Mexico’s premier digital cable company launches world’s most extensive deployment of video-rich guide channels utilizing Ligos MediaRig Mosaic
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - (November 18, 2008): Ligos Corporation, a leading worldwide provider of platforms for advanced video processing, has announced that Ligos MediaRig® Mosaic systems have been selected by Cablevision® Mexico for its major deployment of digital mosaic channels. Cablevisión, S.A. de C.V. (CABLEVISION) is Mexico’s largest digital cable operator, and their rollout of multi-channel mosaics is the largest worldwide to date. Mosaic is Ligos’ enhanced program guide system that not only provides a next-generation navigation experience to cable subscribers today, but an advertising-based ROI opportunity for cable operators as well.
“Cablevision strives to remain ahead of the curve when it comes to deploying the latest innovations to our digital cable subscribers,” said Jean Paul Broc Haro, CEO of Cablevisión. “Having evaluated a number of options, we found MediaRig Mosaic to be the most versatile and reliable solution to bring this cutting-edge viewing experience to our subscribers. Further, Ligos provided exemplary support and features that allowed us to easily implement a key enhancement – dynamic advertising – for our digital mosaic channels.”
MediaRig Mosaic is a Ligos system for multichannel operators seeking a compact, high-quality solution able to provide video-rich IPG channels to their subscribers, even on an install-base of DCT-2000 class STBs. Using a tiled “video montage” layout, a mosaic channel shows multiple thumbnails of high-quality live video streams on a single TV screen. The viewer uses the arrow buttons on their remote control to navigate and highlight individual tiles and hear the accompanying audio, and can directly tune to that channel if something captures their interest. With MediaRig Mosaic, operators can group content together and create audience-specific portals for News, Sports, Family, and Premium content, and even incorporate advertising and service promotions into the presentation. Cablevisión’s large-scale implementation includes a master mosaic channel that links to subcategories of more mosaics, which also feature interactive advertising for programming and additional provider services.
“This rollout represents the latest of many successes for our Mosaic within the Latin American cable market alone. We couldn’t be more pleased to see an industry leader such as Cablevisión in Mexico City really push the concept with such an innovative approach,” said Mark Koziol, CEO of Ligos Corporation. “Over the past year we’ve found great interest from multichannel operators worldwide in rolling out these new interfaces, and I think they’re pleasantly surprised by both MediaRig Mosaic’s capabilities and how easily it has integrated into their existing infrastructure.”
Unlike other approaches, a single compact MediaRig Mosaic system replaces the stack of equipment that might otherwise be required to generate a single guide channel. Mosaic is compatible with a wide variety of industry EPG middleware solutions including i-Guide ™ and Passport(R) Interactive from Macrovision(R), Microsoft(R) Foundation, SARA, MDN 3.0 and ETV/EBIF. As a result, MediaRig Mosaic has become the most widely-deployed solution for these enhanced program guides, and is distinguished by its video quality, flexibility and Ligos’ highly-rated service and support. Multichannel and middleware providers interested in MediaRig Mosaic are invited to contact us through our website at http://www.ligos.com, by phone at 888-464-8765 (toll free) ext. 101 or 415-249-0100 ext.101.
About CABLEVISION® S.A. de C.V.
Currently, CABLEVISION (BMV: CABLE) is the largest Digital MSO in Mexico. This cable company, 51% of which is owned by Grupo Televisa, the largest Spanish-spoken communication enterprise, has a subscriber base of more than 550 thousand for Digital Cable TV and over 150 thousand for High Speed Internet in Mexico City and its Metropolitan Area. Founded more than 40 years ago, CABLEVISION(R) has become the leader in entertainment and communication services, providing the latest convergent technology solutions. This grants its subscribers the freedom to enjoy, in a single account and with important savings, their famous Digital TV service, a reliable High Speed Internet connection, and most recently, an attractive Digital Voice Service (Double or Triple Play bundle portfolio). CABLEVISION was the first company to provide Mexico City residents with innovative services often available to only the most advanced countries in the world. Now CABLEVISION is proudly the only cable company on the planet which is 100% digital, and the first Multi-Channel Provider (cable or satellite) in the country to offer the TiVo(R) Service. Furthermore, CABLEVISION is the only Cable Operator in the country that quotes in the Mexican stock-market. Its next-generation hybrid network consists of more than 11,000 km of coaxial cable and optical fiber, covering more than 1.5 million households in Mexico City. Through this network, CABLEVISION is able to distribute high quality content with more than 245 channels, unique services such as next generation interactivity (with CABLEVISION On Demand and mosaic), 1080i high definition, and value-added features such as broadband internet connection, digital video recording and many other premiums for its subscribers. http://www.cablevision.net.mx
About Ligos Corporation
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Ligos Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of proven alternatives for cost-effective digital video processing. Ligos specializes in flexible solutions for the repurposing of digital video, optimized for distribution, device and content. By combining its MediaRig video processing software with today’s powerful, inexpensive multi-core platforms, Ligos can replicate, consolidate and enhance the features of many existing products, and provide a single, rapidly deployable device at a significant reduction in cost to those in the broadcast industry. For more information on Ligos Corporation and MediaRig Mosaic, visit its website at http://www.ligos.com.
Cable operators are invited to visit the Macrovision Solutions Corporation booth #915 at The Cable Show to be held in New Orleans at the Morial Convention Center on May 18-20, where they will be demonstrating how Ligos’ MediaRig Mosaic product enables Video Rich Navigation with TV Guide’s i-Guide(tm) IPG.
Macrovision Solutions Corporation Press Release
Latest release, to be featured at NAB2007, expands its reach with new middleware compatibility and usability features
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - (April 3, 2007): Ligos Corporation has announced that its MediaRig® Mosaic system has been updated with new middleware features to enable video-rich navigation with Interactive Program Guides (IPGs) such as TV Guide’s i-Guide(tm), giving more cable providers the ability to implement a next-generation navigation guide, even on an install-base of DCT-2000 class set-top boxes. This latest development, as well as new features such as integrated channel mapping, demonstrates Ligos’ commitment to working closely with industry leaders to deliver the latest video enhancements to the widest audience. Multichannel providers in the Cable, IPTV and DBS segments, as well as middleware vendors who are interested in incorporating this exciting product into their own offerings are invited to view a hands-on demonstration of MediaRig Mosaic at NAB2007 in Booth #SU11321, April 16-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
MediaRig Mosaic creates an interactive guide channel that displays multiple thumbnails of high-quality live video on a single TV screen. Multi-Service Operators (MSOs) can group similar content together and create audience-specific portals for News, Sports, Family, Movie and Local content, and even incorporate advertising, service promotions and other interactive elements to the presentation. Viewers at home use their remote to highlight and navigate individual video tiles and hear the accompanying audio, and can navigate directly to a channel that captures their interest. These video-rich channels provide operators new value-added opportunities to direct subscribers to services such as video-on-demand (VOD) and pay-per-view (PPV) gateways, localized advertising, bundled triple-play service promotions and more. In 2006, MediaRig Mosaic enabled Oceanic Time Warner Cable to roll out SportsChoice, a mosaic channel that provides a mix of live national and local sports content as well as interactive sponsored advertising.
“The new middleware support in MediaRig Mosaic allows more providers to deliver this enhanced viewing experience to their subscribers,” said Mark Koziol, CEO of Ligos Corporation. “Although video-rich guide channels have been possible for a few years, we feel our approach – one that combines all of the processing into a single, compact box –represents a decisive opportunity for those who actually want to implement them. MSOs and middleware providers will find MediaRig Mosaic extremely compelling, especially when they see how easily we can help them enable it within their systems.”
MediaRig Mosaic is Ligos’ compact system for those seeking the highest quality, most cost-effective solution to provide video-rich IPG channels and more to their subscribers. Unlike other mosaic options, a single compact MediaRig Mosaic system replaces the stack of equipment that might otherwise be required to generate a single guide channel. This system integrates all of the required functions into a single, compact platform that can be managed online in real-time, either locally or remotely. Multichannel providers in the Cable, IPTV and DBS segments, and middleware providers interested in MediaRig Mosaic are invited to contact us through our website at http://www.ligos.com, by phone at 888-464-8765 (toll free) ext. 101 or 415-249-0100 ext.101, or visit us at NAB2007 in Booth #SU11321.
About Ligos Corporation
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Ligos Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of proven alternatives for cost-effective digital video processing. Ligos specializes in flexible solutions for the repurposing of digital video, optimized for distribution, device and content. By combining its MediaRig video processing software with today’s powerful, inexpensive multi-core platforms, Ligos can replicate, consolidate and enhance the features of many existing products, and provide a single, rapidly deployable device at a significant reduction in cost to those in the Broadcast industries. For more information on Ligos Corporation and MediaRig Mosaic, visit its website at http://www.ligos.com.
New Servers and Software Solutions Integrate with Today’s Broadcast Operations, Simplify HD Migration
Acton, MA (March 21, 2007): SeaChange International (NASDAQ: SEAC) is helping broadcasters make the move to high-definition operations easily and cost-effectively. At NAB2007 next month the company will roll out its HD series of broadcast play-to-air storage and codec solutions and innovative media management tools.
New Series of MediaClient Codecs
SeaChange’s MediaClient 6000 series codecs solve broadcasters’ challenges when upgrading their standard-definition play-to-air servers to support HD. The MediaClient 6000 completes the full range of existing MediaClient codecs by offering a flexible SD-to-HD upgrade path, as well as ensuring superior picture quality - at a fraction of the cost of other solutions - combined with 80Mb/s support in MPEG2 long GOP or 150Mb/s in I-frame.
Broadcast MediaLibrary BML6000ex and BML24000ex Play-to-Air Storage Systems
BML6000ex and BML24000ex systems provide centralized online storage for multi-channel HD and SD play-to-air. Real time video I/O bandwidth is guaranteed by SeaChange’s patented streaming engine combined with IP accelerator Gigabit Ethernet ports. The integrated MediaLibrary and MediaClient form the SeaChange Broadcast MediaCenter (SBMC), which ensures highly reliable, scalable and flexible playout without a single point of failure.
MediaLibrary ML1G Nearline Server
The ML1G combines low-cost media storage with the support of SeaChange MediaClient for real time ingest and back-up playout capabilities. The server can provide up to 500 TB of open, shared file storage and is ideally suited to operate as a large, central content repository and for fast IP transfers to SeaChange’s BMLex play-to-air storage system.
More information at www.schange.com/News_events/Events_NAB2007.asp
About SeaChange
SeaChange International, Inc. is the leading provider of end-to-end and best-of-breed solutions for the world’s television industry. Its powerful open video on demand and advertising software and scaleable hardware enable broadcast, cable and telco operators to provide new on-demand services and to gain greater efficiencies in advertising and content delivery. With its Emmy Award-winning and patented technology, thousands of SeaChange deployments are helping broadband, broadcast and satellite television companies to streamline operations, expand services and increase revenues. Headquartered in Acton, Massachusetts, SeaChange has product development, support and sales offices around the world. Visit www.schange.com.
Innovative MSO Utilizes Ligos’ MediaRig Mosaic to Bring Video Rich Navigation to its Subscribers
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - (November 2, 2006): Ligos Corporation and Oceanic Time Warner Cable announced today the launch of the cable operator’s new video-rich program channel, “SportsChoice”, using Ligos’ MediaRig® Mosaic system. MediaRig Mosaic is Ligos’ new system for MSOs who are seeking a compact, cost-effective solution to provide an enhanced visual and navigation experience to their subscribers.
SportsChoice on Oceanic Cable Channel 200 takes one of the latest innovations in the interactive viewer experience and extends it a step further for advertisers. Using a tiled “mosaic” approach, the SportsChoice channel displays multiple thumbnails of high-quality live video streams on a single TV screen. Viewers use the arrow buttons on their remotes to highlight individual video tiles and hear the accompanying audio, and can directly navigate to that channel if something captures their interest.
In addition, SportsChoice dedicates a portion of the screen to sponsors as an additional screen element. Prominently positioned advertiser “banners” are added and displayed on a dynamic rotating basis. This presents not only a branding impression for the sponsor, but a click through opportunity as well. When the viewer selects the banner, they’re taken to Oceanic’s sponsor portal, where the viewer may choose to view a product video from the sponsor. The ability to dynamically change content on the fly or as-scheduled is a unique feature of MediaRig Mosaic, and SportsChoice is one of the first video-rich navigation channels to explore the potential of this capability.
“We’re very excited about SportsChoice and what it means for both our subscribers and our advertisers,” said Nate Smith, president of Oceanic and Time Warner Cable’s Hawaii Division. “We have a history of firsts with our advanced interactive services, and we’re pleased to add Ligos’ MediaRig Mosaic platform to our extensive offerings.”
“Ligos is extremely pleased to be a part of this effort to bring the enhanced viewing experience not only to Oceanic subscribers, but to its Ad Sales customers as well,” said Mark Koziol, CEO of Ligos Corporation, which provided and customized the Mosaic system for Oceanic. “Oceanic continues to provide its customers with the best of cutting-edge television, and it’s for this kind of application that we created MediaRig Mosaic.”
A single MediaRig Mosaic unit takes the places of up to a dozen hardware MPEG decoders and stack of equipment that might otherwise be required to generate a single guide channel. It consolidates all of the required functions – MPEG decoding, re-scaling, compositing, navigation metadata, re-encoding, and multiplexing – into a single, compact platform that can be managed online in real-time either locally or remotely. As a result, MediaRig Mosaic is the most efficient solution available for operators to produce video-rich channels for value added services such as interactive program guides (IPG), video-on-demand (VOD) and pay-per-view (PPV) gateways, localization, audio-only channels, specialty advertising, news and information and more.
About Oceanic Time Warner Cable
Oceanic currently delivers a diverse selection of entertainment and information services by way of an advanced fiber optic/coax network to more than 400,000 households, schools and businesses on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island. Among its products are Road Runner high-speed Internet as well as Digital Phone services. The company has provided quality cable service for Hawaii residents since 1969. Oceanic Time Warner Cable is the thirteenth largest system in the U.S. and its parent company, Time Warner Entertainment, LLP, is a major developer of entertainment and information content. For more information, visit www.oceanic.com.
About Ligos Corporation
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Ligos Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of proven alternatives for cost-effective digital video processing. Ligos specializes in software-based solutions for the repurposing of digital video, optimized for distribution, device and content. By combining its video processing software with today’s powerful, inexpensive multi-core platform, Ligos products can replicate, consolidate and enhance the features of existing products, made available as a single, rapidly deployable device at a significant reduction in cost to the Broadcast industry. For more information on Ligos Corporation and MediaRig Mosaic, visit its website at www.ligos.com.
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