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Microsoft's Mediaroom
Microsoft's IPTV gets a name change

Microsoft today announced updates to its Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) platform. The company first decided to rename the platform to "Microsoft Mediaroom" to better represent the vast multimedia aspects currently present and which are due to come in the future.

When it comes to the feature set of Mediaroom, Microsoft added Personal Media Sharing, the Multimedia Application Environment and Enhanced MultiView. Personal Media Sharing gives users access to pictures and digital music on networked PCs through your television. The Multimedia Application Environment allows service providers to provide added value to customers such as dynamic video-on-demand and games. Enhanced MultiView allows for picture-in-picture along with multiple camera angles to be displayed on the television screen at once.

"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 VP of Microsoft's TV. 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."

"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," Christine Heckart, general manager of worldwide marketing for Microsoft TV.

In addition, Microsoft also released its Mediaroom Application Development toolkit to allow third-party developers to create feature-rich applications and interactive services for consumers.

Microsoft is also hard at work on bringing IPTV to the Xbox 360 platform. IPTV works with all versions of the Xbox 360 and will likely be ready in time for the Fall Dashboard Update.

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Happy with 360/Media Extender, but what about local TV?
By BPB on 6/18/2007 10:27:08 AM , Rating: 2
I am very happy with my Xbox 360 / Vista / Media Extender setup. Soon I'll be adding Windows Home Server to the mix (I hope to install the release candidate this week). I'm so happy with the setup that I'm thinking of getting rid of my DVR. I would definitely do it if I had a cable ready HDTV tuner. Hopefully ATI will eventually make their new product work and available to the DIY market. I like the idea of this IPTV, but at 12mbps burst download I can't see my connection being fast enough to make it work and do other internet related activites. Plus, to watch local TV they'd have to sign contracts with all the local stations, and that's some serious busy work for MS to get done. Work I would be surprised to hear is even started.




By Lightning III on 6/18/2007 12:50:34 PM , Rating: 2
Get an ATI 650 and pull your locals OTA in High Def

every thing looks like the cablecard card will be oem only and it has some kinda BIOS lock out to keep it from working if you move it to another system

regards


By BPB on 6/18/2007 12:55:47 PM , Rating: 2
I thought the 650 didn't do HDTV with Vista or XP MCE? If so then it wouldn't do it with the 360. I hope I'm wrong. Maybe somebody could correct me?


By Boboshisho on 6/18/2007 1:16:31 PM , Rating: 2
I am running two ATI 650 cards on my Vista Ultimate PC and it works flawlessly, both with Vista and with the XBox 360. I have an antenna on my roof and enjoy all network programing in high def with DVR capabilities on up to two channels at once. There are a couple quirks with adding the "sub" channels to your guide but the main channels come right up and program fine.


By Lightning III on 6/18/2007 1:30:47 PM , Rating: 2
I run XP Pro and Beyond TV 4.5

to much DRM for comfort on your listed OS's

the OTA stands for over the air ( federal mandate all stations must convert to digital format by 2009 ? {they keep moving it}including HiDef over the air signals most are broadcasting both now

It's not a QAM device which would decode unencrypted HD signals through your cable connection

or the cable card type which would decode unencrypted signals and whatever your paying for with your cable card

the 650 does analog cable and OTA HD

now can you stream that to your media extender

I don't know I got a HTPC, a gaming rig and a laptop with a wired / wireless network

If i really want to see somthing on the 48in widescreen I usually pull it across the network first and then play it

although I'm pretty sure the 650 works just fine with vista and xp mce its just when you go to burn somthing through their interface can only be played on the specific machine that burned the DVD

wich is why I run XP PRO

regards


By BPB on 6/18/2007 2:08:18 PM , Rating: 2
I probably will get an ATI 650 card once I replace my AIW X1900 (I'll pair it with my 550 card). I like what you do with your setup, but I think if I stick to MS it'll make things easier for my family. The Xbox 360 does do a good job as an extender, and I have the Logitech Harmony Remote for Xbox 360 to help as well. As to burning via Vista and Media Center, I've burned a few TV shows and then played them with no hitch on my Philips DVD player. One complaint I do have is they took very long to burn, and I have a very good burner.


By 50racer on 6/18/2007 4:19:20 PM , Rating: 2
I also use VISTA as my main Media Center PC. I burn DVDs everyday using the built in interface and give them to my friends to watch on thier tvs. I have never had a single DRM problem.


By Lightning III on 6/18/2007 1:04:34 PM , Rating: 2
and as far as your ISP connection speed goes I'm sure there is somkinda buffering involved just like Itunes.

Apple TV cracks me up because my HTPC does everything apple tv does and more from surfing from my couch to OTA hidef to DVR and burning to DVD functions all DRM free through Beyond TV.

I might have to look into this microshaft IPTV to see if it will add any functionality ( ergo added content )

regards


drm
By ric1287 on 6/18/07, Rating: 0
RE: drm
By tuteja1986 on 6/18/2007 9:46:51 AM , Rating: 1
Microsoft should release a release a Ultra silent xbox 360 with Dual/Quad digital tv tunner , 200GB + , HD-DVD , Windows Vista MCE console edition , XVID/dvix/mkv/ogg support , HDMI 1.5 and also a new better sound card decoder.

Release that for $600 below or even $800 i buy it : )


RE: drm
By mdogs444 on 6/18/2007 10:07:09 AM , Rating: 3
The market for that would be very very slim. With PS3's struggling to sell because such a high price point - regardless of the amount of features - trying to sell an Xbox in that price range would just drag profits down.

The other post already proves that people are buying consoles with a low budget in mind - which is why the 360 & PS3 were last in sales. The Wii, DS, PS2, and PSP all outsold the major consoles due to low price points, not because of features.


RE: drm
By wrekd on 6/18/2007 9:50:08 AM , Rating: 3
No need, because just like AppleTV, there is no content insight.


RE: drm
By FITCamaro on 6/18/2007 12:22:09 PM , Rating: 4
No AppleTVs problem is that its a $300 way to watch iTunes video. If you don't use iTunes its worthless. And I'm not paying for video that I can't move to other platforms or watch outside of iTunes.


Non Standard Propeitary Machines
By spillai on 6/18/2007 12:05:51 PM , Rating: 2
Each big vendor who tries to monopolise the market closes every way to talk to other machines . This makes them lose market share due in big way they dont understand.

Satheesh
Knowledgevibes.com




Wish there were Sat cards for MCE
By bhieb on 6/18/2007 1:45:32 PM , Rating: 2
I really love the idea of having a central server for all shows and broadcast it throughtout the house. One problem no DirecTV cards! Plus I really wish MS would allow the Xbox 360 to act as an extender for VOB files (damn DRM strikes again). Now I have to build an entire HTPC for each room to access my DVD catalog via MCE, I would much rather put the money to an Xbox.




By WaltFrench on 6/18/2007 4:33:14 PM , Rating: 2
> Personal Media Sharing gives users access to pictures and
> digital music on networked PCs through your television.

The vague linkages and scrambled pronouns hardly help, but I'm left with the feeling that MS has to have something sorta like Banana TV, and they had a PR agency write up some quasi-random buzzwords.

What "users," where? Who chooses what pictures and music goes to whose TV? What hardware translates my, or over-the-internet media into TV signals?

Can you buy this today? Can I see YouTube with it? ... or ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC, CNBC or even MSNBC? Do I have to sign up thru AT&T or some other phone company?

Can I send music to my stereo instead of my 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,"

Oh, is this "Plays-for-Sure 2007?" ... 2010? Soon to be renamed "Zuvee?" I think I'm getting warmer...

"Inquiring Minds Want to Know!"




“And I don't know why [Apple is] acting like it’s superior. I don't even get it. What are they trying to say?” -- Bill Gates on the Mac ads

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