MTV3 Finland Buys Second SeaChange Broadcast

MediaCluster / Top National Network's Success with Digital Ad Playback Leads to SeaChange Video Server System for Program Delivery Helsinki (PROTEXT) - MTV3, Finland's most watched broadcast network, has installed a second Broadcast MediaCluster from SeaChange International, Inc. (Nasdaq: SEAC) for digital delivery of its television programs. In 1998, MTV3 streamlined its $200 million advertising operation with its first SeaChange Broadcast MediaCluster. The second Broadcast MediaCluster is providing fault-resilient MPEG-2 program storage and playback to MTV3's 11 broadcast regions. "MTV3's success with its first Broadcast MediaCluster for commercial insertion convinced us that it was the video server system we needed for program delivery," said Antero Hoffman, assistant director, MTV3 Finland. "This time around, there was no need to shop for a server. The Broadcast MediaCluster performed flawlessly in our first application, so there was no question it would do the job for program delivery." MTV3's new four 'node' (computer) Broadcast MediaCluster provides up to 16 channels and 72 hours of fault-resilient MPEG-2 program storage at 25Mb/s with twelve, 18GB drives in each node. Both video server systems are located in MTV3's Helsinki headquarters for centralized management of all video output. MTV3's investment in SeaChange will enable it to seamlessly transition to DTV broadcasting with a simple upgrade. MediaCluster Technology The MPEG-2 4:2:2 Broadcast MediaCluster supports multichannel play-to-air applications including program origination, commercial insertion and time shift/delay. The system employs SeaChange's patented RAID2 ('raid squared') technology which performs RAID-5 striping on the disk drives on each node (computer) and also across all the nodes in the cluster. Only one copy of any video file is required, thereby dramatically reducing storage requirements and also providing fault resilience. Nodes are available with 9GB, 18GB or 36GB disk drives. Expansion increases capacity to hundreds of hours of storage and 20 I/Os. The Broadcast MediaCluster will include full support for reliable storage and delivery of MPEG-based DVB or ATSC Transport Streams in the third quarter of 1999. SeaChange provides a non-proprietary video server interface across the cluster for automation system control. MTV3 developed its own automation system that integrates seamlessly with Broadcast MediaCluster. The system will also integrate with a variety of automation systems, including those from Drake Automation, Louth Automation, Omnibus Systems, Odetics, SGT, Florical and Sundance Digital. SeaChange's EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) sales operation, headquartered in Genoa, Italy, is managed by Marcello Dellepiane (Tel. +39 010 5530177; Fax +39 0 10 5459778). The company's EMEA customer service and support facility is located in Valbonne, France. About SeaChange Serving approximately 20,000 television channels for broadcast and cable television companies worldwide, SeaChange International, Inc. (www.schange.com) is the leading provider of MPEG-2 digital video systems. SeaChange's products, incorporating the Company's patented software and hardware technologies, automate the management and distribution of video streams including advertisements, movies, news updates and other broadcast- quality video programming requiring precise execution. Founded in 1993, SeaChange is headquartered in Maynard, Massachusetts. MediaCluster is a registered trademark of SeaChange International, Inc. All rights reserved. ots Original Text Service: SeaChange International, Inc. Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: John Coulbourn of SeaChange International, (in the USA) 978-897-0100, ext. 3098, johnc@schange.com Web site: http://www.schange.com Subscribers please note that material bearing the slug "PROTEXT" is not part of CTK's news service and is not to be published under the "CTK" slug. Protext is a commercial service providing distribution of press releases from clients, who are identified in the text of Protext reports and who bear full responsibility for their contents.