Harris Corporation Introduces Revolutionary Approach to Content Delive

LAS VEGAS, April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harris Corporation today announced a revolutionary new approach to content delivery with the introduction of the H-Class(TM) Content Delivery Platform for broadcasters and content providers. Harris' H-Class platform provides these organizations the means -- for the first time -- to integrate disparate processes into a single, modular system that handles all content management and delivery enterprise-wide from creation to consumption. H-Class enables companies to serve the rapidly emerging "audience of one" by intelligently managing the delivery of rich digital media across multiple networks, channels, formats and devices. This provides more targeted programming and advertising content, which in turn enables the creation of new advertising models for increased revenue.

"Digitization of rich media, changing ad models, new mediums and the consolidation of media outlets are just a few of the myriad challenges facing broadcasters and content providers' traditional businesses," stated Jeremy Wensinger, president of Harris' Broadcast Communications Division. "In order to successfully meet these new market realities, these organizations need the means to easily manipulate and repurpose their content for deployment in multiple venues, times and locations. Harris' H-Class delivers the industry's first comprehensive system with the end-to-end functionality that allows them to do just that."

The unique approach of this integrated platform allows broadcasters and content providers to efficiently and cost-effectively achieve finer control of their content. This enables them to track their rich media as close to the point of creation as possible while seamlessly managing its movement throughout the broadcast chain to final distribution. As a result, the H-Class platform unlocks new and incremental revenue opportunities by enabling broadcasters and content providers to deliver targeted content to more users, as well as support new services such as Video-on-Demand (VOD), IPTV and mobile video.

H-Class, which is based on open standards, is network-, content- and service-agnostic. Thus, each of these applications can be integrated with either third-party solutions or legacy systems. Content providers can use the entire platform as an end-to-end platform, or deploy separate solutions and applications in order to upgrade their existing infrastructure.

In support of the H-Class platform, Harris also is launching the H-Class Alliance Program for third parties such as solution providers and application developers that wish to integrate with the platform's services and applications. The program will train, certify and support application developers' interface development work and support solutions providers' projects with the H-Class Shared Services, further speeding deployments and bringing a broader range of functionality to Harris' customers. Harris also offers professional services to providers and alliance members to enable them to successfully implement the H-Class Content Delivery Platform within their or their customers' environment.

About H-Class(TM) Solutions

The H-Class Content Delivery Platform will feature a broad range of integrated applications including Media Business Systems, Digital Asset Management, Media Ingest, Play-out Automation, Intelligent Transport and Shared Services. While the full application suite will be released over the next 12 to 18 months, broadcasters can view the following H-class applications at NAB 2005:

H-Class(TM) Media Business Systems (Release 1.0)

H-Class Media Business Systems enables broadcasters to track and bill any type of new media product placement or interactive campaign through its end- to-end system for traffic, scheduling, billing, air-time sales, rights management and content management. When integrated with H-Class Play-out Automation, broadcasters will be able to sell any type of ad closer to airtime without manual intervention.

H-Class(TM) Media Ingest

The H-Class Media Ingest application automates the mission-critical media ingest process for accurate key stroking of meta-data. It does so by applying intelligent and intuitive business rules to automatically ingest rich media from various content distribution services, index incoming feeds on the fly, schedule and capture live feeds, and move media across the entire enterprise.

H-Class(TM) Play-out Automation

H-Class Play-out, which includes the H-Class Broadcast Presentation Manager application, is a next-generation automation, control, play-out, and management solution that extends the benefits of automation far beyond the master control environment. The scalable and modular architecture allows broadcasters to configure their system in real time, on site, or from remote locations. It is designed with dynamic interfaces, as well as intelligent and customizable rules that meet precise workflow requirements and eliminate duplicate and labor-intensive functions.

H-Class(TM) Intelligent Transport

H-Class Intelligent Transport enables content and service providers to deliver digital rich media to devices such as set-top boxes and mobile devices. H-Class Intelligent Transport enables providers to recognize live and file-based video at the point of content contribution to the network and at the point of content distribution to multiple devices or destinations.

On the content contribution side, H-Class Intelligent Transport integrates with H-Class Media Ingest and Digital Asset Management to provide near- immediate recognition of digital media. On the content distribution side, H- Class Intelligent Transport integrates with H-Class Play-out Automation and Digital Asset Management.

H-Class(TM) Shared Services

H-Class Shared Services are open APIs that enable third-party applications to integrate with the H-Class Content Delivery Platform and solutions. Customers are able to leverage their desired set of best-of-breed solutions throughout the digital media life cycle. Harris further supports these integrations through its associated H-Class Alliance Program, which is designed to assist third-party providers in their integration work.

About Harris Broadcast Communications Division

Harris Broadcast Communications Division is one of four divisions within Harris Corporation, an international communications equipment company focused on providing assured communications(TM) services for government and commercial customers in more than 150 countries. One of the world's leading suppliers of broadcast technology, Harris Broadcast Communications Division offers a full range of solutions that support the digital delivery, automation and management of audio, video and data. For more information, visit http://www.harris.com/ .