MSNBC Plays With 'Corona' Beta

Microsoft revealed Wednesday that MSNBC.com, the company's joint venture with NBC News, has been running a beta version of Corona to deliver streaming video for the last two months. MSNBC is utilizing the technical beta of Windows .NET Server to deliver over 10 million streams per month.

The next-generation Windows Media Services in .NET Server provides for the foundation of the Corona platform that is expected to up the ante in Microsoft's quest for digital media dominance.

Microsoft has touted double the scalability over the current Windows Media Services in Windows 2000 Server when delivering both live and on-demand streaming content.

"The results MSNBC.com has achieved with Windows Media Services in Windows .NET Server are an indication of the big things to come from Windows Media 'Corona,'" said general manager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft Dave Fester in a statement. "We engineered the 'Corona' server not only to maximize scalability; it is engineered to deliver a faster, smoother television- like viewing experience for streamed audio and video, and optimize the economics of delivering digital media for companies on the Internet and in corporate intranets."

Corona is not slated for release until the end of the year, but Microsoft has already shored up support from NVIDIA, ATI and numerous DVD hardware manufacturers. Corona will feature instant-on streaming, server-side playlists, and over 1000 platform APIs to further third party development.