Starz reveals HD plans

[Aggie90]

Unveils Sharper Movies HD: First-Run Movie Channel for Industry's Hi-Def Tier

Launches Flagship STARZ! Service in Hi-Def

Fortifies Starz On Demand With First-Ever Hi-Def SVOD Content

Launches Bandwidth-Efficient STARZ! Hi Res Using 1/3 the Bandwidth of Hi-Def

CHICAGO, NCTA 2003 National Show, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- John J. Sie,
founder, chairman, and CEO of Starz Encore Group LLC, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NYSE: L, LMCb), today announced plans
to launch a new, Hi-Def premium movie channel and Hi-Def and Hi-Res versions
of STARZ!. Each of the new STARZ! versions will have two time zone feeds.
Sie also announced that Starz On Demand, Starz Encore's subscription
video-on-demand (SVOD) service, will make select titles available in Hi-Def,
the first time HD titles have been offered on SVOD.

The new services unveiled today are:

Sharper Movies HD -- Sharper Movies HD is designed to be part of the new
tier of Hi-Def services many cable operators and DBS providers are planning to
offer their customers. Sharper Movies HD will consist of commercial-free
films from Starz Encore's unmatched inventory of movie programming, including
many first-run titles. It will be transmitted in wide screen 16x9 in 1080i
with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Sharper Movies HD will be marketed to
multichannel providers separate and distinct from other Starz Encore pay TV
movie services. The HI-Def tier, as currently formulated by several MSO's and
DBS operators, would be priced at about $10 and would also include Hi-Def
versions of popular advertiser-supported channels.
"By taking the innovative step of packaging a commercial-free movie
channel with great first-run titles and some of the most popular ad-supported
channels, cable and satellite operators will be able to create a tier of
Hi-Def programming that will appeal strongly to the growing numbers of
consumers with HDTV sets," Sie noted.

STARZ! HD east and west feeds -- These two services will be transmitted in
wide-screen 16x9 1080i and will feature Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. STARZ! HD is
the Hi-Def version of the flagship STARZ! service with a mix of recent
Hollywood hits and other popular films.

Starz On Demand HD -- Select titles from STARZ! HD will also be offered on
Starz On Demand, Starz Encore's industry-leading SVOD service offering over
100 movies each month. Starz On Demand provides impulse viewing of Starz
Encore's movies with full "DVD-like" functionality (pause, rewind, fast
forward) for a simple, flat monthly charge and no fee per view.

STARZ! Hi Res east and west feeds -- A high-resolution, DVD-quality
version of STARZ! in a 480i 16 x 9 format with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. This
will allow cable and DBS operators to offer viewers a wide-screen, DVD-quality
picture quality substantially superior to conventional digital video, but
using only 1/3 the digital bandwidth of Hi-Def. STARZ! Hi Res is specially
designed for cable systems that have limited bandwidth or for operators who
choose to conserve digital spectrum while satisfying their customers with HDTV
sets.
"Today's announcement marks several historic firsts for the cable and
satellite industry," Sie commented. "For the first time, movies transmitted
in Hi-Def will be available on demand at one monthly fee. Our Sharper Movies
HD channel will be the cornerstone of a unique new tier of programming that
will include a premium, commercial-free movie service alongside ad-supported
networks. And our Hi-Res version of STARZ! will mark the first premium movie
service offering a dramatically improved picture quality at much lower the
bandwidth."
Sie noted that about 4 million HDTV sets have been sold in the United
States. However, of those, only about 500,000 are equipped with Hi-Def set-
top tuner/decoders. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of HDTV set owners
are using them to watch DVD movies.
"The primary reason many Hi Def set owners purchased their TV's was to
watch movies on DVD's," Sie added. "Now, they will have a first-run premium
movie service as part of a Hi-Def tier available from their cable and
satellite providers. And, they will have Hi-Def or Hi-Res versions of STARZ!
which carries all of our exclusive hit recently released Hollywood films.
This powerful combination of new Hi-Def/Hi-Res content should drive both the
sales of Hi-Def tiers and the purchase of HDTV sets."
The new Starz Encore services will launch by year-end. Initially, each of
the HD services will include a selection of films available in 1080i format
with other films up-converted to approximate the full Hi Def experience.
Demonstrations of the new services can be seen at the NCTA National Show
Convention at McCormick Place in the following locations:
-- HD Pavilion: STARZ! HD and Starz On Demand HD
-- Starz Encore Group, Booth 943: Sharper Movies HD, STARZ! HD, STARZ! Hi
Res and Starz On Demand
-- Concurrent Computer, Booth 926: Starz On Demand and Starz On Demand HD
-- nCUBE, Booth 513 and HD Pavilion: Starz On Demand and Starz On
Demand HD
-- SeaChange: Booth 1540 and HD Pavilion: Starz On Demand HD

Starz Encore Group offers a steady supply of blockbuster titles including,
"Monsters, Inc.," "Spy Game," "John Q," "The Lord of the Rings: The
Fellowship of the Ring," and "The Scorpion King," as well as upcoming hits
such as, "Signs," "XXX," "Sweet Home Alabama," "8 Mile," and "Austin Powers in
Goldmember." Hollywood studios supplying films to Starz Encore include
Disney, Universal, Sony, MGM, Paramount, New Line, Revolution Studios, and
Miramax.

Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories.

Starz Encore Group LLC (Starz Encore) is the largest provider of premium
movie services in the United States with approximately 143 million pay units.
Starz Encore offerings include the Starz Super Pak(R), with up to 13 digital
movie channels and about 800 movies per month, Starz On Demand(R), the only
on-demand pay TV subscription service available on cable, satellite, and
broadband platforms, and a suite of advanced video offerings, including STARZ!
HD(SM), STARZ! Hi Res(SM), Sharper Movies HD(SM), and Starz On Demand HD(SM).
Starz Encore is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation
(NYSE: L, LMCb), http://www.starzencore.com .

For further information, please contact: Tom Southwick, work,
+1-720-852-5821, cell, +1-303-513-3758, tom.southwick@starzencore.com, or Eric
Becker, work, +1-720-852-4065, cell, +1-303-638-3469,
eric.becker@starzencore.com, or Marc McCarthy, work, +1-720-852-5851, cell,
+1-303-619-2708, marc.mccarthy@starzencore.com, all of Starz Encore.

SOURCE Starz Encore Group LLC

[durl]

This makes me VERY happy. We like STARZ! much better than HBO since they don't carry boxing or other original programming. We want a movie channel that shows MOVIES. Interesting concept, huh? Anyway, the folks at STARZ! have given us exactly what we want. Thanks!!

[kojak light]

This "Hi-Res" is not even up to lowly FOX's "Enhanced Resolution Widescreen", which at least is 480p!

I feel "dumbed-down!" :rolleyes:

[gparris]

I sincerely hope that this is not the trend of "Hi Rez" instead of "HI DEF" - like FOX does...and you are right- 480p and 480i are different also. Does Starz! think we are all that naive?

[paulmb1]

:) Forget 480i hi-res. But if Starz, which i consider to be the best of the handful of major premium packages, delivers on the hi-def, then this is very good news!