Sigma Designs And The Network Connection Deliver MPEG Video To Passengers
Major Cruise Ship Line and Exclusive French Airline Equip Their Fleets with REALmagic-Based Video-on-Demand Systems
FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 28, 1998-- Sigma Designs, Inc. (Nasdaq:SIGM - news), a recognized leader in MPEG video playback technology, today announced successful results of its partnership with The Network Connection, Inc. (Nasdaq:TNCX - news) of Alpharetta, GA. The Network Connection, Inc. (TNCi), a leader in travel entertainment systems, has developed a family of video server platforms for delivering MPEG video over networks. Next month Fairlines, a new French commercial airline owned and operated by Francois Arpels of the jewelry and fragrance giant Van Cleef and Arpels family, will inaugurate scheduled service featuring TNCi's AirView(R), an advanced interactive in-flight entertainment (IFE) system.
AirView enables every Fairlines passenger to simultaneously access the latest weather or news report, their favorite movie or music selection, and even some shopping with the simple touch of a laptop computer-like screen right at their seat. At the heart of each seat's electronics is a Sigma Designs REALmagic card. ''Sigma's REALmagic cards deliver outstanding video quality,'' says Wil Riner, TNCi's chief executive officer. ''We've implemented REALmagic MPEG technology across our product line to deliver video-on-demand at television broadcast quality.'' Four Air-View equipped airline seats were on display at the recent Comdex show in Sigma Designs' booth.
Fairlines' entire fleet of MD-80 aircraft will be configured with the AirView IFE system. In-flight entertainment systems represent a growth opportunity, with airlines around the world poised to invest tens of millions of dollars in the technology, now considered an essential marketing tool due to the increasingly competitive nature of the airline business. Within the next five years, sales of IFE equipment and services are expected to climb to more than $9 billion from $1.4 billion in 1997.
In addition, TNCi will work with a major international cruise line to install CruiseView(TM) on two 1600-cabin ships in mid 1998. CruiseView will support video/audio on demand, shopping, multi player games, gambling, shore excursion/event booking, live feed programming, and business services, all via a television remote control. As part of the configuration, a Sigma Designs REALmagic card will be installed in each guest cabin for playing MPEG-2 video. Additional CruiseView installations on board the cruise line's other ships should follow completion of the first two projects. |
