NEWS
Industry-First DVD Technology For Playing Enhanced Movie Content Demonstrated By ANT Limited, IBM, InterActual, OpenGlobe, And Wind River
With these technologies, movie studios and other DVD content publishers can now build on their enhanced content development efforts already under way with InterActual. "New Line is very interested in expanding our DVD-ROM creative efforts, presently targeted for the nearly 20 million US households with a DVD-ROM computer, to these types of enhanced DVD players in the living room," said Michael Mulvihill, Vice President of Content Development for New Line Home Entertainment. "We see a tremendous opportunity in combining today s movie viewing experience with the Web to offer consumers additional content and ongoing value."
ANT, IBM, InterActual, OpenGlobe and Wind River have combined technologies to support current standardization efforts at the DVD-Forum. The results demonstrate that this type of enhanced DVD player can be brought to market offering consumers a compelling entertainment experience while offering system manufacturers a cost-effective implementation.
"By using InterActual s Media Services middleware for integrating DVD-Video within ANT s browser on top of OpenGlobe s DVD navigator, recognition and core integration technologies, this team is successfully demonstrating that existing DVD-ROM and Internet-connected bonus features can cost-effectively run on this type of enhanced DVD player," said Todd Collart, President and CEO of InterActual. "Further, this demonstration supports our current leadership efforts within the DVD-Forum towards the definition and adoption of an industry-standard specification for enhanced DVD."
For Enhanced DVD to reach its full potential it must be widely embraced by everyday consumers. That means providing a robust solution that is fast and responsive, has rich graphics capabilities, provides flawless presentation of audio/video content, is easy to use, and that has longevity, all at an acceptable consumer price point. "The emergence of advanced consumer platforms, such as Enhanced DVD, require advanced technologies to help enable the rich user experience and the flexibility to handle new interactive content," said Dr. Eric Tsou, Director, Digital Video Products Group, IBM Microelectronics. "Leveraging IBM s experience in pervasive computing devices, such as, gaming systems and digital set-top boxes, we are providing high performance integrated controllers that deliver the audio, video, graphics, and control functionality at the heart of these new Enhanced DVD applications."
"OpenGlobe is pleased to lead the charge with these fine partners in bringing the world of enhanced DVD from the PC to the living room", said Bernie Sepaniak, President and CEO of OpenGlobe. "By contributing key technologies and serving as the system integrator for this demonstration, we have highlighted our leadership position in bringing complex technologies and services to consumer electronic devices effectively. We will aggressively support our partners in taking enhanced DVD to the next level for both the studios and manufacturers. Enhanced DVD is also a perfect complement to OpenGlobe s Entertainment Services, as our DVD recognition technologies and databases provide an opportunity for studios to readily bring the world of Internet-based enhancements to legacy DVD titles."
'ANT is thrilled to once more be involved in applying its interactive technologies to ground-breaking consumer products that help shape the future of entertainment experiences", said Simon Woodward, President and CEO of ANT. "The opportunity for our television expertise and application technology to enhance the consumer DVD experience with this group of partners, is tremendously exciting to us." The ANT Fresco browser is now fully compatible with InterActual s Media Services. "By offering a customizable user interface, configurable functionality and portability across different platforms and processors, ANT s browser and appliance architecture were the obvious choice for this enhanced DVD project."
"The living room is one of the most fascinating areas of the home for interconnectivity opportunities. Wind River is pleased to be able to supply the VxWorks real-time operating system, Tornado integrated development environment (IDE), key networking protocols and development expertise to the team creating such an innovative and compelling product," said Dave Fraser, group vice president and general manager of Wind River s Networking business unit. More and more companies are recognizing the need for an integrated, secure, reliable, managed communications platform on which to integrate their own higher level intellectual property and, in using Wind River s products in this way, are able to focus on their own key innovation and differentiation rather than re-invention. And, if needed, Wind River can offer companies a proven suite of consulting and outsourcing services to assist the transition of reference technology into commercial products."
ABOUT ANT LIMITED
ANT Limited (http://www.antlimited.com) develops and markets embedded communication appliance software for use in consumer electronics, Internet appliances, iTV and eCommerce products. Core technology includes the ANT Fresco Browser and the ANT SimplEmail email client, which are both written in ANSI C for platform independence and high performance, and designed to meet the needs of Internet appliances and other networked products. ANT s technology gives original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of Internet devices, and the technology partners that supply them, three significant advantages: far greater speed to market, reduced engineering costs, and freedom to leverage corporate identity.
ABOUT IBM MICROELECTRONICS
IBM Microelectronics is a key contributor to IBM s role as the world s premier information technology supplier. IBM Microelectronics develops, manufactures and markets state-of-the-art semiconductor and interconnect technologies, products and services. IBM makes chips for a wide range of devices from the world s most powerful computers to the smallest cell phones. Its superior integrated solutions can be found in many of the world s best-known electronic brands. More information about IBM Microelectronics can be found at http://www.chips.ibm.com.
ABOUT INTERACTUAL
InterActual Technologies, Inc. (http://www.interactual.com) is the leading provider of software and services that connect DVD and the Internet. InterActual s PCFriendly"! and InterActual Player software have enabled millions of connected viewers to enjoy exclusive offline and online special features with Hollywood movies when played in a DVD-ROM computer or Internet-connected DVD player. By integrating the experience of Web browsing with the highly interactive capabilities of DVD, InterActual is connecting the audience to a new dimension of entertainment and information. InterActual also maintains an online, subscription-based community (http://inventor.interactual.com) for professional developers interested in more fully exploiting the features of the InterActual platform for entertainment and marketing content.
ABOUT OPENGLOBE
OpenGlobe, Inc. (http://www.OpenGlobe.net), an affiliated company of Escient Technologies, LLC, is a leading entertainment services and media device technologies provider delivering simply powerful home entertainment. Working with world-class consumer electronics and personal computer manufacturers and core component suppliers, OpenGlobe seamlessly brings a world of entertainment capabilities into users home entertainment systems. Users can easily store and access their media collections, discover gaps, import and use digital media, create favorite playlists, or further access the OpenGlobe services to explore new artists or genres, get customized content, receive media recommendations, and opt into personalized CE-Commerce purchasing opportunities. Headquartered in Indianapolis, OpenGlobe sets the benchmark for products and services that entertain the concept of simplicity.
ABOUT WIND RIVER
Wind River is a worldwide leader in embedded software and services for creating connected smart devices. Wind River provides software development tools, real-time operating systems, and advanced connectivity for use in products throughout the Internet, telecommunications and data communications, digital imaging, digital consumer electronics, networking, medical, computer peripherals, automotive, industrial automation and control, and aerospace/defense markets. Wind River is How Smart Things Think. Founded in 1983, Wind River is headquartered in Alameda, California, with operations worldwide.
Contact Information
Jessica Miller
Global Corporate Communications