Cox Communications, Concurrent Computer Corporation and N2 Broadband Deliver Free, Advertising-Supported Video On Demand Channel.Business Editors ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 20, 2002 New Video On Demand Platform Offers Consumers Interactivity With Advertisers Cox Communications Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television and telecommunications services in the United States. It is the third-largest[2] cable television provider in the United States, serving more than 6. , Inc. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : COX) today announced the launch of its new FreeZone service in San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. . FreeZone, channel 997 for digital cable subscribers, is a first-of-its-kind video on demand channel that offers subscribers a slate of free entertainment and commercial information made possible by advertising support (see companion release for additional information on the service and advertisers). Cox is working with Concurrent Computer Corporation  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on : CCUR CCUR Center for Crops Utilization Research ) and N2 Broadband to deliver this new interactive service. "Cox is among the first cable operators to present ad-supported content in the VOD See video-on-demand. VoD - video on demand world and to test this new concept as a viable revenue model for the industry," said Reggie Bradford, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of N2 Broadband. "The new technologies we've developed will help Cox prove this business case, usher the deployment of new digital services and also facilitate new sources of cash flow." The N2 Broadband components are part of a broader platform called Adbank(TM), which is designed to support multiple VOD systems, cable operators, networks, advertisers and the business of on-demand advertising. N2 Broadband created two essential components - the content packager and the ad server. The packager gives Cox the ability to define navigation paths and the associated content Associated Content is “The People’s Media Company,” an online publisher and distributor of participatory media. Associated Content enables everyone to publish their content in any format on any topic and then distributes that content to engaged audiences through provided to viewers. It allows the definition and bundling of menu choices, still images, video segments, and storyboard A sequence of images and annotations for a cartoon, animation or video. Storyboards are previews of the final version and typically contain mockups rather than final art and images. Before computers, storyboards were drawn with pen and ink on lightweight cardboard. information. Cox can create its own branded environment in the user interface and also has the flexibility to associate varied content with different layers of the user interface, rather than offering only a static environment. The packager also associates sequences with specific advertiser content that allow cable viewers to request more information from advertisers. Request For Information (RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) High-frequency electromagnetic waves that emanate from electronic devices such as chips. RFI - Radio Frequency Interference ) sequences can be used to provide leads to advertisers. The packager output is Asset Distribution Interface (ADI) compliant and can be stored in user-defined output locations. Output can be distributed to multiple digital cable headends via an automated asset distribution system, such as the N2 Broadband MediaPath(TM) Secure Content Delivery System, DLT (Digital Linear Tape) A magnetic tape technology originally developed by Digital for its VAX line. The technology was later sold to Quantum, which makes it available to other manufacturers. DLT uses half-inch, single-hub cartridges similar to IBM's 3480/3490/3590 line. tapes, or file transfer mechanisms. The ad server created by N2 Broadband resides at Cox's VOD-equipped cable system headend. The ad server receives the ad content packages and also stores information about the packages it imports, including the associated assets and metadata. When requested, the ad server sends data necessary to define navigation for a content package to a user interface and menu generation system. The data sent by the ad server instructs the menu generation system to build the navigation as defined by the package. The server also sends tailored data with the video segments to insure compatibility with the target VOD System, in this case Concurrent Computer Corporation's MediaHawk(R) 3000. Concurrent's MediaHawk 3000 Video Server System (MH 3000) is designed to support many interactive applications, including interactive advertising. "The MH 3000 allows for one common platform when selling advertising spots, entertainment on demand (movies, concerts, sports...) or subscription video on demand from premium channels," said John Hildebrand, Cox's vice president of multi-media technology. "Operationally, content for advertising is managed in the same fashion as that of Cox's other video on demand products." The MH 3000 supports the import of metadata through an open XML See Office Open XML. interface and it allows the specification of an n-tier menu system -- videos can be launched from any tier and may be followed by menus, videos or RFI sequences. This provides Cox the ultimate flexibility in building product offerings. The user interface (UI), or client on-screen on·screen or on-screen adj. & adv. 1. As shown on a movie, television, or display screen. 2. Within public view; in public. navigator, was designed with input from Cox whose goal was to provide a similar experience that customers would see with Cox's Entertainment on Demand movie product. To accommodate viewer request for additional information (RFI) functionality, Concurrent enhanced the UI to include specific requirements for RFI and also to log impressions. Cox's integrated system also performs aggregate reporting functions. Concurrent's system supports tracking UI activity within the menu screens. Any and all pages can be marked for logging, depending on the needs of the application and the impressions that are exposed. The UI data is exported to the N2 Broadband server where it is matched with associated content, allowing Cox to determine aggregate activity and usage for specific pages and ad content. Reports are also generated for RFI's based on data from Concurrent's Business Management System (BMS BMS abbr. Bachelor of Marine Science ). "As the VOD provider with the most digital subscribers nationwide, we are always looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. ways to increase the revenue for our cable operator partners," said Steve Necessary, president of Concurrent's XSTREME VOD division. "Cox has put a stake in the ground as leaders in evolving advertising-supported television from a push model to a pull model of on-demand digital television, and we're pleased to be the first VOD company to support it." About Cox Communications Cox Communications (NYSE: COX), a Fortune 500 company, is a multi-service broadband communications company serving approximately 6.3 million customers nationwide. Cox is the nation's fifth-largest cable television provider, and offers both traditional analog video programming under the Cox Cable brand as well as advanced digital video programming under the Cox Digital Cable brand. Cox provides an array of other communications and entertainment services, including local and long distance telephone under the Cox Digital Telephone brand; high-speed Internet access under the brands Cox High Speed Internet and Cox Express; and commercial voice and data services via Cox Business Services. Cox is an investor in programming networks including Discovery Channel. More information about Cox Communications can be accessed on the Internet at www.cox.com. About Concurrent Concurrent Computer Corporation (http://www.ccur.com) is a leading provider of high-performance computer systems, software, and servers. Concurrent Computer Corporation's XSTREME Division is a leading supplier in the emerging digital video server marketplace. This market includes broadband VOD and rich streaming media applications such as corporate training, education, hospitality, and digital video-to-the-home. Concurrent is also a leading provider of high-performance, real-time computer systems, solutions, and software for commercial and government markets. Concurrent's 35-year-old Real-Time business focuses on strategic market areas that include hardware-in-the-loop and man-in-the-loop simulation, data acquisition, industrial systems, and software. Operating worldwide, Concurrent provides sales and support from offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Concurrent brings over 35 years of real-time experience to the broadband VOD and rich streaming media industries and has become a market leader. Today, Concurrent's worldwide broadband VOD and rich streaming media trials and deployments include: AOL (A division of Time Warner, Inc., New York, NY, www.aol.com) The world's largest online information service with access to the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms and a variety of databases and services. Time Warner Cable This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. - 15 markets; Beijing Fengtai Cable - China; Blue Ridge Communications - Pennsylvania; Charter - multiple markets; Cogeco Cable - Quebec and Ontario, Canada; Comcast - 9 markets; Cox - 3 markets; Horizon.com - Singapore; Mediacom - one market; NXTV Inc. - 4 hotels; OLYMPUS Optical - Hamburg, Germany; Safari Technologies - 16 educational institutions throughout North America; Shanghai Telecom - China; and VOD Pty Ltd./TransAct - Australia. About N2 Broadband N2 Broadband is the only provider of scalable, open-standards technologies that enable content providers and cable operators to offer on-demand services. The company's N2 Network(TM) - the only complete delivery management, back office and usage reporting system - includes MediaPath(TM) for secure content delivery; MediaPoint(TM) Business Management System for back-office management; and MediaPoint(TM) Asset Management System for managing the receipt of digital media assets from multiple independent sources. With unmatched experience in digital cable technology, the N2 Broadband team also offers the most advanced Operational Support Services support services Psychology Non-health care-related ancillary services–eg, transportation, financial aid, support groups, homemaker services, respite services, and other services (OSS Oss (ôs), city (1994 pop. 62,141), North Brabant prov., S Netherlands; chartered 1399. It is a significant industrial center. Manufactures include meat products, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment, and metalware. ) to ensure the highest level of network reliability, and a range of customized professional services for the rapid, scalable deployment of on-demand services. N2 Broadband provides these solutions to leaders in the entertainment and cable industries. |
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