Backbone Previews Integrated Internet Video Streaming Server and Live TV Automation System

(Las Vegas, NAB 2004; April 19, 2004)Backbone Networks Corporation announces the preview of a major advance in the production and streaming of video and audio content onto the Internet. The Company's latest software offering, called Backbone Video, claims to offer the simplest, most easy to use tool for producing and streaming both live and pre-recorded television to the web. The integrated software suite, which operates on Mac OS X and Linux, consists of a high performance multimedia streaming server mated with a playlist based automation and control system for broadcast production. These elements provide all that is necessary to create, produce, control and broadcast an entire television station's content to worldwide Internet audiences.

Backbone Video is a complete television station application that helps individuals and organizations assemble, automate and stream their content onto the Internet with intuitive, easy-to-use tools for the professional broadcast environment. Applications include live and recorded Internet television stations for schools, churches, municipalities and other institutions, as well as providing Internet distribution access for existing television stations.

Pre-recorded video, audio and text content is effortlessly loaded into the server via manual drag and drop onto a playlist or by using Backbone's new XML automatic batch loader. Program sequences, managed as simple playlists, can be changed on the fly, and organized into long term, automated broadcast schedules. At the press of a button, the broadcast can switch in and out of automatic mode with live programming, permitting real time, live television with recorded commercial inserts.

Based on Apple's QuickTime and MPEG-4 worldwide standards, Backbone Video streams higher quality video and audio at lower bandwidths than other streaming formats. Depending on the viewers' connection speeds, audiences can watch acceptable video at low level DSL speeds and even at dial-up speeds, using the ubiquitous, free QuickTime player for all platforms from Apple Computer, Inc. An advanced feature of the software is its automatic video encoding of program material at multiple streaming rates, allowing viewers' players to automatically 'tune in' at the optimum streaming rate for their connection speeds.

Backbone Networks Corporation focuses on software solutions for television and radio broadcasting. The Company also will be announcing a related application, called BackPack, which turns a laptop computer into a low cost, portable means of using the Internet or satellite phone to cover live news and sports events for conventional stations, as well as uploading news stories. Another product, Backbone Radio, is a complete Internet radio station automation and streaming software suite.