Windows Media Version 4.1 Feature List (250048)

SUMMARY

Windows Media Version 4.1 Feature List

The tables below include the Windows MediaT TechnologiesT version 4.1 features list. Please consult the tables and decide if this upgrade is right for you. If it is, get it from the following Microsoft Web page:

Windows Media Player

Feature	Description	Benefits
Networking improvements	Alleviates multi-bit rate (MBR) initial connection rate problems and enables playback over certain satellite and cable modem networks (where downlink is high-speed cable or satellite but uplink is by slower modem). Also provides more reliable connections between client and server for streaming over any connection.	Users connecting via asynchronous satellite or cable modem networks or via America Online or other ISPs who utilize Telephony Application Program Interface (TAPI) for connection will begin connection at appropriate rate and receive the highest quality video possible when content providers use the multi-bit rate (MBR) feature of Intelligent Streaming, Windows Media's solution for providing optimal video quality to users under adverse network conditions.
Windows 2000 compatibility	Provides compatibility with Windows 2000 Server for authentication of secured media content.	Client seamlessly authenticates to Windows Media Services running on Windows 2000 Server.
Upgrade notification	Repairs player upgrade notification mechanism.	Consumers will be notified of future Windows Media Player upgrades released by Microsoft.
AVI playback improvements	Enables playback of AVI files containing the MPEG-4v2 video decoding algorithm (codec).	Legacy content utilizing the MPEG4v2 video codec within an AVI file can now be played by the Windows Media Player.
Radio Toolbar localization	Enables localization of text data in Radio Toolbar.	Users of non-English versions of Windows can receive localized text data within the Internet Explorer Radio Toolbar.

Windows Media Services

Feature	Description	Benefits
Auto-upgrade URL	Repairs auto-upgrade URL that is passed to the client.	Consumers are much more likely to be notified of this very important upgrade to the Windows Media Player, resulting in a better experience when viewing content.
MBR rate negotiation	Improves robustness of MBR connection rate negotiation.	Consumers will enjoy smoother video and less buffering when viewing streams that take advantage of Intelligent Streaming.
Windows 2000 compatibility	Windows 2000 Server compatibility (a nearly identical server release is included in Windows 2000 Server).	Content providers will enjoy identical features whether serving streams from Windows NT Server 4.0 or Windows 2000 Server.
Striding of MBR files	Improved fast-forward and fast-rewind capability for multi-bit rate streams.	Consumers will enjoy better performance from Windows Media Player when selecting the fast-forward or fast-rewind option.

Windows Media Tools

Feature	Description	Benefits
Web server streaming	New templates to support streaming from Web servers.	Content providers who want to serve Windows Media files from their Web server can now do so using simple-to-use predefined templates instead of building their own custom templates in Windows Media Encoder.
Broadband video quality	Improved video quality at high-data rates due to changes in the interaction between the audio and video codecs.	Content providers can now encode video that plays back much more smoothly. The improvements affect higher-data rate video (above 300 Kbps).
Modem-rate MBR templates	Improved templates for modem-rate MBR.	Consumers will receive better video quality when connecting to a stream via 28.8 modem.
Speech template	New template for low-data rate speech using Acelp.net codec.	Content providers can easily provide speech-optimized low-data rate streams using the new speech-only template in Windows Media Encoder, rather than building their own custom templates.