NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 1996 — In conjunction with today’s launch of Microsoft® Internet Information Server (IIS) 3.0, Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of third-party products and services building on Microsoft NetShow, the multimedia technology in IIS 3.0. NetShow enables users of the Windows NT® Server network operating system to provide compelling audio and video content for multiple Internet and intranet applications while using network bandwidth efficiently. IIS 3.0 with NetShow will be available for download this week at no charge (except for connect-time charges, if any) from http://www.microsoft.com/iis/ .
Leading companies in the multimedia industry are developing products and services supporting the NetShow multimedia technologies building on Windows NT Server and delivered through IIS. NetShow is open, standards-based software for delivering live and on-demand multimedia content over the Internet and corporate intranets. It enables multicasting of live audio and data and on-demand streaming of stored multimedia content including audio, video and
“illustrated audio”
(audio synchronized with images, URLs and scripts). In addition, NetShow supports the ActiveX
™
Streaming Format (ASF), which provides advanced multimedia authoring and synchronization.
“We are very excited to see the number of companies building on the open NetShow multimedia technology for Windows NT Server,”
said David Cole, vice president of the Internet client and collaboration division at Microsoft.
“IIS is the only Web server with built-in multimedia support to enable dynamic Web sites. With these strategic relationships, we offer our customers continued flexibility in multimedia authoring, media compression and networked multimedia.”
Leading Multimedia Authoring Tools Companies Support IIS With NetShow
NetShow supports a variety of multimedia authoring tools important in multimedia content creation. Users can create content with these tools and use NetShow to stream the content over networks. Microsoft is working with key authoring tools companies to facilitate the content development process by building NetShow support into their products. Companies building tools with direct NetShow support include Aimtech Corp., Asymetrix Corp., Interactive Computer Television Inc., Liquid Audio Inc., Macromedia Inc., MGI Software Corp., Sonic Foundry Inc., Syntrillium Software Corp., Telos Systems, VIVO Software Inc., VXtreme Inc., Waves and Xing Technology Corp.
“Macromedia is the leading provider of cross-platform software tools for Web publishing, multimedia and graphics,”
said David Lasner, senior director of product management at Macromedia Inc.
“NetShow brings streaming media to the Web in an accessible and economical way. We are excited to work with Microsoft on supporting NetShow in Macromedia Shockwave.”
Microsoft is working with a number of vendors on codec (short for compressor/
decompressor) support. Codecs convert files typically between compressed and uncompressed forms. By using codecs, networked multimedia applications provide richer, fuller content that consumes less hard disk space and network bandwidth than noncompressed methods. NetShow codec-independence affords content authors and end users a well-rounded suite of codecs for voice, music, images and video at a variety of bit rates. This results in a greater number of delivery options and flexible, high-quality content. NetShow codec vendors include Elemedia (a business venture of Lucent Technologies Inc.), Fraunhofer Gesellschaft e.V. (FhG), Iterated Systems Inc., Liquid Audio Inc., Telos Systems, VDOnet Corp.,VXtreme Inc. and Xing Technology Corp.
“FhG is bringing the power and stability of ISO MPEG Layer 3 to Internet and intranet broadcasting,”
said Dr. H. Gerhaeuser, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits.
“When you combine the power of Layer 3 with the versatility of NetShow, it’s clear that everything you know about the Internet is about to change.”
By working with various firewall companies, Microsoft is ensuring customers that NetShow can be transmitted securely through corporate proxies and firewalls. Corporations install firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to corporate networks. In addition to tight integration with Microsoft Proxy Server, other companies supporting Microsoft NetShow in current and upcoming product lines include Ascend Communications Inc., Check Point Software Technologies Inc., CYCON Technologies, LanOptics Inc., Milkyway Networks Corp. and Technologic Inc.
“The widespread deployment of corporate intranet and Internet multimedia applications has made it essential to secure these communications through corporate firewalls,”
said Dr. Deborah Triant, CEO and president of Check Point Software Technologies.
“FireWall-1’s extensible architecture, which can secure sessionless protocols commonly used for audio and video applications, enabled Check Point to add support for today’s new and emerging Internet applications, such as Microsoft NetShow, quickly and easily.”
In an extension of their alliance, Microsoft and Digital Equipment Corp. reiterated availability of Microsoft NetShow networked multimedia software on the Digital AlphaServer platform. Enterprise customers can deploy audio and video online training and communication materials using Digital’s high-performance, scalable server technology. On this blazingly fast platform, AlphaServer systems for Windows NT Server provide an ideal Internet and intranet solution, based on the world’s fastest microprocessors – up to 400 MHz – with huge memory capacity and storage.
Microsoft is also working with NeTpower Inc., a leading-edge, high-performance digital workstation and server company, to benchmark and enhance NetShow performance on its products. Microsoft is also working with Amdahl Corp. and Hyundai Information Technology Company Ltd. in delivering NetShow-based server hardware. On the client side, NCompass Labs Inc. provides users of other browsers the full functionality of ActiveX and NetShow through its ScriptActive plug-in.
Because NetShow is very scalable, it helps ensure the next-generation availability of Internet multimedia content and services on high-speed networks both today and tomorrow. With increased high-speed Internet access to the Internet through ISDN, cable and ADSL modems, combined with the choice of NetShow-enabling technologies, businesses can offer customers a wide variety of new, innovative and cost-effective multimedia options. Customers can use NetShow for training and corporate communications; live and on-demand online events and virtual briefings; guided tours; online magazines and reference materials; continuous real-time stock ticker feeds; video clips for customers on demand with no download waiting time; customized, up-to-date sports scores and other real-time information; and customized, personalized content drawn from users’ choices.
IIS 3.0 with NetShow will be available this week for download at no charge at http://www.microsoft.com/iis/ (connect-time charges may apply).
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