Press release: 1994-05-23: SCIENTIFIC-ATLANTA TO DEMONSTRATE LIVE SEGA CHANNEL(SM/TM) VIDEO GAME DELIVERY SERVICE OVER CABLE TV AT NCTA SHOW

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: The Free Library

First Sega Channel Trials to Begin June 6th in Charleston, W.Va.

NEW ORLEANS, May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (NYSE: SFA), in conjunction with Sega Channel, will demonstrate a live feed of the Sega Channel video game delivery service in both Scientific- Atlanta's and Sega Channel's booths at the NCTA Show opening today in New Orleans. The live demonstration uses Scientific-Atlanta's headend equipment and in-home game adapters, which will be used by Sega Channel in trials starting June 6th in Charleston, W.Va., and eleven other cities nationwide over the next six weeks.

Sega Channel is a joint venture of Sega of America, Inc., Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P.(TM), and Tele-Communications, Inc.(TM) that will provide Sega Genesis(TM) owners access to a large library of video games via cable television. Sega Channel subscribers will choose from a selection of popular games, "test drives" of soon-to- be-released titles, gameplay tips, news, contests, and promotions. The programming will be updated monthly to keep it exciting and new.

"This demonstration, and the first trial roll-out next month, mark important steps in bringing interactive TV applications to market," noted Gary Trimm, president of the North American Division of Scientific- Atlanta's Broadband Communications Group. "We all have worked very hard to make this happen, and are extremely pleased with the progress we have made in getting this innovative new service up and running."

The initial markets launching the new premium channel include Tele- Communications, Inc. or Time Warner Cable systems in Hoover, Ala.; Walnut Creek, Calif.; East Lansing, Mich.; St. Louis; Nashua, N.H.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Gastonia, N.C.; Portland, Ore.; Reston, Va.; Beaumont, Texas; Charleston, W.Va.; and Cheyenne, Wyo. Sega Channel is expected to roll out service nationally by late 1994.

To receive Sega Channel, trial subscribers will get a Scientific- Atlanta designed in-home adapter that acts as a tuner/decoder. The in- home adapter plugs into the Sega Genesis cartridge slot and attaches directly to the coaxial cable TV wiring currently used in over 60 million homes across the United States. A menu will appear on the television screen, allowing the subscriber to easily select or preview any game or other Sega program material. The selected game will be available in less than a minute, and play identically to the cartridge version.

Seventy to 75 percent of the programming will be updated monthly to keep the Channel exciting. All 500+ existing Genesis titles from Sega and its third party publishers are candidates for Sega Channel gameplay.

"Sega Channel is a great value," said Stan Thomas, president and CEO of Sega Channel. "Subscribers can play any Sega Channel game, any time they want, for as long as they want, for one set price."

Sega of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the $3.8 billion Sega Enterprises, Ltd., Japan and is a worldwide leader in arcade and home entertainment systems. The market for home video games is estimated at over $7 billion, and Sega estimates that there are approximately 13 million Sega Genesis 16-bit game players currently in U.S. homes.

Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. is a world leader in broadband communications systems, cable television electronics, satellite-based communications networks, and instrumentation for telecommunications, industrial and government applications.

-0- 5/23/94
/CONTACT: Michael Ares, Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., 404-903-5542/
(SFA)

CO: Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. ST: Louisiana IN: CPR SU: PDT

BN -- AT015 -- 9474 05/23/94 16:31 EDT
COPYRIGHT 1994 PR Newswire Association LLC
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 1994 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.