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Rainbow DBS's Satellite Service VOOM, U.S. Digital Television and Akimbo
to Support Windows Media 9 Series;
Submission of VC-9 to SMPTE Reaches Committee Draft Status

LAS VEGAS, April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today at NAB2004, Microsoft
Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) announced that leading broadcast companies are developing
or deploying tools and services that support Microsoft(R) Windows Media(R) 9
Series. Among the companies adopting Windows Media 9 Series for its high
quality and compression efficiency are Rainbow DBS, the satellite services
division of Cablevision Systems Corp.; Akimbo Systems; Shanghai Broadcasting
Lab; and U.S. Digital Television Inc. (USDTV).
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )
Rainbow DBS's satellite service, VOOM, is the first television service to
offer a comprehensive array of high-definition (HD) programming to customers
throughout the continental United States. VOOM will use Windows Media 9 Series
as one of the compression technologies to expand its available satellite
capacity for HD offerings from more than 30 to more than 60 channels. VOOM
plans to roll out advanced codecs beginning with standard definition (SD)
later this year and HD next year.
"We are extremely impressed by the compression capabilities of Windows
Media 9 Series," said Bill Casamo, executive vice president of sales and
marketing at Rainbow DBS. "With over 30 HD channels, VOOM is already
delivering far more HD programming than any other cable or satellite provider.
Utilizing these codecs, among others, within our network will allow VOOM
customers to experience even more high-quality HD programming, as well as SD
programming, and will support the growth and addition of new services over the
next few years."