Microsoft Corp has announced the availability of Mediaroom, the latest update to its 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 TV-based applications that run on the platform. With this latest release, Microsoft is renaming its IPTV platform Microsoft Mediaroom.
The Microsoft Mediaroom platform introduces the following:
· Personal media sharing. This enables consumers to listen to digital music and view digital photographs stored on PCs elsewhere in the home on 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.
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