Microsoft Mediaroom

Microsoft Mediaroom

Program Guide in Mediaroom
Developer(s)	Microsoft
Platform	Set-top box, Xbox 360
Website	Mediaroom Homepage

Microsoft Mediaroom is the latest update of the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition platform software, which is the Smart TV platform from Microsoft that is intended for interactive television use to access on-demand, live television programming, and applications via a 10-foot user interface. Originally launched as the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition platform, the Microsoft Mediaroom name was announced on June 18, 2007 at the NXTcomm conference.^[1] As of January 2011, more than 6 million households via 35 operator partners worldwide subscribe to Microsoft Mediaroom enabled TV services, making it the most widely deployed commercial IPTV middleware platform.^{[citation needed]} Mediaroom-powered TV services are available on a range of screens including the TV via set-top box, Xbox 360, Windows PCs, Web browsers via Microsoft Silverlight and Windows Phone 7 smartphones.^{[citation needed]}

Overview

Microsoft Mediaroom includes all the features of Microsoft TV IPTV Edition, including support for on-demand and live video, video recording and time shifting, and interactive program guide with integrated search and scheduled recording, as well as to restart a show from the start even when it was tuned in to after it had started.^{[citation needed]} It includes the ability to record two HD streams while watching two SD streams simultaneously.^{[citation needed]} In addition, it adds several other features including media sharing and Multiview. Personal Media Sharing allows media content to be streamed from an Windows Media Connect enabled system to the Mediaroom set top box.^{[citation needed]} Multiview is an implementation of picture-in-picture that allows multiple channels or multiple camera angles of the same program to be seen on the screen simultaneously.^{[citation needed]} Microsoft aims to supplement Digital Terrestrial Television with this platform.^[2] Mediaroom powers TV services to the TV via set-top box, Xbox 360, Windows-based PC, Web browser and compatible mobile handsets.^[3][4]

Microsoft Mediaroom also includes Microsoft Mediaroom Application Development toolkit which can be used to author applications that run on the Microsoft Mediaroom platform. The Mediaroom Personal Server can be used by developers to simulate the Mediaroom environment for testing purposes.^[5] It is currently available only to Mediaroom content-providers.

TV Providers Using Microsoft Mediaroom

Devices Powered By Mediaroom

• Pace Set Top Box. Pace’s Mediaroom-specific credentials include a long relationship with BT; in January 2007, Pace developed the first set-top box for the BT Vision service and in 2009 Pace launched the Vision+, a high-end, hybrid personal video recorder, combining broadcast and broadband digital TV services.^[7]
• Broadcom SoC for STBs. Broadcom BCM7405 set-top box (STB) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution has completed Microsoft Mediaroom client integration. As a result, the high performance BCM7405 single-chip solution can now be used in service providers' second generation set-top boxes to deliver innovative television services based on the Mediaroom IPTV and multimedia software platform.^[8]
• Sigma SoC for STBs. Sigma’s SMP8654 media processor SoC (system-on-chip) fully integrate Mediaroom client software and are anticipated to begin deployment with leading carriers in the second half of 2010.^[9]
• Xbox 360^{[citation needed]}
• Web browsers running on Windows PCs and Macs^{[citation needed]}
• Windows Phone smartphones and compatible smartphones^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Microsoft TV
• Windows Media Center
• Interactive television
• Smart TV
• 10-foot user interface
• Set-top box
• IPTV

References

External links

• Microsoft Mediaroom
• Microsoft Mediaroom on Microsoft Wave
• Where can you get Microsoft Mediaroom powered TV services