MSN Video Player
MSN Video Player was an online video on demand player, launched in the United Kingdom by Microsoft on 11 March 2010.[1]
The service was made available in beta form on 3 August 2009 with 300 hours of shows from BBC Worldwide and All3Media.[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 both Windows Media Video and Flash formats, streamed without digital rights management copy 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 for Microsoft Silverlight - support that was notably missing from the beta - although it also works with Flash, and some of the content is available in HD streaming at 720p on 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 a Windows Live ID and are signed in, programme recommendations – based on their previous viewing habits and that a tie-up with Microsoft's gaming console, the Xbox 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 and Windows Media Center for instance." When asked if a mobile MSN Video Player was likely for the forthcoming Windows 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
- ↑ "MSN Video Player 'to launch UK-wide'". Digital Spy. 2010-03-10. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/news/a207812/msn-video-player-to-launch-uk-wide.html.
- ↑ "MSN launches free streaming video". BBC News. 2009-07-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8175410.stm.
- ↑ "MSN Video finally goes live in the UK". Tech Radar. 2009-08-03. http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/msn-video-finally-goes-live-in-the-uk-622450.
- ↑ Kendall, Nigel (2009-07-29). "Microsoft to launch internet TV service in the UK". The Times (London). http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6732070.ece. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "MSN Video Player launches, sets sights on Xbox and phones". Tech Radar. 2010-03-10. http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/msn-video-player-launches-sets-sights-on-xbox-and-phones-675991.
- ↑ Barnett, Emma (2010-03-10). "Microsoft's expanded video service 'not intended to rival UK broadcasters' VOD offerings'". London: The Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/microsoft/7416247/Microsofts-expanded-video-service-not-intended-to-rival-UK-broadcasters-VOD-offerings.html. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
- ↑ "Microsoft Launches MSN Video Player In UK". The Wall Street Journal. 2010-03-10. Archived from the original on March 14, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100314180420/http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100310-712454.html.
- ↑ "MSN Video Player hits Windows Media Center in the UK". The Digital Lifestyle. 2010-05-19. http://thedigitallifestyle.com/cs/TDL/b/ian/archive/2010/05/19/msn-video-player-hits-windows-media-center-in-the-uk.aspx.
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