FOXTEL Launches OpenTV Enabled Personal Digital Recorder Service - FOXTEL iQ

FOXTEL Launches OpenTV Enabled Personal Digital Recorder Service - FOXTEL iQ

SAN FRANCISCO, March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- OpenTV Corp. (Nasdaq NMS: OPTV), one of the world's leading interactive television companies, today announced that FOXTEL, Australia's leading subscription television provider, will launch in early March 2005 the first-ever personal digital recorder (PDR) service in Australia. The service, branded FOXTEL iQ ( http://www.foxteliq.com.au/ ), will use OpenTV's PVR 1.0 technology in its digital set-top boxes. In addition, FOXTEL is leveraging the power of OpenTV middleware technology and applications to make FOXTEL iQ the only device of its kind that integrates with FOXTEL's state-of-the-art Digital Guide (Electronic Program Guide) and vast array of unique programming offerings including news, sports and games.

Enabled by OpenTV PVR 1.0, FOXTEL iQ is a world-leading digital set-top box, available only to FOXTEL Digital subscribers, that uses a hard-disk drive to record and re-play FOXTEL Digital's vast range of quality programming at the touch of a button on the FOXTEL remote control. FOXTEL iQ provides viewers with a one-touch, live television pause feature, instant replay of a live broadcast and pause/play/stop/record/fast-forward/rewind capability. FOXTEL iQ is a powerful enhancement of the FOXTEL Digital service.

"We are pleased that FOXTEL has leveraged OpenTV's middleware to provide its viewers with an integrated digital recording solution," said Mike Ivanchenko, OpenTV's senior vice president & managing director Asia / Pacific. "The launch of FOXTEL iQ represents another step in solidifying our long-term collaborative relationship with FOXTEL and reinforces our position as the premier provider of interactive digital products and services throughout the world."

Patrick Delany, FOXTEL's executive director of content, product development and delivery, said, "FOXTEL iQ will change the way in which Australians watch TV. Being able to pause and rewind live television will give Australian viewers all of the features that Australians know and love from DVD players. OpenTV and their PVR 1.0 technology have played a key role in helping FOXTEL deliver FOXTEL iQ to our subscribers and cements the strong business relationship with have with them."

About OpenTV

OpenTV is one of the world's leading interactive television companies. Deployed in approximately 47 million digital set-top-boxes in 96 countries, the company's software enables a wide array of functionality, including enhanced television, interactive shopping, interactive and addressable advertising, games and gaming, personal video recording, and a variety of consumer care and communication applications. For more information, please visit www.opentv.com.

About FOXTEL

FOXTEL is Australia's leading subscription television provider and is connected to more than 1.16 million homes on cable and satellite through retail and wholesale distribution. FOXTEL is owned by Telstra Corporation Ltd (50%), The News Corporation Ltd (25%), and Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd (25%). The FOXTEL iQ remains the property of FOXTEL Cable Television. FOXTEL launched its new digital cable and satellite service in March 2004.

Source: OpenTV, Inc.

CONTACT: Marc McCarthy of OpenTV, +1-415-962-5111, or
mmccarthy@opentv.com; or Brendon Moo of FOXTEL, 612 9200 1057, or
brendon.moo@foxtel.com.au

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

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