Windows 8 Smooth Streaming Client SDK Beta 2 Released!

Today, we [Microsoft] are excited to announce the Beta2 release of Smooth Streaming Client SDK for Windows 8, which provides many improvements, a number of bug fixes, added new features to integrate Smooth Streaming to video and media element in Windows 8 Store apps and supports the new Windows 8 RTM. Besides all improvements and integration with Windows 8 video and media element, this release also includes new WinRT APIs which will light up development of rich featured Smooth Streaming applications such as Live DVR and multi-language audio switching capable applications . Aligned to this release is the upcoming release of Player Framework (Preview 5) (later today) that makes it easy for you to build rich apps that consume video and provides player controls that you can use in your Windows Store Apps.

Using Player Framework and Smooth Streaming Client SDK you can build rich media experiences on Windows 8 using the same back-end infrastructure you use today to target Smooth Streaming playback to other devices like browser, Windows Phone, Set-top boxes, other mobile devices and so on.

This version of the Smooth Streaming Client includes many improvements, supports multiple platforms (x86, x64 and ARM) and lights up the following capabilities with the video and media element:

• On-demand Playback (Play, Pause, Stop, Seek)
• Live Playback (Playback)
• Live DVR (Pause, Seek, Go to Live) (New in Beta2)
• Multiple audio languages switching with APIs. (New in Beta2)
• Track-selection for playback (for example, restrict the available bitrates) (New in Beta2)
• Offline playback scenarios via Downloader Plugin (New in Beta2)
• Content protection – Microsoft PlayReady
• Trickplay (slow motion, fast-forward, and rewind)
• Microsoft PlayReady Key rotation

What is next:

We are working on all features needed for Windows Azure Media Services. (WAMS)

Getting Started

The initial release notes are available through IIS Learn Center and can be found here.

For get started with this new SDK, you can download the Smooth Streaming Client SDK for Windows 8 (Beta2) from the Visual Studio Gallery and Player Framework from CodePlex.

For more information on the Smooth Streaming Platform and ecosystem you can visit Microsoft Media Platform and Windows Azure Media Services sites.