Microsoft today announced the availability of Microsoft Mediaroom, an update to its Internet Protocol television (IPTV) software platform.

With this release, Microsoft is rebranding its IPTV platform as Microsoft Mediaroom to “reflect the broader set of new connected entertainment experiences made possible today”. Microsoft hopes that service providers will use the Mediaroom brand and identify to market their services.

Building upon existing Microsoft IPTV features, such as enhanced digital video recording, video on demand, high-definition television and instant channel zapping, the Microsoft Mediaroom platform introduces the following:

• Personal media sharing. This enables consumers to easily listen to digital music and view digital photographs stored on PCs elsewhere in the home on the best screen in the house: 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 general availability of DTT capabilities on the platform, allowing service providers in regions with DTT programming to offer fully integrated, seamless IPTV services.

While Apple positioned its Internet TV solution, Apple TV, as an extension of its existing iTunes Internet media platform, Microsoft Mediaroom offers a platform for television service providers to provide Internet TV offerings.

Microsoft also introduced the Microsoft Mediaroom Application Development toolkit, which provides service providers and third-party developers with tools to create compelling, revenue-generating TV-based applications that run on the platform.

“Microsoft is committed to providing our IPTV customers with the very best software platform so they can take full advantage of their intelligent, two-way IP networks, and begin deploying richer and more personalized TV and connected entertainment experiences,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV business at Microsoft. “With personal media sharing and new application development capabilities, Microsoft Mediaroom brings the consumer television experience to a new level, enabling the best in TV, plus access to all your media in one place.”

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