Memphis will include integrated TV tuner

Microsoft's next release of Windows 95, code-named Memphis, will includean integrated TV tuner that will allow users to watch TV and participatewith interactive broadcasts and Web sites. Microsoft is also planning toincorporate a program guide that will combine satellite TV listings withlocal cable and TV broadcast listings.

"Whatever services you're signed up for, the shows will be there," said Alec Saunders, one of many Memphis product managers. "Memphis will present them all in a single unified tuning space."

The program guide will be built with HTML and be incorporated into theInternet Explorer 4.0 Active Desktop. When a user selects a program fromthe guide, an ActiveX control will display the video full-screen ifdesired.

"What appears to be a television channel is in reality a Web page which is simply a container for the video control," said Microsoft's George Moore in a message to C-Net.

Microsoft hopes that broadcasters will take advantage of the Memphis TVtuner by sending additional information such as interactive polls orsports statistics.

Naturally, this feature will require a hardware add-in, such as a PCIor ISA card that connects to a local cable system or TV antenna. Such acard will cost about $400, according to Microsoft's Saunders, and willinclude the necessary drivers.

A wide-scale beta of Memphis begins sometime soon. The new operating system is expected to ship in early 1998, although Microsoft has beenquite about the release date