Cablevision Deploys Major Advance in On-Screen Digital Cable Navigatio

BETHPAGE, N.Y., April 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cablevision Systems Corporation today announced the launch of a proprietary user interface for its iO: Interactive Optimum(R) digital cable service that represents a significant step forward in on-screen navigation. The new interface, which is already available in select areas and will be fully deployed across Cablevision's service area over the next few months, makes it even easier for customers to find video on demand titles, interactive applications and other key content that differentiates digital cable from other multi-channel alternatives.

"Navigation is a critical element of a successful digital cable service. We have taken a unique approach by building our own design on top of the existing digital set-top box software, so that we can enhance the user experience and direct our customers to the most compelling content and applications our network can provide," said Kristin Dolan, senior vice president of product management. "Our new iO user interface, years in the making and incorporating Patent Pending elements, is a significant step forward for our company, our industry and, most importantly, the iO customers who will use it every day to access the elements that truly set our digital cable service apart."

Cablevision's internal Engineering and Technology Group developed the new user interface in partnership with DevelopOnBox, a leading application developer for digital cable. The platform was built to support iO's current array of programming and advanced applications, while also serving as a powerful foundation able to support expansion through the addition of new innovative services. The look and feel of the new interface was designed in- house and in partnership with Schematic, one of the nation's leading interactive agencies providing award-winning interface design for television.

The menu driven system features dynamic horizontal and vertical categories that display a viewer's current location within the interface, and offers clear directional indicators forward or back to the main menu. The main menu on the new interface lists horizontal options that are well known to iO customers: Channel Guide, On Demand, iO Games, Enhanced TV and iO Showcase. An Active Rentals category has also been added for easy one-touch access to current on demand selections.

As customers move through these specific categories, their progress is highlighted and displayed through the addition of vertical bars that indicate the specific steps they have taken to reach their current location. The individual categories are also color-coded, to offer an additional indicator of current location. For example, purple indicates on demand movies, blue represents interactive television applications and the iO Games portion of the interface displays in orange.

"At a time when on-screen navigation is an element of nearly every consumer electronic device-from your cell phone to your pc-we've redesigned iO's navigation to celebrate television and to showcase the movies, sports, news and enhanced services that make television the unique and compelling medium it is," said Patrick Donoghue, Cablevision's vice president of interactive television development and operations. "We know intuitive and entertaining navigation increases customer use of VOD and interactive services like subscription games, because when customers can easily find what they are looking for, they are more inclined to make purchasing decisions."

Innovative and practical features also available as part of the new interface include short descriptions of programming selections, an on-screen digital clock, picture-in-picture TV window displaying the current channel for one-touch access to the program customers are watching, and full program information screens, including pricing and rental window for VOD purchases.

"Schematic has thoroughly enjoyed its collaboration with Cablevision over the past two and a half years," said Dale Herigstad, Schematic's executive creative director. "The newly deployed version of the iO interface stands out as a best of breed customer experience in the current U.S. cable and satellite marketplace. It has been a joy to work with a company like Cablevision, which cares a great deal about the quality of their product and appreciates the importance of good design. This is a visionary company."

"It has been a pleasure working with Cablevision's Engineering and Technology Group to develop a user interface that is worthy of the industry's most highly-evolved digital cable service and achieves the company's bold vision for on-screen navigation," said Alex Libkind, President and CEO of DevelopOnBox LLC.

As an additional tool to aid navigation, Cablevision has broken similar types of programming services into distinct channel centuries. Channels 1 - 99 feature traditional cable networks, digital networks are located in the 100s, international channels are featured in the 200s, multiplexes of premium movie channels reside in the 300s, the 400s feature seasonal subscription sports packages, access to on demand programming is located in the 500s, interactive television sites are in the 600s, access to iO's 16 high- definition programming services is located in the 700s and the 45 commercial- free music channels can be found in the 800s.

With nearly 1.5 million iO customers at the end of 2004, more than 50 percent of Cablevision's cable customers are iO digital cable customers, the highest digital penetration in the nation. iO offers customers access to more than 200 channels, including 50 premium movie channels, 45 channels of commercial-free digital music, more than 1,200 titles available on demand at all times, an interactive programming guide, 16 high-definition programming services and groundbreaking interactive television applications including iO Games. No other cable or satellite provider exceeds the breadth and depth of the iO service or gives customers more control over their television experience.

About Cablevision

Cablevision Systems Corporation is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies. Its cable television operations serve more than 3 million households in the New York metropolitan area. The company's advanced telecommunications offerings include its iO: Interactive Optimum digital television offering, Optimum Online high-speed Internet service, Optimum Voice digital voice-over-cable service, and its Lightpath integrated business communications services. Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings LLC operates several successful programming businesses, including AMC, IFC, WE and other national and regional networks. In addition to its telecommunications and programming businesses, Cablevision is the controlling owner of Madison Square Garden and its sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. The company also operates New York's famed Radio City Music Hall, and owns and operates Clearview Cinemas. Additional information about Cablevision Systems Corporation is available on the Web at http://www.cablevision.com/.