Sunday, January 6, 2008

Microsoft Enhances Mediaroom IPTV with "DVR Anywhere"

Microsoft has added a "DVR Anywhere" capability to its Mediaroom IPTV and multimedia platform, giving digital video recording (DVR) consumers the flexibility to watch their recorded TV programs on any TV in their home. 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.


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.


At CES, Microsoft is also showing 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.


In addition, Microsoft and ChoiceStream Inc. will demonstrate a personalized TV and video-on-demand recommendations application tailored to each viewer's unique tastes and preferences.


Microsoft also noted that more than 20 leading service providers across four continents have selected the Microsoft Mediaroom platform for their digital TV offerings.http://www.microsoftmediaroom.com/