Chris Lanier's Blog : IPTV

Microsoft Mediaroom Gets More Power and Gives TV a Reverse Gear

chrisl — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:08:00 GMT

Mediaroom-based services can now add Mediaroom Anytime, enabling TV viewers to enjoy previously aired programs or restart currently airing shows without preplanning or prior DVR recording; new immersive applications complement the Mediaroom TV experience with content and services from the Internet.

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 8, 2009 — At 2009 International CES today, Microsoft Corp. unveiled Mediaroom Anytime, a groundbreaking feature set for the Microsoft Mediaroom multimedia and IPTV platform that allows viewers to truly watch TV on their own time. In addition to existing Mediaroom features, such as video on demand, DVR Anywhere and Remote Digital Video Recording, the new Mediaroom Anytime features take time-shifted TV to the next level, enabling viewers to access previously aired shows directly from the Interactive Program Guide or immediately restart currently airing shows without any preplanning or prior DVR recording. In addition, Microsoft announced that the Mediaroom platform has reached nearly 2.5 million subscriber homes worldwide, an increase of more than 1.5 million new connections in the past year alone.

With the new Mediaroom Anytime feature set, service providers now have the ability to offer their customers the following benefits:

Restart Anytime offers the ability for viewers to rewind or restart the currently airing program from any point, regardless of whether the show is being recorded or the TV was switched off or tuned to another channel.
Live Anytime allows viewers to scroll backward in the Interactive Program Guide to watch previously aired programs. These previously aired programs also can be made accessible through the service provider’s video on demand library.
Download Anytime extends Microsoft Mediaroom-powered services to more consumers by enabling viewers to download on-demand movies and programs to their set-top boxes so they can watch them anytime regardless of bandwidth constraints. For example, viewers could watch high-definition programs on low-bandwidth networks.

SingTel plans to trial Mediaroom Anytime features — Restart Anytime and Live Anytime — and aims to offer the service to its mio TV subscribers in 2009. Mediaroom Anytime functionalities can be added to SingTel’s existing Microsoft Mediaroom-powered connected TV service offerings via a simple software upgrade that requires no action by existing subscribers.

“mio TV aims to be at the forefront of new innovations and services that will let our customers control what they watch, when they want,” said Low Ka Hoe, SingTel’s director of IPTV Business. “The ever-evolving Mediaroom platform and the new Anytime features allow us to continue delivering enhanced value and a truly immersive TV viewing experience to our customers.”

Read Full Press Release

‘08 Disappointments: Xbox IPTV

chrisl — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:27:00 GMT

2008 was going to be the year of IPTV, and while AT&T and Verizon (actually QAM) have made great strides in the IPTV marketplace, Microsoft hasn’t done much to push what was promised on their end (Note: Microsoft powers AT&Ts IPTV DVRs). Of course the prime example here is the concept of using your Xbox 360 as an IPTV DVR.

The concept had been thrown around online for some time, but at CES 2008 Microsoft made it official and announced they were working with BT in the UK to bring the functionality to life. That’s about the last time I heard anything on that subject. I’m not sure if the service never launched with BT, but to say the concept has been anything but a failure would be pushing it.

AT&T is still the only [major] US provider using Microsoft’s MediaRoom IPTV software, which means they are just about the only option for this concept coming to life in the US. I don’t see the concept that appealing for IPTV providers (I actually said it would flop in Nov ‘07), but it will be interesting to see if CES 2009 brings anything about Xbox and IPTV back into the spotlight.

Microsoft IPTV Press Releases from IBC2008

chrisl — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:30:00 GMT

Microsoft Mediaroom Unveils Next-Generation Advertising Platform for IPTV Services

New adjunct offering enables targeted and measurable advertisement insertion for Mediaroom service providers from one complete platform.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Sept. 12, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. today unveiled the Microsoft Mediaroom Advertising Platform at the IBC2008 conference. The new adjunct offering lets broadband service providers deploying the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol television (IPTV) software platform offer targeted, measurable and interactive advertising spots all from one comprehensive platform. Service providers will benefit from operational flexibility and simplification with an end-to-end solution that enables integrated, cross-platform advertisement deployments.

Marking the first instance of Microsoft advertisement investments focused on TV services, the Mediaroom Advertising Platform brings together in one cohesive offering the addressability offered by IPTV technology with state-of-the-art tools for campaign and decision management powered by Microsoft Advertising. Now the interactivity, audience addressability and true measurement found in online advertising models can be applied to the world of IP-powered television, opening new revenue opportunities for broadband service providers and more effective campaigns for advertisers. The Mediaroom Advertising Platform will support advertisement insertion into all TV content formats, including traditional linear television, video on demand (VOD), third-party interactive TV applications, as well as service-provider-owned assets including the electronic program guide.

Read Full Press Release

Microsoft Launches New Program to Help IPTV Operators Migrate to Mediaroom From First-Generation Platforms

Microsoft Mediaroom Migration Program provides guidelines and solutions for service providers considering upgrading their IPTV platforms.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Sept. 12, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. has launched a new program to ease the transition for Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service providers using other platforms to migrate to its solution. Called Microsoft Mediaroom Migration Program and unveiled at the IBC2008 conference, the program provides guidelines and solutions for service providers considering upgrading their IPTV platform. The Microsoft Mediaroom Migration Program delivers a structured assessment process and analytical tools for migration, including business and technical workshops to review set-top-box portability, network compatibility and audio-visual head-end interoperability. The program also includes risk-benefit tools to compare lifetime customer value and build the business case for executive management.

Ben Huang, director of product management for Microsoft Mediaroom, said, “As the IPTV market matures, we’re seeing interest from operators on first-generation platforms and homegrown solutions to migrate to Microsoft Mediaroom. These service providers need to add high-definition and advanced digital video recording (DVR) and video-on-demand features that are now fundamental to any competitive TV offering, and they want to remain competitive by being able to easily deploy advanced interactive applications. We are currently engaged in assessing migration opportunities with a number of customers and have been approached by many more. Platform migrations are complex, so this program has been developed to assist with business and technical planning, and reduce the cost and pain of migration.”

Read Full Press Release

Microsoft Gives Liftoff to Next Generation of Interactive TV at IBC2008

Broadcaster application shows what audiences can expect from interactive TV.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Sept. 12, 2008 — Today at IBC2008, Microsoft Corp. unveiled technology that makes it easy for service providers and content owners to develop a new generation of groundbreaking interactive TV services. Microsoft is showcasing interactive applications that point the way to how people could experience TV in the future.

The demonstrations on display at IBC include the first public viewing of an interactive application developed for the Microsoft Mediaroom platform by emuse technologies using content from the BBC. The application shows how the broadcaster’s original journalistic content, including news, sports and weather, could look in the future. Building on the success of Red Button and BBC iPlayer, the application provides interactive access to a huge breadth and depth of the broadcaster’s content and services via an intuitive and easy-to-use interface.

Read Full Press Release

Microsoft Demonstrates an End-to-End Solution Portfolio for the Digital Content Life Cycle at IBC2008

Microsoft announces new customer for Interactive Media manager; details new Silverlight adoption and previews H.264 playback; introduces new Mediaroom IPTV platform developments; and highlights new industry-specific solutions for digital content creation, management, delivery and monetization.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Sept. 12, 2008 — This week at the IBC2008 conference held at the Amsterdam RAI conference center, Microsoft Corp. will showcase the advanced media platform technologies and partner ecosystem that enable organizations to create, manage, deliver and monetize an endless variety of engaging digital entertainment experiences. Microsoft and its partners provide solutions to support the full content life cycle, including content creation and management, media business management and monetization, and digital content delivery.

Microsoft is making several announcements at the show, including new customer adoption for the Microsoft Interactive Media Manager (IMM) solution with Abertis Telecom; adoption of Microsoft Silverlight by European broadcasters and the upcoming inclusion of additional codecs such as H.264 and Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) in the Silverlight plug-in; and developments for the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol television (IPTV) and multimedia software platform including the Microsoft Mediaroom Advertising Platform (MAP), Mediaroom Migration Program and an interactive TV application developed by emuse technologies using British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) content, which will be demonstrated for the first time at the show.

Read Full Press Release

Short Bits: Remind Me, MCEfm, MediaRoom

chrisl — Sat, 17 May 2008 16:48:00 GMT

A few days ago I talked about a new plug-in called Remind Me which pops up reminders in Media Center for user defined events. My main issue with the plug-in was no way to import events from something like Outlook, but as of today you can import from Outlook 2003 and 2007!

Missing Remote has a nice review of MCEfm, a Last.fm plug-in for Media Center. Verdit? It’s approved for everyday use by Mike so you might want to check it out.

Gizmodo has an overview of Microsoft IPTV platform, MediaRoom and how it beats cable and satellite services.

Microsoft at NAB Show 2008

chrisl — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:51:00 GMT

Microsoft Announces New Support for Silverlight by Content Companies Worldwide

Today at the NAB Show 2008, Microsoft Corp. announced significant momentum for Microsoft Silverlight resulting from new customers adopting Silverlight to deliver richer, more interactive media experiences on the Web. Building on recent support from major content providers such as AOL and NBC Olympics.com on MSN, Microsoft announced new adoption of Silverlight by media and content companies worldwide, including Madison Square Garden (MSG) Interactive, Tencent, Abertis Telecom, Terra Networks Operations, SBSi, MNet and Yahoo! JAPAN.

“It’s exciting to see broad industry recognition and rapid adoption of Silverlight across the world,” said Scott Guthrie, corporate vice president of the .NET Developer Division at Microsoft. “Silverlight offers customers and partners the highest quality creation and delivery of media, protected content, advertising and rich Internet applications, and we are committed to making it easy for partners to integrate and extend Silverlight capabilities.”

Read Full Press Release

Microsoft Extends Its Vision for Creating, Managing and Experiencing Content at the NAB Show 2008

This week at the NAB Show 2008, Microsoft Corp. is showcasing its offerings that support the entire content life cycle — from content creation and management to delivering end-user experiences — highlighting the technologies and solutions that media and entertainment companies need to align business and content creation processes.

Microsoft made several announcements at the show, including solution updates to Microsoft Interactive Media Manager (IMM) and Virtual Earth, updates to and new customer deployments of Microsoft Silverlight, a new collaboration between Microsoft Mediaroom and Sigma Designs Inc., new customers implementing Microsoft Dynamics to manage customer relationships as well as their supply chains, and a strategic alliance with Ascent Media Group.

“It’s great to see the debate in the industry shift from whether media companies can create profitable businesses in the digital age to how technology can be used and deployed to manage business processes and fully monetize content across multiple distribution channels,” said Gabriele Di Piazza, managing director for the Media and Entertainment Business in the Communications Sector at Microsoft. “The media industry can expect Microsoft to continually develop and deliver the solutions that tackle the unique challenges unfolding as digital media and the Internet take on greater importance in nearly all facets of life.”

Read Full Press Release

Microsoft, Ascent Form Strategic Alliance to Build New Solutions to Serve Entertainment Industry Transition to Digital Supply Chain

This week at the NAB Show 2008, Microsoft Corp. and Ascent Media Group announced a new strategic alliance that will result in new solutions that will automate and streamline the supply chain for the media and entertainment industry and help them transition the digital age.

As part of the alliance, Microsoft will work with partners to create a new solution that Ascent Media Group will use to manage its business processes as well as offer new services to media and entertainment companies. Composed of new media and entertainment functionality built on the Microsoft Dynamics AX platform, the new solution will integrate and streamline media production processes. Ascent will offer a hosted version of this solution along with integrated managed services to film studios, broadcasters, global media enterprises and advertising agencies, all of which are demanding capabilities that allow the immediate distribution of digital content to outlets around the world.

The new Microsoft Dynamics AX functions are tailored to address typical business processes in media and entertainment organizations including work order management, library management, resource scheduling, element tracking, digital ordering and distribution, among others. Ascent Media Group is uniquely positioned to be the preferred digital supply chain provider for Microsoft solutions for media companies, with its expertise in asset management, metadata tracking, billing and notifications and strong media industry relationships.

Read Full Press Release

Microsoft Helps Media and Entertainment Companies Move Into the Digital Distribution Age

This week at the NAB Show 2008, Microsoft Corp. is showcasing several innovative deployments of Microsoft Dynamics AX and Microsoft Dynamics CRM that help enable media and entertainment companies to streamline and automate manually intensive processes in the digital supply chain. These deployments span the film, broadcast and music industries, all of which share common challenges arising from the explosion of digital media. Microsoft Dynamics is a line of financial, customer relationship and supply chain management solutions that help businesses work more effectively.

“The need for integrated business systems is more critical than ever as the media and entertainment industry transitions from distributing content through single channels to repurposing and delivering content for multiple user experiences,” said Gabriele Di Piazza, managing director for Media and Entertainment in the Communications Sector at Microsoft. “Integrating automated business processes and systems, such as accounting, contracts, licensing and broadcast program management, with content workflows helps media companies react more quickly and intelligently to changing consumer demands, and can enable them to more effectively distribute and monetize content.”

Read Full Press Release

Sigma Designs and Microsoft Collaborate on Advanced IPTV System-on-a-Chip for Microsoft Mediaroom

chrisl — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:53:00 GMT

Powerful Sigma Designs SMP8654 Media Processor improves cost/performance range for Microsoft Mediaroom deployments.

LAS VEGAS — April 14, 2008 — Sigma Designs (Nasdaq “SIGM”), a leader in digital media processing system-on-a-chips (SoCs) for consumer electronics, and Microsoft Corp. today announced a collaboration to enable the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia platform to operate on next-generation set-top boxes using the new Sigma SMP8654 SoC. The solution will provide a high-performance, cost-effective design that will give service providers the ability to offer innovative connected TV services, such as PC-to-TV photo and music sharing and also DVR Anywhere, which gives consumers the flexibility to watch their recorded programs on any TV in their home.

As a second-generation SoC platform for Microsoft Mediaroom, Sigma’s SMP8654 builds on the successful legacy of its predecessor, the SMP8634, while improving overall performance by approximately 50 percent. The new collaboration reflects the strength of Microsoft and Sigma’s continuing technology partnership and expands the range of partner solutions available within the Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem.

“Sigma’s new system-on-a-chip technology gives our customers new ways to reduce costs and improve the performance of their IPTV service deployments,” said Christine Heckart, general manager of marketing for Microsoft TV. “Sigma has been a key partner in the Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem for more than two years. Our latest SoC collaboration with Sigma will give our customers the ability to offer their subscribers new ways to get the best in TV plus all their media, such as photos, music and favorite shows, in one place.”

The SMP8654 includes a 500 Mhz Mips 24k main CPU, which enables crisp user interaction and a wider range of application-based features that enhance the “future-proofing” of this platform. A second Mips processor called the IPU manages interrupt operations and offloads system tasks, such as portions of the network stack, to further optimize main CPU utilization. In addition, the SoC also maintains software compatibility with the Sigma Multimedia Library to uniquely build on the proven performance and reliability of Microsoft Mediaroom.

“We are very pleased with the success we’ve experienced as a key technology partner within the Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem,” said Ken Lowe, vice president of strategic marketing for Sigma Designs. “Microsoft is a key driving force in the development of the IPTV industry, and we are energized to be moving into our second-generation platform together.”

About Sigma’s SMP8654 System-on-a-Chip Solution

Sigma’s SMP8654 media processor integrates a complete complement of next-generation capabilities for a single-chip system-on-chip (SOC) solution with a multi-core architecture, powerful multimedia processing, robust content security system, and a full complement of peripherals. The SMP8654 features a powerful 500-Mhz Mips host CPU, a second processor called the IPU for offloading burdensome real-time tasks, and a third processor dedicated to managing security functions. Its advanced decoder engines support high-definition video decoding of H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10), Windows Media Video 9, VC-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (part 2), the new AVS standard, and can support up to 16 independent streams on screen in different formats. High-performance graphics acceleration, multi-standard audio decoding, advanced display processing capabilities, and HDMI 1.3 output round out its multimedia core. Powerful content security is ensured through a dedicated secure processor, on-chip flash memory, and a range of digital rights management (DRM) engines for high-speed payload decryption. Additional functions including dual 32-bit DDR-2 memory controllers, dual Gigabit Ethernet controller, dual USB 2.0 controller, NAND flash controller, and SATA controller provide for a single-chip solution for most set-top boxes and consumer players.

Microsoft Finally Seeking to Globalize HDTV in Media Center

chrisl — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:51:00 GMT

Microsoft is finally getting set to take HDTV in Media Center outside of the US! Our first hint was a few months ago in a job application where Microsoft stated they were working with European satellite TV providers. This just screamed Sky to me, and with Media Center get H.264 and DVB-S(2) support in the next Media Center release it was just a matter of time until things started to materialize more.

The next step has been taken in the form of another job application, this one laying to rest that Microsoft will indeed be taking HDTV outside of the US. The job application asks if those applying are “passionate about the GLOBAL (emphasis theirs) consumer experience” and that they “thrive on innovation and...are taking our technology to the rest of the World. Be a part of the team that brings advanced HDTV to the PC!”

It’s too bad that a large percent of Media Center users have been so passionate about that global experience and have yet been ignored for six years. That said, I strongly believe that things are finally going to start moving along. Providing the framework for things like H.264 is huge for TV sources outside the US. As DVB-S support will now be in Media Center, the question is will providers outside the US like Sky adopt the platform? I’ve had conversations with some other MVPs like Ian Dixon who paint the clear picture of commercial implications getting of the way of providers like Sky jumping in. There have been some ways to get DVB-S within Media Center for a while now, but I hope we can see official support that provides encrypted access as a part of Microsoft global initiative.

Another consideration here is IPTV, and it could be the starting point for it in Media Center. Deployments of Microsoft’s IPTV platform are much greater outside the US where nearly 20 service providers are currently using it (this compared to only 1 in the US). I’ve always seen it as foolish for Microsoft to develop for IPTV in the US, a market that only includes a couple hundred thousand with AT&T service. Outside of the US however, the picture looks much brighter. Once again, H.264 support plays a huge role here to (as does VC-1).

Digital terrestrial service is another bullet on the list. With Freeview getting ready to go HD I hope that Microsoft is working on DVB-T2 support, which will be used to broadcast the new channels. Once again this content will be delivered in H.264 which Microsoft already has working in Media Center.

Sadly, I have no idea on ship times for this. The framework is set to be there for satellite services and H.264 video, but there are still a lot of questions marks. The job application is very nice and shows that Microsoft is actively looking to pursue support outside the US. Windows 7 might be the key for global HDTV support, and while it can never come fast enough I hope that we can get Microsoft to comment on what they plan on adding before it launches.

This brings up another question, is Windows 7 set to be what Vista was supposed to be in terms of Media Center promises?

CES Wrap-up Part 1

chrisl — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:41:00 GMT

CES just started a few hours ago, but I already feel like it can start being wrapped up. This years show just hasn’t had the pop it needed, and it all started with Microsoft’s lackluster keynote. Unlike pervious years, fancy demos of new products and concepts didn’t take center stage. Instead most of the show centered on Bill leaving. The whole Connected Home/Experience/Digital Decade concept didn’t make a big slash, despite it being the main topic. Media Center had its 15 seconds of fame with half a dozen mentions in the keynote, yet no product demos or anything on stage.

The “big” Media Center news on stage was that Extenders are coming from HP and Samsung. The HP products were announced at DigitalLife in September, so in reality the Samsung announcement was the only new Media Center related bit. The form factor for the Samsung will be an "compact device can be easily mounted to the rear of select Samsung flat-panel HDTVs"~~add-on module that will~~ ~~was not announced but the press release implied it being built-in to~~. Update: I took this as meaning an add-on module that only works with those models and not a standalone unit that just happens to attach to those select displays. I'm trying to find out the answer, but the above is a direct quote from the press release. I think I’d much rather see a Blu-ray/HD DVD player with an Extender at this point (notice how I put Blu-ray first this time).

Mediaroom was the big news which I hated. Don’t get me wrong, IPTV is great and now Mediaroom is on 1 million STBs. However, the only US provider is AT&T U-Verse and it has some growing pains. U-Verse is only in some three-dozen markets in the US and they spend the most amount of time taking about it? Great for those who have it, but then again for Media Center users it is a no go for HD. DVR Anywere lets you share content with other Mediaroom STBs in your home which I expected at some point as other providers are doing it standard now too. The other big news with Xbox 360 IPTV, but currently only from BT in the UK. It is not clear how it will work. In the keynote it was said you would buy an Xbox 360 from BT, yet the press release says it will work for “existing and future Xbox 360 console owners."

There was something about Zune Social that I didn’t care about. Sync is nice and really shows convergence, so why don’t we have native voice control in Media Center? Why is touch the new way to do things yet Media Center has never seen a touchscreen’s pushed by Microsoft?

Sideshow was a noshow. Surface was their in part, still cool but still a novelty for most businesses in my opinion. No news about the DIRECTV tuner, nothing about BOCR or two-way cable. Nothing about SP1 or Fiji. Really a whole lot of nothing.

Microsoft Mediaroom Delivers Connected TV to More Than 1 Million Set-Top Boxes

chrisl — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:38:00 GMT

Microsoft’s service provider customers add two new IPTV subscriber households per minute.

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — Today at 2008 International CES, Microsoft Corp. announced that its Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia platform is delivering video entertainment experiences to more than 1 million set-top boxes worldwide and its service provider customers are adding two new IPTV subscriber households every minute. The Mediaroom platform is on pace to reach 1 million subscriber homes in the first quarter of 2008. These milestones demonstrate the growing consumer demand for IPTV and connected television experiences that go beyond traditional pay-TV offerings. Helping to lead this connected TV revolution, Microsoft Mediaroom is transforming the way viewers experience television, movies, music, photos and games in their own homes.

Deployed or being trialed by more than 20 service providers worldwide on four continents and in 18 countries, Microsoft Mediaroom enables unique features and experiences, such as simultaneous recording of multiple high-definition and standard-definition TV channels, personal media sharing, whole-home and remote digital video recording (DVR), and multiple picture-in-picture scenarios. The platform also integrates with the Xbox 360 gaming device, bringing together next-generation television and gaming offerings into an integrated entertainment experience. In addition, Microsoft Mediaroom allows third parties to create exciting new TV applications and services that enrich the TV viewing experience through the multimedia application environment in the platform.

“We’ve received a tremendous response for BT Vision from our customers,” said Dan Marks, CEO of the BT Vision service from BT, one of the leading service providers that has deployed television services based on Microsoft Mediaroom. “We expect to sign up many new BT Vision subscribers in 2008 and beyond and look forward to bringing them new and connected TV services built on the Microsoft Mediaroom platform.”

“The Microsoft Mediaroom platform is a key component in our vision to allow consumers to experience entertainment content on any device, anytime, anywhere,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Connected Television Division at Microsoft. “It is very rewarding to see this vision materialize with the support of our partners and customers. It is even more gratifying that the opportunity ahead for consumers to experience connected TV is even bigger than we had envisioned.”

Further showcasing Microsoft’s commitment to delivering unique connected TV services to consumers around the world, Microsoft announced several other Microsoft Mediaroom developments at the 2008 International CES:

DVR Anywhere. This gives consumers the flexibility to watch their recorded programs on any TV in their home, further enhancing the platform’s powerful connected TV capabilities. With DVR Anywhere, viewers could begin watching a movie in the living room, resume viewing it on the kitchen TV during dinner, and finish watching the same movie from the comfort of their bedroom. In addition, members of a household will never have to fight over the remote control again, due to the capability to watch the same or different recorded programs from multiple TVs in the home simultaneously while recording other shows to be viewed at their convenience.

Futuristic connected TV applications for Microsoft Mediaroom. Microsoft is partnering with ChoiceStream Inc., emuse technologies, ES3, Showtime Networks Inc. and Turner Broadcasting System Inc. to demonstrate applications that showcase new connected TV applications and scenarios that are enabled by the extensible Microsoft Mediaroom platform. These next-generation scenarios will be on display in the Microsoft booth at the 2008 International CES show.

Ecosystem partnership with Broadcom. Microsoft and Broadcom Corporation announced a collaboration in IPTV products. The collaboration includes Microsoft and Broadcom working together to enable the Microsoft Mediaroom client software to operate on next-generation set-top boxes utilizing the Broadcom BCM7405 system on a chip.

“Demand for connected TV services is increasing exponentially on a global scale,” said Vince Vittore, senior analyst at Yankee Group Research Inc. “Microsoft Mediaroom’s reaching 1 million set-top boxes is an important milestone. Microsoft Mediaroom is giving service providers new ways to differentiate themselves from the competition and further add subscribers with the many next-generation connected TV offerings the platform enables.”

The Microsoft Mediaroom platform will be on display at 2008 International CES at booth No. 7144.

Microsoft Mediaroom Brings Connected TV to Life

chrisl — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:37:00 GMT

Microsoft’s award-winning Mediaroom IPTV platform introduces exciting new features that connect consumers with their favorite shows and people from any TV in the home.

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — Today at 2008 International CES, Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of DVR Anywhere on the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia platform, giving digital video recording (DVR) consumers the flexibility to watch their recorded TV programs on any TV in their home, further enhancing the platform’s powerful connected TV capabilities. In addition, Microsoft also announced it is working with leading programmers, including Showtime Networks Inc. and Turner Broadcasting System Inc.’s TNT and CNN networks, to showcase new connected TV applications and scenarios that are enabled by the extensible Microsoft Mediaroom platform.

With DVR Anywhere, viewers could begin watching a movie in the living room, resume viewing it on the kitchen TV during dinner, and finish watching the same movie from the comfort of their bedroom. In addition, members of a household will never have to fight over the remote control again, due to the capability to watch the same or different recorded programs from multiple TVs in the home simultaneously while recording other shows to be viewed at their convenience.

Microsoft Mediaroom’s DVR Anywhere is software-based, so no TV tuners are needed. It also requires that only one set-top box in the home have a hard drive, thus lowering the expense for service providers and consumers. The DVR Anywhere feature, which will support standard and high-definition TV, is the first whole-home DVR offering currently available to IPTV service providers.

Microsoft is also partnering with Showtime Networks and Turner Broadcasting to demonstrate applications Microsoft jointly built with ES3 that showcase the potential of Microsoft Mediaroom to bring consumers new, personalized connected TV experiences. These next-generation scenarios, not yet available to consumers, will be on display in the Microsoft booth at the 2008 International CES show, and include the following:

NASCAR on TNT. The real-time excitement and features of NASCAR.com will be brought to the TV viewer. While watching NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races broadcast by TNT, fans can enhance their viewing experience by choosing between several different live in-car driver cameras and driver audio, while simultaneously watching the main race.

Showtime Interactive Boxing. This application brings the ringside experience to the viewer’s living room. Using some of the many features available, viewers can choose from between several live audio feeds while watching the boxing match.

CNN election coverage. This demonstration highlights the potential advantages of Microsoft Mediaroom in delivering real-time information such as news and commentary on current events. For instance, viewers may be able to access the richness of CNN.com’s 2008 election coverage while watching CNN’s television broadcast, and possibly even participate in interactive straw votes for candidates.

In addition, Microsoft will show an application called My Pad, designed and built by emuse technologies, that connects viewers to their social networks through the TV via Windows Live services and also enables them to share personal pages that exist online and on the TV. Finally, Microsoft and ChoiceStream Inc. will demonstrate a personalized TV and video-on-demand recommendations application tailored to each viewer’s unique tastes and preferences.

“With DVR Anywhere and the promise of new applications that can further extend Microsoft Mediaroom’s potential in the future, Microsoft is delivering on its promise to make the television experience truly social, personal and connected,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Connected Television Division at Microsoft. “Consumer demand for connected TV is here, and Microsoft Mediaroom continues to offer new ways for viewers to experience TV as part of their connected, digital lifestyle while also enabling the very best digital TV service available anywhere.”

“Consumers are coming to expect connected TV services from their TV provider,” said Pete Dailey, senior research analyst with Stratecast Research. “With Microsoft Mediaroom, consumers are promised new ways to extend their TV experience beyond the living room, making the TV a major hub of the connected entertainment lifestyle. This innovation enables carriers to differentiate video offerings based on very compelling connected functionality rather than simply competing on price.”

More than 20 of the world’s leading service providers across four continents have selected the Microsoft Mediaroom platform for their digital TV offerings. The Microsoft Mediaroom platform will be on display at the International CES 2008 show at booth No. 7144 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

BT and Microsoft Announce Partnership to Deliver Entertainment Experience Through Xbox 360

chrisl — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:34:00 GMT

BT Vision IPTV customers will soon be able to receive best in gaming, TV and movies, all through Xbox 360.

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. and telecommunications leader BT announced they are bringing together the next-generation TV service BT Vision with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 games and entertainment system. All BT broadband customers will have the unique opportunity to receive the best in high-definition gaming, television and movies through an Xbox 360 console, in a powerful, all-in-one entertainment experience. BT Vision, which is powered by the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) platform, plans to make this first-of-its-kind device and service offering available to customers in the middle of 2008. The announcement was made during the keynote address by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Microsoft President Robbie Bach of the Entertainment & Devices Division at 2008 International CES on Jan. 6.

The groundbreaking partnership will enable any BT Broadband customer to use an Xbox 360 console to access the BT Vision service and its extensive library of on-demand content, giving instant access to hundreds of movies and thousands of hours of sporting events, television programming, music videos and other digital content, such as BT Vision Sport’s 242 “near-live” FA Premier League football matches.

BT Vision customers with an Xbox 360 console will gain the option of accessing BT Vision from either the Xbox 360 console or a set-top-box. The service will be available to existing and future Xbox 360 console owners.

BT Vision on Xbox will combine the richness of the Microsoft Mediaroom-enabled TV service with the benefits of next-generation gaming, as well as unique new capabilities that the integrated solution brings. Xbox LIVE, the largest online social network in the living room, will be seamlessly integrated into the experience, providing consumers with a wide range of community-based features, such as voice chat, sending and receiving text and voice messages, and accessing Xbox LIVE Marketplace, all while watching TV. For example, while a TV viewer is enjoying his favorite football game, he can receive a message from a friend inviting him to join a voice chat, or they could play a game of their own with EA SPORTS™ “FIFA Soccer.”

“We are pleased to partner with Microsoft to deliver a truly compelling connected entertainment experience to our customers,” said Dan Marks, CEO of BT Vision. “For the first time consumers in the U.K. will be able to experience the advantages of an advanced TV service together with the benefits of next-generation gaming. Our aim is to provide BT Vision on multiple platforms — giving customers greater convenience, control and flexibility over what they watch, when they watch and how they watch TV. It also means that we are able to potentially expand our BT Vision customer base by tapping into the popularity of Xbox 360.”

“This is an exciting moment in home entertainment,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Connected Television Division at Microsoft. “Last year at CES, we announced Xbox 360 on Microsoft Mediaroom as a powerful platform capable of enabling new entertainment experiences for consumers, and we are pleased to team with BT to bring this service to market. Together we are enabling BT Vision customers to be the first in the world to enjoy this next-generation TV and gaming entertainment experience.”

CES Keynote Roundup

chrisl — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 03:27:00 GMT

Media Center was basically a no show, not too much of a shock for me. The only real Media Center is that Samsung will be supporting Extender’s in the future.
Other than that, Microsoft re-announced that HP will be shipping their MediaSmart HDTVs with Extender’s built-in.
Microsoft’s IPTV software (Mediaroom) is now on over 1 million STBs. Again, AT&T U-Verse is the only option in the US.
The Xbox 360 IPTV got more information. BT in the UK will be the first allowing ~~you to buy an Xbox 360 from them to use as both a gaming console and IPTV STB~~ use an Xbox 360 as an STB. Said use includes "The service will be available to existing and future Xbox 360 console owners," but it is not clear for what cost/fee it will be enabled.
Mediaroom will also be getting some interactive TV bits from TNT and CNN.
Mediaroom (IPTV) still doesn’t work with Media Center on the PC
Mediaroom will now let you share content to other Mediaroom STBs
Over 100 million Windows Vista licenses sold to date.
Zune will be available in Canada in spring 2008.
Xbox 360 has now sold 17.7 million units
Disney/ABC and MGM are bring content to Xbox Live. Still not in Media Center.

Bill Gates Looks Ahead at “Next Digital Decade”

chrisl — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 03:12:00 GMT

Microsoft announces new entertainment partnerships with Disney-ABC Television Group, MGM and NBC Universal.

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — At the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and Microsoft President of the Entertainment & Devices Division Robbie Bach today unveiled several new entertainment services and partnerships, including new deals with Disney-ABC Television Group, NBC Universal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), that demonstrate how software is improving people’s ability to connect with their favorite content and communities through new and expanded forms of entertainment experiences.

In his 11th CES opening keynote address, Gates looked at the sweeping changes since 2001 that have created the first true Digital Decade, including the continued expansion of the popularity of Windows-based PCs, the growing prevalence of broadband networks, the spread of mobile phones and the advent of portable digital media devices.

“Since I first started talking about the Digital Decade in 2001, the speed with which digital technology has become central to the way we work, learn and play has been amazing,” Gates said. “But in many ways, we are at the very beginning of the transformation that software will enable. During the next Digital Decade, technology will make our lives richer, more connected, more productive and more fulfilling in profound and exciting ways.”

Gates went on to outline his vision for the next Digital Decade — an era in which dramatic advances in hardware and software will make the power of computing a ubiquitous part of day-to-day life. Gates referenced how natural user interfaces will more closely reflect the way people interact with each other. High-definition experiences will be nearly everywhere. Services-connected devices running on the Web and huge amounts of storage accessible via the Internet will mean that information and capabilities people want will be available instantly and seamlessly, no matter where they are.

Read Full Press Release

Short Bits: ESPN on Xbox Live, Reliance goes Mediaroom

chrisl — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:12:00 GMT

ESPN and Microsoft Corp. today announced an agreement that will add high- and standard-definition full-length games, television shows and video game programming to Xbox LIVE, the online games and entertainment network on Xbox 360.

Read Full Press Release

Reliance Communications Ltd. and Microsoft Corp. today announced a strategic partnership to deliver a highly connected, personalized TV experience to consumers in India through Reliance’s Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, which will be powered by the award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV software platform.

Read Full Press Release

Extender Combos with HD DVD/Blu-ray & IPTV Functionality?

chrisl — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 18:56:00 GMT

v2 Extenders have yet to ship but it looks like Sigma Designs and Microsoft are working to get additional features out in the form of Extenders integrated into HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc Players, as well as IPTV set-top boxes (STB).

By now everyone should know that it is very likely the first v2 Extenders will use the Sigma Designs EM8622L reference design, which is supposed to allow rapid development and shipping of Media Center Extenders by cutting down the work the OEM has to do in order to get the finished product ready.

The next step up might be coming with the Sigma Designs SMP8630 processor. The SMP8630 supports the same basic formats and outputs as the EM8622L (MPEG-2, MPEG-4 ASP/AVC, HDCP-HDMI, etc), but also features some additions geared toward HD DVD/Blu-ray playback and IPTV STB’s such as AACS support and the ability to use Windows CE for Microsoft’s IPTV platform (MediaRoom).

This means that your future HD DVD/Blu-ray Disc Player might just have Media Center Extender functionality built right in. In addition, future Microsoft IPTV STBs could do the same which might be more of a benefit to those outside the US where more telcos currently have IPTV services deployed using Microsoft’s TV platform (some current boxes could get software upgrades to add the Extender feature too, just depends on the OEM). Hopefully we will see some combo units out sometime next year, whether they are Sigma based or not.

With the format war between HD DVD and Blu-ray, much of the thought as to who will win is based on the price on the units. While $300 is too much in my opinion for a standalone Extender, the value goes through the roof if I can get an HD DVD player that doubles as an Extender for the same. Plus, in another four months or so the going price for HD DVD players should be around $150-$180 (currently HD DVD is from $220-$300 for the cheapest standalone) which is my prime price for a standalone Extender to start with. Adding HD DVD playback for the same price would open my wallet, how about you?

Microsoft Mediaroom Wins Stratecast Award for Superior Software Business Strategy

chrisl — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 13:11:00 GMT

Award recognizes Microsoft Mediaroom for its value to the digital TV ecosystem.

REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 9, 2007 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that its Microsoft^® Mediaroom™ Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and multimedia platform has won Stratecast’s 2007 Award for Superior Software Business Strategy. The award demonstrates Microsoft’s leadership in IPTV technology and is proof of the company’s success in delivering a best-in-class digital TV platform that enables a superior user experience.

Stratecast has given Microsoft the prestigious honor because it believes Microsoft’s strategy of developing a comprehensive IPTV architecture will continue to generate superior TV experiences for consumers and maximize value for Microsoft’s service provider customers as well as its technology and content partners.

“The conclusion that carriers prefer a comprehensive, end-to-end solution is reinforced by the number and scale of tier-1 telco deployments with Microsoft Mediaroom around the world, including those with BT, Deutsche Telekom and Swisscom, and of course AT&T, which now has more than 100,000 subscribers on Microsoft’s IPTV platform,” said Pete Dailey, senior research analyst of Stratecast. “Microsoft has put more resources into understanding and improving the consumer experience than any of its competitors, and the results are evident: Microsoft Mediaroom enables a superb consumer experience, with an elegant and easy-to-use interface and plenty of advanced features.”

“We are honored to be recognized by Stratecast for our commitment to delivering a comprehensive, end-to-end IPTV software platform,” said Christine Heckart, general manager of worldwide marketing for Microsoft TV. “Our goal with Microsoft Mediaroom is to create the very best connected TV experience for consumers worldwide. As Microsoft Mediaroom and IPTV continue to gain momentum, the television will increasingly become a centerpiece in the connected digital lifestyle, enabling consumers to connect, share, control and personalize their entertainment like never before.”

In addition to full digital video recording, video on demand and high-definition TV capabilities, the Microsoft Mediaroom platform enables several next-generation TV features, including personal media sharing, instant channel zapping and multichannel viewing features. More than 19 of the world’s leading service providers have selected the Microsoft Mediaroom platform to deliver their digital TV services, and commercial deployments are currently under way with 11 providers.

About Microsoft TV

Microsoft TV enables the future of television by helping broadband network operators deliver advanced digital TV services and new connected entertainment experiences to audiences worldwide. Microsoft TV solutions offer a rich, personalized consumer experience while creating new business opportunities for broadband service providers, hardware manufacturers, content creators, advertisers and application developers. Microsoft Mediaroom is the latest update to Microsoft’s award-winning multimedia and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) software platform. With Microsoft Mediaroom, service providers can deliver a superior experience, with advanced digital TV features and multimedia capabilities. More information about Microsoft Mediaroom and the opportunity to deliver the best in TV plus all your media in one place is available at http://www.microsoft.com/TV and http://www.microsoftmediaroom.com.

Microsoft at IBC2007 | VC-1 Encoder, New Partners, Mediaroom

chrisl — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 04:05:00 GMT

First Microsoft VC-1 Encoder Tools Now Available From Leading Solution Providers

Today at IBC2007, Microsoft Corp. announced broad industry support for the Microsoft^® VC-1 Encoder software development kit (SDK), a commercial offering first announced at the 2007 National Association of Broadcasters conference in April. Leading companies in digital delivery services and compression tools have taken advantage of the substantial quality and performance improvements delivered through the new SDK and are building next-generation offerings that efficiently produce pristine video imagery for a variety of distribution and consumption scenarios. Additionally recognizing the benefits of faster encoding and the value of delivering best-of-breed video quality to their customers, leading content providers have adopted the new VC-1 Encoder technology through the use of new products and tools.

Read Full Press Release

Microsoft Announces New Partners, Customers and Programs at IBC2007 to Further Its Digital Media Strategy

This week at IBC2007, Microsoft Corp. is announcing new customers, partners and programs that further underscore the value Microsoft provides to organizations in the media and entertainment industry. Through its broad range of solutions, Microsoft enables media and entertainment companies to create and manage nearly endless varieties of media and deliver stunning entertainment experiences to their customers.

Microsoft is highlighting updates, including new customers and partners, for two solutions launched in April at NAB2007: Microsoft^® Silverlight™ and Microsoft Interactive Media Manager (IMM). In addition, Microsoft is detailing new customer and partner adoption of the Microsoft VC-1 Encoder software developer kit (SDK) and is announcing the Microsoft Mediaroom™ Interoperability and Qualification Lab (IQ Lab) for digital video encoders. Microsoft is also outlining collaborative efforts with KT Corp. and SBSi, a subsidiary of SBS Media Group, to create a digital content and syndication hub for suppliers and distributors of content.

Read Full Press Release

Microsoft TV to Accelerate Microsoft Mediaroom Deployments With New Interoperability and Qualification Lab

Today at IBC2007 Microsoft Corp. announced the Microsoft^® Mediaroom™ Interoperability and Qualification Lab (IQ Lab) for digital video encoders. This program will help enable the ongoing interoperability and compliance of encoders used in deployments of the award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom multimedia and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) software platform. IQ Lab-compliant encoding vendors will become recommended Microsoft Mediaroom ecosystem partners. As the Microsoft Mediaroom software platform continues to gain momentum around the world, encoding partners will be able to capitalize on this growth by enabling their solutions to seamlessly integrate with the platform to deliver fast and smooth service provider deployments.

Read Full Press Release

Short Bits: Pika, Podcasts, CableCARD, Components Database, More

chrisl — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:15:00 GMT

Eric Anderson has a v2 Extender (Pika) prototype that supports native DivX decode. Good thing that know that someone is currently taking advantage of some of those formats I said that Pika could support. Extenders seem to be officially coming along. Last thing we really need to know, price points!

Microsoft just bought a stake in a Sichuan Changhong Electric Co, a Chinese TV manufacturer. Sounds to me like this might be used for that Extender TV I’ve also been talking about for a while.

Be sure to add your system to the Media Center Components Database. It growing nicely, and should provide help to all those wanting to build a working Media Center PC.

Sling Media released SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Mobile 6. Sling Media also announced Two New SlingLink Powerline Ethernet Adapters.

Be sure to check out my Vista Media Center CableCARD FAQ if you are in the market for a CableCARD PC.

Ian might have gone out on his own, but Michael Wolf of ABI Research is picking back up the show for The Podcast Network. In his first show he interviews eHome VP Joe Belfiore.

Back to Ian’s side of things, he has HiPe PC- In Car PC Systems and everyone’s favorite question answering machine, Jessica Zahn of Microsoft. Wow, that’s a lot of podcasts to catch up on!

Microsoft has renamed their IPTV Platform, now dubbed MediaRoom. I don’t think will have an impact for a few years still. Bandwidth, bandwidth, bandwidth.

Looking for some more reading? Let’s see, I’d suggest….

Aaron Stebner, Addicted to Digital Media (Sean Alexander), CE Pro Weblog, David Fleischman, Peter Near, Matt Goyer, Mavromatic, Ed Bott’s Media Central, Furrygoat (Steve Makofsky), Ian Dixon, Marc Policani, The F-Stop Blues (Tim Coyle), RetroSight (Charlie Owen), Peter Rosser, Thomas Hawk's Digital Connection, Media Center Sandbox, Jason Tsang's Blog, Media Center Pro (Magazine), The Media Center Expert, mceworld, Amplioaudio (Gregg Plummer), BlogCaster (Caster Communications), The HD DVD Insiders (Ben Waggoner), Big Screen Blog (Niall Ginsbourg), FloppyHead, brains-N-brawn (Casey Chesnut), Babgvant's Tools & Blog, Mike's Digital Home, Dennis Morgan MCX, Peoples Republic Of, Zatz Not Funny, The MCE Developer Blog

Broke something? Got a Media Center question? Check out The Green Button.

And of course, thanks to everyone who has kept me up on the latest news via e-mail!

Is This Microsoft's Future Media Platform/Service?

chrisl — Thu, 24 May 2007 01:35:00 GMT

Dave Zatz wants to know what this odd trademark application is about filed by Microsoft in Australia, and frankly so do I. Long Zheng first pointed it, and I have to say that nothing here really makes sense without stretching the imagination pretty far.

First of all, Microsoft is trying to trademark an image, the “arrowheads diverging from disc” as they put it. This is followed by the most obscure classification of what it might relate to. Among them, “Computer software for delivery of broadcast-quality video and television programming over broadband, cable, satellite and wireless networks; computer software for providing video-on-demand services; downloadable films and TV programs provided via video-on-demand” and much more. It basically includes a summery of everything involved in delivery of content and then playback and personal distribution of that content.

Here’s the full list of the various “Good and Services” that it would/could provide.

Computer software for delivery of broadcast-quality video and television programming over broadband, cable, satellite and wireless networks
Computer software for providing video-on-demand services
Downloadable films and TV programs provided via video-on-demand
Computer software for transmitting personal photos, video and music over broadband, cable, satellite and wireless networks
Computer software for digital video recording
Computer software for providing a programming guide to display available video and television broadcasts and downloads
Broadcasting services, providing video and television programming over broadband, cable, satellite and wireless networks
Video-on-demand services via broadband networks
Entertainment services
Providing information concerning television and video programming
Providing online user guides featuring information on television and video programs available over broadband, cable, satellite and wireless networks and available via video-on-demand services
Provision of non-downloadable films and TV programs via a video-on-demand service
Distribution of television shows, movies and videos for others

First of all, I’m not a big trademark know-it-all, but why did Microsoft apply for this in Australia?

Many have suggested this might be Microsoft’s counter to Joost, or some type of addition to their IPTV platform. I really have no idea, so here are some random ramblings about it. It seems to early to go after Joost, so I'm ruling out a direct product to compete with Joost.

Whatever all of this is will likely revolve around VC-1 to deliver this “broadcast-quality video.” Using VC-1 opens up this service or product up to various Microsoft devices including Vista PCs, Zune and Xbox 360. I feel like whatever it is will have the word “Anywhere” in the name. “Windows Live _______ Anywhere” seems like it would work nicely (maybe even a part of the Xbox LIVE Anywhere?)

So, my best guess for what this could be is some sort of whole home and/or whole life entertainment solution. It’s everything, anywhere, anytime. It’s a Slingbox-Media Center-Live Marketplace-“Social” experience. It works on your Vista PC, Zune, Xbox 360, Windows Mobile phone, etc.

It would be truly “Connected Entertainment.” Now, what are the chances of the above? I have no idea. It seems like Microsoft would need to partner with a few people to make this work, mainly for a way to provide all that content “over broadband, cable, satellite and wireless networks.”

To me that doesn’t seem like a simple addition to their IPTV platform, it sounds like a whole different concept based on being able to provide your media anywhere you are and at the same time opening the door for content providers to get their media out the door in new ways. Maybe it mixes in Windows Home Server to be the center of distribution from inside the home. Maybe it also would give Media Center users that SoftSled by any other name that we have been looking for. Maybe this is the key to connecting all of Microsoft’s half-baked products into a single unified product offering.

Only time will tell. What does it sound like to you?

Consumer Electronics Show Roundup (Part 1)

chrisl — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:23:00 GMT

So much stuff so far at CES that the main page of my blog has already rolled over. Here is a quick rundown of what has happened so far

CES Keynote/Microsoft

Windows Home Server

CableCARD

AMD/ATI

AMD Ignites Consumer Passions With New AMD LIVE! Notebook PC, Home Cinema and Media Server

HP MediaSmart HDTV with Media Center Extender Built-In

Embedded Automation

Embedded Automation’s New mCentral Simplifies Digital Home Integration

Sony

Sony Delivers Living Room PC With Blu-Ray Disc Technology (and CableCARD)