News

FUZE Media Systems Launches Software Licensing Program (8/5/2008)

Whole-Home Media Systems Company Opens Software Up to Hardware OEMs

FUZE Media Systems, makers of the industry's most hardened whole- home media system, today announced that it will license its software to OEM partners. The only company in the industry that has delivered appliance-like performance for whole-home live & recorded TV, movies, videos, music, and photos, FUZE is negotiating with a number of companies to enable its software to be installed on other manufacturers' multimedia devices.

To best support its OEMs, FUZE will deliver a host of features that leverage industry cross-platform standards. These include web browsers for audio control, Microsoft v2 Media Center Extenders, standard audio distribution options, TCP/IP control protocols, and UPB audio control. OEMs will also receive access to FuzeTrace software for monitoring system health, simplified installation tools, and level two support-as well as the option to customize features and product appearance for branding purposes.

The agreement marks a strategic shift for FUZE. Until now, the San Jose, CA-based software company has sold its software only on company-approved hardware made exclusively by its hardware partners. Following nearly two years of field deployments and increasing sales through its dealer network, the company is responding to requests from OEMs to install FUZE software on other devices.

"This direction is a natural one for us," said Bob Silver, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at FUZE. "Our goal has always been to expand the market for whole-home media distribution. Our deployments over the past two years have served as a proof of concept, so that we can now guarantee reliability and performance to our licensing partners. This should have a big impact on consumers and dealers alike by drastically increasing consumer options and reducing prices."

The company noted that its OEM licenses will support entire whole-home systems so that OEMs and customers will not incur additional per-device fees. This approach will allow consumers and integrators to connect an unlimited number of audio, video, and control points in the home without adding per-device licensing expenses.

This licensing strategy is consistent with the company's goal of making the whole-home media experience accessible by the average consumer. Having announced its sub-$5,000 whole-home "Mini Edition" system last month, FUZE believes that its licensing program will further reduce prices and improve the options available to consumers and high-end home theater professionals.

The company expects its first agreements to close in mid-2008.

www.fuzeav.com