Firm to release TV software

Monday, June 9, 2003 | 9:47 a.m.

SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp. today plans to unveil new software to help cable television companies develop digital TV programming and services.

The software, called Microsoft TV Foundation Edition, is a new technological platform designed to run on the digital cable boxes that sit atop many television sets.

The software, installed on both customers' set-top boxes and on computer servers at cable companies, includes applications for cable operators to create and deliver on-screen TV guides, movies-on- demand, and interactive advertisements for their customers.

This is Microsoft's most promising foray yet into interactive TV and advanced digital TV services in a 10-year-long history of "ineffectual" efforts, said Josh Bernoff, principal analyst with Forrester Research.

The software is designed to help cable firms take advantage of the growing interest in "on-demand" services, which allow customers to order movies, special episodes or other programs at any time with the ability to pause, fast-forward and rewind.

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