In other related NAB news...
NAB '99: DIRECTV Selects HP MediaStream Servers for Castle Rock Broadcast Facility
04/19/1999
Business Wire
(Copyright (c) 1999, Business Wire)
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 1999--
NAB99
Multimillion-dollar Contract Based on Reliability and
Expandability of HP MediaStream Server 1600
Hewlett-Packard Company, the pioneer in MPEG compression technology for broadcast servers, today announces it has signed a multimillion-dollar contract with DIRECTV Inc., a leading provider of digital television entertainment and information programming. Under terms of the agreement, HP will provide on-air digital storage and playback video-server systems for DIRECTV's uplink facility in Castle Rock, Colo. The announcement was made here at the 1999 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference.
HP will provide 12 MediaStream server 1600 units to perform content-receipt, storage and playback functions for DIRECTV's Castle Rock Broadcast Center, which is where the bulk of DIRECTV's programming originates. Programming handled by HP's MediaStream server 1600 will include short-form promotional spots, interstitials and long-form sporting events.
DIRECTV chose HP's MediaStream server 1600 for its reliability and expandability and because it integrates easily with DIRECTV's existing software system. In addition, HP's on-air digital broadcast solution was the server of choice for DIRECTV's Los Angeles Broadcast Center, which is due to go online later this year.
"DIRECTV's Castle Rock Broadcast Center has been lauded by the industry for more than five years because we have utilized the latest and most innovative broadcast technology available," said Don Jones, vice president and general manager of DIRECTV's Castle Rock Broadcast Center. "By upgrading our facility with HP's leading-edge digital broadcast solutions, we will not only realize significant cost and operational efficiencies, we will also be able to offer additional products and services to our customers."
The HP servers will replace Castle Rock's existing tape machines and provide additional storage capacity and backup protection for the entire DIRECTV network. When the installation is complete, DIRECTV will benefit from the MediaStream server 1600 features, including guaranteed file content delivery, and enhanced chroma resolution and image quality made possible by HP's field-proven MPEG 4:2:2 compression technology.
"DIRECTV and HP have maintained the highest performance and quality standards in the industry," said Greg Hoberg, general manager for HP's Video Communications Division. "By utilizing HP's MediaStream family systemwide, DIRECTV will be able to cost-effectively maintain the same high levels of broadcast and service quality, while increasing its digital program offerings to customers."
Each of the HP servers will be connected via HP's advanced fiber-channel networking, which is capable of delivering file-transfer rates of up to 45 times faster than "real time" (the play length of a video clip). HP's open-systems design and use of standard APIs also allow for seamless integration with other tape- and disk-based systems.
Information about HP's broadcast solutions can be obtained on the World Wide Web via hp.com.
About DIRECTV
DIRECTV is a registered trademark of DIRECTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation. The earnings of Hughes Electronics are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to GMH (NYSE symbol) common stock. Visit DIRECTV on the World Wide Web as www.directv.com.
About HP
Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services for business and home -- is focused on capitalizing on the opportunities of the Internet and the proliferation of electronic services. HP had computer-related revenue of $39.5 billion in its 1998 fiscal year.
HP plans to launch a new and independent measurement company consisting of its industry-leading test-and-measurement, components, chemical-analysis and medical businesses. These businesses represented $7.6 billion of HP's total revenue in fiscal 1998. With leading positions in multiple market segments, this technology-based company will focus on high-growth opportunities such as communications and life sciences.
HP has 122,800 employees worldwide and had total revenue of $47.1 billion in its 1998 fiscal year. Information about HP, its products and the company's Year 2000 program can be found on the World Wide Web at hp.com.
Contact: CONTACT: HP Mary Luciano, 408/553-3835 mary_luciano@hp.com or Golin/Harris International for HP Gary Brotman, 213/623-4200 ext. 728 gbrotman@golinharris.com
11:21 EDT APRIL 19, 1999 |
