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Microsoft pushes VC-1 for broadcast

7 September 2007 7:43 by Rich "vurbal" Fiscus | 6 comments

Microsoft has big hopes for the future of VC-1 video. In a press release today they highlighted some products based on their VC-1 Encoder software development kit (SDK).

VC-1 has been hailed by many early adopters of next-generation video formats (Blu-ray and HD DVD) for delivering high image quality at a small file size, the lack of third party encoding tools has limited its use beyond those two media.

The products mentioned range from Memory-Tech Digital Movie Factory Pro HD for creating HD DVDs with VC-1 video to multiple format tools to Anystream Agility to prepare video in multiple formats for nearly any format, including broadcast.

The VC-1 Codec was originally developed as Microsoft was trying to break into high definition home theater. Since then, the company has been successful in getting it included as a mandatory format (meaning every player must be capable of playing it) for HD DVD and Blu-ray. The next market they want to conquer seems to be IPTV.

Right now no single video Compression format is firmly in place for IPTV. Microsoft would be very happy if IPTV operations were to use its MediaRoom platform to deliver VC-1 video.

Also today, Microsoft announced they would provide an encoder qualification service for their MediaRoom customers. They plan to have a lab available for IPTV providers to test the performance of their equipment before deploying it in a live MediaRoom Operation.

Source: Microsoft

Permalink to this article

Microsoft joins South Korean companies in IPTV venture (23 January 2008)

Microsoft Mediaroom to power new IPTV service in India (5 November 2007)

Sony drops DVD format for DVRs (13 September 2007)

IPTV is the hot topic at IBC 2007 (11 September 2007)

Fujitsu launches Full HD H.264 transcoder LSI (23 August 2007)

MainConcept licenses H.264 encoder to Corel (17 August 2007)

Microsoft has big telecom plans for Mediaroom (8 August 2007)

Microsoft Mediaroom unveiled at NXTcomm (18 June 2007)

Universal & Microsoft bring VC-1 to HD discs (26 April 2006)

Nero and KiSS to release DVD player supporting AVC/H.264 (2 September 2005)

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Discuss this article!
plutonash (Member) 7 September 2007 8:57
As evil as some people think Microsoft is VC-1 is godsend. No Need for 50 gig disk when using this advance codec [ + quote]
Mr-Movies (Member) 7 September 2007 9:25
I have played with this or read up on it , is it better then MPEG4 and MLP? Do you get the same type of quality and file compression? No one does everything right or wrong that includes MS. [ + quote]
NOTHOR (Newbie) 7 September 2007 14:57
As far a I can tell, it's a toss up quality wise with the new codecs. So what's the choice? The MCEG DVD Video codec which is open source? Or a Microsoft controlled codec that everyone will get to spend a few xtra pennies when used? Gee, what a choice? Open source all the way. I've been editing digital for years and I find digi post codecs change with the season. I start a project and sometimes I find my codec has been discarded by the time I finish. DVD compression codecs? Compressing a 120 gig file down to a 4.7 DVD is an art when done right. Uncompressed, no-codec, is the best. And with a 50 gig capacity? I'm hoping Blu-Ray wins with as little compression as possible and with an open source codec. [ + quote]
akaangus (Member) 7 September 2007 21:01
MCEG vs. VC-1 is like ODF vs. "Open XML" from MS [ + quote]
Andrew691 (Senior Member) 9 September 2007 2:47
*Originally posted by plutonash:* As evil as some people think Microsoft is VC-1 is godsend. No Need for 50 gig disk when using this advance codec Also works in reverse, why use such an advanced codec when you have 50gb of space to waste. Either way it costs, rights to VC-1 or extra disc producing costs. Whats cheaper? [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 11 September 2007 1:39
the question here is drm?? [ + quote]