Omneon Video Networks announced that its Media Server Systems have been adopted by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) for use in the prototype project to develop the broadcaster's new Next Generation Interconnect System (NGIS). The announcement comes as PBS completes testing of the prototype system and plans its official rollout.

The NGIS project, which is pending Congressional approval, was designed to provide an improved method of program distribution - less expensive and more flexible - to the PBS community of stations. The current system being replaced is a traditional satellite-based interconnect system, meaning all programming is "pushed" from PBS headquarters to the local public television stations. A departure from traditional broadcast models, the new system allows transport of programming as data files in non real-time and uses a hybrid satellite and terrestrial architecture. With the new system, member stations can browse and select content for download ("pull") and have it delivered over lower-cost communication infrastructures.

Jim Kutzner, PBS senior director, Enterprise Networking said, "We are very quickly making a fundamental change in the way programming is distributed, and we are doing it in such a way as to accommodate the needs of multichannel digital broadcasting that will be our future. The flexibility of Omneon's Media Server System made it the perfect fit for this project."

At the heart of the new system is the Omneon Media Server System, located at network headquarters and at each participating member station. At PBS headquarters, the Omneon system stores program material and moves it in real- or non real-time as needed. At the member stations, Omneon servers form the core of edge systems, retrieving the digital media files and storing them until required for playback. Once fully operational, the system will let PBS member stations browse the network's library of content and download programming to meet the individual needs of each station.

"We are extremely pleased to be working with PBS to design what is destined to become the industry-standard program distribution mechanism," said Joe Kennedy, Omneon president and chief executive. "We share a similar vision to leverage standard technologies, which for the NGIS project not only gives PBS tremendous cost savings but will also provide greater programming flexibility going forward."

The Omneon Media Server System is a flexible shared storage infrastructure designed for digital media, delivering unparalleled scalability and flexibility. Using high-speed serial I/O busses for real-time (isochronous) connectivity and Gigabit Ethernet for non real-time (asynchronous) network connectivity, customers have the freedom to use multiple data formats and multiple applications and the compatibility to support existing systems and add new services.

Once rolled out to the entire PBS network, NGIS will deliver programming to the 174 public television licensees that serve over 99% of the U.S. households. The prototype project runs through 2003, with non real-time service to continue into 2004. The complete NGIS replacement project concludes in 2006.

About Omneon
Omneon Video Networks is the leading provider of cost-effective and flexible networked media servers for the broadcast and video industry. The company's unique strategy integrates a strong foundation in broadcast with the best practices of information technology - giving its customers the best of both worlds. Because Omneon SPECTRUM media server systems are based on an open and advanced architecture, broadcast and video professionals are able to minimize both upfront and ongoing expenses, while gaining the flexibility to capitalize on emerging opportunities. Omneon pioneered the use of open systems in broadcast and, as a result, receives wide support from the application developer community. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Omneon has a strong global presence with customers in 22 countries on five continents. Visit Omneon on the Web at www.Omneon.com.

About PBS
PBS, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a private, nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 349 public television stations. Serving nearly 100 million people each week, PBS enriches the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services on noncommercial television, the Internet and other media. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, the leading dot-org Web site on the Internet.

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