Microsoft TV
Encyclopedia
Microsoft TV is a division within Microsoft Corporation
that develops Smart TV
software platforms for use in set top boxes to access programming over a Cable TV network. It provides integrated audio, video and data services over a single network.
receiver, with integrated DVR
and Internet access
capabilities. It was Microsoft's
second product to integrate a built in satellite tuner with a digital video recorder
and Internet access in a set-top box. It was released on October 26, 2000. The software to decode and view digital video programming was derived from WebTV
. UltimateTV had support for picture-in-picture
and could record up to 35 hours of video content. The internet capabilities were provided by Microsoft TV Platform software, which was used for the TV guide. The TV guide could display programming schedule for 14 days, and recording could be scheduled for any of the shows. It could also be used to access E-mail
. However, Microsoft lost distribution when DIRECTV accepted an acquisition bid by Echostar, who had their own DVR. By 2003, it was taken off the market, even though it is still supported by DirecTV.
(DVR) and HDTV programming with live Television programming. It includes an interactive programming guide (IPG) that could be used to access any supported service from a centralized directory. The IPG could be used to search and filter the listings as well.
Microsoft TV Foundation Edition platform also included an authoring environment that could be used to create content consumable from the set top box.
platform for accessing both on-demand as well as live television content over a 2-way IP
network, coupled with DVR functionality. It is to be used with cable networks that have an IPTV infrastructure.
on June 18, 2007.
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
that develops Smart TV
Smart TV
Smart TV, which is also sometimes referred to as "Connected TV" or "Hybrid TV", , is the phrase used to describe the current trend of integration of the internet and Web 2.0 features into modern television sets and set-top boxes, as well as the technological convergence between computers and these...
software platforms for use in set top boxes to access programming over a Cable TV network. It provides integrated audio, video and data services over a single network.
UltimateTV
UltimateTV was a DirecTVDirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
receiver, with integrated DVR
Digital video recorder
A digital video recorder , sometimes referred to by the merchandising term personal video recorder , is a consumer electronics device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card or other local or networked mass storage device...
and Internet access
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
capabilities. It was Microsoft's
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
second product to integrate a built in satellite tuner with a digital video recorder
Digital video recorder
A digital video recorder , sometimes referred to by the merchandising term personal video recorder , is a consumer electronics device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card or other local or networked mass storage device...
and Internet access in a set-top box. It was released on October 26, 2000. The software to decode and view digital video programming was derived from WebTV
MSN TV
MSN TV is the name of both a thin client which uses a television for display , and the online service that supports it....
. UltimateTV had support for picture-in-picture
Picture-in-picture
Picture in Picture is a feature of some television receivers and similar devices. One program is displayed on the full TV screen at the same time as one or more other programs are displayed in inset windows. Sound is usually from the main program only.Picture in Picture requires two independent...
and could record up to 35 hours of video content. The internet capabilities were provided by Microsoft TV Platform software, which was used for the TV guide. The TV guide could display programming schedule for 14 days, and recording could be scheduled for any of the shows. It could also be used to access E-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
. However, Microsoft lost distribution when DIRECTV accepted an acquisition bid by Echostar, who had their own DVR. By 2003, it was taken off the market, even though it is still supported by DirecTV.
Foundation Edition
The Microsoft TV Foundation Edition platform integrates Video-on-demand (VOD), Digital Video RecordingDigital video recorder
A digital video recorder , sometimes referred to by the merchandising term personal video recorder , is a consumer electronics device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card or other local or networked mass storage device...
(DVR) and HDTV programming with live Television programming. It includes an interactive programming guide (IPG) that could be used to access any supported service from a centralized directory. The IPG could be used to search and filter the listings as well.
Microsoft TV Foundation Edition platform also included an authoring environment that could be used to create content consumable from the set top box.
IPTV Edition
Microsoft TV IPTV Edition is an IPTVIPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
platform for accessing both on-demand as well as live television content over a 2-way IP
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
network, coupled with DVR functionality. It is to be used with cable networks that have an IPTV infrastructure.
Mediaroom
Microsoft published Microsoft MediaroomMicrosoft Mediaroom
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...
on June 18, 2007.
See also
- Microsoft MediaroomMicrosoft MediaroomMicrosoft 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...
- Interactive televisionInteractive televisionInteractive television describes a number of techniques that allow viewers to interact with television content as they view it.- Definitions :...
- Smart TVSmart TVSmart TV, which is also sometimes referred to as "Connected TV" or "Hybrid TV", , is the phrase used to describe the current trend of integration of the internet and Web 2.0 features into modern television sets and set-top boxes, as well as the technological convergence between computers and these...
- 10-foot user interface10-foot user interfaceIn computing a 10-foot user interface is a software GUI designed for display on a large television with interaction using a regular television-style remote control."10 foot" refers to the fact that the GUI's...