Philips To Demonstrate Advanced MPEG-4 Technologies At NCTA 2000

10-May-00

Philips Digital Networks, part of Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG), will showcased advanced, end-to-end MPEG-4 technologies that deliver enhanced streaming and video-on-demand capabilities at the NCTAís Annual Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. NCTA Show attendees saw the following demonstrations: o Philips and Liberate demonstrated the future of MPEG-4 streaming solutions for digital set-tops. o Philips and Wave demonstrated their award-winning MPEG-4 streaming media solutions. o Philips and Symah Vision showcased the first personalized virtual advertisement solution for Webcasting. As an advancement of the well-known MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 audio and video compression standards, Philipsí MPEG-4 technologies are specially suited for the range of bit rates possible over the Internet, offering higher quality at lower bandwidths. In its commitment to drive the future of television, Philipsí MPEG-4 solutions are based on an ISO-sanctioned open standard, allowing broad adoption and application of multimedia-enabled devices, such as PCs and set-top-boxes. Moreover, MPEG-4 offers object-based encoding, graphics support and enhanced scalability, and will be the first true multimedia standard that also reaches seamlessly into wireless and interactive services. ""Weíre tapping the potential of the Internet in a whole new way,"" said Rob van Oostenbrugge, CEO of Philips Digital Networks. ""Clearly, the greater availability of broadband Internet access from cable modems creates opportunities for new entertainment and other services. Together with other technology companies, such as Symah Vision, Wave and Liberate, we are leading the way in making streaming-enhanced interactive television a reality."" Philips MPEG-4 Demonstrations Philips and Liberate show the future of MPEG-4 streaming for digital set-tops: Philips and Liberate Technologies, a leading provider of software for the delivery of enhanced television content, have announced a collaborative MPEG-4 solution that delivers audio and video services from the Internet to the living room via the television. Philips hosted demonstrations of an MPEG-4 enabled set-top box at NCTA. MPEG-4, an ISO standard, provides highly efficient audio and video compression optimized for the Internet. MPEG-4 goes beyond compression of audio and video by offering object-based encoding, graphics support, dual audio encoding and enhanced scalability. With the Philips MPEG-4 solutions and Liberate client software in the Philips set-top box, consumers will soon experience true interactivity, greater flexibility and a vast array of new choices.Philips and Wave showcase award-winning MPEG-4 streaming media solutions for digital set-tops: Philips and Wave Systems Corp., a provider of electronic commerce, content distribution, and security services, provided a joint demonstration of streaming media e-commerce solutions based on MPEG-4 as an open standard. The companies jointly demonstrated Philipsí MPEG-4 tools and services and Waveís Streaming Media e-Commerce services to content providers, service providers and streaming media network companies to gather market feedback on the concept. The joint demonstration featured a secure, pay-per-view and subscription-based solution for purchasing digital content including movies, sporting events and commercials delivered in MPEG-4 through a live web site at the Philips booth. The Philips-Wave demonstration was awarded ""Editorís Pick of Show for NAB 2000"" by Television Broadcast magazine ""in recognition of achievement in the advancement of art and science of television broadcast.""Philips and Symah Vision exhibit personalized virtual advertisement solution for Webcasting: Philips and Symah Vision, a LagardËre company and a leader in video tracking technology, will collaborate to provide an MPEG-4 object-based end-to-end solution allowing personalization of advertisement on the Internet. Together, the companies demonstrated a virtual advertisement system for the World Wide Web. The demonstration at the Philips booth combined Symah Visionís EPSISô state-of-the-art tracking technology with Philipsí MPEG-4 object-based end-to-end system to allow the detection and tracking of an area in a video scene. On the client side, content displayed in the tracked area was then custom-tailored to show how an advertisement mapped in the designated area can be adapted into personalized ads to suit different user profiles. About Philips Digital NetworksPhilips Digital Networks - a business group of the Philips Consumer Electronics division - is a world-leading provider of advanced digital system solutions for Service and Network providers in broadcasting and video distribution. Philips Digital Networks offers product and service solutions for customers in both the professional side of the distribution chain, as well as for consumers to use in the home. In the consumer domain, Philips Digital Networks is a leading provider of set-top boxes for digital television and internet delivery, as well as personal video recording. The broad professional product portfolio includes a comprehensive range of television cameras, studio and compression equipment, conditional access systems and transmission systems for broadband cable networks to deliver a full array of interactive services. A flexible customer support program and active involvement in the bodies setting tomorrow's entertainment and information delivery standards makes Philips a natural partner for the digital broadcast era. About PhilipsRoyal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the worldís biggest electronics companies and Europeís largest, with sales of $33.5 billion (EUR 31.5 billion) in 1999. It is a global leader in color television sets, lighting, electric shavers, color picture tubes for televisions and monitors, and one-chip TV products. Its 226,900 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, consumer electronics, domestic appliances, components, semiconductors, medical systems, and IT services (Origin). Philips is quoted on the NYSE (symbol: PHG), London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other stock exchanges. News from Philips is located at www.news.philips.com.

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