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[Greg Wood <>]

First Uncompressed Real-time Gigabit HDTV Transmission Across Wide Area 
IP Network Made Possible by Tektronix, University of Washington, USC/ISI 
and Level 3

Unprecedented Demonstration Validates Next-Generation Internet Technology

DENVER, Nov. 12, 2001 - Working in collaboration with the University of 
Washington, the University of Southern California Information Sciences 
Institute (USC/ISI) and Level 3 Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:LVLT), 
Tektronix, Inc. (NYSE:TEK), a market leader in video and 
telecommunications test equipment, last night successfully demonstrated 
the first transmission of uncompressed real-time gigabit high-definition 
television (HDTV) signals over an Internet Protocol (IP) optical 
network. The demonstration was conducted as part of SuperComputing 2001 
at the National Coordination Office for Information Technology Research 
and Development booth.

The HDTV transmission demonstration proved that Universal Network Access 
System (UNAS) technology has met the critical requirements to distribute 
challenging high-speed streaming data (which requires that the entire 
data stream be sent together), such as uncompressed HDTV signals, over 
IP networks. Although large amounts of data are sent over proprietary or 
ATM networks today, IP transmission is expected to be the preferred 
method of delivery as it becomes the most cost-effective method of 
rapidly sending information - including voice, video and data - over the 
Internet.  The UNAS project is supported by the Defense Advanced 
Research Project Agency Information Technology Office's (DARPA/ITO) 
Next-Generation Internet (NGI) program.

"By participating in the Universal Network Access System project, 
Tektronix is not just enabling, but also creating next-generation 
Internet technologies," said Rick King, vice president, Optical Business 
Unit, Tektronix, Inc. "This successful demonstration incorporates 
Tektronix-developed technologies that are a springboard to the 
measurement and monitoring tools needed for tomorrow's optical networks 
and the Internet."

Joint Technology Development Key to Achievement
The technologies for the demonstration were jointly developed by 
Tektronix, USC/ISI, and the University of Washington (UW).  These 
developments are a part of the DARPA NGI supported projects that include 
the UNAS project and USC/ISI's Next-Generation Internet Multimedia 
Applications and Architecture project.  This demonstration builds on the 
work of UW who first pioneered real-time HDTV over IP at an 
unprecedented, record-setting demonstration at SC1999.

Leading up to the demonstration, the key enabling technologies were 
tested and refined using the high-performance networks of the Pacific 
Northwest Gigapop and Mid-Atlantic Crossroads, as well as the Internet2 
Abilene backbone network.  During the demonstration, the digital video 
content was sent from UW's laboratories in Seattle, Washington, to the 
receiver at the SuperComputing 2001 exhibition hall in Denver via Level 
3's advanced IP fiber-optic network.  The demonstration set a new 
standard for Internet performance by streaming digital video at 1.5 
Gb/s--more than 25,000 times faster than a typical computer modem.

The ResearchChannel provided the streaming HD content via Pacific 
Northwest Gigapop's ultra-high performance 'Pacific Wave' exchange 
facilities, and along with the UW, the custom high performance 
multimedia server.  Level 3 provided the network over which the 
transmission occurred.  The Tektronix technology allowed video processed 
as data packets to be sent, received and compiled into play-out

-more-

streams.  Tektronix technology was used to compare packets at the input 
and output
to determine if packets were lost or reordered during the transmission.

HDTV Transmission One of Many Uses for Universal Network Architecture
The DARPA/ITO UNAS project fosters the development of new 
rapidly-deployable, reconfigurable broadband interfaces for network-edge 
applications. UNAS is envisioned as a configurable network element that 
resides at the Internet's edge and adapts to the network's myriad 
protocols, hastening the deployment of new applications and services. 
UNAS technology will provide Internet "on-ramp" capability for 
applications ranging from distributed computing to telemedicine.

Tektronix took a primary engineering/design role in developing the 
Universal Network Access Engine (UNAE) for the system. The UNAE is a key 
building block for network edge devices such as terminal adapters, 
service multiplexers, edge switches, and Quality of Service monitoring 
equipment. The flexibility of the UNAE will aid Internet architects in 
designing and testing new protocols that are better optimized for 
optical networks.

HDTV signals in SMPTE-292M format were chosen to represent the many 
types of demanding broadband content that will be sent over IP-enabled 
wide area optical networks. While the data rate of the transported video 
payload and encapsulation was greater than 1.5 Gb/s, the current UNAS 
architecture can support rates up to 2.5 Gb/s.

About the Companies
Tektronix, Inc. is a test, measurement, and monitoring company providing 
measurement solutions to the telecommunications, computer, and 
semiconductor industries worldwide. With more than 50 years of 
experience, Tektronix enables its customers to design, build, deploy, 
and manage next-generation global communications networks and Internet 
technologies. Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix has 
operations in 25 countries worldwide. Tektronix' Web address is 
www.tektronix.com.

The University of Washington is one of the world's top research 
universities. Perennially among the top three American institutions in 
peer-reviewed research activities and related competitive contracts and 
grants, and with numerous top-ranked programs, UW is a university which 
truly embodies the ideals of "Learning @ the Leading Edge" ^(TM) and 
economic development through research and active technology transfer 
programs. For more information visit www.washington.edu.

Established in 1972 and widely regarded as one of the birthplaces of the 
Internet, the Information Sciences Institute is part of USC's School of 
Engineering. More than 325 staff, including faculty and post-doctoral 
researchers, graduate students and staff work on two campuses in Marina 
del Rey, Los Angeles, California and Arlington, Virginia. They carry on 
basic and applied research on all aspects of computing, including chip 
design, software design, artificial intelligence, natural language and 
networking.  USC/ISI's designs and programs are found in numerous 
devices and applications worldwide.

ResearchChannel is a collaborative partnership of research universities 
and centers dedicated to broadening the access to, and appreciation of, 
our individual and collective activities, ideas, and opportunities in 
basic and applied research.  ResearchChannel uses content, content 
creation, and manipulation processes as a workbench to test materials 
for our future analog and digital broadcast and on-demand multimedia 
offerings, thus providing an unusual opportunity to experiment with new 
methods of distribution and interaction on a global basis. 
ResearchChannel distributes research information 24x7 via satellite, 
direct-broadcast satellite (EchoStar's DISH Network), cable TV, webcast, 
on-demand library. www.researchchannel.com.

Pacific Northwest Gigapop (PNWGP) is the Northwest's Next Generation 
Internet, Internet2/Abilene applications cooperative, testbed, and point 
of presence. PNWGP connects together high-performance international and 
federal research networks with universities, research organizations, and 
leading-edge R&D and new-media enterprises throughout Washington, 
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Canada, Australia and the Pacific rim. 
'Pacific Wave' is a ultra high performance exchange/peering service of 
the PNWGP.  For more information visit http://www.pnw-gigapop.net/.

Level 3 is a global communications and information services company 
offering a wide selection of services including IP services, broadband 
transport, collocation services, and the industry's first 
Softswitch-based services.  Its Web address is www.Level3.com.



# # #


Tektronix is a registered trademark of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade 
names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered 
trademarks of their respective companies.

Media Contact:
Jayne Scheckla
503/627-5741


        


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