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To: John Rieman who wrote (38153)	1/11/1999 4:42:00 PM
From: BillyG	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

More on rewritable DVD............ eetimes.com Group hopes to unify recordable DVD factions By Junko Yoshida, Terry Costlow and George Leopold EE Times (01/11/99, 3:14 p.m. EDT) LAS VEGAS — A band of 29 manufacturers will announce a plan today to forge a common format for digital video disks that they hope will cut a swath through the labyrinth of competing approaches to rewritable DVD. Word of the effort came last week as consumer-electronics companies tipped plans at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for additional recordable disk-based options that could further splinter a market struggling to coalesce. The Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) has marshaled a group of companies that will meet in South San Francisco this week to define a single disk format, readable by any DVD player or recorder, by the end of the year. But even participants in the effort expressed mixed feelings about whether consumers will embrace the many products already out or in the works. In a move that surprised even DVD+RW development partner Sony, Philips Consumer Electronics (Eindhoven, Netherlands) announced at CES that it will launch a standalone rewritable-videodisk recorder next year. The drive will use a new Philips algorithm to read the video format of today's prerecorded DVD disks, thus allowing playback of the rewritable disks on any regular DVD player. "We heard over and over from our customers that they wished they had a little red 'record' button on their DVD player," said Frans A. van Houten, chief operating officer of the digital video business group at Philips Consumer Electronics. The goal is to design a rewritable DVD disk that can be played back "not in a separate box but in a compatible machine." The system will be based on the company's 4.7-Gbyte DVD+RW format. The drive will use real-time MPEG-2 variable-bit-rate recording to accommodate disks that provide 2 or 4 hours of video. The recordable disks will not have to be housed in a cartridge, as some schemes require. Philips said its new recordable drive marks a technology breakthrough because it allows the video recorder to use the same video format defined for prerecorded DVDs. "Until now, it was generally assumed that a real-time DVD-creation process was impossible," said Chris Buma, program manager of A/V disk recording at Philips. Separately, a working group within the DVD Forum is discussing a new Real-Time Read/Write video-recording format, presumably for DVD-RAM. The OSTA group has set a more ambitious goal: to create a world of compatible disks for any DVD player by developing what could be called Son of MultiRead. When various incompatible rewritable technologies for CDs emerged a few years ago, OSTA members created the widely used MultiRead specification to allow any CD disk to be read on any type of drive. "This group's charter is to create a specification for DVD that is similar to MultiRead," said OSTA facilitator Ray Freeman. "There's no guarantee on this, but with MultiRead, there was also a lot of disagreement about whether it was feasible or whether it would blow costs out of the water. If we get the right people for the DVD effort, I think they will be clever enough to find a solution." The initial meeting will include representatives from drive makers Hitachi, Matsushita, Philips, Panasonic Technologies, Mitsumi and Sony, as well as such other majors as Adaptec, Eastman Kodak and even the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Freeman said Toshiba, which is not an OSTA member, won't be attending, though he said the company had been invited to the meeting. Rewritable rivals Currently, two rewritable technologies are nose-to-nose in the bid to dominate the nascent market: DVD-RAM, backed by Hitachi and Matsushita, and DVD+RW, developed by Sony and Philips. Pioneer, with its DVD-R technology, has made some headway in professional recording markets. Getting the various camps to converge on a common technique will be no mean feat. Freeman noted that the DVD Forum had sought in vain to gather all the parties in one room to come up with a unified format. A spokesman for that group was noncommittal about OSTA's potential for success. "The DVD Forum has not received any OSTA proposal officially, so it has not been on the DVD Forum's agenda yet," he said. The spokesman said that "establishing a multiread capability among various DVD formats was the DVD Forum's original target" but observed that it is "not pleasant to discuss DVD-RAM and Sony/Philip's DVD+RW at the same table." Indeed, as Philips' van Houten pointed out last week, "the DVD landscape today is littered with a variety of incompatible format announcements." It's an environment over which the DVD Forum appears to have little control. Set to slug it out over the next 12 months are the second-generation, 4.7-Gbyte DVD-RAM; DVD-R/W, a 4.7-Gbyte technology promulgated by Pioneer; NEC's 5.2-Gbyte Multimedia Video File disk system; and Philips' planned 4.7-Gbyte DVD+RW offering. Sony is also working on DVD+RW but has yet to move in lockstep with Philips on a rewritable videodisk recorder. Teruaki Aoki, president and chief technology officer of Sony Electronics (Park Ridge, N.J.), said last week that Sony believes rewritable video recording would require "at least an 8-Gbyte capacity or possibly use of blue laser." The issue that concerns Sony most is the picture quality of the recorded images, he added. Matsushita reportedly has been working on DVD-RAM products that may be incorporated into TVs. Hitachi has set a fall launch target for a DVD camcorder based on an 8-cm-diameter DVD-RAM disk format. Asked last week when DVD-RAM-based video recording might reach the market, a Matsushita spokesman conservatively responded, "Within the next five years." Thierry Breton, chairman of Thomson Consumer Electronics parent Thomson Multimedia (Paris), said last week that the company is "currently evaluating" NEC's 5.2-Gbyte Multimedia Video File (MMVF) disk system. Thomson has yet to reach a decision but will likely do so in the first half of this year, Breton said. (NEC is one of the four companies that signed agreements last month to purchase 7.5 percent equity positions in Thomson Consumer Electronics. The others are Alcatel, DirecTV and Microsoft.) Multimedia Video File specifications resemble those for DVD disks, although the two are not compatible. The 5.2-Gbyte density is largely attributable to the use of partial-response, maximum-likelihood (PRML) signal-processing technology, which makes it possible to record in narrower-pitch tracks. Acknowledging an irreconcilable fragmentation of some of the rewritable DVD formats, many vendors have begun to rationalize that while compatibility is an absolute necessity for the DVD-ROM environment, the same may not be true of rewritable disks. "As long as a consumer makes his personal recording and plays it back on his own DVD rewritable system, one need not worry very much about compatibility," said Larry Pesce, general manager of worldwide DVD product planning at Thomson Consumer Electronics (Indianapolis). "Everyone should be given an opportunity to press on with his own technology that could meet consumer needs." Pesce said Thomson Multimedia has conducted considerable research into recording technologies at its lab in Germany. "We may or may not be doing one of the rewritable disk technologies currently discussed in the industry. We haven't decided yet," he said. Robert Duncan, senior project engineer at Matsushita Electric Corp. of America, described OSTA's efforts as "widening the formats by including those that are not part of the DVD family." Matsushita considers DVD-RAM the DVD Forum's official rewritable format and does not extend the same status to the Sony/Philips DVD+RW. Choosing which formats a multiread specification would handle could prove to be a contentious job, he suggested. No licensing fees Robert van Eijk, vice president of strategic alliances and business group marketing for optical storage at Philips Components (San Jose, Calif.), asserted that Philips, for one, will not demand licensing fees for implementation of the "read" features of its DVD+RW disks. Freeman acknowledged the difficulties of hammering out a unified format but said such an achievement would bolster market acceptance for rewritable DVD drives, which thus far have struggled to find a market. Without guaranteeing the success of the effort being begun this week, Freeman said compatible products could appear next year. "We're targeting the fourth quarter of 1999 to get the technical work done. That means complying products could become available in the middle of 2000. I don't anticipate any difficulty getting people to adopt a completed specification. The difficulty will be to get them together and get something that works." Most outside observers believe that the lack of a common technology is hindering the market. It's also slowing acceptance of DVD-ROM drives, said Freeman, who is also president of Freeman Associates (Santa Barbara, Calif.), a research company that monitors optical storage. "A buyer who has concerns about the lack of clarity for the future of rewritable DVD has doubts about purchasing that spread to DVD-ROM. We think market demand will be reasonably modest for rewritable." Freeman noted that DVD-ROM drives "were late coming to market"and that the supply problem was a factor in the market's slow takeoff. But that problem, he said, "has cured itself over time." Now, "we think the concern about rewritable DVD is a big part of the reason for the slow market growth."

To: John Rieman who wrote (38153)	1/11/1999 7:29:00 PM
From: J Fieb	Respond to of 50808

Mark's memo tidbits....... - EchoStar plans to offer an HD demo service this spring, the real thing by fall, and eight-to-ten HD channels by year end, all initially from a satellite at 61.5 degrees, with plans to move to the News Corp. slot at 110-degrees when possible. - Thomson is "confident," according to executive vp James Meyer, that it will sell 100,000 of its $699 set-top DTV decoders in their first year. It's unclear whether that year will be 1999 or 2000. FYI, I saw MANY broadcasters at this year's CES, many there for the first time. One PBS-station engineer remarked that he didn't usually run into as many colleagues even on the NAB show floor. - In the press room, a reporter was asking a CES worker where he could find a set-top box. I pointed to the large Zenith decoder sitting on the floor next to its associated display. "That's a set-top box?" he asked incredulously. The ongoing saga of 704 versus 720 PIXELS per LINE (not LINES per FRAME) has made it to Intelsat, where a reference spec calls for 720 but the operational standard may be 704. This is being examined by the ATSC's T3/S6 working group, but, if you'd like to have a look, surf over to Intelsat (http://www.intelsat.int/s-m/video/isogletr.htm Starting from scratch? Speaking at the Digital Hollywood conference at CES, the giant station-owner Sinclair's vp of new technology Nat Ostroff said that if DTV reception problems aren't fixed soon, "we may well see a move to revisit" the choice of 8-VSB over COFDM. He agreed that "the boat may already have left" on that issue but said, "if our signals can't reach consumers, we don't have a business" (see notes below on antennas and processing at CES). Noting a need for antenna rotators, Ostroff said, "I don't think this is acceptable to consumers, and it raises serious questions about the current system." He wasn't alone. Lisa Wiersma, director of development of the group station owner Tribune, said the FCC would have to act soon. "I would hope that they would mandate a technical standard that would improve the technical efficiency."

To: John Rieman who wrote (38153)	1/14/1999 1:38:00 PM
From: DiViT	Respond to of 50808

Israel's Largest Cable TV Operator Selects MoreCom's Internet TV System to Fulfill Its Digital Network Vision 01/13/99 PR Newswire (Copyright (c) 1999, PR Newswire) Golden Channels to Deploy MoreCom's End-to-End Solution to Deliver Converged Broadband Internet and Digital Television Services HORSHAM, Pa., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden Channels, the largest cable television operator in Israel, has chosen MoreCom's end-to-end software solution to deliver broadband Internet services along with digital television programming to its 420,000 subscribers throughout Israel. The deployment of MoreCom's system is part of Golden Channels' strategy to upgrade its nationwide network to provide subscribers with the most advanced information and entertainment services available. The agreement announced today between Golden Channels and MoreCom outlines the terms for delivery of MoreCom software products and applications. More importantly, it also establishes a strategic partnership between the two companies to aggregate broadband Internet content and create a "broadband portal" for Golden Channels' subscribers. In the initial deployment of digital video services, set to begin in early 1999, Golden Channels will focus on providing more channels and higher video quality to subscribers through a Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) network. As the upgrade of the network progresses to full two-way support, new broadband Internet services, such as MoreCast(SM) Webcasting, MoreVideo(SM) streaming video, MoreWeb(SM) high-speed Internet access, and MoreMail(SM) Web-based Email, will be deployed using MoreCom's client and server technology. These services will enable the introduction of new interactive applications including Web-based video-on-demand (VOD), server-based electronic program guides (EPG), interactive advertising, enhanced television, and e-commerce. "Our goal is to develop the most advanced and capable cable television network in the world so we can provide our subscribers with the broadest selection of interactive video and data services," said Moshe Ronen, president of Golden Channels. "With this goal in mind, deploying the industry's best broadband Internet over digital cable TV system is an absolute must, and MoreCom's solution is the clear leader." "MoreCom was delighted to be selected by Golden Channels for this project," said Ami Miron, CEO and president of MoreCom, Inc. "Their commitment to providing world class information and entertainment services shows a pioneering vision that is a perfect match for our technology. We look forward to working with Golden Channels to develop a truly state-of-the-art system to deliver the kind of video-rich, entertainment-focused broadband Internet services that U.S. and international cable operators have been talking about for some time." MoreCom will install MoreCom server products (MoreCaster(TM), MoreAccess(TM), MoreMedia(TM), and MoreManage(TM)) and integrate them into Golden Channels' digital video headend, conditional access system, and subscriber management system. In addition, MoreCom will work with various digital set-top box vendors selected by Golden Channels to integrate downloadable client application software (MoreClient(TM)). MoreCom's flexible and scalable system architecture will enable Golden Channels to customize their deployment strategy to achieve optimal return on investment. They will deploy MoreCom services in multiple phases as their upgrade progresses, beginning with the MoreCast Webcasting service to support applications such as delivery of pushed Internet content and a server-based EPG even before the network upgrade to two-way operations is complete. Two-way interactive services, such as Web-based video-on-demand (VOD) and high-speed Internet access, will be offered in the later phases of service deployment. In addition to providing the broadband Internet technology, MoreCom has agreed to partner with Golden Channels to aggregate content for the video-rich broadband Internet services that the new technology will enable. Together, MoreCom and Golden Channels will develop and deliver the MoreCom Channel; a portal to Internet-based content and Web pages enhanced with MoreCom technology. "After a rigorous competition, the MoreCom system was chosen for the advanced services it provides and the flexibility its design offers in terms of deployment and future adaptability," explained Amos Kohn, vice president of engineering and technology at Golden Channels. "Because MoreCom's standards-based architecture supports DVB (Digital Video Broadcast), MPEG -2, and Internet standards such as HTML and IP, Golden Channels can deploy powerful broadband Internet services very easily," said Dr. Weidong Mao, MoreCom's vice president and chief technical officer. "They can tap into the vast amount of existing Internet content to give our customers what they want immediately without having reformat content." About Golden Channels Golden Channels commenced operations in 1989 and is Israel's largest cable television operator. They currently broadcast 48 television channels and more than 30 radio channels. The company's franchise areas include the capital city of Jerusalem, major cities in the densely populated Tel-Aviv metropolitan area, and towns and settlements in the north and south of Israel. Golden Channels' network passes more than 630,000 homes, with more 420,000 households currently subscribing. About MoreCom, Inc. MoreCom Inc., is a privately held company based in Horsham, Pennsylvania. MoreCom was founded in 1997 by television pioneers from General Instrument and Philips Electronics. Led by Ami Miron, MoreCom offers cable operators a complete end-to-end software solution to merge digital video with Internet content for television applications using existing broadband networks and digital set-top boxes. MoreCom's head-end servers and client software enable compelling set-top applications that navigate seamlessly between digital video and Internet content, providing on-demand access to Internet-based services. The company's standards-based technology is the first integration of client and server software into an end-to-end OpenCable to DVB-compliant digital TV platform that enables seamless delivery of enhanced TV, Internet access, and Internet-based video-on-demand. MoreCom's solution minimizes cable operators' initial investment by using existing cable plant and equipment such as one- or two-way hybrid-fiber coax (HFC) networks and low-cost digital set-top boxes. Standards-based operation contains costs related to integrating and managing the system, enables operators to use existing Internet and new digital television content without reformatting, and ensures that technology investment is open to a broad array of applications both now and in the future. For more information, please contact Debbie Noll 215-773-9400 or visit MoreCom's Web site at: morecom.com. MoreCom, MoreCaster, MoreAccess, MoreMedia, and MoreManage are trademarks of MoreCom, Inc. MoreCast, MoreWeb, MoreVideo, and MoreMail are service of MoreCom, Inc. All other trademarks and copyrights are registered and protected by their respective manufacturers. /CONTACT: Debbie Noll of MoreCom, Inc., 215-773-9400, or dnoll@morecom.com; Idit Hertzog of Golden Channels, 011-972-3-927-2620, or gc_idit@netvision.net.il; or Beth Hespe of The Garfield Group, 609-396-0946, ext. 35, for MoreCom, Inc./ 14:13 EST Contact: /CONTACT: Debbie Noll of MoreCom, Inc., 215-773-9400, or dnoll@morecom.com; Idit Hertzog of Golden Channels, 011-972-3-927-2620, or gc_idit@netvision.net.il; or Beth Hespe of The Garfield Group, 609-396-0946, ext. 35, for MoreCom, Inc./ 14:13 EST

To: John Rieman who wrote (38153)	1/14/1999 2:01:00 PM
From: DiViT	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50808

SHAW Expands 200 Channel Digital Cable to Provide Greater Coverage (Whose box?) $100 Million Investment Offers Service to Most of 1.5 Million Customers 01/13/99 Business Wire (Copyright (c) 1999, Business Wire) CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 13, 1999--Shaw Communications(TSE:SJR.B.) (Alberta Stock Exchange:SJR.B.) (NYSE:SJR) (Alberta Stock Exchange:SJR.A.) SHAW Communications today announced the expanded availability of its digital cable service to additional markets served by the company. With this expansion, SHAW will offer digital cable to most of its 1.5 million customers. "SHAW has now invested $100 million in the latest digital technology to offer superior quality programming, pictures, sound and service for reasonable prices," said Peter Bissonnette, Senior Vice President of Operations for SHAW. "We offer a superb programming line-up that gives consumers tremendous flexibility and choice." SHAW Digital Cable is currently available across the company's service area in Ontario (including Scarborough, Pickering, Richmond Hill and Barrie), as well as in Western Canada. The installation of new digital technology equipment was carried out during the past two years to ensure SHAW could offer signal and picture clarity as crisp as possible. Digital compression of signals allows SHAW to give the most information, entertainment, news and sports to customers. "Our digital cable service is also allowing us to offer a greater range of ethnic programming options, such as Odyssey or TV Japan," stated Bissonnette. "We offer the choice of purchasing or leasing the set - top box, depending on the customer's preference." "SHAW offers the most reliable digital television service in the marketplace. Digital cable TV is totally different from watching conventional TV," stated Bissonnette. "It offers superior sound and picture quality and clarity, as well as almost 200 channels of viewing and listening options. Unlike other digital options, our service is unaffected by weather or blocked by trees or other obstructions," added Bissonnette. The service also includes SHAW's Digital Cable Navigator, a feature that allows viewers to watch one channel while browsing at the same time to check out other programs. It also allows people to search for specific programs by title and day. People can also bookmark an upcoming program and be reminded on-screen to watch it. Parental guidance is another option with the Digital Cable Navigator. A parent can set restrictions on programming by ratings and titles or plan the programs that are preferred for children to watch. SHAW's Digital Cable also offers a two-way interactive service. Over 85 per cent of digital customers can order Pay Per View automatically without having to use their telephone to call ahead. The service also offers Digital Music Express, with 30 channels of commercial-free CD-quality music ranging from classic hits to the latest releases in rock, jazz, symphony and more, available 24-hours a day. SHAW Communications Inc. is a diversified Canadian communications company whose core business is providing cable television services to approximately 1.5 million customers. It also has significant interests in radio broadcasting, television networks and direct to home satellite television services, as well as providing telecommunications and paging services to individual and business customers. CONTACT: SHAW Cablesystems G.P. Peter Bissonnette, 403/750-4631 or Shaw Communications Inc. Christina Rodmell, 416/920-3506, ext. 262