Oct, 2001 : Over 150 Companies Using WinXP Digital Media Features

📅 October 29, 2001 - Microsoft Corp. (microsoft.com/windowsmedia), on the eve of the launch of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system, announced that more than 150 companies are supporting the new digital media features in Windows XP and creating new products or services around them. A broad spectrum of industries, including the software development industry, the service provider industry, the entertainment industry, and the consumer electronics and hardware manufacturing industry, have been applying new digital media technologies in Windows XP.

Personal computers today are as much entertainment and communicationsplatforms as they are productivity tools. Windows XP represents the lateststep in the 10-year evolution of digital media on the PC, which began withthe 1991 release of Multimedia Extensions for Windows 3.0 and the firstMedia Player. Since then, audio and video technology has rapidly becomemainstream among consumers and is vital for today's businesses as theyembrace streaming media for corporate communications and distance learning.
"The release of Windows XP represents the most advanced digital mediatechnology ever in Windows and goes beyond creating a breakthroughexperience for consumers and organizations," said Dave Fester, generalmanager of the Windows Digital Media Division at Microsoft. "Whether youmarket your own technical solutions and services or have a great new devicefor consumers, Windows XP offers a rich platform of opportunity for a broadspectrum of businesses and industries."
Key digital media innovations in Windows XP such as the DirectShow VideoMixing Renderer add a whole new dimension to video editing and playback,allowing developers for the first time to tap the power of a graphics card's3-D engine to render video onto a 3-D surface and seamlessly blend multiplevideos together. Seamless device support for everything from video cameraswith 1394 support to portable audio devices and CD burning offer ahassle-free device experience for consumers. These new technologies combinedwith the easy ability to license key Windows XP technologies such as WindowsMedia technology enable companies are able to create whole new digital mediascenarios and services on the PC.