News

SkipJam Announces First All-Digital System for Home Entertainment and Automation (1/7/2004)

SkipJam's iMedia(TM) Links & Records All Analog & Digital Media and Devices Low Cost, Easy-To-Install, Consumer Friendly

SkipJam Corp., a leading provider of home media networking solutions, announced today SkipJam iMedia, the first ever Network Attached Media solution. SkipJam iMedia technology is the first and only high fidelity, all-digital integrated home entertainment system which combines whole house audio and video distribution with digital recording and home control. SkipJam's iMedia technology makes a complete whole-house AV system simple to implement starting under $800 (estimated street price) over ANY standard wired or wireless home network. SkipJam's iMedia system integrates: PVR, DVR, Live Streaming, Universal Remote Control, On-TV PC Access, Analog Device Switching, and much more.

Geared to the discriminating audio/video enthusiast, the revolutionary SkipJam iMedia system lets consumers instantly transform any ordinary home computer network into a complete whole-home A/V distribution and control platform. Competing products for home control and distribution from Sony, Philips, AMX, and others provide a fraction of the functionality at much higher prices, while requiring costly custom wiring and professional installation for even the most basic functionality.

The unique SkipJam iMedia technology also delivers digital media over the network. Unlike competitors' digital media access products, such as those from Cisco/Linksys, Creative, Hewlett Packard and proposed solutions from Microsoft, Intel, Sony, Panasonic and Denon/Marantz, which only provide one way PC to stereo connectivity or attempt to replace existing consumer devices with an all-in-one media server, SkipJam iMedia components integrate and operate with all existing and future analog and digital devices.

"We are proud to launch the SkipJam iMedia digital home entertainment network," said Michael Spilo, CEO of SkipJam. "Our products are high-quality Home Theater components that bridge the digital and analog world."

SkipJam iMedia features:

* High-end audio and video for superior digital audio and video reproduction (e.g. 24-bit 192Khz DAC/ADCs with 114db dynamic range).
* Personal Video Recorder -- Records using MPEG-4 for complete networked multi-tuner recording of favorite shows to any networked hard drive.
* Universal whole-house remote control -- Control any device from anywhere, even while away from home.
* Live media streaming -- Move any AV source "live" to any other room wired or wireless.
* Digital Video Recorder -- Record DVDs, VHS, and music (even radio) to any networked hard drive to watch any time.
* No PC Required -- Network AV devices and digital media (MP3, MPEG-2/4/, etc.), even without a home PC.
* TV to PC connectivity -- Play MPEG 1/2/4, MP3, WMA, WAV, Ogg, JPG and more.
* PC to TV connectivity -- Access PC desktop screen on the TV to check e-mail, or run any PC software and see the result on the TV screen, rooms away.
* Home Intercom -- Use any stereo/TV as a paging speaker or speakerphone.
* Power -- 32/64 bit superscalar MIPS architecture CPU with separate DSP processors for audio and video, dual PCI buses and dual Ethernet ports, integrated TV and FM tuner.
* Flexibility -- 4 analog video inputs (3 S-video and 4 composite), 6 analog audio inputs, 4 PCM digital inputs (both optical and coaxial inputs and outputs), Firewire, USB 2.0, 3 IR output ports, IR Blaster LEDs, RS232 control.

Expandable

The SkipJam iMedia product line consists of the SkipJam iMedia Center, a networked media switch which sends and receives audio and video and the SkipJam iMedia audio and video players, which can receive but not send video and audio. The entire system can be expanded easily by simply adding components. Also, unlike first generation devices like TiVo, SkipJam iMedia components can access any networked PC or hard drive for storage, tapping into unused space on home PCs and providing easy expandability and virtually unlimited recording time. And unlike simple PVRs, SkipJam iMedia devices all employ higher capacity MPEG-4 compression, significantly reducing hard drive capacity requirements. With unlimited recording time and higher compression, SkipJam iMedia eliminates consumer worry over which of their favorite TV shows, movies, photos or music to erase to make room for new recordings. Want more space? Add any Firewire hard drive.

Easy to Use and Quiet

Designed as consumer devices from the ground up, SkipJam iMedia devices are extremely user friendly. They can easily be operated through a simple menu system and installed as simply as any stereo component. And since SkipJam iMedia can write to any hard drive on the network, they have no internal moving parts and therefore are silent -- perfect for use in the bedroom or media room.

Network Agnostic

SkipJam iMedia works with all home networks: 802.11a/b/g, coax, Ethernet, Home-plug, twisted pair, etc. SkipJam's system software adapts the audio and video compression to match network performance as needed. Furthermore, SkipJam iMedia's sophisticated peer-to-peer architecture is highly robust and designed to reduce network traffic for a fast seamless performance.

Pricing and Availability

SkipJam iMedia will be available Q3 2004 through the retail and VAR channel. The products are priced at $799 for the SkipJam iMedia Center, $499 for SkipJam iMedia Player, $299 for SkipJam iMedia Audio Player, and $499 for the SkipJam Audio Player Pro (estimated street prices).

www.skipjam.com