Microsoft aims for smooth streaming in Vancouver

C|Net | at | by Mike

Microsoft is aiming to make Web viewing of the Winter Olympics a lot more like watching the events on TV. While Beijing brought the first widespread use of the Internet to deliver live video of the Games, the Vancouver Olympics--which starts February 12--will offer a range of new options, including TiVo-like features like pausing, rewinding, and replaying during a live broadcast. In addition, broadcaster NBC is using the adaptive streaming capability of Silverlight (Microsoft's rival to Adobe's Flash) to allow those with a good connection to get the Games in up to 720p high-definition quality.