Liberate Unveils New Software Platform Compatible With Proposed Standard, 'OnRamp to OCAP'

Liberate Unveils New Software Platform Compatible With Proposed
Standard, 'OnRamp to OCAP' 


NEW ORLEANS, May 4  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Liberate Technologies(R) (LBRT)
today introduced TV Navigator(TM) 5, the first software platform that allows
cable operators to deliver OCAP (Open Cable(TM) Application Platform) Java(TM)
applications to today's deployed set-top boxes.  With TV Navigator 5, cable
operators can rapidly launch services competitive with satellite while ensuring
forward compatibility with future OCAP devices. By allowing OCAP content
developers to tap into a large and rapidly expanding national footprint of
digital set-tops, Liberate's TV Navigator 5 Java platform energizes the launch
of OCAP services.

Cable operators in Europe and the US have deployed Liberate TV Navigator
software on millions of digital set-top boxes to run multiple services --
including EPGs (electronic program guides), VOD (video-on-demand), PVR
(personal video recorder), and HDTV (high-definition television).  Liberate TV
Navigator 5 augments the stability and robustness of this proven software
architecture with the first Java and OCAP-compatible environment available for
use on deployed Motorola and SA set-top boxes.  Based upon the draft "On Ramp
to OCAP" specification (JSR 242 [Java Specification Request] of the Java
Community Process, awaiting completion) Liberate TV Navigator will track
updates and ensure compliance with the specification as it evolves.

"Looking at an industry with a 5-7 year lifespan objective for set-top boxes,
the best way to beat satellite and gain a nationwide content footprint is to
leverage the existing installed base. TV Navigator 5 does this for North
American cable by enabling the OCAP concept to embrace all of the 30+ million
digital STBs deployed today," said Mark Vickers, Liberate's Chief Technology
Officer.  "With TV Navigator 5, cable operators can deploy applications today
that are compatible with OCAP tomorrow."

"The objective of the 'OnRamp to OCAP' standard is to provide a mechanism for
cable operators to rapidly deploy new applications and services on their
installed base of digital set-tops, while maintaining compatibility with future
OCAP-based boxes," said Bill Sheppard, Industry Marketing Manager, Digital TV,
at Sun Microsystems, Inc.  "OnRamp serves as an enabler of the future
widespread deployment of OCAP by providing a natural, forward-compatible
migration path to OCAP for legacy STB's."

"Cox and the North American cable operators remain committed to OCAP and view
OnRamp as an accelerator of OCAP deployments," said Craig Smithpeters, iTV
Systems Engineer at Cox Communications.

Liberate is demonstrating TV Navigator 5 for customers, partners, and press
during the NCTA trade show. Liberate will be showing third-party OCAP
applications (such as those from The Weather Channel and Buzztime) running
unchanged on both OCAP and legacy Motorola and Scientific Atlanta set-top
boxes. The demonstration is located in a Wyndham Riverfront Hotel across from
the convention center, and will be available from Monday through the end of the
show. To reserve a time to see the demonstration, please contact Sylvia Acacio
(). Additional information is available at http://conference.liberate.com/.

About Liberate Technologies

Liberate Technologies is a leading provider of software for digital cable
systems.  Based on industry standards, Liberate's software enables cable
operators to run multiple services -- including High-Definition Television,
Video on Demand, and Personal Video Recorders -- on multiple platforms.
Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Liberate has offices in Ontario, Canada
and the United Kingdom.

NOTE:  Liberate and the Liberate design are registered trademarks of Liberate
Technologies.  Other product names used in association with these registered
trademarks are trademarks of Liberate Technologies. industry.

  Contact:
   Paul Dawes
   Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing
   Liberate Technologies
   650-645-4007
   

   Blair Beebe
   Director of Marketing and Communications
   Liberate Technologies
   650-645-4010
   

DATASOURCE: Liberate Technologies



CONTACT:  Paul Dawes, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing,

[phone], or , or Blair Beebe, Director of Marketing

and Communications, [phone], or , both of Liberate

Technologies



Web site:  http://www.liberate.com/

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