First MHP Competence Centre for interactive TV set up in Berlin

- Research and development for programme suppliers and hardware industry - Foundation by the software experts of Convergence GmbH - Test laboratories and Support Centre should push MHP standard forward - Participation in international standardisation committees

The Berlin Convergence GmbH has founded the first MHP Competence Centre. It is intended to offer sound information and services regarding the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) to programme and network operators as well as the software and appliance industry, thus supporting the pan-European and German market launch of this new interactive TV standard in the summer. In addition to consultation services, the MHP Competence Centre also offers development laboratories and test environments for interactive television. Convergence will soon be introducing the services of the MHP Competence Centre in detail at an opening event.

"The aim of our foundation is the practical realisation of the MHP standard in scalable products and services", explain Managing Directors Frank Fischer and Bernd Curanz when describing the philosophy of the first worldwide MHP Centre. "We will show that MHP is not only a vision, but is already a reality today that can be experienced and is above all affordable. We intend concentrating our strengths in Germany and entering into cooperation with partners that will help digital and interactive television become successful with technology, content and ideas".

Convergence is one of the leading developers of efficient and pragmatic MHP solutions based on the open operating system LINUX. The software products can be expanded with functionalities such as Personal Video Recorders, DVD, MP3 and web-browsers, and optimised for the different technical platforms like ARM, MIPS, and X86. As an industry-independent software company, Convergence offers extensive services on digital television to chip, hardware and software manufacturers, as well as providers. It has already been able to acquire well-known companies as customers and partners.

Convergence is a member of German and international technology and standardisation committees, such as DVB, MHP Implementers Group and the TV Linux Alliance.

The development plans of the Berlin company were secured in February by a majority holding of the OmniScience Multimedia Lab GmbH. The OmniScience Multimedia Lab GmbH is a subsidiary of galaxies technology ag.

Press contact:
galaxis Public Relations
Stefan Susbauer
Theodor-Heuss-Ring 36
D-50668 Cologne
Tel.: +49 221 / 120 123
Fax: +49 221 / 120 122
Email: s.susbauer@susbauer.de   

convergence gmbh
Bernd Curanz
Frank Fischer
Rosenthaler Str. 51
D-10178 Berlin
Tel.: +49 30/72620650
Fax: +49 30/72620655
Email: curanz@convergence.de
fischer@convergence.de

http://www.convergence.de