Science & Technology
Science and Technology
Science and Technology
Mon, September 21, 2009
EchoStar Corporation: EchoStar Europe Receives Prestigious Industry Award and Showcases New SlingLoaded(TM) DVR at IBC2009
STEETON, UK--(Marketwire - September 21, 2009) - EchoStar Europe ([ www.echostar-europe.com ]), the leading supplier of added-value, connected device solutions to the digital television industry, secured the highly coveted 'Best Customer Premises Equipment' (CPE) at Cable and Satellite International's (CSI) prestigious Product of the Year Awards held at IBC2009.
CSI's judging panel, comprised of leading industry journalists and market analysts, selected EchoStar Europe from a shortlist of four other candidates in recognition for its highly innovative SlingLoaded™ 900 series, high definition (HD) digital video recorder (DVR). The unit features fully integrated, market proven place-shifting technology from Sling Media. This award follows EchoStar's triumph at CES in January 2009 where the company secured 'Best in Show' for the EchoStar SlingLoaded™ 922 HD DVR.
"Competition was extremely tough this year with over 150 entrants", commented Shane Walker, member of the judging panel and Research Manager at leading market analyst firm IMS Research. "The number of entries clearly reflects the high number of products and services that are currently being launched in the digital TV industry, and we feel that this year's winners have done extremely well to differentiate themselves in the competition with some ground-breaking products".
EchoStar's SlingLoaded™ 900 series was specifically designed to allow digital pay-TV operators to fully embrace the potential of home networking and place-shifting, to meet consumer's need for content on-the-move, and to increase revenues and reduce churn. While the new platform is stated to be launched by DISH Network in the U.S., EchoStar Europe used IBC2009 to launch and showcase its new, fully integrated SlingLoaded™ platform developed for European operators.
Rick Smith, VP of Sales and Marketing at EchoStar Europe, commented, "We are delighted to win such a prestigious award -- this shows that our European strategy is on-track". He added, "I wish to thank CSI for recognising EchoStar as a supplier of industry-defining products. We are always working hard to bring added-value solutions to market, in support of digital TV operators' requirements to launch new services, while at the same time meeting consumers' needs for the very best in digital entertainment".
EchoStar Europe launched its latest HD DVR to support consumers' need for convergence; the SlingLoaded™ HDS-600 at IBC2009. The new platform is the latest to feature in a state-of-the-art range of products that EchoStar Europe has designed to meet digital television operators' need to reduce churn and increase average revenue per user (ARPU).
"We strongly believe the market is looking for new solutions to support the churn-busting nature of digital video recording", commented Rick Smith, VP Sales and Marketing for EchoStar Europe. "The DVR has so far met consumers' need for convenience; however, we feel that the SlingLoaded element takes convenience to another level. Consumers' habits are changing with more and more people embracing an on-the-go lifestyle. With this new platform, we can enable users to take their content and display it on other devices that they own, securely, both inside and outside the home".
Although a fully-flexible platform allowing operators to select their choice of hybrid reception [cable, satellite and terrestrial] supported by a powerful IP return channel, the first product to launch is a satellite version. The unit is fully HD enabled, supports MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 advanced video coding (AVC) and benefits from web browsing for the delivery of internet based services such as catch-up TV and access to user-generated content. In addition to a high-value software feature-set, the product features state-of-the-art cosmetics and is fitted with touch-sensitive button technology to support the clean aesthetic.
Smith added, "We felt that the whole experience needed to challenge the current way of thinking, so we worked with Sling Media to develop cosmetics that add a contemporary twist to the set-top box status quo. Whilst fitting in seamlessly to any consumer's home, the new design implies that this DVR does something different, something special and something more -- that's what SlingLoaded is all about".
It is the company's first SlingLoaded™ product to be launched in Europe -- and will enable users to take their TV content and place-shift it securely, using a one-to-one client, to other devices inside or outside the home, including mobile phones, portable media players (PMP) and laptop computers.
It was also an extremely busy show for EchoStar's Sling Media which launched the SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone™ application in 16 countries across Europe, enabling consumers to watch TV and control their DVR on-the-move ([ www.slingmedia.com/go/iphone ]).
About EchoStar Europe
EchoStar Europe ([ www.echostar-europe.com ]) is dedicated to enabling cable, IPTV, satellite and terrestrial operators to optimise network revenues by delivering added-value connected device solutions, services and applications. Through a comprehensive product range, including set-top boxes, digital video recorders, home networking and place-shifting technology, our solutions enable the provision of state-of-the-art and cost effective entertainment services.
The company combines best-in-class engineering, VIP account management, supply chain, manufacturing and customer service into one dedicated and experienced team, to provide customers with innovative technology solutions that enable new revenue opportunities and reduce operational costs.
EchoStar Europe is headquartered in Steeton, UK with European based operations in Almelo, Holland, Kharkov, Ukraine and Madrid, Spain. EchoStar Europe is a business unit of EchoStar Technologies L.L.C. ([ www.echostar.com ]), an operating entity of the publicly traded EchoStar Corporation (
EchoStar has shipped over 70m connected devices to digital TV operators around the world and secured a number of industry awards and market firsts for its technology.
EchoStar Europe. Go beyond the box.
