MSN Video Player
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MSN Video Playerwas an onlinevideo on demandplayer, launched in theUnited KingdombyMicrosofton 11 March 2010.[1]
The service was made available in beta form on 3 August 2009 with 300 hours of shows fromBBC WorldwideandAll3Media.[2][3]A spokeswoman for BBC Worldwide confirmed that all BBC programmes on MSN Video Player will be at least 180 days old.[4]Programmes were made available in bothWindows Media VideoandFlashformats, streamed withoutdigital rights managementcopy protection but only be available to people with a UK web address. During the opening 11 days of the beta, MSN Video Player pulled in a total of 167,487 video views by 154,841 users, with users staying for an average of 25 minutes.
The platform was optimised forMicrosoft Silverlight- support that was notably missing from the beta - although it also works with Flash, and some of the content is available inHDstreaming at720pon connections of 2 Mbit/s and upwards.[5]All content on the service will be available for free, with half-hour programmes preceded by short commercials, while programmes of one hour or longer are interrupted by a commercial break.
Ashley Highfield,Microsoft's UK consumer and online managing director, suggested that in the future the service will offer users who have aWindows Live IDand are signed in, programme recommendations – based on their previous viewing habits and that a tie-up with Microsoft's gaming console, theXbox 360,would be on the cards.[6]MSN's UK head of video, Rob Crossen, added "An obvious place to tale MSN Video Player – given the quality of content that you are seeing on the platform – is the TV, and there are a number of ways, widgets on internet connected TVs, we have our own products within the Microsoft network, Xbox andWindows Media Centerfor instance. "When asked if a mobile MSN Video Player was likely for the forthcomingWindows Phone"We have a fantastic product coming later in the year, but no fixed plans that we are announcing today."[5]On 10 May 2010, a Microsoft spokeswoman said there are currently no plans to roll out the service in other regions.[7]On 19 May 2010, MSN Video Player was added to Windows Media Center in the TV Strip in the UK.[8]
References
[edit]- ^"MSN Video Player 'to launch UK-wide'".Digital Spy. 2010-03-10.
- ^"MSN launches free streaming video".BBC News.2009-07-30.
- ^"MSN Video finally goes live in the UK".Tech Radar. 2009-08-03.
- ^Kendall, Nigel (2009-07-29)."Microsoft to launch internet TV service in the UK".The Times.London.Retrieved2010-05-13.
- ^ab"MSN Video Player launches, sets sights on Xbox and phones".Tech Radar. 2010-03-10.
- ^Barnett, Emma (2010-03-10)."Microsoft's expanded video service 'not intended to rival UK broadcasters' VOD offerings'".London: The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved2010-05-13.
- ^"Microsoft Launches MSN Video Player In UK".The Wall Street Journal. 2010-03-10. Archived fromthe originalon March 14, 2010.
- ^"MSN Video Player hits Windows Media Center in the UK".The Digital Lifestyle. 2010-05-19.