Comcast Media Center (CMC), a business unit of Comcast Cable, and C-COR Incorporated (NASDAQ: CCBL) has recently announced that the two companies are launching VOD In a Boxâ„¢, a pre-integrated on-demand solution designed to reduce the complexity, cost and time required to successfully deploy video on demand (VOD) in markets that serve 25,000 digital customers or fewer. System testing has been completed and the first customer trials will start in Q1 2007.
“C-COR is an ideal collaborator for bringing a turnkey, pre-integrated VOD solution to cable operators serving smaller markets,” said Gary Traver, senior vice president and COO of Comcast Media Center. “C-COR’s n5 Compact (n5C) On Demand platform combines with CMC’s ability to aggregate, manage and distribute highly popular VOD content to create a ‘VOD In a Box’ solution that allows cable operators to bring video on demand content from programming networks, movies on demand services and other sources to their customers quickly, efficiently and confidently.”
The “VOD In a Box” solution covers all of the basic hardware and software elements required for a stable and reliable product. It includes C-COR’s On Demand server and software management platform and offers approximately 1,000 hours of premium, pay and free content programming that will be aggregated and managed by Comcast Media Center. The solution, optimized for systems serving up to 25,000 digital subscribers, includes complete content aggregation, receiving equipment, storage and streaming hardware, a full suite of management software and tools as well as professional services, installation and support.
“C-COR is committed to bringing solutions for small and midsize markets that maximize each system’s effectiveness in delivering advanced services,” said Michael Pohl, president, Global Strategies, C-COR. “These systems are a competitive battleground and we are pleased to partner with Comcast Media Center to bring competitive advantages that will streamline and accelerate the introduction of On Demand services to these markets.”
The “VOD In a Box” product uses C-COR’s n5C compact video server platform that is built specifically to address the needs of smaller market VOD. The platform employs components of the company’s n5â„¢ On Demand server platform, including the nABLEâ„¢ complete back office management system. C-COR On Demand solutions are deployed in more than 200 markets throughout the world.
The CMC’s content management service allows a cable system to accept content from multiple sources without the typical need to coordinate, manage and manipulate the content at each headend. “VOD In a Box” affiliates will not need an on-site asset management system or on-site content management personnel. The CMC’s VOD operations team will address all of the requirements for acquiring and managing the content, including creating and validating meta-data, pitching VOD content to the C-COR servers and providing 24/7 quality assurance monitoring. The CMC’s VOD content management services also include a secure Internet portal that allows affiliates to track when programming has propagated from the CMC catcher successfully to the affiliate’s VOD system and it can list VOD assets by programmer or provide a total view of all VOD assets.
Comcast Media Center’s VOD solution, which currently has a footprint of more than 15 million VOD-enabled households served by 20 cable MSOs, is the industry’s only platform offering VOD content creation, management and distribution from one national facility. The CMC, which currently encodes and delivers an average of 3,600 episodes (content assets) and 1,200 hours of VOD content per month for more than 85 television programming networks and other content sources, offers content providers and operators a range of options for creating, managing and distributing their VOD assets, from standard scheduling to quick-turnaround delivery.
About Comcast Media Center
Denver-based Comcast Media Center (CMC), a business unit of Comcast Cable, provides a Total Content Solution for cable system operators and members of the content community, including television programming networks, independent producers and advertisers. CMC’s products include its HITS all-digital platform of over 200 linear digital video and audio services; an Advertising Distribution Network (ADN) for centrally managing cross channel promotions and advertising; and a video on demand (VOD) platform serving over 15 million VOD-enabled cable households. The CMC also provides a full spectrum of content production, management and distribution services, including channel origination, transcoding, hosting, storage and IP multicasting, for traditional and new media platforms. More information is available at http://www.comcastmediacenter.com
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com) is the nation’s leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 24.1 million cable customers, 11 million high-speed Internet customers, and 2.1 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
Comcast’s content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One and four regional Comcast SportsNets. Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia. Comcast Class A common stock and Class A Special common stock trade on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbols CMCSA and CMCSK, respectively.
About C-COR
C-COR enables its global customer base to confidently grow, manage and deliver next-generation products and services to consumers. The Company’s integrated access and management platforms, with a worldwide installed base valued at over $3.5 billion, deliver highly reliable and flexible voice, video and data, and support quick launch and cost effective scaling of new services. C-COR’s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Market (Symbol: CCBL) and is a component of the Russell 2000 Stock Index. For additional information regarding C-COR, visit www.c-cor.com.