News Release

TBS, Inc. Will Deliver Programming in Internet Protocol Format Using Scientific Atlanta's MPEG-4 Encoders

Advanced encoding helps enable telecom operators to deliver quality video to their customers
cisco_building_corporate_002-jpg-1889882-1-0
Nov 09, 2006

ATLANTA, GA, November 9, 2006 - Scientific Atlanta, a Cisco company, today announced that Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) has chosen Scientific Atlanta's MPEG-4 D9034 Encoder to provide MPEG-4 signals for telecom companies. Turner Broadcasting will be the first U.S. linear programmer to provide its own MPEG-4 signal for Internet Protocol delivery of video content, enabling telecom operators to offer quality video as a part of their services to customers.

Scientific Atlanta's standard-definition MPEG-4 systems using its D9034 Encoders will be installed at Turner Broadcasting's Techwood campus and CNN Center in Atlanta to provide signals for CNN, CNN Headline News, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network and Turner Classic Movies. MPEG-4 advanced compression technology (AVC) will help telecom operators deliver more channels simultaneously to the home at bandwidth saving bit rates, without compromising video quality. Additionally, the Scientific Atlanta system has the capability to mix both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 signals in one transport stream. This gives programmers the flexibility to provide both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 content from the same transponder, using the same conditional access and network management system for simplified operations and a unified authorization procedure for individual customers.

"Turner Broadcasting is pleased that by the end of the year, it will be able to provide five of our popular cable television networks to licensed operators in an IPTV-compatible format," said Mike DeHart, vice president of domestic distribution for Turner Network Sales (TNS). "We're responding to the need of small operators to find a cost effective alternative to re-encoding and a method to receive the Turner networks in a compatible format. As we migrate and convert our analog networks to digital, more satellite capacity will become available to expand the MPEG IV system, enabling us to deliver all 10 linear Turner networks in an IPTV compatible format."

"Television entertainment is entering a new era, and IPTV gives telecom operators the ability to meet the expectations of consumers and opens new doors for revenue opportunity," said Dean Rockwell, Vice President and General Manager, Digital Media Networks, Scientific Atlanta, a Cisco company. "With MPEG-4 technology, telecom operators will be able to take advantage of a vast array of quality video services, without compromising valuable bandwidth."

About TBS, Inc.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.

About Scientific Atlanta

Scientific Atlanta, a Cisco company, is a leading supplier of digital-content contribution and distribution systems, transmission networks for broadband access to the home, digital interactive set-tops and subscriber systems designed for video, high-speed Internet and voice-over-IP (VoIP) networks, and worldwide customer service and support. Scientific Atlanta, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc. More information about Scientific Atlanta is available at http://www.scientificatlanta.com.