Mediaroom is a collection of software for operators to deliver
IPTV
Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is the delivery of television content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. This is in contrast to delivery through traditional terrestrial, satellite, and cable television formats. Unlike downloaded media, ...
(IPTV) subscription services, including content-protected, live,
digital video recorder
A digital video recorder (DVR) is an electronic device that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card, SSD or other local or networked mass storage device. The term includes set-top boxes with direct to d ...
,
video on demand
Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a traditional video playback device and the constraints of a typical static broadcasting schedule. In the 20th century, broadcasting in the form of o ...
, multiscreen, and applications. These services can be delivered via a range of devices inside and outside customers' homes, including wired and
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wave ...
set top boxes, PCs, tablets, smartphones and other connected devices – over both the operator's managed IP networks as well as "over the top" (OTT) or unmanaged networks.
According to a marketing firm, Mediaroom was the market leader in IPTV for 2014.
History
Microsoft TV platform
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
announced an UltimateTV service from
DirecTV
DirecTV (trademarked as DIRECTV) is an American multichannel video programming distributor based in El Segundo, California. Originally launched on June 17, 1994, its primary service is a digital satellite service serving the United States. It ...
in October 2000, based on technology acquired from
WebTV Networks
MSN TV (formerly WebTV) was a web access product consisting of a thin client device that used a television for display (instead of using a computer monitor), and the online service that supported it. The device design and service was developed by ...
(later renamed MSN TV).
The software was called the Microsoft TV platform (which included the Foundation Edition); it had integrated
digital video recorder
A digital video recorder (DVR) is an electronic device that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card, SSD or other local or networked mass storage device. The term includes set-top boxes with direct to d ...
(DVR) and
Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...
access capabilities. It was released on October 26, 2000. The software to decode and view digital video programming was derived from
WebTV
MSN TV (formerly WebTV) was a web access product consisting of a thin client device that used a television for display (instead of using a computer monitor), and the online service that supported it. The device design and service was developed by ...
(later called MSN TV). UltimateTV had support for
picture-in-picture
Picture-in-picture (PiP) is a feature that can be found in television receivers, personal computers and smartphones, consisting of a video stream playing within an inset window, freeing the rest of the screen for other tasks.
For televisions, pic ...
and could record up to 35 hours of video content. The Internet capabilities were provided by Microsoft TV platform software, which was used for the TV guide. The TV guide could display programming schedule for 14 days, and recording could be scheduled for any of the shows. It could also be used to access
E-mail
Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is a method of exchanging messages ("mail") between people using electronic devices. Email was thus conceived as the electronic ( digital) version of, or counterpart to, mail, at a time when "mail" meant ...
. However, Microsoft lost distribution when DirecTV accepted an acquisition bid by Echostar, who had their own DVR. By 2003, it was taken off the market, even though it is still supported by DirecTV and the acquisition by Echostar failed.
The UltimateTV developers in
Mountain View, California
Mountain View is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. Named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, it has a population of 82,376.
Mountain View was integral to the early history and growth of Silicon Valley, and is the ...
were eliminated by early 2002.
By June 2002, Moshe Lichtman replaced Jon DeVaan as leader of the division as more reductions were announced.
Foundation Edition
The Microsoft TV Foundation Edition platform integrated
video-on-demand
Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a traditional video playback device and the constraints of a typical static broadcasting schedule. In the 20th century, broadcasting in the form of o ...
(VOD), DVR and
HDTV
High-definition television (HD or HDTV) describes a television system which provides a substantially higher image resolution than the previous generation of technologies. The term has been used since 1936; in more recent times, it refers to the g ...
programming with live television programming. It includes an electronic programming guide (EPG) that could be used to access any supported service from a centralized directory. The EPG could be used to search and filter the listings as well. The EPG was released around 2002.
Comcast
Comcast Corporation (formerly known as American Cable Systems and Comcast Holdings),Before the AT&T merger in 2001, the parent company was Comcast Holdings Corporation. Comcast Holdings Corporation now refers to a subsidiary of Comcast Corpora ...
announced it would adopt this software in May 2004. Microsoft TV Foundation Edition platform also included an authoring environment that could be used to create content consumable from the set top box.
IPTV Edition
Microsoft TV IPTV Edition is an
IPTV
Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is the delivery of television content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. This is in contrast to delivery through traditional terrestrial, satellite, and cable television formats. Unlike downloaded media, ...
platform for accessing both on-demand as well as live television content over a 2-way
IP network, coupled with DVR functionality. It is to be used with cable networks that have an IPTV infrastructure.
Microsoft Mediaroom
The IPTV platform was renamed Microsoft Mediaroom on June 18, 2007 at the NXTcomm conference.
In January 2010, Microsoft Mediaroom 2.0 was announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show.
On April 8, 2013, Microsoft and
Ericsson
(lit. "Telephone Stock Company of LM Ericsson"), commonly known as Ericsson, is a Swedish multinational networking and telecommunications company headquartered in Stockholm. The company sells infrastructure, software, and services in informat ...
announced plans for Ericsson to purchase Mediaroom. The sale was completed on September 5, 2013, and the platform officially became Ericsson Mediaroom.
Mediaroom
On February 6, 2014, Ericsson announced it had entered into an agreement to purchase multiscreen video platform company Azuki Systems. Azuki Systems was renamed Ericsson Mediaroom Reach.
MediaKind
On July 10, 2018, it was announced that the new identity of Ericsson Media Solutions i
MediaKind The CEO is Allen Broome.
Products
Current key products in Mediaroom's portfolio include Mediaroom, Mediaroom Reach, and MediaFirst TV Platform.
As of June 2016, Mediaroom TV was used in 65 commercial deployments in 34 countries, delivering services to over 16 million households via more than 30 million devices.
Mediaroom TV platforms are offered by 90 operators, including
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's largest telecommunications company by revenue and the third largest provider of mobile tel ...
,
Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom AG (; short form often just Telekom, DTAG or DT; stylised as ·T·) is a German telecommunications company that is headquartered in Bonn and is the largest telecommunications provider in Europe by revenue. Deutsche Telekom was ...
,
CenturyLink
Lumen Technologies, Inc. (formerly CenturyLink) is an American
telecommunications company headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana, that offers communications, network services, security, cloud solutions, voice, and managed services. The company is ...
,
Telus
Telus Communications Inc. (TCI) is the wholly owned principal subsidiary of Telus Corporation, a Canadian national telecommunications company that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voi ...
,
Hawaiian Telcom
Hawaiian Telcom, Inc., is the incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) or dominant local telephone company, serving the state of Hawaii. In 2005, Hawaiian Telcom Holdco, Inc., was formed by The Carlyle Group, following its purchase of the Hawaiian ...
,
Bell Canada
Bell Canada (commonly referred to as Bell) is a Canadian telecommunications company headquartered at 1 Carrefour Alexander-Graham-Bell in the borough of Verdun in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is an ILEC (incumbent local exchange carrier) in t ...
(including
Bell MTS
Bell MTS Inc. (formerly Manitoba Telecom Services) is a subsidiary of BCE Inc. that operates telecommunications services in Manitoba.
Originally established as Manitoba Government Telephones after the Government of Manitoba purchased the Manito ...
),
Hargray
Hargray Communications is a telecommunications provider based on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States. It operates internet throughout the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and the Savannah region of Georgia. Hargray has a monopol ...
,
Singtel
Singapore Telecommunications Limited, commonly known as Singtel, is a Singaporean telecommunications conglomerate and one of the four major telcos operating in the country. The company is the largest mobile network operator in Singapore with ...
, Telefónica SA, Cross Telephone, and
Portugal Telecom
Altice Portugal (formerly known as Portugal Telecom or PT) is the largest telecommunications service provider in Portugal. Since June 2, 2015, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Altice Europe, a multinational cable and telecommuni ...
.
See also
*
Windows Media Center
Windows Media Center (WMC) is a defunct digital video recorder and media player created by Microsoft. Media Center was first introduced to Windows in 2002 on Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE). It was included in Home Premium and Ultimate e ...
*
Interactive television
Interactive television is a form of media convergence, adding data services to traditional television technology. It has included on-demand delivery of content, online shopping, and viewer polls. Interactive TV is an example of how new information ...
*
Smart TV
A smart TV, also known as a connected TV (CTV), is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features, which allows users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos. Smart TVs are a techno ...
*
List of smart TV platforms and middleware software
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
*
10-foot user interface
In computing, 10-foot user interface ("10-foot UI"), also known as a 3-meter user interface (especially for international marketing), is a graphical user interface designed for televisions. Compared to desktop computer and smartphone user int ...
*
Set-top box
A set-top box (STB), also colloquially known as a cable box and historically television decoder, is an information appliance device that generally contains a TV-tuner input and displays output to a television set and an external source of sign ...
*
Tasman (browser engine)
*
Xbox Video
Microsoft Movies & TV (US only), or Microsoft Films & TV (Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand), previously Xbox Video and Zune Video, is a digital video service developed by Microsoft that offers full HD movies and TV shows available f ...
References
External links
Mediaroom– official website.
Microsoft TV homepage
{{Home theater PC (application software)
Streaming television
Microsoft software