DemandVideo Partners With Ncube for Broadband VoD Service

Computergram International, August 13, 1999

Video server and delivery company Ncube Corp has won a partnership deal with DemandVideo Inc, which plans to use its video servers to run its video-on-demand services through two-way broadband networks. The two have also agreed to share technical expertise. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Privately-held DemandVideo was formed in September 1998 by telecommunications consulting firm Metro Utility Communications Group and Seren Innovations Inc, a division of Minneapolis, Minnesota-based utility Northern States Power. It specializes in providing video-on-demand to "alternative" broadband network operators. The company began field trials for its video on demand service in St Cloud, Minnesota in conjunction with Seren in June, and is planning further trials in the East Bay area of San Francisco.

DemandVideo says it's used recent advances in data processing and storage that have made video streaming more feasible, to get round the system integration problems encountered by previous companies attempting video on demand. It says it is basing its technology around open standards, integrating QAM modulators, CAS conditional access systems, and a renewable set-top security system. It also retains compatibility with major billing systems, DemandVideo says. The consumer services are navigated by using a web-based navigation system with VCR-like functionality.

Ncube says its current generation massively parallel MediaCube video servers can deliver up to 20,000 simultaneous and independent video steams in a single footprint. DemandVideo is also working with Oracle Corp to integrate Oracle's Video Server software with its interactive video store services. Oracle founder and CEO Larry Ellison is also the chairman and CEO of nCube.