NEW YORK, July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Philips Media is constructing a 200,000 square foot Multimedia Village at the site of Woodstock '94 -- to showcase its CD-interactive (CD-i) technology, and to celebrate th role that music plays in the multimedia age.
"What better time and place to highlight the convergence of music and technology than Woodstock '94?" asks Philips Media CEO Scott Marden. (...LOST DATA...) neration that grew up on MTV; they grew up on computers and videogames. They understand better than anyone the impact music has on the overall experience of interactive entertainment -- just as it has on movies. Music is a key part of Philips Media's software development strategy. That's why we're here."
The Philips Multimedia Village will feature a variety of interactive experiences, including a multiple-screen, multimedia show that highlights Philips Media's hot new software titles; a 90-station CD-i play tent where visitors can experience those titles hands-on, guided by cyberpunk arcade "gamers"; and the "Todd Pod," where multimedia musician Todd Rundgreen will perform five live shows daily.
Philips Media's CD-i home entertainment system and software will be the focal point of the exhibit, "With CD-i, we have defined a technological standard that is influencing the industry and represents the next generation in the delivery of home entertainment products," says Emiel N. Petrone, Senior Vice President of Philips Interactive Media. CD-i uses optical disc-based technology to transform the television set from a passive medium to a state-of-the-art multimedia machine. It's extremely versatile -- playing everything from interactive multimedia programs to Video CD feature length films and music videos to audio CD's and Photo CD's. Its advantages include superior CD-quality sound and full-motion, full-screen digital video.
Philips Media has more than 200 CD-i titles on the market ranging from music to kids' edutainment to games to feature-length films to music videos, and more are on the way. The company recently announced a rash of new cutting-edge titles, some of which will be featured at the Multimedia Village.
New titles to be demonstrated at Woodstock include: "Burn Cycle," a cyberpunk adventure game with an attitude -- and wild techno-rave music -- that challenges you to remove a virus implanted in your character's head; "Mutant Rampage," an arcade-style game of no-holds-barred combat between mutants and hybrids, which lets the player choose the music that goes along with gameplay; "The 7th Guest", an interactive mystery game with 3-D graphics, live action video and an original soundtrack; and "Pete Townshend: Live," a two-and-a-half hour performance by the legendary guitarist/composer filmed live, which includes Who classics and never-before-performed solo material.
Philips Media's Multimedia Village will have the largest presence at "The Surreal Field, " Woodstock 94's six-acre, interactive exhibition site. Other exhibits include Apple Computer, which will put out the world's first digital newspaper called "Woodstock '94 Nation News"; Jimi Hendrix "On the Road Again, " an interactive show celebrating the life and music of Hendrix; Peter Gabriel's MINDBLENDER(TM), a ten-passenger capsule style motion simulator -- the first music video you can ride; and "Beyond 3-D," the first 3-D action sports movie.
Philips Media was formed 16 months ago by Dutch electronics giant Philips Electronics NV to oversee and expand its multimedia business. Philips Media is a leading software publisher and distributor as well as a developer of new interactive and multimedia technologies.