Microsoft, ignoring its European Union problems, announced at NAB some new adopters of its proprietary compression technology. They include Rainbow DBS, the satellite services division of Cablevision Systems; Akimbo Systems; Shanghai Broadcasting Lab; and U.S. Digital Television (USDTV).
Rainbow DBS's high-definition satellite service, VOOM, will use Windows Media 9 Series as one of the compression technologies to expand its available satellite capacity for HD offerings from more than 30 to more than 60 channels.
Akimbo Systems will launch an Internet video-on-demand service for television in June using Windows Media 9 and U.S. Digital Television, a digital terrestrial over-the-air television service provider, will deliver 12 standard-definition channels using the technology. Shanghai Broadcasting Lab and New Auto Group, China (NAT), said it plans to develop newsgathering based on the Windows Media 9 Series.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s competitor, Apple Computer, demonstrated at NAB an advanced HD video codec, dubbed H.264 or MPEG-4 Part 10 by the MPEG LA governing body. The codec, an open standard, was pitted against Microsoft’s proprietary Windows Media 9.
