Rovi G-Guide and Connected Platform Integrated in Buffalo's New Digital TV Tuner

TOKYO — Rovi Corporation today announced that the company’s G-Guide Electronic Program Guide (EPG) and media networking solution, Connected Platform, have been incorporated in Buffalo’s new multi-functional digital TV tuner “DTV-X900” made available in early November 2010. Buffalo’s decision to incorporate these two solutions in its product has resulted in the ability for consumers to enjoy an even more fulfilling digital entertainment environment. With the integration of Rovi’s technologies, Buffalo users are able to easily access their favorite programs on G-Guide, record selected programs onto an external HDD and play recorded programs in any location using home networking solutions–all through one device.

Rovi G-Guide on DTV-X900 enables users to easily search for favorite television programs by genre or actors’ names from an 8-day program guide covering terrestrial digital, BS digital broadcasts and 110-degree communications satellite digital broadcasting. In addition, consumers can access “Chumoku Bangumi” service, a detailed program guide with pictures and information on programs for the month ahead. With this service, Buffalo users can select and record programs at the touch of a button, enhancing their experience of DTV-X900.

The deployment of Connected Platform in Buffalo’s new digital tuner offers the added benefit of a digital media player (DMP) and digital media server (DMS) in one device, enabling users to search, store and playback music, pictures or videos stored on various household appliances with greater ease and speed. For example, programs recorded on DTV-X900 can be viewed on DTCP-IP ready televisions or DTCP-IP ready LinkTheater devices in a different location, and digital programs recorded on network recorders supporting DLNA servers can be viewed on DTV-X900 via a home network. In addition, DTV-X900 supports digital media renderer (DMR) capability, enabling digital media stored in other network-attached storage devices and PCs to be selected and viewed through digital media controllers (DMC) such as Windows 7. This capability includes playback, fast forward and pause by remote.

“We are seeing a rise in demand for digital tuners supporting terrestrial digital broadcasting ahead of the end of analogue broadcasting in July 2011. With our new multi-functional digital TV tuner DTV-X900, users can continue to not only use their analogue television sets well after July 2011 but also still enjoy multi-network functions on par with the latest digital television technology via Rovi G-Guide and Connected Platform technology,” said Hajime Nakai, Director of New Business Div., Buffalo Inc.

“Television viewing styles have undergone changes since the launch of terrestrial digital broadcasting, and television guides have evolved from their previous newspaper and magazine-based formats to electronic program guides available on televisions, mobile devices and PCs. Today’s consumers want a digital lifestyle with unlimited access to media content, and a simple and accessible premium digital entertainment environment with a single-source content management system. Within the context of this social trend, we are extremely honored that Buffalo, a company well-regarded both in Japan and overseas, has chosen to deploy both G-Guide and Connected Platform on the company’s new multi-functional digital TV tuner,” stated Akitaka Nishimura, senior vice president of worldwide consumer electronics sales, Rovi Corporation.

Description of Buffalo product featuring Rovi’s Connected Platform and G-Guide:

• Product: Digital TV tuner “LinkTheater DTV-X900”
• Product Number: DTV-X900
• Release Date: Early November 2010