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Princeton Media Communications Association JUNE 2003 MEETINGThe Interactive Television: George Breen, President, Digital Video Arts,
Ltd., Date: Wednesday,
June 25, 2003
Additional Information On December 1, 1977, Warner's QUBE, opened for business in Columbus, Ohio as the world's first commercial interactive TV service. It worked well and subscribers seemed to like it. But it was too expensive to operate and was discontinued. In December of 1994, Warner tried again with the "Full Service Network" in Orlando, Florida, this time digitally. Though once again popular with many subscribers, it was closed three years later due to high costs. Yet Europe seems to have made versions of interactive television work. So, with all the advances in technology, is this country finally going to get to experience interactive television? That's what George Breen, President, Digital Video Arts, Ltd., subsidiary of SeaChange International, Inc. and Patrick Sheehan, Vice President of Client Software for the Digital ADCO subsidiary of ACTV will tell us. Both work in developing the software for cable settop boxes and cable headends that will enable aspects of interactive television. With over 25 years of product development and management experience, George Breen now heads the television industry's only development firm exclusively dedicated to digital settop box software. Under his direction as president, the Ft. Washington, PA-based Digital Video Arts, Ltd. has been commissioned to develop software applications for six of the companies listed in Kagan Research's "Big Seven" of interactive manufacturers, equipment providers, middleware vendors and programmers. Breen was one of the inventors of DVI technology at Sarnoff Corp. in Princeton, N.J., which was the first commercially viable digital video technology. Breen also worked for early computer companies including Commodore Computer before starting his own consulting firm. Patrick Sheehan has over 20 years of experience in the design and development of real time multitasking software and hardware systems, with the most recent 8 years concentrated in the field of digital television settop boxes. Patrick has worked with several real time multi-tasking embedded kernels in including OS-9, PSOS, VxWorks and several proprietary specialty Operating Systems. Most recently he served as the director of settop box software for ACTV, where he managed the engineering group that developed the ACTV interactive television application currently being certified by Motorola and Scientific Atlanta. Patrick's current work involves the targeting of specific advertisements to specific demographic groups. Both men operate on the bleeding edge of technology that is "coming soon." Don't forget about PMCA day at the Trenton Thunder on July 17th. Come enjoy a baseball game in the special picnic area. It's a chance to have some fun and eat hot dogs and hamburgers with your peers in a wonderful setting. (Some of us even watch a little of the game.) Tickets are $24 for adults, and $19 for kids 5 to 12. This includes as much as you can eat and a fireworks display after the
game. Contact: Andy Kienzle, PMCA
President, Princeton MCA-I Directions to Newton Gravity Shift: We are located just a little ways from Exit 4 (Rt. 31 North/South Ewing) of I-95. If you're coming on I-95 North, from Pennsylvania, take Exit 4 and stay in the left hand lane. At the traffic light, make a left onto Rt. 31 North, which is Pennington Road. If you're coming on I-295 North, which turns into I-95 South (go figure), take exit 4 and make a right at the light at the top of the ramp. After turning onto Pennington Road, continue for approximately 1/2 mile. Look for a teal sign on your left that says "Newton Interactive," one of our former names. You'll also see road construction going on at the turn. Make a left at the sign and continue down the long driveway. Make the first left, go past first building, and continue to the second building. Newton Gravity Shift occupies both floors. If there is a lot of traffic when you want to make the left into our driveway, you can continue straight, go all the way around the circle, and make a right on your way back. Call Andy Kienzle at 609-818-0025 x146 if you are lost. See maps at (Note that Route 1 is missing from the map, but if you connect Morrisville, Trenton, and Princeton, you'll know where it is.) |
