Tut Systems, Inc., an industry leader enabling the delivery of next-generation data and video services over broadband networks, announced that the International Engineering Consortium (IEC) recognized its Astria content processor (CP) MPEG-4 AVC solutions as an InfoVision Award Finalist.

The Astria CP was selected in the "Content, Entertainment, Applications, and Services" category from hundreds of submissions. The InfoVision Awards will be presented at the Broadband World Forum Asia 2006 event in Hong Kong May 15-18 with PCCW as the official host sponsor. Products eligible for an InfoVision Award designation were required to be commercially announced or in deployment within the Asia-Pacific region prior to the Broadband World Forum Asia 2006. Submissions were judged by a review committee composed of industry experts from vendor companies, service providers, and industry associations. Finalists were judged according the following criteria:

(1) Value of service or technology in solving recognized technology problems, meeting network requirements, optimizing service and performance, and/or enhancing customer service; (2) Overall quality of innovation and contribution to technology advancement;
(3) Originality and vision; (4) Potential contribution toward positive industry growth and service;
(5) Market success/acceptance; and,
(6) Contribution to end-user quality of experience and service efficiency.

With a rigorous and anonymous judging system in place, IEC Content Director, Tom Costello, noted, "The competition was stiff with many fine entrants. The selection process was very difficult with an exceptional group of InfoVision Awards this year. We recognize InfoVision Finalists as products that provide superior service to the industry and the community." "Tut Systems is honored to have the Astria content processor's MPEG-4 AVC solution receive this prestigious recognition from the IEC," said Sal D'Auria, Chairman, President and CEO of Tut Systems. "We believe a sustained commitment to innovation on behalf of service providers around the world forms the basis of our success and continued leadership position in the IPTV marketplace."

The Industry's Leading IPTV Platform for Telcos
More than 160 service providers across five continents deliver IPTV powered by Tut Systems digital headends. The Astria family of video processing platforms, which serves as the core of the company's digital headend solution, processes both analog and digital video streams from multiple satellite and local sources in a variety of formats. The Astria CP supports MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC video compression, local ad insertion, forward error correction and provides real-time conditioning for distribution of video and audio over any ATM, IP, or RF broadband network. The Astria VSP provides the highest density, carrier class, single chassis product for the delivery of IP video over RF broadband access networks, including coax and FTTP (Fiber to the Premises).