Agilent Technologies Introduces IEEE 1394 Interface for its MPEGscope Product Family

Business Wire, April 10, 2000

Business Editors and High-Tech Writers

NAB2000

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 10, 2000

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today introduces an interface for the Agilent MPEGscope product family that allows developers of set-top boxes (STBs), digital VCRs (D-VCRs) and digital TVs to test the implementation of MPEG-2 transport streams running over IEEE 1394. The Agilent E6293A IEEE 1394 interface will be demonstrated here at the National Association of Broadcasters convention (NAB2000), April 10 to 13, Booth M9370.

Supporting line rates of S100, S200 and S400, the interface provides the connectivity over IEEE 1394 required to monitor transport streams in real time and to capture them to hard disk for offline analysis. The interface also provides full support for partial transport streams, often used between a STB and a D-VCR, in offline analysis, composing and editing applications.

"MPEG-2 carrying IEEE 1394-enabled devices such as set-top boxes, digital VCRs and even disk-based home servers are becoming a reality," said Todd Law, product marketing engineer for Agilent's Advanced Networks Division. "Customer response has been extremely positive to this new solution. The interface allows them to verify their MPEG over IEEE 1394 implementations, which previously could not be tested."

In addition to providing connectivity for MPEG-2 transport stream testing, the E6293A IEEE 1394 interface is the only solution available for verifying the implementation of audio-video control (AV/C) commands. Although basic AV/C commands -- for example, fast-forwarding or rewinding a video cassette recorder -- can be tested directly from the user interface on the MPEGscope, a tool is provided to test more complicated AV/C commands, such as those defined in the EIA-775 specification.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The Agilent E6293A IEEE 1394 interface can be purchased now, and is expected to be available for delivery by the end of June 2000. Customers can obtain detailed pricing information by contacting their local Agilent Technologies sales office.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A) is a diversified technology company, resulting from Hewlett-Packard Company's plan to strategically realign itself into two fully independent companies. With 42,000 employees serving customers in more than 120 countries, Agilent Technologies is a global leader in designing and manufacturing test, measurement and monitoring instruments, systems and solutions, and semiconductor and optical components. The company serves markets that include communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare. The businesses comprising Agilent, a subsidiary of HP, had net revenues of more than $8.3 billion in fiscal year 1999.

Information about Agilent Technologies can be found on the Web at www.agilent.com.

NOTE TO THE EDITOR: Sales information may be obtained by calling 1-800-452-4844 ext. 7024. Please do NOT use editor-contact or corporate telephone numbers for sales information.

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