Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV and Multimedia Platform Debuts at NXTcomm

Latest update to award-winning IPTV platform includes exciting connected entertainment features; new ingredient brand to support service provider marketing activities.

CHICAGO — 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:
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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.
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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.
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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.