|
|
Interactive Video-On-Demand (VOD)
|
Highest quality video
Lowest bandwidth requirements
Flexible delivery
Encrypted, secure video
Turnkey solutions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
True interactive video-on-demand (VOD) has long been thought of as the ultimate consumer video application. Currently deployed technologies, such as near video-on-demand (nVOD), have left consumers with few content choices and without the interactivity necessary to drive mainstream home viewing, making them niche solutions at best. The delivery infrastructure has not allowed previous solutions to scale to a point to be of benefit to content distributors. Until now, the high infrastructure costs and perpetual lack of bandwidth have made true VOD seem something of a pipe dream.
Now, with Microsofts Windows Media® Technologies IP-based delivery systems, video-on-demand is a reality. IP-based delivery allows delivery over the Internet, private networks, or even existing transport streams using IP encapsulation. Using Windows Media, it is now possible to deliver high quality, fully interactive, scalable, reliable, protected, cost-effective delivery solutions.
Windows Media Makes it Possible
- Highest Quality at Any Bandwidth
Windows Media offers the highest quality compression at any bandwidth. More efficient than other compression schemes, it allows content providers to reduce bandwidth and its associated costs, while maintaining superior video and audio quality. Windows Media has the ability to offer full screen video at very low data rates. It is more than twice as efficient as MPEG2, allowing more streams through any pipe, all the while offering proven, second-generation digital rights management and encryption of the content itself.
- Flexible Delivery
Windows Media allows for transport over any IP delivery system. Over the Internet, the advanced architecture of the upcoming Windows Server 2003 provides for nearly instantaneous content playback, while virtually eliminating all perceived buffering delays. Private networks, streaming from cable and DSL head-ends permit an even higher quality of service, while allowing for higher bandwidths. Windows Media streams can even be embedded within existing broadcast transport such as DVB, digital cable, or even analog broadcast signals. All of this is built on Windows Media Services, already proven to be able to deliver thousands of streams from a single computer.
- Playback Versatility
A completely versatile system, Windows Media video and audio streams can be played back on a wide variety of devices. Most computers, both Windows and Macintosh-based, already have the ability to play back Windows Media content. There are also a number of PC-based set top boxes already on the market, offering consumers the ability to play back Windows Media content on any television. By using components from the Windows Media SDK, it is even possible to create a non-PC based Windows Media compatible set top box.
- Secure Content
Through Microsoft Windows Media Digital Rights Management, video-on-demand solutions integrate advanced security features which allow content distributors to control access to their content. Windows Media Digital Rights Management is the end-to-end digital rights management (DRM) system that offers content owners and distributors a flexible platform for the secure distribution of digital media. It contains a wide variety of definable business rules, which allow content owners and distributors to configure their own rules and criteria for delivering secure media, while providing an easy to use, high quality experience for authorized viewers.
- A Turnkey End-to-End Solution
Back end services for billing and content management can easily be built on top of Windows Media servers. Microsoft delivers all of the components necessary to build this entire solution, including Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft SQL Server, and Microsoft Commerce Server. There are even a number of systems available for deployment as complete packages from such companies as CinemaNow, and MeTV.
 Back to the top
|
|
