BendBroadband and Sunflower Broadband First to Launch Multi-Room Cable Media Centers

BendBroadband and Sunflower Broadband First to Launch Multi-Room Cable Media Centers

Operators Tap Moxi to Deliver Industry's Lowest-Cost Multi-Room DVR and Media Center Solution

KIRKLAND, Wash., BEND, Ore. and LAWRENCE, Kan., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Two of the nation's leading independent cable operators today announced the immediate availability of the first multi-room cable media center to extend full digital video recording (DVR) and media center functionality to multiple televisions within the home. BendBroadband and Sunflower Broadband are deploying the Moxi solution to subscribers in Bend, Ore. and Lawrence, Kans. respectively. The multi-room solution networks the Moxi Media Center to the new Moxi Mate companion box using existing coax cable wiring within the home. Cable subscribers can now easily share digital content-such as recorded programs, music, and photos -- on two TVs within the same household.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050311/SFF025 )

"Cable customers were quick to embrace Moxi's original DVR and media center services," stated Jim Billmaier, CEO for Digeo. "They love it so much they've asked for Moxi throughout the house. We're helping our cable partners meet that demand with the lowest-cost, most robust multi-room experience available."

Both the Moxi Media Center and the Moxi Mate feature the Emmy award-winning Moxi Menu TV interface, which makes it easier than ever to find out what's on. The multi-room Moxi is also the first cable media center to enhance the subscriber experience with a built-in DVD/CD player. Viewers can now begin watching a DVD in the living room, pause it, and pick up where they left off in the bedroom.

Moxi Multi-Room Media Center capabilities include:

-- Increased storage to 160 gigabytes (up to 100 hours of standard digital
or 24 hours of HD programming);
-- Pause and instant replay of live TV;
-- Built-in DVD/CD player that can be accessed from either room;
-- Moxi Jukebox to store and play music;
-- Fun, family-friendly Moxi Games playable with the remote control;
-- Moxi Photo that enables slideshow viewing on either TV;
-- Single program or series recordings by title;
-- Two weeks of guide data to help consumers plan viewings and set
recordings;
-- Smart program and movie search using title or keywords;
-- Option to record first-run episodes only and avoid repeats;
-- Favorite Channels menu to provide quick access to the most-watched
channels;
-- Easy-to-browse categories for movies, sports, kids, news and music;
-- Interactive Moxi Ticker that provides instant updates on weather,
sports and news regardless of what channel the consumer is watching.

"The Moxi-based product is a powerful platform that has exceeded our customers' expectations for a digital media center," said Patrick Knorr, general manager, Sunflower Broadband. "Now our subscribers are looking to have that full media center experience reach beyond their living rooms. Being able to offer this multi-room service through existing cable wiring in the home provides us with not only a unique service, but a huge cost advantage as well."

"Moxi's multiple-room solution allows our subscribers to have more control and flexibility over their cable content," said John Farwell, director of administration, sales and marketing at BendBroadband. "Instead of managing autonomous content stored on two separate DVRs, the Moxi Multi-Room Media Center shares digital media and cable programming. Now, regardless of where a show was recorded, it can be viewed in either room. Subscribers want that whole-home experience, and with Moxi, we're able to deliver it."

Both BendBroadband and Sunflower will exchange customers' current set-top box for the new multi-room solution upon request. Consumers in the Bend, Oregon, and Lawrence, Kansas areas can learn more about local availability in their area by calling BendBroadband at 541-382-5551 or Sunflower at 785-841- 2100.

About Digeo

Digeo, Inc. enables cable providers to deliver Emmy(R) award-winning Moxi(TM) Media Center software and services to customers nationwide. Moxi opens the door for cable providers to develop new revenue streams while delivering on the consumer promise of a fully digital home entertainment and communications experience.

Moxi Media Center products empower subscribers with enhanced entertainment capabilities including: digital video recording (DVR), high-definition (HD) programming; digital media management of photography and music with Moxi Photos and Moxi Jukebox; live, interactive news feeds with Moxi Ticker; Moxi Games and more.

Digeo has established Moxi deployment partnerships with Charter Communications, Adelphia, Comcast, Sunflower Broadband, and BendBroadband. Digeo is primarily backed by Paul Allen's Vulcan, Inc. The company was founded in 1999 and has offices in Kirkland, Wash., Palo Alto, Calif.and Longmont, Colo.For more information, please visit www.digeo.com.

About BendBroadband

BendBroadband is the dba (doing business as) for Bend Cable Communications LLC, a privately owned, Oregon-based company serving Central Oregon since 1955 with a variety of services including: basic and digital cable, HDTV, high speed Internet service, video on demand, and local programming. The company is dedicated to providing quality communication, entertainment and customer service to Central Oregonians. For further information, please contact BendBroadband's customer service department or visit their website atwww.bendbroadband.com.

About Sunflower Broadband

Sunflower Broadband (formerly known as Sunflower Cablevision) first entered the cable television business in 1970. Sunflower is locally owned and operated, and provides cable television, high-speed internet and telephone services to residential and business customers in Lawrence, Eudora, Tonganoxie, Basehor and parts of Leavenworth County. Sunflower is part of the World Company, a privately owned Lawrence-based media company that also operates eight area newspapers.

A converged news partnership between the Lawrence Journal-World, 6NEWS and World Online provides our community with an unparalleled local news and information resource for a community of this size. For more information on Sunflower Broadband, visit their Web site at www.sunflowerbroadband.com.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050311/SFF025
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Digeo, Inc.

CONTACT: Sheila Bryson of Sparkpr, +1-415-321-1866, or
sheila@sparkpr.com, for Digeo, Inc.; or Lance Judd of BendBroadband,
+1-541-312-6541, or ljudd@bendbroadband.net; or Emily Mulligan of Sunflower
Broadband, +1-785-312-6947, or emulligan@sunflowerbroadband.com

Web site: http://www.digeo.com/

-------
Profile: intent