SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 15, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rovi Corporation (Nasdaq:ROVI) today announced an agreement with Buckeye CableSystem, a service provider serving Northwest Ohio and parts of Southeast Michigan, for the licensing and deployment of Rovi TotalGuide Solution across multiple platforms. Using Rovi TotalGuide, Buckeye will be able to offer its customers an advanced entertainment discovery experience with leading-edge search and recommendation capabilities on set-top boxes already in homes today. The service provider will also deploy Rovi's companion white-label TotalGuide xD application, allowing subscribers to use IP-enabled mobile devices to schedule a recording, tune linear channels, start a VOD session, and once available, watch authenticated TV shows and movies. In addition, Rovi and Buckeye have signed multi-year renewal agreements for Rovi i-Guide as well as Remote DVR Scheduling and ETV/EBIF Solution.
Building on the momentum of previous agreements with providers such as BendBroadband and Cogeco Cable, the Buckeye collaboration underscores the appeal of Rovi's advanced solutions that enable service providers to help subscribers easily connect to great content across linear and on-demand offerings as well as future over-the-top content. TotalGuide solutions are designed to help service providers compete from a position of strength in a changing media environment where new Internet-connected devices have stimulated consumer demand for broader entertainment access, features, and services.
"We are constantly looking for innovative ways to drive subscriber value and enjoyment," said Brad Mefferd, President and General Manager, Buckeye CableSystem. "Collaborating with Rovi helps Buckeye enrich the entertainment experience on existing set-top boxes, as well as extend our brand and service reach with new future-proof capabilities that will enable consumers to discover and control TV entertainment on the multiple screens they own."
"Today's entertainment market is highly competitive with many content products and services vying for consumers' attention," said Bob Shallow, SVP, service provider sales, Rovi. "Rovi TotalGuide solutions allow service providers to optimize their existing infrastructure, while keeping pace with consumer needs and preferences by delivering a personalized and dynamic entertainment experience in the home and beyond."
Rovi TotalGuide Solutions enable service providers to offer a range of next-generation entertainment capabilities and experiences:
For set-top boxes:
- HD user interface design with visually engaging metadata that includes expanded program, movie, and celebrity information and imagery
- Easy search and browse functions for navigating by program, celebrities, cast, and credits
- Unified search and access across linear TV, On Demand, and future over-the-top content
- Continuous exploration and discovery features based on viewer's interest, the "six degrees" experience, which is possible through dynamic links to related content via cast and crew, celebrity biographies and credits, similar programs, and more
- Advanced recommendations that highlight relevant programming and help users find content of interest through editorial, personalized, and social contributions
- An immersive On Demand portal with "New Releases" and genre-based categories. On Demand titles are also available through unified search, recommendations, bookmarks, and discovery via the "six degrees" experience
For mobile/IP-enabled devices:
- Remote connections to set-top boxes in the home to schedule DVR recordings, channel tune or start a VOD session
- Unified search and access across linear TV, On Demand, and future over-the-top content
- Continuous exploration and discovery features based on viewer's interest, the "six degrees" experience, which is possible through dynamic links to related content via cast and crew, celebrity biographies and credits, similar programs, and more
- Social network connections via Facebook, Twitter and e-mail integration
- Once available, access to authenticated TV shows and movies beyond the set-top box on multiple mobile / IP-enabled devices
Rovi TotalGuide applications are compatible with a wide range of currently deployed STBs and mobile devices, allowing service providers to leverage their existing infrastructure to deliver significantly enhanced user experiences to their customers. Powered by Rovi Cloud Services, the applications require minimal infrastructure investment and operational changes and are cost-effective to deploy and operate.
About Rovi Corporation
Rovi Corporation is focused on revolutionizing the digital entertainment landscape by delivering solutions that enable consumers to intuitively connect to new entertainment from many sources and locations. The company also provides extensive entertainment discovery solutions for television, movies, music and photos to its customers in the consumer electronics, cable and satellite, entertainment and online distribution markets. These solutions, complemented by industry leading entertainment data, create the connections between people and technology, and enable them to discover and manage entertainment in an enjoyable form.
Rovi holds over 5,100 issued or pending patents worldwide and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with numerous offices across the United States and around the world including Japan, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom. More information about Rovi can be found at http://www.rovicorp.com/.
The Rovi Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6482
Forward Looking Statements
All statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact, including statements that use the words "will" or "is expected to," or similar words that describe the Company's or its management's future plans, objectives, or goals, are "forward-looking statements" and are made pursuant to the Safe-Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results and/or from any future results or outcomes expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors are further addressed in the Company's most recent report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2011 and such other documents as are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time (available at www.sec.gov). The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release, except as required by law.