Hulu and the other Internet video-on-demand Web sites have a new rival: Microsoft.
You won’t see this new Microsoft service, the MSN Video Player in the United States anytime soon though. Microsoft is launching its new service in the next few days in the United Kingdom. The online VoD (video-on-demand) player will include shows from the BBC , BBC Worldwide, and All3Media, an UK independent TV distributor.
According to a report in the Guardian, this ad-funded site will show such shows as Midsomer Murders, Hustle, The League of Gentlemen, Hotel Babylon, and Dead Ringers. Viewers will not be able to see the newest episodes. BBC shows won’t be available for at least a week after broadcast and BBC Worldwide’s shows will have to wait for 180-days or more before appearing on MSN Video Player.
Technically, only Windows users will be able to use the service. Oddly enough though, instead of using Microsoft’s Silverlight video format for the video, MSN Video Player will be using Adobe Flash. So, in theory, Mac and Linux users could have access to MSN Video Player as well.
Internet TV watchers in the UK have long had access to BBC shows via the BBC iPlayer. With this service, though, you can only watch the last seven-days worth of BBC shows. MSN Video Player will start running some, but not all, BBC shows as they age off the BBC iPlayer site. Britain’s Channel 4 also also offers some of its shows, on its VoD site, 4oD. In any case, though only UK users will be able to view shows on any of these VoD service. If you’re in the U.S., or other countries, you’re still much out of luck.
Of course, the flip side is that Hulu and many of the other VoD services are only available in the U.S. Hulu, according to the Telegraph, plans to enter the UK market in September with thousands of hours of U.S. television shows as well as Channel 4 and ITV shows, such as Coronation Street and Britain’s got Talent.
For the time being, though, Microsoft has taken a surprisingly lead in UK VoD. Microsoft declined to comment on what plans, if any, it has for entering the U.S. VoD market. Presumably, as the MSN Video Player’s teething problems are worked out, and the player is shifted over to Silverlight, a version of the service will appear in the United States.