Cable and satellite companies are vying for a position in the home networking race for a number of reasons.

Perhaps first and foremost, cable and satellite provide consumers with what will perhaps be one of the most important drivers for home networking – content - more importantly, these companies have a head-start in up and soon to flood your living-room area of digital content.

HDTV technology is here and in a few years everyone will have to throw out the old analog set and buy the better resolution digital receiving television, because the FCC has mandated that all broadcasts will be digital by say 2005 or so. More importantly, everything else is digital already, especially content as it streams over the Internet. Whoever can combine the TV with the PC (check out TiVo, ReplyTV and Microsoft’s WebTV) will win the whole enchilada, but whoever provides the means to feed this new machine will be the true winner because they will grow richer via monthly service fees (e.g. the new freePC with sign-your-life-away 3 year ISP service contracts). Hence, the cable and satellite companies are equally interested in the home networking game.

At this point, their main concern is a very-low upload rate through cable modems, which essentially means for now, two-way communications are very limited to e-mail only and that transferring large or content-rich files is ludicrously slow. Another concern is their poor customer service track record, especially as it compares to the phone company.

However, another distinct advantage is that (all potshots aside) TV is it. TV is where the future lies for centralizing consumer demand for home networking and Internet and entertainment access. TV is the friendly face which is both easy to understand and mesmerizing. Interfacing software which allows you to control your lights, HVAC and some appliances already exists and is on the market.

All you have to do is consider that Time Warner, AT&T and Microsoft have made multi-million dollar investments in cable companies and you’ll realize that cable is definitely a player.

Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.
400 Centennial Parkway
Louisville, CO 80027-1266
(303) 661-9100 (main phone)
(303) 661-9199 (fax)

For further information, please contact:

December 14-17, 1999. CABLENET® '99 TO HOST NEARLY 90 TECHNOLOGY DEMOS AT CCTA'S WESTERN SHOW. CableLabs and the California Cable Television Association (CCTA) are co-sponsoring CableNET® '98 at CCTA's Western Show in Anaheim, December 1 - 4, 1998. This year, the theme of the CableNET® exhibit is "Plug and Play. " The CableNET® '98 exhibit, located in Hall D of the Anaheim Convention Center, will cover more than 8,000 square feet, and will host approximately 90 pedestals showcasing and demonstrating the technologies of nearly 60 participating companies, including interoperable cable modems, digital set-top boxes, and Internet phones.

• General Instrument
• BroadJump (Austin, TX)
• Microsoft WebTV
• Peracom (Private)
• ReplayTV
• Samsung
• Scientific Atlanta
• TiVo

Description Peracom Networks, Inc. designs and develops innovative, cost-efficient peripheral connectivity and desktop networking solutions. The company's products rely on emerging computing standards, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Home Network technology. Founded 1997 Ownership Peracom Networks was founded in 1997 in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, as the US research and development facility for Accton Technology Corp. Now functioning as an independent company, Peracom is dedicated to the design, development and production of innovative, cost-effective peripheral connectivity solutions for OEMs and end users. With the backing of multi-national corporations and inclusion of venture capital, Peracom combines the stability of a large organization with the market agility of an entrepreneurial R&D venture. Products
Home Networking

Peracom is entering the emerging home networking arena with a product that changes the way we view entertainment in the home. HomeConnex goes beyond traditional PC to PC networking by including home entertainment devices such as VCRs, DVD decks, satellite receivers, video cameras and video game stations into an integrated home network system.

From any TV in the home users can:

• View and control VCRs, DVD decks and video game stations
• Watch a DVD movie playing from a PC
• Move entertainment from satellite receivers or cable boxes
• Transform existing video camcorders into baby monitors or security cameras
• View and control the PC from any TV in the house, enabling users to run PC applications, check email, surf the web, or monitor the web surfing activities of children
• Use infrared transmission to move files between disconnected laptop computers and PCs on the network

Universal Serial Bus

Peracom's flagship line relies on the new USB port standard for "plug-and-play" connectivity, without the need for additional hardware or complex configuration software.

Products include:

• USB Quad Hub, a four-port hub for connecting multiple desktop peripheral devices.
• USB Serial Converter, a USB-to-RS232 converter for connecting legacy serial peripherals with newer USB-enabled PCs or hubs.
• USB Ethernet Adapter, an "outside the box" network interface card for connecting USB-equipped PCs to Ethernet networks. The product was named Best Networking Hardware at Spring '98 Comdex.
• USB Phoneline Adapter enables Universal Plug and Play networks by making the network connection as easy and painless as possible

Availability Peracom's Home Networking products will be available in the third quarter of 1999

USB products are sold to OEMs, specialized resellers and distributors, systems integrators and commercial customers through Peracom's direct sales force. Manufacturing Peracom uses Accton's state-of-the-art, ISO 9001-certified manufacturing facility for the rapid production of high-quality products. Executive Team George Kubovcik, President and CEO
Max Brownstein, Executive Vice President
John Dinwiddie, Chief Technical Officer
Ken Rivage, Vice President Engineering
Steve McConaughey, Director of Sales and Marketing