Scala Inc. Partners with General Instrument to Power 4DTV Satellite Receiver GUI and Playback Engine

ANAHEIM, Calif., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire/ via ATP. -- Scala, Inc., an international multimedia software developer with headquarters near Washington, DC, and General Instrument Corporation (NYSE: GIC) today announced a joint agreement under which Scala's BackBone(TM) software, Human Touch(TM) GUI and playback engine will be embedded in GI's consumer and commercial integrated receiver decoders.

Jeff Wolking, associate vice president of the General Instrument Consumer Product Line, said, "The graphical user interface (GUI) has the customer capabilities that we need to meet marketplace demands."

"Scala and GI are a powerful combination of software and hardware in satellite broadcast communications," said Wolking. "That is why GI chose Scala software for the embedded operating system layer in our satellite receivers. Our 4DTV(TM) system is based on Scala's Multitasking Multimedia Operating System (MMOS) and allows C-Band or Ku-Band customers to move to digital television."

Dorian Simpson, 4DTV product manager, noted the 4DTV product includes many state-of-the-art features and contains a high-speed interface capable of outputting HDTV or Internet information when available. "The Interactive Program Guide will allow seven days of program information, can be sorted by up to six themes and allows users to view two or six channels at one time," Simpson said. "More information on consumer capabilities will be announced in early 1997." Simpson noted the primary 4DTV market is the 2.3 million C Band customers.

Tom Hillman, executive vice president of Scala, Inc., said: "We worked hard together the past two years and the result is the cooperative agreement we signed this month for the Scala operating system to drive the GI 4DTV consumer and commercial product."

Jeffrey Porter, Scala vice president of engineering, said the partnership has been collaborative, "We dedicated staff to this program beginning in 1994, and the development time of the past two years has really paid dividends."

He added, "Working closely with the GI R&D team, we have developed a state-of-the-art software for their next generation receivers. This modular, object-oriented multimedia playback system allows GI and broadcasters the ability to create extremely powerful, professional and easy-to-use graphical user interfaces for the 21st century."

"Now, GI is better able to service their C-Band customers while moving them to the digital age," said Porter. "Scala architecture is built-in to the IRD," stated Porter. "Now, the user can 'surf' the satellite."

Scala, Inc. is a member of the User Interface Council of the Association for Interactive Media (AIM) and is an active firm in the ITV marketing groups determining its future direction. The company has shipped more than 100,000 copies of its software and Scala multimedia programs are used by more than 400 cable television stations worldwide. Scala distributes in 40 countries and has translated its programs into nine languages for a worldwide audience.

General Instrument (NYSE: GIC) is a world leader in developing technology, systems and product solutions for the interactive delivery of voice, video and data, as well as in manufacturing and distributing discrete semiconductors. SOURCE Scala, Inc.

/CONTACT: Mike Smith, director, Scala Corporate Communications, 703-713-0900, or Greg LaBrache, director of GI Public Relations, 619-597-3967/ (GIC) CO: Scala, Inc.; General Instrument Corporation ST: California IN: CPR SU: PDT KW-JA -- DCF015 -- 7293 12/13/96 13:39 EST http://www.prnewswire.com