Fox News, NBC, All Mobile Video Among First Uncompressed HD Video Clients at Ascent Media Manhattan Switching Facility; NBC Peacock Productions, Travel Channel Produce First Uncompressed HD Feed

STAMFORD, Conn., July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascent Media Network Services, a provider of outsourced network origination services to the media and entertainment industry, today announced key milestones in the launch of uncompressed high definition (HD) video transport via Ascent's Midtown Manhattan switching facility.

Ascent announced that it has secured initial customers who will utilize the 545 Fifth Avenue location's uncompressed HD capabilities; that it received its initial uncompressed HD feed on July 4; and that it is enhancing its fiber network to increase the ability of video providers to transmit and receive uncompressed HD video. Key news items include:

-- Fox News, NBC and All Mobile Video all have upgraded or added to their presences at the Fifth Avenue switching center to accommodate their uncompressed HD needs;

-- On July 4, the facility received, HD encoded and uplinked to satellite a 14-hour uncompressed HD feed produced by NBC's Peacock Productions in conjunction with The Travel Channel: a live, 4th of July celebration from the National Mall in Washington DC;

-- Ascent Media is currently completing the process of upgrading fiber connectivity to enable uncompressed HD transport between the Fifth Avenue switch and Ascent's Glenbrook earth station in Connecticut.

Ascent has equipped the location with an NVision NV8256-Plus Expandable Digital Video Router, featuring a 1.5 Gbps switching fabric and 160x160 input/output capacity. The facility also has been fitted with Tektronix WFM700 and WFM7100 series Waveform monitors as well as Sony and Marshall HD video monitors to ensure advanced quality control of HD signals.

"With the explosive growth in our clients needs for analog, digital and HD distribution, our Fifth Avenue facility is at the center of a digital revolution that includes video network peering and file-based aggregation and transport," said Peter Brickman, Managing Director of Content Distribution for North America for Ascent Media. "As we continue to expand the capabilities of our facility and our network, it is with the singular goal of ensuring that Fox News, NBC, All Mobile Video and others are positioned to take advantage of the benefits of uncompressed HD as that video becomes increasingly available in the near future."

About Ascent Media Group

Santa Monica, California-based Ascent Media Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ:DISCA) (NASDAQ:DISCB) , which, through its Creative Services and Network Services divisions, provides creative and technical media services to the media and entertainment industries. Through more than 75 facilities in California, New York, London, Singapore and other locations throughout the world, Ascent Media Group provides effective solutions for the creation, management and distribution of content to major motion picture studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, advertising agencies and other companies that produce, own and/or distribute entertainment, news, sports, corporate, educational, industrial and advertising content. More information about Ascent Media Group is available at http://www.ascentmedia.com/.

Source: Ascent Media Network Services