Video Without Boundaries, Inc., a leading provider of interactive, media-convergent home entertainment devices, and SageTV, LLC, announced their collaboration to release the MediaREADY^TM 5000 Advanced Digital Media Center to the market powered by the Linux-based SageTV Media Center software. The SageTV software running on the MediaREADY^TM 5000 will enable complete Media Center capabilities, including PVR, DVD/CD burning, music and photo management, Web browsing, Email, and more.

The all-in-one SageTV Media Center platform allows VWB to offer its advanced, easy-to-use media management capabilities in a highly reliable Linux-based solution and helps minimize price by avoiding expensive Windows license fees. The software is one of the most comprehensive and mature of its kind. Boasting special features, such as intelligent recording of TV shows of interest based on household viewing habits, the single graphical user interface enables consumers to access their entire media library without the delays typically experienced on other platforms while switching applications.

"Our goal with the MediaREADY 5000 is to add state-of-the-art PVR and other advanced media center capabilities to the broad entertainment and Internet functionality we have previously offered, upgrade the interface for ease of use, and maintain a very attractive price point," said David Novak, EVP - Sales and Marketing for VWB. "The VWB-SageTV collaboration offers a highly competitive feature set in this category."

The SageTV software lights up MediaREADY 5000 features including:

• Complete personal video recording, without subscription fees, for recording TV shows to the 5000's internal hard drive, including the ability to pause and rewind live TV, record a whole season of shows, and automatically record new shows in the user's favorite categories (such as Reality shows) based on previous recording patterns.
• A comprehensive electronic program guide that simplifies TV program recording by displaying channel, title, and other descriptive program information, and also enables searching and recording of favorite shows using the guide information.
• MP3, DVD, CD, Karaoke DVD, and photo playback and management, including the ability to access digital files from the MediaREADY's hard drive, home-network PCs, and connected peripherals such as MP3 players and digital cameras; play them on the connected TV; rip CDs to the unit's hard drive; burn video, TV shows, music, and more onto CD or DVD discs; access music play lists by artist or album, and so on.
• High-speed Internet browsing, email access and online gaming on the connected TV, including full-screen DVD-quality video and audio streaming.
• Media-on-Demand capabilities, allowing consumers to access DVD-quality video programming through the MediaREADY Content Delivery Network.
• Optional connectivity to the home computer network through a built-in Ethernet connection or plug in PCMCIA wireless card, making it possible to access digital media files stored on the household's PCs.

These features will complement the MediaREADY 5000's other hardware capabilities and connectivity to a wide range of consumer electronics through inputs and outputs ranging from USB and Firewire to component and composite video. The product will come with a wireless keyboard and remote control and will be available through retail channels nationwide this quarter.

"Video Without Boundaries has a strong track record in providing innovative digital media products, so they have a clear understanding of the features and functions necessary to succeed in the marketplace," said Mike Machado, CEO of SageTV. "This partnership is a great opportunity for us to showcase our Linux-based Media Center solutions on a ready for primetime piece of consumer electronics."