Microsoft is planning to sell new software to cable TV companies in an effort to gain a stronger foothold in the industry.
The company"s chairman and founder, Bill Gates, is expected to unveil the software at an annual US cable industry meeting on Monday.
The new package, called Microsoft TV Foundation, is designed to make it easier for cable customers to access videos and other services on demand.
"This is a big milestone for Microsoft TV," said Ed Graczyk, marketing director of the group"s TV division.
"We"re hoping this is an announcement that gets the industry excited."
This is not the first time Microsoft has tried to make an impact in cable TV.
It invested $5bn (£3bn) in AT&T Broadband in 1999 and was planning to install its software in AT&T"s next-generation cable boxes.