Also at the show, Hewlett-Packard announced a leasing programme, providing cable operators with the Kayak digital set-top box for from $7 a month per unit. The leasing programme, developed by Hewlett-Packard’s Finance & Remarketing Division, is available to cable operators using Tele-Communications Inc’s Headend in the Sky or a General Instrument Corp Digicipher II head-end. Leasing terms depend on the order size and contract length. Options at the end of the lease term include a continuation of the lease, a fair market value buy-out or return to Hewlett-Packard. Hewlett-Packard says its Kayak smart set-top box supports a range of digital interactive television applications, including on-screen electronic program guides, such as TV Guide On-Screen, StarSight and Prevue Express; video-on-demand; and play-along gaming with Zing interactive capabilities. Kayak interfaces with General Instrument head-end equipment and supports digital video and audio technologies such as MPEG2 and Dolby AC3.
