It's Web and TV, but not WebTV

Microsoft made another bid for the growing interactive cable TV market last week, unveiling a platform at Cable '99 in Chicago that lets cable operators add customized Internet to video.

The platform consists of Microsoft TV client software, a TV server and alliances with third-party developers called the Microsoft TV Platform Adaptation Kit. Among hardware vendors, Microsoft has received support from General Instrument, Scientific-Atlanta and Philips Electronics.

The client software operates TV-related appliances such as Internet terminals, advanced set-top boxes and TVs with integrated set-top functions.

It uses a version of Windows CE underlying WebTV, but open standards allow network operators to customize the user interface to on-line content.

"We intend to be the front runner in integrating the Internet into cable set-top boxes," said Datta Nadkarni, Philips' director of business development for Internet TV.

The company will provide hardware for various interactive services - Philips also has a set-top deal with AOL TV.

Built on a Windows 2000 server and Microsoft BackOffice, The Microsoft TV Server can deploy and manage a large-scale commercial Internet TV service.

The server adds applications optimized for TV such as a home page, e-mail interfaces and community content pages. It can also perform registration.

"So the day will come when the subscriber purchases a set-top box from Circuit City, hangs it off the TV and goes right to a sign-up page for the [multiple systems operator's] Internet service," said David Berry, Microsoft TV server product manager.