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Mediacast Sets the Stage for the World's First MPEG-4 AVC HD-DTT Demonstration (3/5/2005)

Digital Television Group Brings HDTV to Life at Mediacast

Mediacast, the free-to-attend European Exhibition and Conference dedicated to Global "Content Everywhere" business and technology, will be the first in the world to show a live demonstration of MPEG-4 AVC HD-DTT over a digital terrestrial network next week.

With HDTV being one of the most highly anticipated developments in the digital TV world today, Mediacast invites you to be among the first to see it in action over a DTT network. "Everyone's talking about HD. With a number of major players rolling HD out in Europe, Mediacast provides a world first with a live demonstration of HD-DTT during the event," says Amanda Strange, Mediacast Exhibition Director. "DTG's HD demonstration complements the high level HD part of our conference in the Convergence Hub."

Organised by Digital Television Group, in conjunction with partners including Astra, BBC R&D, Dolby, Euro1080, Eldon, ITV, Sharp, SONY, ST Microelectronics and TANDBERG Television, the HDTV experience will take visitors to the show on a technological journey from content conception through to delivery to the home Ð all in a purpose built demonstration at the event.

"To be competitive DTT operators will need to be able to offer HD as part of their programming mix," says Richard Lindsay-Davies, Managing Director of Public Affairs, Digital Television Group. "Our Mediacast demonstrations will show how recent technology innovations have come together to make HD DTT a commercial reality."

Expanding on many of the key elements covered throughout the three day event, the DTG demonstration, located at the front of the exhibition hall, will feature:

á HD-DTT Live Transmission Demo utilising video head-end and HD encoding for MPEG-4 AVC and MPEG-2 from TANDBERG Television (stand no: D47)

á HD-DTT Low Bandwidth Solution: A state-of-the-art system which can use off-peak broadcast capacity to allow the HD-equipped viewer to watch an HD programme without using precious peak-time bandwidth. This is implemented by trickle downloading the HD version to a PVR and triggering play-out in synchronism with the SD transmission. The SD and HD versions will be displayed along side each other to allow comparison.

á HD-DSAT: A chance to see the only HD service on air in Europe Ð HD1

á HD-Blu Ray: See the latest in HD recorded media technology

www.mediacast.net