DES MOINES, Iowa and LONDON, Sept. 13, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- Strategy & Technology Ltd (S&T), a UK company specializing in open standard Interactive television (iTV) solutions and SNAP2 Corporation (OTCBB:SSNP), a leading provider of client applications and tools for set-top boxes and Internet appliances, today announced `MHP Express,' a low-cost, integrated hardware and development environment for creating DVB-MHP (Digital Video Broadcast - Multimedia Home Platform) interactive television applications.
MHP Express is a complete turnkey development system with SNAP2's GEAR for DVB-MHP development software for iTV client applications and S&T's development software for MHP broadcast streams. The development system consists of a Sun Microsystems Sun Blade(tm) 100 workstation which hosts SNAP2's and S&T's software as well as Sun's leading Forte(tm) for Java(tm) integrated development environment (IDE). The complete hardware and software solution provides all the tools needed by broadcasters and content developers to create iTV applications targeting MHP compliant set-top boxes.
"MHP Express is a best of breed integrated solution leveraging SNAP2's MHP client development software, S&T's MHP broadcast development software and Sun Microsystems's Forte(tm) for Java(tm) development tools with a Sun Blade workstation into an affordable system for MHP content development," said Steve Johnson, vice president of marketing for SNAP2. "Television broadcasters and iTV content developers can now use the Java programming tools they are familiar with in an affordable environment to create MHP applications quickly and easily."
The MHP Express package includes:
-- SNAP2 GEAR for DVB-MHP development tools for creating Java-based,
MHP client applications
-- S&T TSDeveloper, TSPlayer, TSBuilder and TSMux for the creation
and play out of MHP transport streams
-- Sun Microsystems Sun Blade(tm) 100 workstation
-- VideoPropulsion Inc DVB-ASI Output
-- Sun Microsystems Forte(tm) for Java(tm) V3.0 Community Edition
-- The MHP Express environment can attach to DVB-ASI supported
modulators connected to current commercial MHP set-top boxes or to
DVB-ASI supported MHP set-top boxes such as the Philips TriMedia
"Both S&T and SNAP2 are very familiar with requirements needed to create MHP content as we have developed various iTV applications for leading OEMs and technology partners and broadcasters during this past year," said David Cutts, Director of S&T. "MHP Express addresses the requirements of broadcasters and content developers and provides a reliable, easy-to-use, and proven environment for MHP programming. We have created an affordable and effective MHP content development solution."
Prof. Ulrich Reimers, Chairman of the DVB-MHP implementers group and the DVB Technical Module, welcomed the announcement, "It is great to see offerings coming to the MHP market not only of receiver implementations and applications, but of the critical development and broadcast infrastructure that will make MHP all work. The transatlantic alliance working here is also a powerful signal to all of us about how our international cooperation is developing."
S&T and SNAP2 will exhibit MHP Express on S&T's stand (5:321) at the IBC exhibition in Amsterdam, September 14-18, 2001.
About SNAP2
SNAP2 Corporation (OTCBB:SSNP) is based in Des Moines, Iowa and markets interactive application software, middleware and services enabling deployment of digital television set-top boxes and Internet appliances. The Company provides a services offering of software design, platform integration and optimization, consumer user interface and application development training.
SNAP2 markets its SNAP2 GEAR for DVB-MHP middleware and content development tools targeting Java-based interactive television. The Company has provided digital television products and services to market leaders Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Philips, Motorola, Panasonic and Canal + US Technologies for their respective iTV set-top-box technologies.
For more information, visit the SNAP2 website at http://www.snaptwo.com/.
About Strategy & Technology Ltd
Strategy & Technology Ltd was formed in mid-1996 by a group of engineers and consultants who had previously worked independently in the rapidly developing field of broadcast digital TV. S&T provides editorial services to DVB for the MHP specification and also plays an active role in the UK Digital Television Group.
S&T focuses on creating software systems to support the authoring and broadcasting of interactive content using public standards. The company has developed a complete chain for authoring and broadcasting using the UK MHEG-5 standard, which is transmitted using the DSM-CC Object Carousel, and is now introducing enhanced versions for use in the DVB-MHP.
S&T's customers include many leaders in the interactive TV community. S&T software is the core transmission software for the developing MHP testing facilities, for DTG Testing Ltd's receiver test systems, and is used by ITV, Channel 4 and NTL for DTT transmissions. S&T's MHEG applications are used in the DTT versions of the hit shows `Big Brother' and `Banzai' and in 24x7 services including `itvTEXT+' and `Fourtext.'
S&T is at www.s-and-t.com
SNAP2 is a trademark of SNAP2 Corporation. Sun, Sun Microsystems, Forte, and Java are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective companies or organizations.
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor'' for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by the company) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to anticipated future revenues of the company and success of current product offerings. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future and, accordingly, such results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the company. For a description of additional risks and uncertainties, please refer to the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commissions.