ICTV to Demonstrate ActiveVideo Distribution Network: Broadband Choice and Control With TV Quality and Responsiveness

ICTV to Demonstrate ActiveVideo Distribution Network: Broadband Choice and Control With TV Quality and Responsiveness

LOS GATOS, Calif., April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- ICTV(R), creator of HeadendWare(R), the most powerful platform for the delivery and distribution of interactive television programming, today announced the first content delivery network that delivers a viewing experience to the television that seamlessly blends the choice and control of broadband video with the quality and responsiveness of TV.

The ICTV "ActiveVideo Distribution Network" (AVDN(TM)) enables operators, programmers and advertisers for the first time to successfully bring broadband video programming and advertising models from the Internet to the television, including high-CPM ads that are targeted, auditable and interactive. The ActiveVideo Distribution Network is a usage-based content distribution service which requires no capital investment by programmers or operators. AVDN delivers Web-driven programming and both live and VOD streams - all with superior TV quality. ActiveVideo(TM) programming is delivered through the widely deployed VOD infrastructure through any VOD-capable set-top and navigated with standard remotes.

Using the ActiveVideo Distribution Network:
-- Television programmers can integrate the choice and control of the
Internet into programming meant for the 10-foot, remote control driven
environment of television, attracting new and younger audiences and
higher advertising value.;
-- Online portals and publishers can migrate broadband programming for
tens of millions of viewers from the solitude of the PC to the TV, the
traditional center of family viewing and shared experiences;
-- Network operators can enhance their current VOD offerings, gain market
share in a competitive environment, and build new advertising revenue
opportunities;
-- Advertisers and agencies can place Internet-style ads on the
television that allow them to more closely target the interests and
purchasing habits of viewers.

ICTV will demonstrate the ActiveVideo Distribution Network along with its personalized video mosaic for improved video-rich navigation at its booth, No. 2871, at the NCTA National Show April 9-11 in Atlanta.

"While there has been much recent discussion of viewers migrating to 'over-the-top' video on personal computers, the fact remains that the television experience over a managed network is without equal," said Jeff Miller, president and CEO of ICTV. "ICTV's recent breakthroughs in efficiency allow programmers and operators to inexpensively deliver the broadband video experience to all of their TV viewers. Using standards-based content creation, distribution and delivery technologies, our highly scalable AVDN gives our customers the ability to quickly and easily provide viewers with the optimal combination of television quality of service, responsiveness and Internet functionality."

Capitalizing on the ability of HeadendWare to deliver Web programming as MPEG video to any digital set-top box, the ActiveVideo Distribution Network is entirely standards-based, requiring no custom integration or proprietary development. The AVDN runs within the existing Web and VOD infrastructures, acquiring programming from standard Web servers, mixing it with live and VOD elements and delivering it from the headend as MPEG video. It readily integrates with and extends existing set-top based interactive approaches.

Using the ActiveVideo Distribution Network, network operators and programmers can complement existing channels by allowing viewers to take active control of what they see and when they see it. As an example, through simple clicks on their remote controls, television viewers can select an ActiveVideo channel from the standard program guide and enter a broadband experience that integrates video, navigational elements, channel branding, banner advertisements, and links to different video segments. Screens can be manipulated to reflect personal viewing interests and purchasing preferences, or even powered by recommendation engines based on viewer preferences. Clicking on advertisements within the ActiveVideo experience enables interaction with sponsor messages, including "telescoping" to let consumers request more information, watch a demonstration or make a purchase.

"The ActiveVideo Distribution Network brings the higher CPMs of Internet advertising models to television," said Ed Forman, COO and executive vice president of ICTV. "Unlike linear telecasts, AVDN allows each viewer to receive a personalized, navigable video stream in which programmers and advertisers can select the most valuable ad available from inventory for each viewer. This creates opportunities for all stakeholders -- programmers, network operators, advertisers and most importantly viewers -- to benefit."

About ICTV

ICTV(R) offers network-based television solutions that combine broadband video choice and control, Internet-style advertising models and TV quality and responsiveness. The company's ActiveVideo Distribution Network (AVDN(TM)) uses standards-based content creation, distribution and delivery technologies to seamlessly deliver Web-driven programming and elements, live video and VOD to the television. The company's HeadendWare(R) platform enables the highest quality interactive experience - including animation, high-fidelity audio, and live and Web video. Using ICTV technology, programmers and advertisers can deliver a limitless array of personalized content and advertising, all developed and managed with open Web tools, technology, and talent. The company is based in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, with offices in Baltimore and the United Kingdom. Strategic investors include Liberty Media, Motorola, OpenTV and Lauder Partners. For more information, visit http://www.ictv.com/.

HeadendWare is a registered trademark and ICTV and ADVN are trademarks of ICTV, Inc.

Source: ICTV

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

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

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