Subscriber Features, Improved Performance Take Center Stage as ICTV Introduces the Latest Release of HeadendWare

Subscriber Features, Improved Performance Take Center Stage as ICTV Introduces the Latest Release of HeadendWare

LOS GATOS, Calif., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- ICTV(TM), creator of HeadendWare(R), the broadband industry's most powerful platform for the delivery and distribution of compelling interactive television content, announced today the availability of new features designed to enhance the subscriber experience and improve performance for cable and network operators.

Release 5.0 significantly increases the utility of HeadendWare to cable and IPTV subscribers by supporting multi-player Internet games, Picture-in- Picture (PIP) capabilities for thin-client set-top boxes without dual tuners, multiple languages for international deployments, and Channel Linking directly to interactive content relevant to the most recently displayed TV channel. In addition, taking advantage of experience gained in cable system deployments in the U.S. and abroad, ICTV has engineered technical advances that dramatically increase the operating efficiency and resiliency of HeadendWare.

ICTV will be demonstrating the new features at the Cable Television Laboratories Summer Conference August 14-16 in Keystone, CO.

"Relationships with industry-leading content providers and continuing technical achievement have been equal contributors to the progress of HeadendWare," said Jeff Miller, president and CEO of ICTV. "Through the launch of HeadendWare 5.0, we are able to provide the best content showcase and advertising medium yet for over 40 ICTV partners and a stronger subscriber acquisition and retention tool for our customers."

HeadendWare 5.0 increases operating efficiency up to 300 percent, enabling cable system operators to run up to 5,000 simultaneous interactive sessions per operations server. The latest release also features streamlined backup and restore capabilities and allows technical personnel to increase system capacity or perform key maintenance tasks with no system shutdown.

About HeadendWare(R)

ICTV's HeadendWare platform enables network operators to deliver compelling interactive content and applications, including animation, high- fidelity audio and full-motion video, to any digital set-top box. Using headend-based processing power and the existing digital plant, HeadendWare removes set-top box and middleware constraints on the delivery of compelling interactive multimedia content and allows TV-friendly activity that cannot be matched by satellite competitors.

With HeadendWare application servers located anywhere on the operator's network or outsourced, an operator's entire digital subscriber base can interact with robust multimedia applications developed with standard PC, Web and Java tools using existing set-top boxes and remote controls. HeadendWare supports the latest versions of HTML, JavaScript, Java, Windows Media Player(R), Flash(R), RealPlayer(R) and QuickTime(R), enabling network operators to provide subscribers with a limitless array of content and applications.

About ICTV(TM)

ICTV(TM) provides enabling infrastructure for the delivery of new television services to digital cable subscribers. The company offers a solutions-oriented approach to new television services that combines the standards-based technology of ICTV's HeadendWare platform with a portfolio of branded iTV applications that can be deployed today. The solution-based approach offers operators one of the highest returns on bandwidth and incremental capital of the iTV services available today. Strategic investors include Liberty Media, Motorola, OpenTV, Shaw Communications, TV Guide, Cox Communications and Lauder Partners.

Based in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, with offices in Baltimore and the United Kingdom, the company has been issued 23 patents and has numerous patents pending, ensuring protection of its unique and innovative television services solution. ICTV is a member of the Motorola Horizon and Scientific-Atlanta CreativEdge Developer's Programs. For more information, visit http://www.ictv.com/.

HeadendWare is a registered trademark and ICTV is a trademark of ICTV, Inc.

An equipment demonstration at a CableLabs' event does not constitute CableLabs' endorsement of that equipment.

Source: ICTV

CONTACT: Paul Schneider, PSPR, Inc., +1-215-702-9784, or pspr@att.net,
for ICTV

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

-------
Profile: intent