MSN Video Player
Encyclopedia
MSN Video Player is an online video on demand
player, launched in the United Kingdom
by Microsoft
on 11 March 2010.
The service was made available in beta form on 3 August 2009 with 300 hours of shows from BBC Worldwide
and All3Media
. A spokeswoman for BBC Worldwide confirmed that all BBC programmes on MSN Video Player will be at least 180 days old. 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.
Microsoft has since agreed additional deals for over 1,000 hours of programming with independent product firms Digital Rights Group, Endemol
, Shed Media
, Raw Cut, RDF Media
. The company further holds a separate agreement with Pact - the UK trade association for independent TV and film producers - which stipulates full licensing terms for on-demand content, including availability periods and potential exclusives. Users on MSN Video Player will also be able to access the MSN Video service, featuring short-form clips such as film trailers and news items.
The platform is 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 Mbps and upwards. 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. 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 7
"We have a fantastic product coming later in the year, but no fixed plans that we are announcing today." On 10 May 2010, a Microsoft spokeswoman said there are currently no plans to roll out the service in other regions. On 19 May 2010, MSN Video Player was added to Windows Media Center in the TV Strip.
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
player, launched in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
on 11 March 2010.
The service was made available in beta form on 3 August 2009 with 300 hours of shows from BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
and All3Media
All3Media
All3Media is a television production company which makes programmes under several different subsidiaries. The company was formed in 2003 following the acquisition of Chrysalis Group's television arm which was rebranded North One....
. A spokeswoman for BBC Worldwide confirmed that all BBC programmes on MSN Video Player will be at least 180 days old. Programmes were made available in both Windows Media Video
Windows Media Video
'Windows Media Video is a video compression format for several proprietary codecs developed by Microsoft. The original video format, known as WMV, was originally designed for Internet streaming applications, as a competitor to RealVideo. The other formats, such as WMV Screen and WMV Image, cater...
and Flash formats, streamed without digital rights management
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
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.
Microsoft has since agreed additional deals for over 1,000 hours of programming with independent product firms Digital Rights Group, Endemol
Endemol
Endemol is an international television production and distribution company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Poland,...
, Shed Media
Shed Media
Shed Media Group is a British creator and distributor of television content. The Group produces long-running television brands in drama, factual, documentary, factual entertainment, and history....
, Raw Cut, RDF Media
RDF Media
Zodiak Media is a Anglo-American television production company. It was formed in 2010 when RDF Media Group was acquired by, and merged with Zodiak Entertainment...
. The company further holds a separate agreement with Pact - the UK trade association for independent TV and film producers - which stipulates full licensing terms for on-demand content, including availability periods and potential exclusives. Users on MSN Video Player will also be able to access the MSN Video service, featuring short-form clips such as film trailers and news items.
The platform is optimised for Microsoft Silverlight
Microsoft Silverlight
Microsoft Silverlight is an application framework for writing and running rich Internet applications, with features and purposes similar to those of Adobe Flash. The run-time environment for Silverlight is available as a plug-in for web browsers running under Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X...
- support that was notably missing from the beta - although it also works with Flash, and some of the content is available in HD
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
streaming at 720p
720p
720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
on connections of 2 Mbps and upwards. 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
Ashley Highfield
Ashley Highfield is currently CEO of Johnston Press, having worked in high levels in companies including Microsoft, and the BBC.Formerly, he was UK Managing Director of Microsoft , responsible for Windows Mobile, MSN, Hotmail, Windows Live/Instant Messenger, and the newly announced Google rival, Bing...
, Microsoft’s UK consumer and online managing director, suggested that in the future the service will offer users who have a Windows Live ID
Windows Live ID
Windows Live ID is a single sign-on web service developed and provided by Microsoft that allows users to log in to many websites using one account...
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
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, would be on the cards. MSN
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
'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
Windows Media Center
Windows Media Center is a digital video recorder and media player developed by Microsoft. It is an application that allows users to view and record live television, as well as organize and play music and videos...
for instance." When asked if a mobile MSN Video Player was likely for the forthcoming Windows Phone 7
Windows Phone 7
Windows Phone is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft, and is the successor to its Windows Mobile platform, although incompatible with it. Unlike its predecessor, it is primarily aimed at the consumer market rather than the enterprise market...
"We have a fantastic product coming later in the year, but no fixed plans that we are announcing today." On 10 May 2010, a Microsoft spokeswoman said there are currently no plans to roll out the service in other regions. On 19 May 2010, MSN Video Player was added to Windows Media Center in the TV Strip.