C-SPAN Networks Enlists Motorola for Transition to All-Digital Broadcast

C-SPAN Networks Enlists Motorola for Transition to All-Digital Broadcast

Motorola will help C-SPAN Networks optimize available bandwidth to include SD and HD channel line ups

SAN DIEGO, March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- C-SPAN Networks, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) today announced that Motorola will supply its Digicipher-II video encoding systems to enable C-SPAN Network's transition from analog to digital distribution. Motorola's modular uplink system and commercial receiver/decoders (IRDs) will be deployed to make all three C-SPAN standard definition (SD) services available in a digital format starting this June. The transition will enable C-SPAN to optimize the efficiency of its infrastructure to deliver more compelling opportunities to view government activities, including the future delivery of high definition (HD) services.

C-SPAN will continue to operate two satellite transponders. The first will carry C-SPAN in the legacy analog format to ensure reception by all existing affiliates. The current C-SPAN2 transponder will transition from analog to digital to carry C-SPAN, C-SPAN2 and C-SPAN3 digital programming. Initially, this will be carried as standard definition using MPEG-2 video compression but will expand to include MPEG-4 as C-SPAN enhances its line up with three HD channels. Motorola's modular system is easy to configure and expand. This enables C-SPAN to deploy a combination of SE-2000 MPEG-2 SD encoders and DSR-4410 receivers for the initial launch and add SE-5100 MPEG-4 HD encoders and MPEG-4/MPEG-2 transcoding receivers for HD at a later date.

"We've been planning to move to digital for some time to help us deliver the high-quality experiences that our affiliates and viewers now expect," commented Rob Kennedy, co-president, C-SPAN Networks. "In Motorola, we have a partner that we can rely on to enable us to optimize the bandwidth available to us, and with the breadth of portfolio to give us to provide flexibility as we roll out different services."

"No two companies will take the same migration path to digital transmission, so we have developed a broad portfolio of products that allow us to deliver the most effective and tailored transition every time," added Bob Wilson, general manager of Motorola's Networked Video Solutions business. "This enables C-SPAN to deploy the right IRD for specific services transmitted to specific customers."

A leader in digital compression systems for nearly 20 years, Motorola has deployed more than 2,500 digital headends in both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 as well as hundreds of satellite uplinks and thousands of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 encoding channels. Motorola's content distribution solutions enable service providers and operators to efficiently manage bandwidth in a variety of applications. As a result, more programmers in North America deploy Motorola satellite video delivery network solutions than any other solution. For more information about Motorola's digital video delivery portfolio, visit www.motorola.com/deliveringdigitalvideo.

About C-SPAN

C-SPAN, the political network of record, was created by America's cable companies as a public service in 1979. C-SPAN programs three public affairs television networks; C-SPAN Radio, a Washington, D.C. radio station distributed nationally by XM Satellite Radio; and a video-rich website, c-span.org. C-SPAN is currently available in 97 million cable and satellite households. For more information about C-SPAN, visit: www.c-span.org.

About Motorola

Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications and is focused on advancing the way the world connects. From broadband communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility and public safety solutions to high-definition video and mobile devices, Motorola is leading the next wave of innovations that enable people, enterprises and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Motorola (NYSE:MOT) had sales of US $30.1 billion in 2008. For more information, please visit www.motorola.com.

   Media Contacts:   Anya Chambers   Office: +1 224 321 0378   anya.chambers@motorola.com   Motorola, Inc.    Kathy Wiesner   Office: +1 847-576-1638   k.wiesner@motorola.com   Motorola, Inc. Analysts Relations   

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. Tru2way(TM) is a trademark of Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. (C) Motorola, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved.

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Source: Motorola, Inc.

CONTACT: Anya Chambers, +1-224-321-0378, anya.chambers@motorola.com, or
Kathy Wiesner, +1-847-576-1638, k.wiesner@motorola.com, both of Motorola,
Inc.

Web Site: http://www.motorola.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment