Rogers Cablesystems Joins Time Warner in Testing VOD
Western Cable Show booth 4559
MAYNARD, Mass., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- SeaChange International, Inc.
(Nasdaq: SEAC) today introduced the SeaChange ITV (interactive television)
System, the first comprehensive video server-based software system, which
leverages cable operators' digital network investment and choice of popular
settop boxes. Designed for cable operator's practical pursuit of the video-
on-demand (VOD) market and expansion into other interactive services, the ITV
System can provide a 22 month return on investment that accounts for initial
equipment and operational costs associated with the reliable delivery of such
services to towns and cities.
"SeaChange has always focused on providing comprehensive digital video
systems that deliver complete functionality within television operators'
environment," said Bill Styslinger, president and CEO, SeaChange
International. "Everyone wants to make television do more. As we speed
toward totally personal television and the ensuing revenue opportunities,
SeaChange contributes the technology solutions shaped by operators' business
needs."
Rogers Cablesystems, Canada's largest cable network operator, has selected
the SeaChange ITV System to demonstrate the VOD service to its customers.
Rogers joins TimeWarner, which recently selected SeaChange for its Pegasus
project. Rogers plans to test the SeaChange ITV System over the coming
months.
Comprehensive, Open System
SeaChange has combined its digital video systems expertise with a thorough
understanding of cable operators' business requirements. The SeaChange ITV
System offers the scalability and fault-resilience required for the large-
scale deployment of interactive cable television services. The ITV
MediaCluster video server scales easily to support operators' initial service
and their growth in viewer populations, movie libraries and new services.
Since operators are working with a variety of digital settop boxes, which
are critical to the two-way communication between cable headends and viewers,
SeaChange has collaborated with General Instrument, Pioneer, Scientific-
Atlanta, and OpenCable, to meet cable operators' immediate and future
requirements.
"We recognize that VOD is a complex undertaking that goes far beyond video
servers and digital settop compliance," said Yvette Gordon, director of
interactive technologies, SeaChange International. "That's just the tip of
the iceberg, so we're taking care of everything else below the surface with
technology that minimizes, and even eliminates, the myriad long-term
challenges like managing content, hiring specialized staff, and getting bills
out to customers."
"Every viewer absolutely has to get the movie they order. Imagine the
challenge of serving thousands of viewers in nodes all over the city," Gordon
further explains. "That's why we developed a smart system that thinks about
every portion of the network. It ensures that the viewer's TV screen reflects
the programs and movies that have been encoded and distributed to the node
serving their neighborhood. That's a major operational task that we've
automated."
The SeaChange ITV System includes three major integrated components that
provide fault-resilient performance and automation required to minimize
operational investment:
1) The SeaChange ITV MediaCluster video server, based on the company's
proven MediaCluster computer architecture, is capable of serving hundreds of
subscriber requests simultaneously. ITV MediaCluster requires only one copy
of a video to meet hundreds of simultaneous requests. The server is scalable
to support headend or local cable hub installation, therefore reducing the
network bandwidth required for delivering high-quality long-form digital video
files.
2) The SeaChange Command Center is a cable master control center-based
software suite enabling highly-automated ITV operation and end-to-end fault-
resilience. It includes cable headend software components for automated
management of video and data content, video streams, subscriber requests and
billing. The software includes:
Media Manager: Manages the entire life cycle of all video and data
content delivered to the subscriber interface such as MPEG movies, audio
files, character fonts, still graphics, etc. Distributes video and data
content to ITV MediaClusters in anticipation of the need for hyper-localized
material such as multi-lingual programming or add-on services designed for
highly-targeted audience segments.
Connection Manager: Maintains the links between every component of the
delivery network like digital broadcast servers, management servers, and ITV
MediaClusters.
Streaming Service: Constantly monitors each video stream output by the
MediaCluster. In the event of a failure anywhere in the network, it
automatically sets up another path without interrupting service to
subscribers.
3) The SeaChange Compass enables subscribers to point-and-click through
interactive services on the television screen. This settop navigation
software links digital settop boxes with headend operations so viewers
immediately get movie line-up changes or gain access to new services as they
are added and upgraded. The automated software eliminates the massive
operational challenge of constantly updating settop boxes across a cable
system with thousands of homes passed. The SeaChange ITV System will also
integrate with electronic program guides, enabling operators to select from a
variety of user interfaces.
Cable operators can also leverage SeaChange's optional services for
acquiring Hollywood movies and other video content, as well as well as
customizing the Compass subscriber interface. For more than a year, the
company has provided these services to cable operators using SeaChange's
GuestServe Network hotel interactive television system.
Availability and pricing
The SeaChange ITV System is available for order worldwide. Pricing is
dependent on the system size and configuration, including the number of
viewers served. In a system of 200,000 homes passed, the cost for SeaChange
equipment can be as low as $1.5 million, enabling return on investment in 22
months. Content acquisition and screen development services are priced per
individual request.
About SeaChange International
Serving hundreds of geographic markets and more than 17,000 television
channels worldwide, SeaChange International, Inc., is the leading provider of
MPEG-2 digital video systems for television. SeaChange's products,
incorporating the company's patent-pending software and hardware technologies,
automate the management and distribution of video streams including
advertisements, movies, news updates and other broadcast-quality video
programming requiring precise execution. Since its founding in 1993,
SeaChange has been headquartered in Maynard, Mass. For SeaChange ITV System
details and SeaChange's video-on-demand white paper, visit http://www.schange.com.
MediaCluster is a registered trademark of SeaChange International, Inc.
All rights reserved.
SOURCE SeaChange International
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.schange.com
CONTACT:
John Coulbourn of SeaChange International,
978-897-0100, ext. 3098, johnc@schange.com
|
