AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 12, 2002 — Moviesystem, the leading European video-on-demand (VOD) operator, and Microsoft Corp. announced today at IBC2002 that the next generation of the NetCine service, which will be available Sept. 18, 2002, will employ Windows Media (TM) 9 Series technology to deliver the best possible user experience. NetCine provides premium content from major film producers such as Path and Luc Besson’s Europa Corp. NetCine’s new version will offer a fully redesigned, user-friendly interface available in all major European languages. The service will be one of the first in Europe to provide high-quality streamed video over the Internet using Windows Media 9 Series technology.
“Windows Media 9 Series provides us with high-quality delivery and innovative features for our video content, so we are assured of providing the best possible experience for our customers,”
said Emmanuel Montamat, managing director of Moviesystem.
“Windows Media 9 Series enables us to deliver on the promise of video on demand, with the instant-on, always-on experience people are used to having while watching television.”
The new version of NetCine will offer broadband users more than 500 feature films streamed on demand with enhanced audio and video quality, including hits such as
“Astrix et Oblix: Mission Cloptre,” “Kiss of the Dragon”
(
“Le Baiser Mortel du Dragon”
),
“Chicken Run”
and many more works from directors such as Pedro Almodovar, Spike Lee and Jean-Jacques Annaud. Because the new service is built on the Windows Media 9 Series platform, NetCine users with a broadband connection will be able to enjoy the new Fast Streaming feature, offering an instant-on, always-on television-like streaming experience. The advanced audio and video technology in Windows Media 9 Series also enables broadband users to experience full-screen movies complete with 5.1-channel surround sound.
“Moviesystem’s NetCine service is one of the best examples in the world of a company pioneering new forms of movie distribution by working with established film studios,”
said Dave Fester, general manager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft.
“As one of the first services to deploy Windows Media 9 Series, NetCine is a great example of how our audio and video innovations can enable companies to create new, breakthrough experiences for their customers and how Windows Media DRM is powering a broad array of digital media subscription services around the world.”
NetCine’s new version will be showcased Sept. 13–17 at IBC2002 in Amsterdam, where Moviesystem also will showcase the set-top box version of the NetCine service, which enables customers to access on-demand entertainment from their TV screen. The set-top box version will initially run Windows Media Video 8 and will be made available over the next six months in France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and in Spain and Italy shortly thereafter. Moviesystem will begin utilizing Windows Media 9 Series in its set-top box version early next year.
About Windows Media
Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, used by consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and corporations throughout the world. The new Windows Media 9 Series will power the next wave of digital media, delivering the best playback experience, unmatched audio and video quality, and integrated optional digital rights management (DRM) technology, and is the most comprehensive platform for developing digital media products and services. The Windows Media platform includes Windows Media Player; Windows Media Services, the powerful streaming server for distributing content; Windows Media Encoder for content creation; Windows Media Audio and Video for the best-quality audio and video; Windows Media DRM for protecting content; and the Windows Media Software Development Kit for software developers. Windows Media Player, available in 26 languages, is the fastest-growing and now leading media player. More information about Windows Media can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/.
About Moviesystem
Moviesystem has aggregated premium content from major film producers such as Path and Luc Besson’s Europa Corp. and currently offers the first consumer video-on-demand service with more than 500 titles available across broadband networks. Moviesystem also distributes NetCine, a packaged video-on-demand service through broadband access providers in Europe. Quality of service and security are optimized by the Moviesystem IP-based secured streaming platform installed on operators’ networks. Broadband subscribers thus have on-demand access every week to titles recently released on the rental video market. More information about Moviesystem can be found at http://www.moviesystem.com/ .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft and Windows Media are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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