Microsoft to power BSkyB's Sky Player TV

Delivers live linear channels to windows based PCs.

Microsoft's Silverlight and PlayReady technologies are enabling entertainment and communications company BSkyB's Sky Player TV, an online TV service.

The new version of Sky Player TV, which in addition continues to be offered on a bonus basis to Sky's direct-to-home (DTH) customers, now delivers live linear channels and video-on-demand content to Windows-based PCs and, for the first time, includes live channel support for Macs.

Sky Player allows consumers with a broadband connection in the UK and Ireland to subscribe to watch a package of channels from Sky on their computer without the need for a dish or aerial.

Sky Player TV has expanded the content available to include live streaming of linear channels including all the Sky Sports channels, Sky News, The Disney Channel, National Geographic and British Eurosport, with enhanced video quality using bitrates of up to 1.8Mbps.

Griff Parry, director of on-demand at BSkyB, said: Microsoft Silverlight and PlayReady allowed us to build and launch this innovative service quickly, easily and in a package that provides consumers with even more flexibility in how they engage with Sky content. As technologies that can reliably enable the rich delivery of high-quality protected content to both Windows-based PCs and Macs, the use of Silverlight and PlayReady was key in helping us provide our customers with more choice and control over their viewing.

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