Redmond, Washington — Prior to the beginning of International Broadcasting Conference (IBC) in Amsterdam, which is scheduled to commence on September 11, Microsoft on Tuesday plans to give broadcasters a peek at the two news features that it is embedding into the next version of Silverlight, its Internet Explorer browser-plug-in alternative to Adobe Flash technology as company executives show their wares at a major global media show.
According to a press release issued on Tuesday, Microsoft plans to add a native multi-cast capability, as well as support for offline digital rights management (DRM). In particular, the Redmond, Washington based software maker said the next version of Silverlight 4, its Adobe Flash rival would support the PlayReady digital rights management technology for offline content. That feature should allow studios to offer extras commonly found on DVD and Blu-ray discs on movies that are distributed digitally, Microsoft said.
Microsoft first added out-of-browser support to Silverlight with version 3, the final version of which Microsoft released to the Web in July at an event in San Francisco.
Microsoft has revealed that the new version of Silverlight 4 will add native multi-cast support to the PlayReday (DRM) technology for offline content, Microsoft said in a statement Tuesday. This feature would empower studios to offer extras commonly found on DVD and Blu-ray discs on movies that are distributed digitally.
A quick glance of Silverlight 4 will be given at the (IBC), which starts Friday in Amsterdam. The DRM support will come via Microsoft’s PlayReady technology. Microsoft’s HD-quality video streaming technology is also on tap for an international broadcasters convention.
At the time of previous release, Microsoft has stated that it hopes to have Silverlight on half of all Internet-connected devices by next year. It is in stiff competition with Adobe’s Flash, which is almost omnipresent on PCs and on a growing number of cell phones as well.
Offline DRM would permit consumers to download a movie and watch it later when they are offline, even if it is DRM-protected. Microsoft also is touting the out-of-the-browser capability as allowing movie studios to offer network-delivered updates, special offers, live events and other experiences that will “extend their relationship with consumers past the single movie purchase.”
Microsoft also said that at the convention it plans to release Internet Information Services (IIS) Media Services 3.0 in the next 30 days. Media Services 3.0 will deliver interactive HD-quality Live Smooth Streaming video (up to 1080p) to Silverlight-based media players.
Silverlight 3 offers media enhancements such as H.264 video support as well as 3D support and GPU hardware acceleration. It will also run applications outside a browser, including on mobile devices. The coverage of events such as the French Open tennis tournament, the Tour de France cycling event, and the Michael Jackson memorial has been done using the beta version of this technology.
Furthermore, Microsoft said it will also introduce its IIS Smooth Streaming Transport Protocol and Protected Interoperable File Format (PIFF) specifications under the Microsoft Community Promise, the company’s guarantee that it will not sue developers that use technologies under that aegis.
“With technologies such as Live Smooth Streaming, we are furthering our commitment to provide cost-effective, scalable solutions to deliver the latest in high-quality, true HD and enhance the way audiences experience online video via Silverlight-based media players,” Scott Guthrie, corporate vice president of the .NET Developer Platform, said in a statement.
Microsoft officials declined to reveal shipment details as to when the company is planning to deliver a test build or final version of Silverlight 4. There is a growing Silverlight 4 wish list on Microsoft’s Silverlight site, however.