[MSFT at NAB]
Tom --
Here's a report on MSFT at the NAB convention going on in Las vegas right now. Note at the end where it says, "Microsoft is sponsoring the What's New! What's Cool Internet Theater at the Sands Convention Center. . . " including discussions on streaming media.
<<<Digital TV Standards. While providing no specific details in his keynote, Mundie indicated that Microsoft, with computing-industry leaders Compaq Computer Corp. and Intel Corp., will hold an NAB press conference Monday, April 7, at 4 p.m. PDT to discuss the computer industry perspective on efforts to work with the broadcasting industry to accelerate the ability of consumers to receive and display digital broadcasts when they become a reality in 1998. Mundie added that specific details on how this would impact future PC designs
would also be issued at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC), which will be held in San Francisco the same week as NAB.
Mundie highlighted the range of technology that Microsoft is bringing to bear on the emerging world of digital broadcasting:
-- Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and NetShow 2.0, for viewing Web channels and broadcasts
-- Broadcasting services for Memphis and Windows NT 5.0
-- Windows CE, for viewing broadcast content on consumer appliance devices
-- Windows NT and the DirectX(TM) set of APIs, for digital media content creation and serving
-- Digital television standards activities, to help the broadcast industry develop a flexible approach to digital television.
These technologies and initiatives will help in the creation of a new
digital broadcasting infrastructure that is multinetwork (terrestrial,
satellite, wireless, cable and wire), multiuse (digital video, audio and Web/IP data), and multiresolution (scalable image quality evolving with improving viewing devices and increasing bandwidth). "These initiatives offer a wealth of new opportunities for content producers, broadcasters, advertisers and equipment makers across the spectrum
of production, broadcasting and viewing," Mundie said.
Producers.
Digital broadcasting offers content producers ranging from
broadcast video and film producers to multimedia and Web developers the opportunity to "author once, deliver everywhere" with Net-ready, DTV-ready content supporting Web standards.
Broadcasters.
Digital broadcasting offers broadcasters the opportunity to
offer new subscription services, tap new advertising opportunities, and deliver new video, audio and Web channels within the compressed digital media stream.
Equipment makers.
Digital broadcasting will result in a viable pathway
for improvements in consumer electronics and computing devices.
To underscore the converging nature of digital broadcasting, Mundie's
keynote was broadcast live on the Internet using NetShow 2.0, Microsoft's streaming multimedia software. Microsoft is broadcasting six NAB keynote presentations and other conferences with NetShow 2.0.
Microsoft's corporate booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center (No. 6654) will showcase many of the products discussed in Mundie's keynote. In addition, Microsoft is sponsoring the What's New! What's Cool Internet Theater at the Sands Convention Center. ***Among topics to be covered in that theater are: streaming media; audio and video e-mail; data broadcasting; intranet issues; advertising, sales and marketing on the Internet; and electronic publishing.***
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