Storage Technology Corp. Partners with Hewlett-Packard for Broadcast Video Server Solution

Strategic Insights -

Storage Technology Corp. has announced that it will participate in the Hewlett-Packard Company Broadcast Strategic Partners Program, a technology and marketing collaboration, to provide a complete, fully integrated broadcast video server solution. The company's StorageTek MediaVault will be a key component of this solution, allowing broadcasters to capture and make accessible broadcast programming in a rapidly integrating communications world. This partnership is a significant validation of StorageTek's efforts to make proven data center technology available to the broadcast industry.

Key Takeaways:

  • The StorageTek MediaVault will be part of a complete broadcast video server solution from HP, enabling broadcasters to capture and make accessible broadcast programming.
  • The MediaVault is a digital video storage and retrieval unit that can hold approximately 416 hours of uncompressed video, making it a valuable resource for video-on-demand applications.
  • With the use of MPEG-2 compression, up to 25,000 movie titles can be stored on a MediaVault system, providing a reliable central archival database for commercial video-on-demand networks.
  • Even with emerging HDTV formats, up to 5,000 titles can be stored on a MediaVault system.
  • MediaVault was introduced at NAB95 in April 1995 and is part of the StorageTek Nearline family of robotic cartridge handling systems.
  • StorageTek has relationships with other major broadcast industry vendors that include MediaVault as part of their storage solutions.
  • The partnership marks a significant collaboration between Storage Technology Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Company, with HP having 99,900 employees and revenue of $25 billion in its 1994 fiscal year.
  • StorageTek reported revenue of $1.87 billion in its fiscal year ended Dec. 30, 1994.

Statistics:

  • More than 8,000 Nearline systems have been installed in the computer-data industry, making MediaVault a demonstration of proven data center technology.
  • MediaVault holds approximately 416 hours of uncompressed video, making it a valuable resource for video-on-demand applications.
  • With a four-drive configuration per library, up to 60 movies can be transferred on average to network servers per hour.
  • In three to four minutes, a two-hour compressed movie can be retrieved by a system with MediaVault.
  • Up to 25,000 movie titles can be stored on a MediaVault system using MPEG-2 compression.

Sources:

  • Storage Technology Corp. (NYSE:STK) press release, Sept. 14, 1995
  • Hewlett-Packard Company Broadcast Strategic Partners Program
  • Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
  • NAB95 (National Association of Broadcasters) conference