Microsoft previews next generation Windows Media Technology
Posted by me101 on 11 December 2001 - 18:05 · no comments & 260 views
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According to the company, Corona dramatically improves streaming media through new features such as Fast Stream, which eliminates buffering delays for broadband users. The company is also showing off next-generation audio and video codecs, including Windows Media Audio (WMA) Professional, which delivers true 5.1 channel stereo surround sound.
"For streaming on the Web to reach its full potential, it needs to break through today's limitations and provide a true broadcast-quality experience for broadband users who expect instant results and outstanding video quality," says Will Poole, vice president of Microsoft's Windows Digital Media Division. "Windows Media Corona will deliver on this promise, and in so doing create profitable and cost-saving opportunities for companies looking to develop and deliver Web-based digital-media services."
The first Corona technologies are now available for testing in the Windows .NET Server beta, which includes Fast Stream, Server-side Playlists, optimizations for wireless streaming, and better scalability than previous versions.
The remaining Corona technologies, including new versions of Windows Media Player, Windows Media Audio and Video codecs, Windows Media Encoder, and a new Windows Media Software Development Kit, will be available for beta testing early next year.
Additionally, at Streaming Media East 2001, Microsoft has struck a deal with leading DVD chip manufacturers (who represent 90% of DVD processors manufactured) to add Windows Media support to DVD players, which will ship to stores in early 2002.
Manufacturers will add support over the next year for Windows Media Audio and Video, including the new Windows Media Technologies platform announced today, code-named "Corona". These include Cirrus Logic, ESS Technology, LSI Logic Corp., STMicroelectronics and Zoran Corp. Many of these DVD chip manufacturers have already begun to support Windows Media Audio, and will in turn provide it to major consumer electronics manufacturers, enabling consumers to play back 22 hours of music from a single CD on their DVD players in the next year.
The breakthrough support for Windows Media in DVD chips will enable a broad new range of digital audio and video home-entertainment experiences in the living room. Today’s announcement lays the groundwork for the next generation of DVD players to appear next year, which merge the world of digital media on the PC with home entertainment systems in the living room. This will enable not just playback of CD-burned collections of digital music but also the eventual playback of video entertainment using Windows Media Video from CDs. DVD players eclipsed VCRs in sales for the first time this year and outsold VCRs for the second straight month in October, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.
"I am delighted that Universal Interactive will be bringing the enchanting and timeless world of Middle-Earth to life in its upcoming games," said Laurie Battle, director of licensing of Tolkien Enterprises. "Universal Interactive's expertise in creating and developing well-known, best-selling products rich with character and story make them a welcome addition to our family of licensees. These games will draw on the depth and complexity of Tolkien lore to create a world compelling to long-time fans of the books and enticing to those just being introduced to this magical realm."
"Universal Interactive has assembled a talented team of Middle-Earth enthusiasts to develop and market these games," said Jim Wilson, president of Universal Interactive. "The people who know and love the legendary epic best have a mandate to create games that completely immerse players in a rich mythological world populated by Tolkien's myriad original characters."
"It's a good day for Tolkien fans," said Cliff Broadway aka "Quickbeam" from TheOneRing.netTM, Universal Interactive's Internet consultant on the Tolkien project. "What matters most to us is fidelity to the source. The game designers at Universal Interactive have the ability to reach deep into that source for inspiration. Developing games built upon Professor Tolkien's original books promises very big things."
About Tolkien Enterprises
Since 1978, Tolkien Enterprises, a division of the Saul Zaentz Company, has licensed the names and likenesses of the fanciful characters, places, things and events associated with J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-Earth for use as trademarks and service marks in connection with various lines of merchandise.
About Universal Interactive
Universal Interactive develops and publishes innovative interactive entertainment for next generation game consoles and PC platforms based on original content and Universal Studios character, movie, and television franchises.
About Vivendi Universal Publishing
Vivendi Universal Publishing (VU Publishing), the publishing division of the world's second largest communications group (Vivendi Universal), is an international leader in multi-platform publishing and content distribution. As one of the top three players in the global publishing market and the only publisher with an international reach, the Company's key content areas include literature, reference, education, games and consumer press. VU Publishing publishes content in four major languages, including English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, and has strong local publishing brands, including Anaya, Atica, Houghton Mifflin, Knowledge Adventure, Larousse, Nathan and Scipione. In the games category, VU Publishing is a leading publisher of online, PC and console-based games. Its studios include Blizzard Entertainment, Sierra On-Line and Universal Interactive.