FOX buys digital Broadcasting equipment...............
biz.yahoo.com
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Monday July 28 6:02 AM EDT
Company Press Release
FOX Awards NDS Americas Contract For Digital Broadcasting Equipment
FOX Sports, FX and fXM Cable Networks To Use NDS System 3000 MPEG-2/DVB Digital Transmission Systems
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 28, 1997--NDS Americas, the growing U.S. division of NDS Ltd. and a leading worldwide provider of end-to-end solutions for digital broadcasting, today announced it has been awarded a contract valued in excess of $3.5 million from FOX cable services.
NDS will provide three System 3000 MPEG-2/DVB transmission systems for use with FOX Sports Net, FX and fXM (movie) cable networks. Acquisition of the NDS equipment is the network's first step toward converting its existing infrastructure of analog broadcast systems to the new MPEG-2/DVB compliant digital format.
FOX will use the NDS System 3000 transmission systems to broadcast up to eight channels of programming from one satellite transponder. Each system will be configured with NDS Reflex statistical multiplexing software to further increase compression and broadcast efficiencies. FOX expects to save millions of dollars annually from reduced transponder costs.
``We are building a state-of-the-art digital cable distribution network at FOX,'' said Andrew G. Setos, Senior Vice President, Broadcast Operations and Engineering, FOX Television. ``Digital technology will provide us with a number of key benefits including reduced transponder costs, increased bandwidth to offer more programming and the ability to enhance the control of our program delivery network.''
The NDS System 3000 is a complete digital transmission system that is capable of digitally compressing and broadcasting live or taped video programming. The system is fully compliant with MPEG-2/DVB industry standards. Multiple video programs can be digitally compressed, multiplexed together into one data channel and then modulated for transmission over satellite, terrestrial or cable delivery schemes.
FOX intends to use the System 3000 to broadcast multiple channels of programming, including fast-action sports, to 3000 cable affiliates and nine regional networks located across the United States.
``This is a major strategic step for FOX in their digital conversion plans,'' said Ian Tapp, vice president of marketing, NDS Americas. ``In selecting the NDS System 3000 transmission system, FOX is assured the equipment will meet the network's future expansion needs of open standards and interoperability. It provides them with enormous flexibility.''
About NDS
NDS Americas is located in Newport Beach and is part of the company's worldwide operations with corporate headquarters based in the United Kingdom. The company provides complete end-to-end solutions for digital broadcasting and has worldwide R&D, manufacturing and support facilities.
NDS is a recognized leader in digital video compression, conditional access, and has proven systems integration and global support capabilities. NDS is providing its advanced technologies, products and services to 18 of the 30 current and planned digital satellite and terrestrial broadcasting systems around the world.
Some of NDS' key customers in the Americas include DIRECTV, INTELSAT, Galaxy Latin America, NetSat and Innova. In addition, over 8 million subscribers around the globe use NDS conditional access systems to receive pay TV satellite and cable services.
NDS plays a major part in developing open systems and the international standards for the digital broadcasting arena, providing the technology and market know-how to implement standards such as MPEG-2, DVB and DTTV.
NDS is part of the News Technology Group, responsible for News Corporation's high technology companies. NDS has won many awards for technology including an Emmy from The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and in the UK, two Queen's Awards, one for Technology and one for Export.
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Contact:
NDS Americas Inc.
Lisa Hobbs, 714/725-2548
Margot Field, 44-181-476-8158
mfield@ndcuk.com
or
The Benjamin Group Inc.
Daniel McKean, 408/559-6090
dmckean@sv.tbgi.com
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