Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of Microsoft Mediaroom, the
latest update to its award-winning Internet Protocol television (IPTV)
software platform, featuring several new multimedia capabilities, including
in-home personal music and photo sharing, dynamic MultiView (multiple
picture-in-picture) capabilities, Multimedia Application Environment for
development of interactive services and advanced applications, and digital
terrestrial television (DTT) support.
Microsoft also introduced the
Microsoft Mediaroom Application Development toolkit, which provides service
providers and third-party developers with tools to create compelling,
revenue-generating TV-based applications that run on the platform.
With this latest release, Microsoft is renaming its IPTV platform
Microsoft Mediaroom to better reflect the broader set of new connected
entertainment experiences made possible today and the types of experiences
anticipated in the future. In addition, the Microsoft Mediaroom name and
identity are designed to be used by service providers as an ingredient
brand to create a powerful competitive differentiator to support their
consumer marketing activities.
Building upon existing Microsoft IPTV features, such as enhanced
digital video recording, video on demand, high-definition television and
instant channel zapping, the Microsoft Mediaroom platform introduces the
following:
- Personal media sharing. This enables consumers to easily listen to
digital music and view digital photographs stored on PCs elsewhere in
the home on the best screen in the house: the television.
- Multimedia Application Environment. The environment offers richer
support for Web services and applications, enabling service providers
to deploy advanced features such as dynamic video-on-demand portals,
casual games and interactive TV services.
- Enhanced MultiView capabilities. These allow consumers to see multiple
channels, programs and camera angles on one screen.
The launch of Microsoft Mediaroom also marks the general availability
of DTT capabilities on the platform, allowing service providers in regions
with DTT programming to offer fully integrated, seamless IPTV services.
"Microsoft is committed to providing our IPTV customers with the very
best software platform so they can take full advantage of their
intelligent, two-way IP networks, and begin deploying richer and more
personalized TV and connected entertainment experiences," said Enrique
Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV business at
Microsoft. "With personal media sharing and new application development
capabilities, Microsoft Mediaroom brings the consumer television experience
to a new level, enabling the best in TV, plus access to all your media in
one place."
"In the highly competitive television market, a well-regarded brand can
be a very strong asset," said Christine Heckart, general manager of
worldwide marketing for Microsoft TV. "By leveraging Microsoft Mediaroom as
an ingredient brand, service providers can take advantage of the worldwide
awareness, positive attributes and consumer preference for Microsoft-based
solutions."
"As the digital TV services market continues to grow, service providers
will search for competitive differentiators that set them apart in terms of
features and overall consumer experience," said Michelle Abraham, principal
analyst at In-Stat. "A compelling and competitive feature set, powered by
one of the strongest consumer brands in the world and the ability to create
unique applications and services, is the recipe to convert consumers'
demand into service revenues."
More than 18 of the world's leading service providers have selected the
Microsoft Mediaroom platform for their digital TV offerings, and commercial
deployments are currently underway with 10 providers. The Microsoft
Mediaroom platform will be on display in Microsoft Booth 3531 at NXTcomm,
the new industry venue featuring the business and technology of
communications, taking place June 19-21, 2007, at Chicago's McCormick
Place.
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