Microsoft has announced a new technology for its Internet Information Services (IIS) Media Services and extending the functionality of Silverlight.
The Smooth Streaming feature allows full quality high definition video, up to 1080p, to be streamed by a web server. However, it also offers adaptive video quality based on a user's web connection, thus delivering the best quality of video and with minimal buffering and fast startup times.
One partner using the new service is the broadcaster NBC, whose NBCOlympics.com web site will stream 720p content of the 2010 Winter Olympics using Silverlight and Smooth Streaming.
Microsoft has worked closely with a number of partners, including content delivery networks (AT&T, CDNetworks, Limelight, etc) and encoding product vendors.
More information on Smooth Streaming is available at the IIS Media Services web page.
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