NEW YORK, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- WaveTop, a division of WavePhore, Inc. WAVO , today announced alliances with six leading TV
Tuner Board and two TV/PC manufacturers for its WaveTop broadcast service.
WaveTop's software will be bundled with TV Tuner Boards produced by AIMS Labs, AITech, AVer Multimedia, Diamond Multimedia,
IXMICRO, and Tekram. In addition, both Net TV and 4Tel, leading Television/PC convergence manufacturers, will bundle WaveTop
software.
WaveTop is compatible with 85% of the TV Tuner Boards being manufactured. These bundling agreements and previous agreements with
ADS Technologies and Hauppauge Computer Works represent over 40% of the TV Tuner Board market.
"These relationships assure the broad based distribution of low cost VBI data receivers for our WaveTop service," said WaveTop senior
vice president and general manager, Sandy Goldman. "We expect the number of broadcast- enabled PCs to increase significantly after the
release of Windows 98. These partnerships give consumers access to WaveTop software and will lay the foundation for a successful
launch."
The first general release of WaveTop will be compatible with Microsoft Windows 95. Subsequently, WaveTop will be included in the
Windows 98 operating system scheduled to ship in the second quarter of 1998. WaveTop will take advantage of the Broadcast
Architecture in Windows 98. The new operating system has features that will make the PC even more of a home information and
entertainment center.
WaveTop is the first free modem-less content delivery service for the home PC market. WaveTop's data broadcast service works by
embedding data streams into existing broadcast television signals using the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI). To receive the VBI
transmission, the PC must be equipped with a television tuner. WaveTop's TV Tuner Board partnerships help guarantee inexpensive,
broad-based availability for this data broadcast technology.
"We are ready to unveil the latest in modem-less technology and become the standard in the field of data broadcasting to the home," said
Goldman. "We believe WaveTop and VBI data broadcasting will become an essential feature of the home PC."
"AVerMedia TVPhone combines TV/FM, video capture and video conferencing in one single unit. We're pleased to include WavePhore's
WaveTop in our Tuner Board to help customers take advantage of the potential the Internet offers without even subscribing to an Internet
provider," said James Haung, Product Manager of AVerMedia Technologies Inc.
"Our sales experience has shown that our customers want to find a solution to consolidate their television and personal computing systems,"
said Mike Boyd, 4Tel's Chief Technology Officer. "Whether it is boardrooms, dormitories or family rooms, space and appearance are a
valuable resources that our PC/TVs satisfy."
"The alliance between NetTV and WaveTop brings data broadcasting to the TV/PC environment," said Andrew Christensen, NetTV's
Director of International Marketing and Sales.
Bypassing the Internet Bottleneck
WaveTop's PC data broadcast service works by embedding data streams into the unseen portion of existing broadcast television signals
using the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI). WaveTop has partnered with PBS National Datacast, Inc. to broadcast data over the television
signals of its 264 PBS member stations, reaching more than 99% of television households in the U.S.
Using a simple browser interface and a broadcast ready PC (a standard PC with a built-in TV tuner or equipped with an add-on TV tuner
card), users will interact with transparently downloaded information, entertainment and software. Computers equipped with TV tuners and
Wavetop software transparently receive, decode and cache content automatically without the bottleneck of the internet or tying up a phone
line.
Rich Content
WaveTop content providers are among the world's leading media companies, including Time Inc. New Media, which includes the on-line
versions of: People, Time, Entertainment Weekly, Money, Fortune and Sports Illustrated for Kids. Also providing content are USA
TODAY, Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition, CBS SportsLine, PBS ONLINE, Quote.com, The Weather Channel, N2K's Music
Boulevard, BarnesandNoble.com, Yahoo! And Yahooligans!, Universal Press Syndicate -- Comics, Women's wire and Prevention's
Healthy Ideas, ParentTime, Supermarket Online, OnCart, NECX and ZDNet.
The media partners' content will create channels appealing to the whole family. WaveTop channels include NewsTop -- the latest in news,
sports and weather; StockTop -- with regularly updated stock information and business news; KidsTop -- fun, interactive educational
content from brand-name, children-oriented programmers; TechTop -- the latest technical news, downloads of free software, shareware
and bug fixes; FamilyTop -- provides the latest resource information for parents and working women; and FunTop, with the latest samples
of games, music comics and best-selling books.
"WaveTop provides an innovative way to reach a new audience with a new medium," said Allegra Young, marketing manager of USA
TODAY. "And allows the flexibility for consumers to personalize the automatic delivery of their content selections."
About WavePhore
WavePhore, Inc., WAVO the industry leader in data broadcasting, is comprised of three divisions: WavePhore Networks, WavePhore
Newscast and WavePhore WaveTop. WavePhore Networks provides flexible, high-speed data delivery to more than 80,000 sites
worldwide. WavePhore Newscast delivers real-time custom-filtered business news to more than 200,000 subscription- based business
users across the United States, Canada and Europe.
Additional information on WavePhore is available via the Internet at wavephore.com, wavetop.net,
wavo.com and newscast.com.
Certain of the above statements regarding WavePhore constitute forward- looking statements, which may involve risks and uncertainties.
Actual results could differ materially from such forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to,
technology changes, competitive developments, industry and market acceptance of new products and services, risk factors listed from time
to time in WavePhore's SEC filings.
About the Partners
AIMS Lab (www.aimslab.com) is the first fully convergent multimedia developer and manufacturer. It produces PC-compatible consumer
add-in hardware such as the RadioTrack series of radio cards, and the VideoHighway series of TV cards. Most recently, AIMS has
introduced external add-ons such as GrabIT, a video image capturing device, and InstantTV, which converts any computer monitor into a
digital TV. AIMS Lab is headquartered in Fremont, Ca.
AITech International: (www.aitech.com) Develops and markets PC-TV video scan conversion technology for integrated circuits, system
peripherals, and board-level products for use in desktop video, multi-media, and imaging. Its patented VSPro technology converts PC
VGA signal to NTSC and PAL TV standards for image/video processing, interactive TV and other applications. AITech's
high-performance chips, boards and devices include the AIT1108 Pro Single-chip Scan Converter IC, Pro PC/TV Remote, Pocket Scan
Converter and AIGotcha! Video Capture -- are marketed Worldwide. Founded in 1987, AITech is the industry leader in the development
and delivery of scan conversion technology.
AVerMedia (www.aver.com): Since its inception in January 1990, AVerMedia has specialized in the design and manufacture of video cards
and other products that bridge the power of the Windows and Macintosh platforms with the versatility of video. The company currently
employs over 200 people worldwide with 5% of its personnel devoted to R&D in order to ensure the superiority and innovation of
AVerMedia products. AVerMedia distributes its products worldwide with strong distribution partnerships in virtually every country in the
world.
Diamond Multimedia (www.diamondmm.com): DIMD is driving the Internet multimedia market by providing interactivity and connectivity
solutions for home, business and professional desktop computer users, enabling them to create, access and experience compelling new
media content from their desktops and through the Internet. Diamond accelerates multimedia from the Internet to the hard drive with
products that include the Stealth and Viper series of media accelerators, the Monster series of entertainment 3D and sound accelerators, the
Fire series of professional 3D and SCSI accelerators, and the Supra series of modems. Diamond also markets DVD and video phone kits.
(www.diamondmm.com).
IXMICRO (www.ixmicro.com): is a world leading developer and manufacturer of 128-bit high performance graphics ASICs and
controllers for PC and Macintosh computers, multimedia peripherals and high bandwidth networking solutions. A privately held company,
IXMICRO is headquartered in San Jose, Ca.
NetTV (www.net-tv.net): began in 1996 as a TV/PC manufacturer. It was the first company to bring a big screen TV and PC combination
to market. Net TV is privately held and headquartered in San Rafael, Ca.
Tekram (www.tekram.com): Since its beginning in 1990, Tekram has positioned itself as a leading innovator and supplier in the fields of PC
mainboards multimedia and storage technology. From the company's Caching IDE and SCSI controller cards to its new On Camera! Video
Kit, Tekram has sought to transform the industry's most advanced technology into high-performance, useful products for consumers.
4Tel Corporation (www.4tel.com): founded in 1996 and based in Capitola, California, creates and markets exciting, state-of-the-art, digital
information appliances that combine computer, communication, and video technologies for the home, the boardroom and the classroom.
4Tel's product line spans from television set-top computers and stand-alone monitors to complete PC/TVs systems with built-in monitors.
AMD and Pinnacle are providing 4Tel with strategic component and marketing support. SOURCE WavePhore, Inc.
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