IP TV from Microsoft .. and others?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Bob Frankston <rmfxixB0406 () bobf frankston com>
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 22:35:04 -0500
To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Cc: "Steven M. Cherry" <s.cherry () ieee org>
Subject: IP TV from Microsoft .. and others?

I was just going to forward the pointer but I had to dig a little deeper to
give some context and understanding.
 
I saw the mention on
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/28/2321259&from=rss
<http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/28/2321259&amp;from=rss> which
pointed to 
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=562&ncid=738&e=1&u=/ap/20050
128/ap_on_hi_te/verizon_microsoft_tv
<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&amp;cid=562&amp;ncid=738&amp;e=
1&amp;u=/ap/20050128/ap_on_hi_te/verizon_microsoft_tv>
 
Of course Microsoft has been working on this for years and years. What¹s
different is the upcoming 15mbps (and 30mbps) that Verizon and others are
finally rolling out (http://danbricklin.com/log/2005_01_28.htm#morefiber)
Are there such services already available in Japan and Korea?
 
Microsoft¹s own overview
http://www.microsoft.com/tv/content/Solutions/IPTV/mstv_IPTV_Overview.mspx:
³The Microsoft TV IPTV Edition platform enables end-to-end delivery of
digital TV services to complement voice and data, using today¹s broadband
network technology. Operators can acquire broadcast and on-demand
programming from multiple sources, encode and protect content with
industry-leading Windows Media 9 Series, create and manage program packages
and VOD service offerings, and deliver those services via broadband networks
to low-cost set-tops running the Microsoft TV feature-rich multimedia
program guide.²
 
You can also follow the link on the page for the diagram of the service.

 
By BRUCE MEYERSON, AP Business Writer
NEW YORK - Verizon Communications Inc. plans to use Microsoft Corp.
technology for its rollout of television service over a new fiber-optic
network, becoming the third major telephone company to help fulfill
Microsoft's long-stymied bid to barge into the TV business.
The software maker's platform initially will be used to provide an
interactive program guide, high-definition television, digital video
recording and video-on-demand for Verizon's FiOS TV service, which is due to
launch in undisclosed markets around mid-year.

 
This could be very exciting ­ IP-based delivery bypasses all the meddling in
the middle. So why, then, is it associated with particular carriers? Why
can¹t I simply subscribe if I have a reasonable connection? Of course there
are all the concerns about the Micropoly.
 
The positive is that it proves the concept of IP delivery.
 
The negative is that the business model is still seems wedded to the past.
It seems like ITV decanted rather than taking full advantage of the
possibilities. Look at the demo available on Microsoft¹s site I feel like
I¹m in Kansas or Orlando or Columbus (ITV historians will recognize the
failed experiments). We still have the problematic Set Top Box as the
deliver point. Microsoft might simply be playing it smart ­ no need to spook
the incumbents Š yet.
 
The idea itself is simple ­ no reason that others can¹t sell direct and
bypass the carriers entirely now that the networks are getting sufficient
capacity. http://dave.tv <http://dave.tv/>  is one possible example.
 


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