SAN JOSE, Calif., INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, /PRNewswire/--Aug. 21, 2000-- Fourteen companies have joined together today to announce the formation of the PC DTV Promoters Group for the purpose of marketing and accelerating adoption of digital broadcast receivers and DTV technology for the PC. The group was formed to help raise awareness of the PC as the ideal platform for receiving Enhanced Digital Television programming, HDTV and high-bandwidth Datacasting services. More information about the PC DTV Promoters Group, membership requirements and DTV information is available at http://www.pcdtv.org .
PC DTV Promoters Group members include: ATI Technologies, Inc. (Toronto SE: ATY; Nasdaq: ATYT), Broadlogic Network Technologies Inc., Conexant Systems (Nasdaq: CNXT), Decisionmark, Hauppauge Digital Inc. (Nasdaq: HAUP), iBlast Networks, Intel Corp., InterVideo Inc., Pinnacle Systems (Nasdaq: PCLE), Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), RAVISENT Technologies (Nasdaq: RVST) , Santa Barbara Software, SCM Microsystems (Nasdaq: SCMM) and Wavexpress. Each of these companies offers technology or services that enable PC users to receive digitally broadcast signals from terrestrial stations, cable services or satellite providers. Products include DTV receiver cards, HDTV software decoders, Enhanced TV viewers, antenna selection guides, OpenCable(TM) boxes and data broadcasting services. The Promoters Group will be demonstrating OEM and retail PC DTV solutions including broadcasts from local DTV stations and from Intel's Center for Datacasting Innovation during the Intel Developer Forum Demo Showcase, booth #1040.
The PC DTV Promoters Group was formed to provide consumers with a practical source for information on PC DTV technology and to raise PC users' awareness of the new applications that will be available later this year. For PC users in a DTV coverage area, Enhanced DTV, HDTV and Datacasting will be available using a low cost PC DTV receiver card and a television antenna. Decisionmark, one of the founding members of the PC DTV Promoters Group, is tracking actual digital TV coverage in the U.S. in real time through the TitanTV.com web site. "There are 149 digital television stations across the country today, covering 64 percent of U.S. households, according to our reports. Digital television receivers, however, remain cost prohibitive for most consumers," commented Jack Perry, CEO of Decisionmark Corp. "The PC DTV Promoters Group will help PC users within the digitally covered areas by making affordable and compelling digital reception a reality."
Members of the PC DTV Promoters Group offer the technical solutions and information needed for consumers to make an informed decision before investing in DTV technology. "PC DTV enables a completely new experience and delivery channel for the PC user. The PC DTV Promoters Group fills a critical role by helping consumers and broadcasters understand how to access this technology and take full advantage of the DTV transformation. We're pleased to be founding members of this important effort," said Pat Gelsinger, Intel's vice president and chief technology officer, Intel Architecture Group.
"RAVISENT is at the forefront of leveraging digital broadcast technology for the PC market," said Frank Wilde, chief executive officer of RAVISENT. "We believe that the next generation of High Bandwidth Connectivity to the Home is going to bring Digital Television and the PC market much closer. As a member of the PC DTV Group RAVISENT is working to raise the awareness of the PC-HDTV convergence in the marketplace."
Datacasting uses the high speed DTV broadcast signal to deliver large data files such as music, video, subscription services and software over the air rather by modem or DSL connection. In the US, DTV terrestrial broadcast stations send digital information (data) at a rate of 19.4 megabits per second (Mbps). A standard digital television program requires a broadcast rate of 4-5 Mbps. For each second of television broadcast up to 15 megabits of non-television information can be delivered directly to a PC with a PC DTV receiver card, software and an antenna able to receive the DTV station. This is about 10 times the speed of a normal DSL connection. The point-to-multipoint broadcast architecture improves Internet efficiency by eliminating bottlenecks created when hundreds of users simultaneously attempt to download large files. Datacasting services are expected to be available in select areas next year. The PC DTV Promoters Group will be demonstrating Datacasting services at their booth during the IDF demo showcase.
Enhanced DTV provides information related to the program by sending data files along with the DTV video and audio signal. The viewer can choose to turn off the information or access the information through an interactive menu driven interface. There are three methods for associating data with a program. The simplest method sends a Web address along with the program and requires an Internet connection. The Enhanced DTV decoder reads the address and then downloads the data files from the Web site. The second method takes advantage of the DTV high-speed delivery to send 256K to 1.5 Mbps of data along with the DTV program. Data are temporarily stored by the receiver and available for viewing during the program. No Internet connection is required. The high-speed delivery channel allows the broadcaster to send more complex, multilevel enhancements than is practical via the Internet. The third method sends data along with the video signal but the data is stored on the user's hard drive for later access. All three methods are defined by the Advanced Television Video Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) Specification. Simple, Web-based Enhanced TV can be accessed by high end set top boxes. Complex enhancements delivered with the video are available to users with ATVEF enabled PC DTV receivers cards and software.
The uses for Enhanced DTV vary from sending a coupon along with an advertisement or updating sports scores to giving the viewer control over the camera angle or sending multi-language sound tracks. Data enhancements can be used by broadcasters to differentiate their program line-ups by giving the viewer control over what they see. Advertisers hold viewer attention longer by offering multiple levels and types of information. The PC DTV Promoters Group will be demonstrating datacasting services at their booth during the IDF demo showcase. The following PC DTV Promoters Group Members have corporate booths at IDF:
ATI Technologies #612; Broadlogic Network Technologies Inc. #635; Conexant #1029, InterVideo Inc. #1206; Microsoft Corporation; Pinnacle Systems Inc. #419; RAVISENT Technologies Inc. #1011; Wavexpress #611.
Hauppauge Digital, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAUP) is the leading developer and manufacturer of analog and digital video, TV and data broadcast receiver products for personal computers. Through its Hauppauge Computer Works, Inc. subsidiary in the U.S. and its Hauppauge Digital Europe Sarl subsidiary in Europe, the Company designs and manufactures analog and digital video boards for TV-in-a-window, digital video editing and video conferencing. The Company is headquartered in Hauppauge, New York, with sales offices in Germany, London, Paris, The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Singapore and California. The Company's Internet web site can be found at http://www.hauppauge.com.
/CONTACT: Jo Foster of Magnus & Co., 626-294-1030, or jofoster@magnusco.com, for Broadlogic Network Technologies Inc./
