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Increased support from technology providers may indicate new life for Microsoft's interactive TV platform, Web TV.

A number of technology providers rolled out new Web TV-compliant versions of their editing and content development tools for broadcasters Monday at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas. Avid Technology, Chyron, Norpak, VertigoXmedia, and Vizrt all unveiled products to develop Web-based content for the interactive television hardware and software service. These tools could help broadcasters add more interactive services to support Microsoft's and other interactive television programs.

Meanwhile, Microsoft recently updated its interactive TV service with UltimateTV, which combines e-mail and Internet functions with interactive television and digital video recorder functions such as pausing live television. Microsoft launched UltimateTV in partnership with DirecTV as a next-generation system of its interactive television product line.

Tough Start for Interactive TV

Like the interactive television industry as a whole, Microsoft's interactive TV products have been slow to catch on in the U.S. and in Europe, where interactive television had an earlier start. Microsoft also faces tough competition in the space from other developers, including OpenTV, Liberate Technologies, and a number of smaller companies whose technologies are used by cable and satellite operators around the world.

In Europe, Open TV controls the majority of the market, according to research firm Gartner Group. In the United States also, Microsoft has failed to take a lead in the space. In a major blow last year, AT&T ditched Microsoft's TV software due to its slow rollout and is now testing software from Liberate for its set-top boxes.

"Microsoft was late to the game," said Jay Srivasta, principal analyst covering consumer electronics for Gartner. "Microsoft has had a nice ride in the PC space where they called the shots and everyone followed, but that's not the case in the interactive TV world where Microsoft is just another player."

Interactive's Limited Appeal

Besides industry rivals, Microsoft is also competing against a small market for interactive TV viewers. Only about 17 percent of U.S. households are expected to have interactive TV in their homes next year, according to a March survey from Jupiter Media Metrix. That small market has caused broadcasters to adopt new technology slowly and cautiously. Microsoft's Interactive TV functions are available for select TV game shows and MSNBC, the cable news channel run by Microsoft and NBC.

With Microsoft hoping to overcome its slow start, Monday's announcements will give broadcasters access to a number of upgrades to existing products that will enable them to add interactive content to regular programming.

VertigoXmedia released a new version of its Producer On Air 2.0 product, which allows broadcasters to collect content from the Web, wire feeds, newsroom systems, and other outlets and convert the data for delivery to the Web and interactive TV programs. The tool enables broadcasters to produce content that can be updated automatically in response to viewer feedback.

Avid released an upgrade to its editing tool that enables editors to mix HTML with existing audio and video feeds. That product will support the Microsoft TV hardware and software services and the Advanced Television Enhancement Forum standard, widely used for creating interactive TV content.

Norpak released an interactive TV data-monitoring system, which allows broadcasters and network operators to track interactive content so they can filter or replace it in real time depending on their needs. Chyron rolled out a new tool for creating interactive graphics, and Vizrt released a new product that gives broadcasters templates to create content quickly.

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