DTV Plus, WRAL-HD Datacast WRAL Online
First Daily Datacast of Nation's Number One Television Web Site
Raleigh, NC --- January 19, 2000
DTV Plus has teamed with WRAL-HD and LG Electronics Research Center of America to develop and demonstrate digital data broadcasting applications using the digital television signal. The team is "datacasting" the WRAL Online web site (www.wral-tv.com/) on a daily basis. Datacasting -- inserting Internet data into the digital television signal -- is envisioned as a wave of the future and source of new revenue for broadcasters. DTV Plus is making this vision a reality by datacasting the WRAL Online web site continuously.
The regular and ongoing broadcast of WRAL Online marks the first real delivery on the promise of datacasting. DTV Plus has established itself as a leader in this field and has plans to expand this service with a larger project that will begin in February. The enlarged project will include several other data types such as software, 3D animations, MP3 files and full motion video. The expanded effort will also include the launch of trials with multiple business-to-business applications.
"Digital changes everything," said Sam Matheny, DTV Plus Vice President and General Manager. "It is no longer enough for television stations to only transmit video and audio. The Internet has created an almost insatiable appetite for more and different types of information. We have laid the groundwork for a whole new era in broadcasting, one where the station is a sole source outlet for a complete media experience."
The files that make up the WRAL Online web site, which recently received NATPE’s Iris Award, are inserted into WRAL-HD's digital television signal and broadcast as part of that signal. Users equipped with a computer and a DTV receive card in their personal computer can tune the channel and cache the data on their machine. This method of delivery bypasses the congestion of the Internet and delivers fast access to the most popular content on the WRAL Online site. The card also allows users to watch digital television on their computers.
"Datacasting the web site gives WRAL Online users fast access to our best content," said John Conway, WRAL's Director of New Media. "We are able to deliver all the interactivity of our web site directly to the end user without them needing to dial-up or 'log-on.' This truly is convergence."
DTV Plus is partnered with LG Electronics Research Center of America, Inc., (LGERCA), and is using the SkyScraper data broadcasting system developed and provided by LGERCA. The SkyScraper DataHub component enables DTV Plus to schedule and manage several concurrent file types and data rates for maximum flexibility in datacasting. The SkyScraper DataReceiver component is a PC-based DTV receiver that allows consumers to receive and play digital television programs on PCs, as well as receive data broadcasts. "We are strong believers in the data broadcast market," said Mark Simpson, president of LGERCA. "Digital TV provides a cost-effective, high-bandwidth delivery path that opens many new business opportunities for DTV stations. We are delighted to show consumer data broadcasting working with DTV Plus and WRAL-HD – the pioneers in the field of digital TV broadcasting. We are also working on business-to-business data broadcasting solutions to help DTV stations generate new revenue streams."
DTV Plus and WRAL-HD have been datacasting using the SkyScraper system since October of 1999, and began daily broadcasts of WRAL Online in December. As the nation's first experimental station, WRAL has been testing DTV capabilities since July 1996.
About DTV Plus
DTV Plus is a division of Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc., and is devoted to developing and deploying a nation-wide datacasting network. DTV Plus utilizes satellite and digital television technologies to deliver on its vision. Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which, in addition to WRAL-HD and DTV Plus, owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, WRAL-FM, Microspace, the North Carolina News Network; Capitol AgriBusiness; Capitol Networks in Raleigh, N.C.; WJZY-TV and WFVT-TV in Charlotte, N.C.; the Durham (N.C.) Bulls Baseball Club and the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Pelicans Baseball Club. Capitol Broadcasting Company also founded Local TV on Satellite in Raleigh, NC.
About LG Electronics Research Center of America
LG Electronics Research Center of America (LGERCA), is a subsidiary of LG Electronics, and was founded in 1997 in Princeton, New Jersey. LGERCA develops Digital Television software, systems and solutions, and is working with a number of partners to bring innovative products to market. LGERCA's staff brings years of experience in industrial research and leading edge product development to bear on the emerging DTV industry
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