SkyStream is launching new technology products and a new European partnership at IBC 2005 this week that will help TV operators and service providers in cable, satellite, terrestrial and IPTV differentiate services as they battle each other for subscribers.

SkyStream will ease the transition to MPEG-4 AVC and its bandwidth-saving benefits, with the debut at IBC of its new MPEG-4 AVC Transcoder, which allows TV operators to repurpose widely available and low-cost MPEG-2 content for their new MPEG-4 networks. SkyStream is the first headend provider to integrate transcoding into its Mediaplex-20 and iPlex headends. The company will show a live demonstration of MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 AVC transcoding in Hall 1 Stand 1.249.

The company also will launch the next generation of its Content Delivery Platform, zBand 5.0, featuring PUSH Video on Demand with personalization for home entertainment and enhanced features for enterprise applications like Windows Media 9 integration for business TV. SkyStream is also introducing DVB-S2 support for its market-leading IP encapsulator, the Source Media Router.

SkyStream will inaugurate its new partnership agreement with Teleste, the leading European broadband network solutions provider for cable operators worldwide, with the first-ever free giveaway of a complete IPTV headend at Teleste's stand 1.514 in Hall 1. The winner will be selected by drawing and announced at the end of the IBC tradeshow. Teleste is now reselling SkyStream's video headends and offering end-to-end IPTV solutions to cable and telco operators in Europe and Asia.

"At this year's IBC we are launching new products to help our customers solve key technological challenges they face in migrating to new standards like MPEG-4 and DVB-S2, and also helping them differentiate their service offering beyond basic TV with more advanced video services like personalized PUSH VOD," said Francois Modarresse, vice president of marketing and business development, SkyStream. "We've also seen strong growth in European IPTV opportunities and we're extending our service capabilities by partnering with a trusted European cable supplier to help cable companies use IPTV to cost-effectively reach new subscribers."

SkyStream's IBC 2005 Demos include:

• A live demonstration of MPEG-2 to MPEG 4 AVC transcoding broadcast quality video at low bit rates
• A live demonstration of zBand 5.0 home entertainment edition with personalized VOD and a demonstration of zBand 5.0 enterprise edition, enabling companies to more easily administer large-scale secure deployments of business TV, including support for live television, and automated live encoding with Windows Media 9, simplifying network operation.
• The introduction of DVB-S2 support for the entire SkyStream SMR product suite. DVB-S2 improves bandwidth efficiency and performance for satellite data broadcasts by approximately 30 percent, adds more powerful forward-error-correction and expands DVB applications. An entry-level version of its market-leading SMR IP encapsulation platform will also be introduced.
• A live demo of the new SkyStream Element Management System (EMS), a software product for service providers who own multiple-chassis SkyStream headends. SkyStream EMS eases system management and simplifies operation of larger, more complex video headends and multi-site headend deployments.
• SkyStream's SkyBar sports lounge will feature sporting events in MPEG-2 High Definition Television (HDTV) turnaround on a plasma screen in stand 1.249. Attendees are invited to have a beer and watch SkyStream's high quality HDTV.

SkyStream Short-Listed for Product of the Year Award at IBC

SkyStream's iPlex video headend has been short listed for the Cable and Satellite International 2005 Product of the Year Awards which will be presented at IBC. The award nomination is for "Best Cable Video/Data/Voice Last Mile Transmission Technology." Jim Olson, president and CEO, SkyStream, will represent the company at the awards ceremony on Sept 11 at 6 p.m., along with representatives from two other companies also short listed for the award, where the winner will be announced.

"Being short listed for this prestigious award is a fantastic endorsement of the iPlex platform, which we just introduced at last year's IBC and started shipping earlier this year to rave reviews from customers," Mr. Olson said.