SGI/Oracle Advanced Broadcasting Solution Achieves First Commercial Success Playout Centre Europe Offering Pan-European NVOD and Pay-Per-View Services

"The digital playout market currently offers almost limitless business possibilities, and the solution developed by SGI and Oracle will enable us to quickly realize commercial success from our investment," said Kees Troost, director, Playout Centre Europe. "As well as meeting our immediate requirements, the solution's flexibility and scalability will allow us to expand our service offerings in areas such as interactive television, multi-channel playout and digital ad insertion as our customers require them. "

Playout Centre Europe is the first facility to install the Oracle(R) Video Server system running on the SGI(TM) Origin(TM) video computing platform. This installation follows a cooperative development and marketing agreement signed September 1998 between Oracle and SGI to use Origin(TM) servers as the first-tier development platform for Oracle Video Server software. SGI is also acting as 'prime contractor' for PCE by managing the complete installation of the solution and helping the company develop its marketing strategy.

"The complementary strengths of the SGI and Oracle technologies have enabled us to develop a scalable digital broadcast server solution which exactly meets Playout Centre Europe's business needs today and is scalable to thousands of streams for future VOD developments," said Denice Gibson, senior vice president, Software Technology Group, SGI. "Utilizing our joint expertise in helping PCE develop their marketing strategy will also enable them to make maximum use of their system's capabilities."

"This unique solution precisely shows the exciting possibilities that our cooperation with SGI has created," added Mark Porter, vice president of Oracle's Interactive Television division. "This pooling of our industry-specific knowledge is helping Playout Centre Europe take their business forward and demonstrates the opportunities awaiting European broadcasters and cable companies in the digital arena."

About Oracle Video Server

The Oracle Video Server, with other Oracle products and services, is an end-to-end video solution used in the broadcast and interactive television markets, providing telephone companies, broadcasters and cable TV operators with a safe, reliable, step-by-step approach toward realizing new revenue through digital television services. In addition, Oracle Video Server offers practical, cost-effective transition from analog to digital while meeting broadcasters' and cable TV operators' need for reliability, speed and quality. The recently released Oracle Video Server 3.1 includes mission-critical features such as real-time video feeds and real-time encoding, and a broadcast playout scheduler for near-video-on-demand services and VCR functionality.

About SGI Origin Video Computing Platform

The SGI Origin video computing platform -- optimized for broadcasters and digital production studios -- is a combination of Origin servers, digital video options, software environments for digital asset management and media distribution, and third-party solutions. The platform is an open, highly scalable and powerful set of products that support a wide range of applications.

Playout Centre Europe b.v. is an independent facilities provider specializing in providing playout facilities to clients across Europe. A professional 24 hour/365 days a year service for transmitting a variety of channels from their MPEG DVB-ASI server is the core business. PCE is a full-service provider for near-video-on-demand, pay-per-view, hospitality TV and other playout services. Being an independent company also allows for "custom" services to be developed, including back-up systems, uplinking and modulation services to a satellite network, or transcoding of content. Playout Centre Europe b.v. is headquartered in Veenendaal, the Netherlands.