Skype TX Broadcasting Software Heads to TV Studios

eWEEK by Pedro Hernandez

Microsoft lines up hardware partners as its Skype TX broadcasting software platform heads to TV studios.

Five months after first announcing Skype TX, software that enables broadcasters to incorporate Skype video calls into their television production workflows, Microsoft announced that the product has been released to manufacturing.

First unveiled April 7, during the National Association of Broadcasters' 2014 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Skype TX is a toolset that allows television companies to broadcast full-frame Skype video and audio. The solution is compatible with the TV broadcast serial digital interface (SDI) standards and also supports HD-SDI for high-definition programming.

"We've built on the existing Cat and Mouse technology to deliver a high-quality hardware and software Skype integration direct into a studio environment," Angie Hill, general manager of Skype Consumer Marketing, said in a statement at the time. Microsoft had previously acquired Cat and Mouse, a U.K.-based video over IP broadcasting software specialist, whose CatCall platform included call quality optimizations, switching capabilities and multi-feed management.

Skype TX blocks notifications, ads or pop-ups to make Skype video sessions, which are typically conducted on PCs and mobile devices, suitable for broadcast. Additionally, the technology automatically adjusts for aspect-ratio mismatches. Other features include auto fallback to still, which displays a still image in the event of an interruption, operator previews and call quality monitoring. read more...

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