Is this how NCDI might get C-CUBE chips?
biz.yahoo.com
Scientific-Atlanta and NCI Announce Digital Applications for Explorer
2000 Set-top Terminals
-- NCI to develop DTV Navigator platform for Explorer 2000 digital
set-top -- Electronic mail, Web browsing and interactive TV applications
to be demonstrated this week at Scientific-Atlanta's exhibit, booth
2542/Hall B, Western Cable TV Show
ATLANTA, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (NYSE: SFA -
news) and Network Computer, Inc. (NCI) announced today at the Western
Cable TV Show, Anaheim, Calif., that Scientific-Atlanta is working with
NCI to provide enhanced and interactive television applications for
cable television subscribers through Scientific-Atlanta's Explorer(R)
2000 digital set-top terminals. NCI, jointly owned by Oracle Corporation
and Netscape, is a leading developer of client-server applications for
networked environments.
NCI's DTV Navigator(TM), announced today by NCI, is an open software
platform for Enhanced TV(TM) applications, which can include Web
browsing, electronic mail, television guides, personalized news tickers,
interactive shopping, and home banking. NCI will be demonstrating some
of these applications in Scientific-Atlanta's exhibit (booth 2542, Hall
B) at the Western Cable TV Show, Dec. 10-12. This is the first
demonstration of the NCI DTV Navigator product with Netscape-compatible
technology running on a digital set-top.
''Working with NCI is a big step in our efforts to help develop a market
for two-way, interactive TV technologies through new services and
applications,'' said Michael P. Harney, Scientific-Atlanta's vice
president and general manager, digital video systems. ''We're delighted
that NCI chose the Explorer 2000 set-top as their first digital platform
for delivering compelling new services for cable subscribers.''
''NCI's relationship with Scientific-Atlanta demonstrates our commitment
to provide a standards-based software platform on an industry-leading
set-top box,'' said Wei Yen, president of Network Computer, Inc. ''Our
combined software and hardware solution will produce the cable
industry's first digital set-top with Enhanced TV capabilities.''
DTV Navigator also provides an application development platform for
content authors and network operators to build their own applications.
Both the Explorer set-top and the DTV Navigator will support programs
written in HTML and JavaScript(TM). Use of these programming languages
is among the recommendations of Cable Laboratories Inc. (CableLabs),
which is leading an effort known as ''OpenCable'' to develop
specifications for digital set-top and applications interoperability.
With DTV Navigator applications tailored for the Explorer 2000 set-top,
cable operators will be able to offer HTML- and JavaScript-based
applications to subscribers for additional revenue opportunities.
Under terms of the non-binding letter of understanding, the two
companies provide that NCI will develop a set of DTV Navigator
applications for the Explorer 2000 set-top. Scientific-Atlanta will
support DTV Navigator applications on the Explorer platform and will
provide sales and marketing support. The companies expect a definitive
contract to be signed within 90 days. No other details of the letter of
understanding were announced.
NCI anticipates that DTV Navigator will be available on Explorer 2000
set- tops for trial as early as the first half of 1998.
DTV Navigator is designed on a scaleable and open architecture,
distributed between a client and server environment. The DTV Navigator
client is based on Netscape's industry-leading browser technology and is
optimized to run on less than 1 megabyte of memory. The standards-based
design ensures compatibility with existing network protocols and network
topologies and is configurable to run on the Explorer 2000 set-top
today.
The Explorer 2000 set-top will deliver true interactivity in a home
environment. The Explorer set-top is designed with a built-in, real-time
reverse path transmitter to enable a range of new two-way applications,
including high-speed Internet TV, training/education-on-demand,
video-on- demand, direct-purchase merchandising, and local information
services.
''Forward-looking statements,'' as defined in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, may be included in this news release. A
variety of factors could cause Scientific-Atlanta's actual results to
differ from the anticipated results expressed in such forward-looking
statements. Investors are referred to Scientific-Atlanta's Cautionary
Statements (Exhibit 99 to the Company's most recent Form 10-Q), which
statements are incorporated into this news release by reference.
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (http://www.sciatl.com) is a leading supplier
of broadband communications systems, satellite-based video, voice and
data communications networks, and worldwide customer service and
support.
Network Computer, Inc. is a software innovator with a mission to deliver
affordable and easy to use products that tap the power of the global
Internet. Formed in 1996, NCI is an affiliate of Oracle Corp. and offers
its network computer software and services to corporations, homes and
communities. NCI is based in Redwood Shores, California, and can be
reached at 650-631-4600. NCI's Web site is nc.com.
Explorer is a registered trademark of Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. DTV
Navigator and Enhanced TV are trademarks of Network Computers, Inc. All
other products or brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective owners. |
