such as Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc they would have already had to have shelf commitment along time ago which is not likely but since GTW owns its own retail stores this would not be an issue
which all means one thing-- WTFDIK!!!!!
PS XMAS 2004 should be a blockbuster for edig. Thats all folks.
cksla
sent-is licensee supose to be well known??
sentinel- not that it matters but you might check my post #46113; murgirl as usual has done some strong DD re wistron;
is the O1000 licensee suppose to be a well known name? not stated in original PR that it is-