DiamondBack Vision and EncodeThis! Announce Partnership

Reston, VA-based, DiamondBack Vision (www.dbvision.net), a video services provider, announced a partnership to integrate its ObjectVideo software with the infrastructure of EncodeThis! ( www.encodethis.com), an encoding company that specializes in managing and distributing digital media content.

As part of the deal, DiamondBack Vision will be a reseller of EncodeThis's encoding services.

According to DiamondBack, its ObjectVideo technology, which encodes streaming video in foreground and background segments generating a significant gain in compression rates, is helpful in improving the quality of video for narrowband or dial-up users.

"The EncodeThis! decision to use ObjectVideo is an important recognition of our capabilities," said Don Thoma, DiamondBack's vice president of marketing and business development. "It validates the need for higher quality encoding solutions, especially at low bandwidth, to enhance Internet video services and revenues."

The companies said the initial focus of the joint initiative will be to target Web users who access the Internet through low-bandwidth connections.

"The industry has turned away from a narrowband focus, because there was no acceptable solution to the poor quality video over dial-up connections," said Bob Douglass, president and CEO of Diamondback, in a statement. "But there has always been an appreciable market."

While no content partners were announced in the partnership, the companies expect to be unveiling beta and gold test customers in the first and second quarters of next year.

Earlier this month, DiamondBack Vision announced that Craig Hunegs, an executive with Warner Bros. Television, had joined the company's board of directors.