Microsoft Corp yesterday increased the breadth of its push into TV as it released details of its WebTV developers’ kit, a software platform for providers of enhanced TV, and revealed around 30 development partners, enough to see Windows CE variants in potentially millions of boxes. Microsoft’s CE products marketing manager, Murari Nurayan, said he wants to see CE in every fridge, toaster and phone and this is a first step toward that.
The TV Platform Adaptation Kit (TVPAK) will allow Microsoft’s partners to develop custom versions of the WebTV system. Signed up so far are service providers AT&T Corp, United Pan-European Communications NV and Portuguese firm TVCabo, as well as Acer Inc, Fujitsu Ltd, General Instrument Corp, Pace Micro Technology Plc, Matsushita Ltd and Hitachi Ltd, all of which intend to offer Microsoft TV-based hardware and services.
The software itself, for which Microsoft will get a one-off license fee, is split into client and server side systems. The client, Microsoft TV, is a Windows CE-based OS used in the WebTV Network service. It is not yet clear just how adaptable the client will be, other than the fact that the end service operator will be able to customize the appearance and choose which functions to include. For example, an electronic program guide comes as an optional extra. The broadcast and internet four-letter-acronym standards supported include DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting), ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee), ATVEF (Advanced Television Enhancement Forum), ARIB (Association of Radio Industries and Businesses), HTML, Dynamic HTML, and JavaScript.
The TV Server is built on Windows 2000 Server, MS BackOffice and bits of WebTV technology. Microsoft says it is flexible enough to integrate into service providers legacy billing, customer service and network management systems. The firm lists over 30 companies currently working with TVPAK, and says it expects the first services to go into pilot in the fourth quarter, going live the first half of next year.
