CacheVision Unveils First Digital Video Recorder to Enable Service Operator Delivery of Personalized Media Services.

Business/Technology Editors

The Western Show 2001

CVR-4000 Recorder Allows Cable Operators to Quickly

and Cost-Effectively Deploy DVR and Make Available Future

Subscription-Based Services Without Hardware Obsolescence 

ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 26, 2001

CacheVision Inc., the joint venture between Seagate Technology and Thomson Multimedia, today announced the company's first OEM Digital Video Recorder (DVR) consumer device to enable cable operators to quickly enter the DVR market and make available a host of additional value-added services to its subscribers. The new CVR-4000 Recorder is compatible with cable-ready televisions and analog and digital set-top boxes. The device provides a cost-effective, field-upgradeable platform for DVR functionality and other personalized media services, including: subscription video on demand, interactive television services, targeted advertisements, personalized news programs, t-commerce, digital audio jukeboxes, and various other personalized entertainment services.

"As an OEM oriented company, CacheVision's goal is to develop and provide the industry's most advanced storage-based solutions that will drive key market enablers and help make DVR more widely available," said Richard Johnson, CacheVision CEO. "With the introduction of our CVR-4000 family of products, we provide service operators the means to make DVR a standard feature within their cable networks, while allowing operators the freedom and flexibility to deliver additional services to the home for enhanced revenue opportunities."

The CVR-4000 Recorder is intended to be branded, marketed and distributed by service operators or set-top box manufacturers. Interoperability with set-top boxes and televisions is handled via connections located on the back of the recorder with RF, composite video, S-video and audio options. The recorder is also equipped with an IR blaster and serial connector to allow the operator to configure how the recorder will be controlled -- either as a slave device to the set-top box or as a standalone device. Two-way communications are facilitated using a v.90 modem or Ethernet broadband connection for the exchange of programming and service data. The CVR-4000 Recorder ships with a universal remote for control of three additional devices. The remote also controls the "one-touch" record, playback and trick modes, as well as the advanced services, including multiple user accounts, subscription video-on-demand, and click-through advertisements and promotions.

CacheVision offers the CVR-4000 Recorder in the following three models, which are expected to be available to service operators for trials in Q1 2002:

-- CVR-4100 Sidecar with 20GB (CVR-4120) or 40GB (CVR-4140) storage, priced at $225 and $250 respectively, with audio in-RCA and out-2 RCA and Serial/USB control

-- CVR-4200 DVR with 40GB (CVR-4240) or 80GB (CVR-4280) storage, priced at $275 and $315 respectively, with audio in-RF, RCA and out-2 RCA, Serial/USB or IR Blaster control, and v.90 dial-up modem

-- CVR-4300 DVR+ with 40GB (CVR-4340) or 80GB (CVR-4380) storage, priced at $275 and $315 respectively, and optional DOCSIS or DSL Ethernet connection

The CVR-4000 Recorder integrates 32-bit graphics with transparency for the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) and other applications. The EPG is an operator-branded HTML and JavaScript-based graphical user interface for easy daily updates, and supports advanced services such as video-on-demand movie downloads, personalized audio and news services, and click-through advertisement and promotions. Furthermore, the user interface intuitively supports up to four separate user accounts, allowing different family members to keep track of personalized recordings and other advanced services.

Open Architecture Provides New Revenue Streams

The new CVR-4000 Recorder is based on an open-platform, standards-based architecture that allows operators and third party content developers to quickly and easily deploy new subscription services to consumers beyond basic DVR functionality. As new services are made available operators can achieve enhanced revenue streams and supply key competitive positioning against alternative programming delivery networks. Furthermore, the device's future-proof design allows service operators to protect their hardware investment by making service upgrades and maintenance via the product's open-standards software and CacheVision's network management system, OpenCache(TM) Delivery Suite (announced today separately).

Cost-effective Deployment and End-to-End Platform

The CVR-4000 Recorder is consumer-installable device, with set-up in less than 30 minutes. Since the CVR-4000 Recorder is compatible with existing set-top boxes and cable-ready televisions already deployed in the home, the need for costly truck rolls to replace or upgrade existing hardware is eliminated. Additionally, the CVR-4000 Recorder does not require a network upgrade and can act as either a standalone device or slave device to digital set-top boxes.

The OpenCache(TM) Delivery Suite provides an end-to-end platform that allows operators to leverage its existing infrastructures and extend additional storage-based entertainment services to their subscribers. The OpenCache(TM) Delivery Suite complements the OpenCache(TM) Client Software, but can be easily used independently per operator requirements. Based on the same open architecture principle as all CacheVision solutions, the platform installed at the operator's broadcast facility is capable of delivering multiple personal media services including DVR to subscriber devices.

Consumers to Get More Value from Their Set-top-box

The CVR-4000 Recorder affords operators the opportunity of combining DVR capabilities with more advanced television capabilities and premium personalized media services. As these new forms of entertainment services make their way into subscriber homes, consumers receive greater value from their DVR-enabled set-top box.

CacheVision will introduce and demonstrate the CVR-4100 and CVR-4200 models at the Western Cable Show in Anaheim, Calif., Nov. 27-30. The CVR-4100 demonstration will be in partnership with the Canal+. The CVR-4100 will operate as a sidecar device using Canal+ MediaHighway middleware software. As a sidecar device, the CVR-4100 will supply an inventory of recorded programs to the set-top, while the MediaHighway middleware controls the actions of the CVR-4100 for record, play, pause, and fast forward DVR functions.

Editor's Note: Briefings at Western Cable Show

Please contact Roger Villareal, 415-352-2628 x133, [e-mail], to schedule an appointment to meet with CacheVision in their private suite at the Anaheim Hilton hotel.

About CacheVision Inc.

CacheVision Inc., based in San Jose, California, is a joint venture between Seagate Technology and Thomson Multimedia. Formed in July 2000, the company is an OEM supplier and leading innovator of personal media technologies and complete end-to-end solutions for enabling entertainment and commerce for consumer appliances. The company's customers include original equipment manufacturers of consumer electronics and service providers of digital entertainment.

Seagate Technology is the world's leading supplier of hard disk drives to the consumer electronics industry, and Thomson Multimedia is a worldwide leader in digital consumer electronics and the parent of brand names such as RCA and GE.