QuantumÆ Corporation Launches A/V Solutions Alliance To Deliver Proven DVR Technologies To Set-Top Box Manufacturers

New Alliance Program Taps Premier Members To Accelerate Development Of Hard Drive-Enabled Consumer Electronics Devices - C-Cube, Enreach And Exatel Among First To Participate

5-Jan-01

QuantumÆ Corporation's Consumer Electronics Business Unit, a division of the Hard Disk Drive Group (NYSE: HDD), announced its new A/V Solutions Alliance to accelerate the delivery of digital video recorder (DVR) technologies into the growing market for hard drive-enabled consumer electronics products.Quantumís A/V (audio/video) Solutions Alliance enables consumer electronics manufacturers to easily identify and select proven DVR solutions - the technology behind personal video recorders (PVRs). The alliance will allow a wide array of consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers to come to market rapidly with cost-competitive PVR products. Increasingly, CE manufacturers are looking to embed DVR capabilities into a variety of applications, ranging from standalone recorders and cable and satellite set-top boxes, to television sets. CE manufacturers, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, are requesting packaged DVR solutions to meet consumer demand for PVRs. Analysts have predicted that PVRs will be adopted by more than 14 million Americans by 2004.""Hard drive video recorders have found a permanent home inside consumer electronics devices,"" said Larry Gerbrandt, Senior Analyst for Paul Kagan Associates, Inc., a Carmel, California-based media research and consulting firm. ""However, many CE manufacturers do not have the resources to develop their own DVR products rapidly. In order to accelerate the DVR market, it will be increasingly critical for manufacturers to work with compatible and mature DVR technologies and solutions providers.""The Quantum A/V Solutions Alliance will serve as a one-stop industry resource for digital video recording hardware and software, integration and testing services. Beginning with initial Alliance members C-Cube, EnReach and Exatel, Quantum will help fulfill the needs of its OEM customers by providing a choice of DVR development solutions that are flexible, modular and easy to integrate.""To support the growing demand for DVR technology, we wanted to ally ourselves with a proven industry leader like Quantum which will enable EnReach to further demonstrate the solidity of our core DVR software technology,"" said David Cong, Vice President of Product Marketing and Business Development of EnReach Technology. ""Our infrastructure software for services such as enhanced TV, broadband streaming, electronic programming guides (EPGs) and time-shifting capabilities complements Quantumís unparalleled strength and reliability in audio/video storage technology.""""Our partnership with Quantum is helping C-Cube to accelerate the DVR market by making available C-Cube's new cost-effective reference platform, Kronos, for the creation of next-generation products,"" said Chris Day, Senior Director of Marketing at C-Cube. ""Kronos addresses the needs of the evolving DVR market by enabling OEMs to rapidly develop hard disk drive-based time-shifting products.""""Digital video recorders present tremendous opportunities for new home entertainment applications,"" said Gary Learner, Vice President of Business Development for Exatel. ""Exatelís innovative PVR module, combined with Quantumís advanced hard-drive technology provides a cost-effective solution for the rapidly growing home entertainment market. We have joined the Quantum alliance to help CE manufacturers shorten time-to-market and lower development costs by offering a well-integrated DVR solution.""Quantumís A/V Solutions Alliance will continue to create relationships with industry-leading companies to address the growing demands of the hard drive-based CE market. Looking ahead, Quantumís A/V Solutions Alliance will provide innovative technology solutions for other growing CE hard drive categories such as audio jukeboxes, Internet appliances and game consoles.""With the launch of the Quantum A/V Solutions Alliance, we are providing customers with reliable DVR technology that is ready today,"" said Paul Streit, Manager of OEM Solutions Marketing for Quantum CEBU. ""Customers will benefit from an immediate competitive advantage by shortening time-to-market, as well as from the ease of conducting business with an integrated group of solutions providers.""For more information about Quantum Corporation, visit www.quantum.com.

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