Scientific-Atlanta Teams With Metabyte Networks

ATLANTA/FREMONT,CA.- Scientific-Atlanta announced it has licensed
preference engine and intelligent storage management software, developed by
Metabyte Networks, Inc., that, once ported, is expected to enable its
Explorer digital interactive set-tops to recommend the very TV programming
each subscriber wants to watch. The result is a huge competitive advantage
for cable operators, who are expected to benefit from higher subscriber
satisfaction and penetration, higher ad rates for tailored ads, and lower
churn.

Scientific-Atlanta plans to embed Metabyte’s MbTV software into its Explorer
8000 set-tops. Together with Scientific-Atlanta’s interactive television
navigator, the software is expected to automatically recommend programming,
including advertising, that matches each subscriber’s viewing tastes. The
Explorer 8000 set-top, a home media server that features a hard drive, will
have the additional capability to automatically record preferred
programming.

“Like the Internet, television has become richer in content and could become
just as tough to navigate,” says Michael P. Harney, corporate vice president
and general manager of Scientific-Atlanta’s Subscriber Networks Sector.
“Metabyte’s innovative personal TV software, once added to
Scientific-Atlanta’s Explorer set-tops, should not only enable subscribers
to easily find the content they want, it should allow programmers and
advertisers to target the subscribers they want to reach.”

“Our work with Scientific-Atlanta presents revenue generating opportunities
for cable operators, programmers and advertisers,” said Manu Mehta,
president and CEO, Metabyte Networks. “We look forward to enabling MbTV
powered personal TV services such as targeted advertising, t-commerce,
targeted video on demand (VOD), targeted t-coupons, and TV portals aboard
the popular Explorer set-top platform.”