Remember ReplayTV? They used to be known as the “other” DVR solution when people talked about TiVo and DVRs in general. Not too surprisingly, ReplayTV has exited the hardware business and has decided to plot a new course for the company – concentrating on developing software based DVR applications for the PC platform. They’ve partnered with Hauppauge Computer Works (maker of the popular WinTV PVR tuner/encoder PC cards) to create hardware/software solutions for the PC platform.

Clearly the DVR hardware market is thinning out as competition from DVR recorder companies, TiVo, Cable companies, and Microsoft Media Center platforms have made it hard for small time players to survive. Thus the question is – is a focus on software DVRs a good thing for ReplayTV? It’s hard to say as more and more people are expecting more with their DVR software than just watching and recording live TV. Perhaps partnerships with companies such as BeyondTV or Microsoft would be good for the likes of ReplayTV. Only time will tell.

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ReplayTV Announces New Strategic Direction With DVR For The PC
—ReplayTV and Hauppauge Team Up to Offer Innovative PC-Based DVR—

SANTA CLARA, CA., December 19, 2005—ReplayTV®, the pioneer of digital video recording , today announced that it will introduce a new Digital Video Recorder (DVR) software solution in 2006 based on its acclaimed DVR expertise. The new software application is designed for the personal computer, which globally is the fastest growing video entertainment platform.

To initiate its new strategy, ReplayTV has teamed with Hauppauge Computer Works, the leading manufacturer of pTV receivers for PCs, to create an affordable and innovative PC-based DVR solution. ReplayTV plans to bundle its PC DVR software application with Hauppauge’s market-leading WinTV-PVR tuner/encoder PC cards beginning in 2006 for the North America market.

Today’s announcement follows a successful long term restructuring of ReplayTV by the company’s parent company, D&M Holdings Inc., making the ReplayTV DVR business solidly profitable. ReplayTV will soon complete the sale of all remaining 5500 Series DVR products, completing the first phase of the transformation of the brand from a hardware manufacturer to a leading provider of advanced DVR software and services to consumers of entertainment PCs. Today’s announcement has no impact on existing ReplayTV DVR customers who will continue to be fully supported with EPG service for their ReplayTV DVR products.

Noted D&M’s Bernie Sepaniak, President RREA (Rio, Replay, Escient, ACT): “After a period of re-structuring, planning and product engineering, ReplayTV is now solidly on a path for strong growth, and our relationship with Hauppauge is a clear indication of how we intend to utilize the best, most advanced technologies in the industry to achieve our strategic goals. In 2006, ReplayTV will once again re-define the DVR experience with an affordable product that combines our background in sophisticated DVR technologies with an easy-to-use PC-based solution.”

Bill Loewenthal, ReplayTV’s VP/GM added: “More consumers are using the PC as an integral home entertainment device, and sales of PC tuner cards are soaring around the globe. Creating a global DVR solution for the PC is a natural step for ReplayTV. Our innovative new product offerings for 2006 will combine our proven strengths in the DVR field with a variety of ingenious and ‘intelligent’ capabilities extended by the PC. Coupled with the same Internet-delivered EPG services that serve our installed base of ReplayTV DVRs, we can bring a tremendous DVR experience to the entertainment PC consumer.”

ReplayTV’s DVR experience on the PC will showcase a range of unique and useful features accessed via our new user interface design that builds on and furthers ReplayTV’s original award winning design.

ReplayTV will announce product details and pricing in 2006.

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