Ventures News: Broadbus Receives Investment from Leading Memory Manufacturer Infineon
Broadbus Receives Investment from Leading Memory Manufacturer Infineon
CHICAGO, June 10, 2003 Broadbus announced today Infineon Ventures has made an undisclosed investment in the company. Broadbus is using Infineon's latest memory technology to bring unprecedented improvements in scalability, storage density and price/performance to cable operators deploying Broadbus' B-1 Video Server for advanced video services. Services enabled by the B-1 include Video-on-Demand (VOD), SVOD (Subscription video-on-demand) and Television-on-Demand. Broadbus is launching its B-1 server at the cable industry's National Show (NCTA), booth #1902.
"With Infineon's leading knowledge of high density memory technologies, we were able to quickly recognize the unique nature of the Broadbus architecture. Their B-1 product is the world's first multi-terabyte DRAM based video server. We believe Broadbus is utilizing DRAM in a way that will change how we think about general purpose server technology in future applications," said Dr. Ralf Schnell, Managing Director and Head of Infineon Ventures.
Broadbus has developed a server architecture based on streaming data
directly from massive quantities of Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR-SDRAM), offering a new computing paradigm to the cable industry, where traditional VOD servers currently handle streaming and storage from hard disk drives. With the growing popularity of VOD and other advanced services, operators require server systems capable of simultaneously streaming, propagating and ingesting large-scale television content. The Broadbus B-1 uses DRAM for high- performance streaming of content - from 240-38,400 MPEG-2 streams per rack - or as much as a 30x improvement over current systems. Additionally, the system can simultaneously ingest hundreds of hours of broadcast and pre-recorded television content, while streaming to tens of thousands of customers. Program content is stored in a multi-terabyte DRAM array and enables cable operators to directly benefit from the better performance, higher density DRAM, enjoy more reliable, solid-state machines with fewer moving parts, and have more flexibility in how they configure, manage, and upgrade their systems.
According to Broadbus CEO Jeffrey Binder, "DRAM-based streaming server
technology is at the heart of VOD's next logical step - the cost-effective ingestion and on-demand delivery of live and pre-recorded programming. By bringing Infineon's considerable experience, technology and support to bear on the design and deployment of our server architecture, we're able to deliver a unique hardware solution that addresses cable's streaming scale, space, power consumption and live ingest issues today, and offers a future-proof solution that scales as the VOD market grows."
Broadbus will use the additional funding for further product development and trials with major US cable operators. The company closed its Series A-1 round of financing in August 2002, co-led by Battery Ventures and Charles River Ventures, with Comcast Interactive Capital participating.
In addition to demonstrating the B-1 server at NCTA, Broadbus will
present its Television-on-Demand server architecture during a technical session entitled "Ingest and Metadata Partitioning: Requirements for Television on Demand on Tues., June 10, from 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM.
About Broadbus
Broadbus develops fully scalable, next-generation VOD server systems
designed to solve streaming scale, space, power consumption and live
ingest issues for cable system operators deploying advanced video services such as Video-on-Demand (VOD), Subscription VOD, and ultimately, full-scale Television-on-Demand or TOD®. Broadbus offers an elegant migration path to the emerging TOD environment, while fully exploiting existing upgraded broad band networks. The company's revolutionary server architecture, based on the intelligent configuration and management of massive amounts of random-access-memory, enables operators to offer their subscribers unparalleled convenience, choice and control over their home entertainment. More information may be found at www.broadbus.com.
About Infineon Ventures
Infineon Ventures is the venture capital subsidiary of Munich, Germany,
based top-tier semiconductor company Infineon Technologies AG. Since its inception in 1998 Infineon Ventures has become a prime venture partner for early-stage companies working on microelectronics-related technology solutions. Leveraging the vast resources of Infineon Technologies the company is uniquely positioned to deliver high financial returns on its investments as well as to add significant strategic value both to portfolio companies as well as to Infineon. For more information, see www.infineon.com/ventures.
Broadbus®, TOD®, Broadbus B-1 and Stream Commander are
trademarks owned and licensed by Broadbus.
CHICAGO, June 10, 2003 Broadbus announced today Infineon Ventures has made an undisclosed investment in the company. Broadbus is using Infineon's latest memory technology to bring unprecedented improvements in scalability, storage density and price/performance to cable operators deploying Broadbus' B-1 Video Server for advanced video services. Services enabled by the B-1 include Video-on-Demand (VOD), SVOD (Subscription video-on-demand) and Television-on-Demand. Broadbus is launching its B-1 server at the cable industry's National Show (NCTA), booth #1902.
"With Infineon's leading knowledge of high density memory technologies, we were able to quickly recognize the unique nature of the Broadbus architecture. Their B-1 product is the world's first multi-terabyte DRAM based video server. We believe Broadbus is utilizing DRAM in a way that will change how we think about general purpose server technology in future applications," said Dr. Ralf Schnell, Managing Director and Head of Infineon Ventures.
Broadbus has developed a server architecture based on streaming data
directly from massive quantities of Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR-SDRAM), offering a new computing paradigm to the cable industry, where traditional VOD servers currently handle streaming and storage from hard disk drives. With the growing popularity of VOD and other advanced services, operators require server systems capable of simultaneously streaming, propagating and ingesting large-scale television content. The Broadbus B-1 uses DRAM for high- performance streaming of content - from 240-38,400 MPEG-2 streams per rack - or as much as a 30x improvement over current systems. Additionally, the system can simultaneously ingest hundreds of hours of broadcast and pre-recorded television content, while streaming to tens of thousands of customers. Program content is stored in a multi-terabyte DRAM array and enables cable operators to directly benefit from the better performance, higher density DRAM, enjoy more reliable, solid-state machines with fewer moving parts, and have more flexibility in how they configure, manage, and upgrade their systems.
According to Broadbus CEO Jeffrey Binder, "DRAM-based streaming server
technology is at the heart of VOD's next logical step - the cost-effective ingestion and on-demand delivery of live and pre-recorded programming. By bringing Infineon's considerable experience, technology and support to bear on the design and deployment of our server architecture, we're able to deliver a unique hardware solution that addresses cable's streaming scale, space, power consumption and live ingest issues today, and offers a future-proof solution that scales as the VOD market grows."
Broadbus will use the additional funding for further product development and trials with major US cable operators. The company closed its Series A-1 round of financing in August 2002, co-led by Battery Ventures and Charles River Ventures, with Comcast Interactive Capital participating.
In addition to demonstrating the B-1 server at NCTA, Broadbus will
present its Television-on-Demand server architecture during a technical session entitled "Ingest and Metadata Partitioning: Requirements for Television on Demand on Tues., June 10, from 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM.
About Broadbus
Broadbus develops fully scalable, next-generation VOD server systems
designed to solve streaming scale, space, power consumption and live
ingest issues for cable system operators deploying advanced video services such as Video-on-Demand (VOD), Subscription VOD, and ultimately, full-scale Television-on-Demand or TOD®. Broadbus offers an elegant migration path to the emerging TOD environment, while fully exploiting existing upgraded broad band networks. The company's revolutionary server architecture, based on the intelligent configuration and management of massive amounts of random-access-memory, enables operators to offer their subscribers unparalleled convenience, choice and control over their home entertainment. More information may be found at www.broadbus.com.
About Infineon Ventures
Infineon Ventures is the venture capital subsidiary of Munich, Germany,
based top-tier semiconductor company Infineon Technologies AG. Since its inception in 1998 Infineon Ventures has become a prime venture partner for early-stage companies working on microelectronics-related technology solutions. Leveraging the vast resources of Infineon Technologies the company is uniquely positioned to deliver high financial returns on its investments as well as to add significant strategic value both to portfolio companies as well as to Infineon. For more information, see www.infineon.com/ventures.
Broadbus®, TOD®, Broadbus B-1 and Stream Commander are
trademarks owned and licensed by Broadbus.