Microsoft has taken the covers off its latest venture into the video on demand market with the launch of MSN Video Player.MSN Video Player will be available exclusively in the UK and will offer over 300 hours of free content from both BBC worldwide and producer All3Media, responsible for shows like peep show and shameless. Microsoft will be running a 6 month trial of the player during which time Ashley Highfield, Microsoft's managing director and vice president of consumer and online, claims that the company has sold out of its advertising space to fund the MSN Video Player.
The idea behind the video player is not to compete with the BBC's iPlayer or Channel 4's OD but to complement the services and offering backdated programming. In an interview with the BBC Microsoft's Highfield claims "we cover everything from a few months ago to a few years ago. This is bringing all the programs together in one place. It's going to be a one stop shop for recent and older classic British television."
As the service won't be fully available until next week it remains to be seen exactly how good the service is. Programs will be streamed in flash or using Microsoft's Windows Media Video (WMV). Strangely Microsoft is not planning to use its own Silverlight technology and will not be applying DRM to the streams. As the service is advertising funded, adverts will run before clips start streaming. Microsoft plans to roll the service out to the Xbox 360, Windows Mobile and living room TV screens (via IPTV) if the service proves popular.
Image Credit: Microsoft
Yeah, it's weird they're not pushing it as much as I thought they would, as it's a brilliant Flash alternative. I'm guessing they're easing off pushing it all over the place so people don't accuse them of trying to corner the market again.
Also, I thought they were trying to get rid of the whole "MSN" brand.
Also, I thought they were trying to get rid of the whole "MSN" brand.
I wouldn't say that the SL plugin is unpopular, especially given that its offered through Windows Update. Its also possible that the BBC requested the use of flash to complement the use of flash in the iPlayer. It could be confusing to users if they watched a program on iPlayer one day using Flash, but then had to download Silverlight to watch previous episodes on MSN.
I don't think they are "getting rid" of the MSN brand, just branching it off as an "Entertainment" site.
Products = *Microsoft.com
Services = *.Live.com
Entertainment = *.msn.com
Last edited by Majesticmerc on 30 Jul 2009 - 11:41
Maybe you missed the "and will not be applying DRM to the streams" part?
I'm still getting over the shock, but I think I agree.
^ Did you guys not read the article?
And flash is probably only being offered as an alternative for Linux & Mac users without Windows Media Player, so replacing that with Silverlight is a no go at the mo.
Except that Silverlight is cross platform.
With Windows and Mac, yes. Linux support is behind those versions because it's not developed directly by Microsoft.
There's a buggy 1.0 release, and an early preview release of 2.0. Neither are fully polished upto the standards of their Windows counterparts at any rate.
My thoughts exactly.
Also they need to change the logo for MSN, it seems so 90s
If it was US, then it would be no doubt named Windows Live Video Player (or something similar) and it would use Silverlight.
Learn before talking.
Learn before talking.
Think before you post.
Either that or you are from the UK.
Besides, video has always come under the MSN brand. Its got nothing to do with the UK.
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.