Microsoft and AT&T announce
collaborative effort to use Microsoft PlayReady content access and protection technology
to enable shared content and converged entertainment experiences across AT&T’s TV,
broadband and wireless services. As part of this collaboration, Microsoft intends
to add support for PlayReady into its Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV software platform,
enabling access to PlayReady-based content through AT&T U-verse TV set-top boxes.

PlayReady is designed to enable digital entertainment services across devices and
software applications, with a specific focus on meeting the needs of mobile and network
operators, service providers and device manufacturers. PlayReady supports a broad
range of business models that can be applied to almost any type of digital content
and a wide range of formats. PlayReady also provides features such as service domains
and embedded licenses specifically designed to make it easy for consumers to enjoy
content on all their registered devices without the need of an active connection.

Continued here:
AT&T Selects Microsoft PlayReady

Akamai announces
the availability of AdaptiveEdge
Streaming for Microsoft Silverlight, the service based on Microsoft Internet Information
Services 7.0 Smooth Streaming technology, enabling a higher quality video experience
for all viewers.

Akamai AdaptiveEdge Streaming for Microsoft Silverlight adapts stream quality based
on a user’s connection speed — so consumers with high bandwidth connections can experience
true HD (720p+) quality streaming while consumers with lower connection speeds can
receive the highest-quality video stream available for their levels of connectivity.
At the same time, media companies’ online initiatives can benefit from unprecedented
network scalability and availability using distributed HTTP-based Web servers across
Akamai’s globally-distributed network. Akamai’s unique combination of technology and
network scale is designed to enable consumers across the globe to enjoy a consistently
high-quality video experience with faster start-up times and less buffering.

Since deploying the solution earlier this year, Akamai customers have been delivering
HD-quality video and significantly improved viewing experiences. One of the immediate
benefits many of these companies have experienced is an increase in viewing times.

View original here:
Akamai to Offer Microsoft IIS7 Smooth Streaming to Customers

Microsoft announces
that Guangzhou Digital Media Group has
formally launched Zhujiang Digital, a connected TV service powered by the Microsoft
Mediaroom IPTV platform. This is the first Mediaroom-enabled TV service to launch
in China and the first time Mediaroom has been delivered over a cable network anywhere
in the world.

The new service, available to residents in the Guangzhou region of China, also includes
the first deployment of the Mediaroom Anytime feature set, which will take time-shifted
TV to the next level in China. Announced at 2009 International CES, Mediaroom Anytime
will let subscribers access previously aired shows from their Interactive Program
Guide and immediately restart currently airing programs without any preplanning or
prior digital video recording.

At a launch ceremony on Monday, Jan. 12 in Guangzhou City, presided over by the CEO
of Guangzhou Digital Media Group, Yang Yuhua, and attended by Microsoft’s Rodriguez,
Guangzhou Digital Media Group outlined its plans for the new service, including a
commitment to connect its total of 2.5 million subscribers within three to five years.

From launch, the Mediaroom-powered service will include the following key features:

• High-definition content for live, recorded and on-demand TV

• Mediaroom Anytime, which can be used to access previously aired shows from the Interactive
  Program Guide and immediately restart currently airing programs without any preplanning
  or prior DVR recording

• Powerful video-on-demand features enabling users to view shows whenever they want

Guangzhou Digital Media Group also has taken advantage of the capability within Mediaroom
for rich interactivity and the ability to seamlessly blend Web content and services
with broadcast TV. The company has already engaged a number of local enterprises to
develop interactive TV applications to complement the TV viewing experience. The applications
being developed will enable Guangzhou Digital Media Group to offer its viewers new
ways to communicate, share media and personalize the TV experience. Locally built
TV applications that will be available at launch as part of the service include the
following:

• Local news Web sites on TV provide information from government Web sites displayed
  on TV.

• Local sports and entertainment multimedia news lets viewers watch video clips, view
  pictures, vote on favorite shows and check text messages via the TV.

• Local government e-mail service enables subscribers to view e-mails sent out by local
  government.

• Information service allows subscribers to check their local social security information.

• TV e-commerce permits customers to pay their phone bill or traffic tickets through
  the TV.

The Guangzhou Digital Media Group plans to use the new Mediaroom Presentation Framework
to launch a number of other innovative applications in the future, including online
shopping and the ability to search for local information such as the latest on restaurants,
hotels, entertainment and traffic news.

Microsoft Mediaroom has a global customer base of service provider customers including
AT&T, BT and Deutsche Telekom, delivering connected TV services to nearly 2.5 million
subscriber homes worldwide.

See the rest here:
Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV Service Launches in China

Harmonic’s MPEG-4 AVC Digital Video Splicer Completes Microsoft Mediaroom Conformance Testing – Harmonic Inc. today announced that its ProStream™ 2000 digital video splicer has successfully completed conformance testing for real-time splicing of national MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) video streams of the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) platform.

View post:
IPTV Video Splicer