TV / COM Completes Pilot Test of Technology behind AMG's Digital Cable System in
Luxembourg
05/04/98
Business Wire
(Copyright (c) 1998, Business Wire)
NCTA, ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 1998--
TV / COM Provides End-to-End Solution for AMG's Aurora Television System,
Europe's Largest Digital Cable TV Platform
TV / COM International Inc., a leading provider of global digital communications
solutions for the cable, direct-to-home, and terrestrial markets, has successfully
completed a pilot test of the digital cable system for Access Media Group (AMG) of
Luxembourg. AMG's Aurora Television System, slated to launch in September 1998, will
be Europe's largest digital cable TV platform with more than 100 channels of television
capacity including digital video, audio and data services. As part of a $91 million contract,
TV / COM is providing its TVC-3100 digital cable set-top boxes, MPEG-2 DVB
encoding systems, a near video-on-demand system, Conditional Access and network
control. The end-to-end solution will bring digital cable TV to 2.5 million homes in
Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
"Aurora will be the largest single digital cable system launched in Europe to date," said
Jeffrey C. Jackson, Aurora's managing director. To break into the market and offer a
low-cost alternative to analog cable services, Aurora has developed a unique partnership
with Luxembourg's state telecom company, the P&T, and major cable network
operators. Aurora will provide the end-to-end system and services -- including a free
digital cable receiver and installation for each subscriber -- at no cost to the cable
operator. In exchange, Aurora will share in the cable companies' revenue from the new
digital services.
" TV / COM is pleased to provide the technology solution that will bring crystal-clear
video, CD-quality audio in three languages, and up-to-the-minute services such as home
shopping, Internet access and teletext to Aurora's cable subscribers in Europe," said Jeff
Wallin, TV / COM 's chief executive officer. In addition, going digital allows cable
operators to broadcast up to 10 channels on an 8 MHz bandwidth, instead of one analog
channel.
During TV / COM 's pilot test, programming was transmitted via satellite to Aurora
headquarters in Luxembourg, down converted from a satellite signal to a baseband signal,
and converted into a digital stream. The digital stream was then compressed through TV
/ COM 's MPEG-2 and DVB-compliant compression system and output to a QAM
(Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) modulator and sent over the cable system to digital
set-top boxes. All TV / COM products are based on both MPEG-2 and DVB standards
to ensure interoperability between different cable operators' systems.
Now that the pilot test is complete, Aurora will begin marketing the service to 1 million
potential customers in Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The first subscribers will
receive the service, with video, audio and data, in September. Ultimately Aurora will
offer electronic home shopping, a high-speed Internet gateway and Europe's first
commercial High-Definition TV service, called Aurora Personal Cinema.
TV / COM has launched other major digital systems in Europe, including Beta Digital, an
uplink provider based outside Munich, Germany that currently offers the largest bouquet
of digital satellite programming available in Europe with 75 channels. TV / COM
provides all of the digital compression and headend equipment for that system.
About TV / COM International Inc.
TV / COM has aggressively expanded into the world market for secure distribution of
information and entertainment programming, focusing on high performance digital
delivery systems for cable, satellite, PC and terrestrial networks. TV / COM 's digital
products include MPEG-2 DVB compliant compression systems, network management,
conditional access and scrambling, satellite and cable modulation (QPSK and QAM), as
well as consumer set-top boxes and commercial IRDs. Founded in 1973, TV / COM
became a subsidiary of Hyundai Electronics America (HEA) in 1995, and is one of the
most successful companies supplying broadband communication systems. With
Hyundai's extensive resources, TV / COM has accelerated its research and development
and expanded its strategic involvement in the delivery of complete end-to-end solutions.
As the future unfolds with communications technologies converging, these corporate
resources uniquely position TV / COM to continue in the forefront of technological
innovation.
For more information about TV / COM and its products, visit the company's Web site at
www.tvcom.com or contact Merritt Doyle, 17066 Goldentop Road, San Diego, CA
92127, USA, tel.: 619/618-4876, fax: 619/618-3650.
CONTACT: TV / COM Merritt Doyle, 619/618-4876 mdoyle@tvcom.com or The
Townsend Agency Carol Foster or Sarah Thailing 610/457-4888
saraht@townsendagency.com
07:58 EDT MAY 4, 1998
Contact: CONTACT: TV / COM Merritt Doyle, 619/618-4876 mdoyle@tvcom.com or
The Townsend Agency Carol Foster or Sarah Thailing 610/457-4888
saraht@townsendagency.com
07:58 EDT MAY 4, 1998 |
