IP/TV and Windows Media Technologies

This appendix briefly describes the interoperability of IP/TV and Windows Media Technologies (WMT). For information on how to set up this feature, refer to the IP/TV Administration and Configuration Guide.

Stations and Programs

Windows Media Multicast Stations are automatically added to IP/TV Viewer's program lists, and appear as scheduled continuous programs. IP/TV Viewer users tune in directly to the Windows Media Multicast Station. However, Windows Media Multicast Stations are not displayed in the Scheduled Programs page of the IP/TV Content Manager, and cannot be managed by the IP/TV Content Manager.

To create a Windows Media Multicast Station, refer to the WMT documentation.

To create a WMT on-demand program, you can either use WMT, or use the IP/TV Content Manager.

If you use WMT, the program is not displayed in the OnDemand Programs page of the IP/TV Content Manager, and cannot be managed by the IP/TV Content Manager.
If you define an IP/TV OnDemand program to be played by Windows Media Services, the program is displayed in the OnDemand Programs page of the IP/TV Content Manager, and can be managed by the IP/TV Content Manager.

: To define an IP/TV OnDemand program to be played by Windows Media Services, use the procedure described in Chapter 2. Be sure to select the Use WMT option and choose a server that is configured to interoperate with Windows Media Services. Refer to the IP/TV Administration and Configuration Guide for information on configuring servers, and for guidelines on installing IP/TV Server and Windows Media Services on the same computer.

ASF Files

Both IP/TV Server and Windows Media Services can play ASF files (that is, files with the extension .asf). There are two kinds of ASF files:

Basic ASF files

: These files contain only one video stream and/or one audio stream and/or one Web Presentation stream. In IP/TV Content Manager, you can choose to have basic ASF files played either by IP/TV Server or Windows Media Services. The resulting transmission is the same regardless of which server plays the program.
: If a basic ASF file is played by IP/TV Server, the IP/TV Content Manager can balance the load among IP/TV Servers. However, if you specify that a file is to be played by a Windows Media Services, IP/TV Content Manager cannot balance the load.

Advanced ASF files

: These files contain multiple streams of the same type, for example, two or more audio streams. When an advanced ASF file is served by IP/TV Server, only the basic media streams play. If you want all media streams in the ASF file to play, you must configure the program in the IP/TV Content Manager to be served by Windows Media Services.

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