PARIS -- Microsoft Corp. and leading set-top box manufacturers Cisco Systems Inc., Motorola Inc., Philips and Tatung Co. today announced at Broadband World Forum Europe that advanced system-on-a-chip (SoC) set-tops, which will greatly enhance the Internet Protocol television (IPTV) user experience, are now available to support Microsoft® IPTV Edition software platform deployments with leading telecommunications carriers worldwide. An integral part of the IPTV ecosystem, SoC set-tops will enable service providers to begin delivering high-definition TV (HDTV), digital video recording (DVR) and picture-in-picture functionalities as well as other advanced features in the future, enhancing consumers’ television-viewing experience.

This new generation of SoC-based, HD-capable, IPTV-ready receivers makes it easier for service providers to deploy IPTV Edition more broadly, quickly and cost-efficiently while supporting exciting new TV services. The availability of these devices illustrates the continued innovation of Microsoft and its IPTV Edition ecosystem partners in the telecommunications and digital television industries.

“The advent of system-on-a-chip set-tops is a key milestone for the IPTV industry,” said Christine Heckart, general manager of marketing for the Microsoft TV Division at Microsoft. “As our service provider customers are beginning worldwide deployments of IPTV Edition, and set-top partners are unveiling these advanced devices, consumers will be able to experience television in a new, exciting way. This milestone is a testament to the remarkable progress our IPTV ecosystem has made in just a few years, and it will pave the way for service providers to deliver richer TV services at a lower cost.”

Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT)