mtvU Über is the first continuously streaming broadband IPTV network, MTV said.Cisco Systems, whose hardware already facilitates much of the video traffic on the Internet, took a step toward the consumer IPTV business Monday with the launch of mtvU Über, MTV's new 24-hour college-age network streamed entirely in broadband.
The new IPTV (Internet protocol television) network broadcasts 24 hours per day on a per-site basis to 730 college campuses and to an audience of more than 6 million students across the United States, an MTV spokesperson said. It can be accessed here.
When a college signs up for the service, a "head end" is installed on campus and routes the audio and video data to common areas, such as dining areas, lounges and fitness centers.
The connection also can be added to the campus's main cable feed for use in dorm rooms, mtvU Über general manager Stephen Friedman told Ziff Davis Internet.
The new network is Microsoft-centric; it can be viewed only via Internet Explorer browser and Windows Media Player.
MTV said it will work on PCs with the following minimum system requirements: 256 RAM, Pentium III (or faster) 666 MHz processor, Windows 2000 SP4 or XP, IE 5.5 or newer, Windows Media Player 9 or newer, and FlashPlayer 7.
mtvU Über, which has been in beta trials for a month, is the first continuously streaming broadband IPTV network, MTV said.
Cisco Systems Inc. is supplying "a ton" of hardware and support—mostly in the form of routers and switches—for mtvU Über, in addition to other MTV streaming networks, such as OverDrive, an MTV spokesman said.
MTV's OverDrive and VH1's V-Spot IPTV channels offer on-demand streaming music videos, but not continuous 24-7 streaming, Friedman said.
"We're not 'repurposing' any content from the other MTV channels," Friedman said. "And we're not going to be playing Britney [Spears] or Christina [Aguilera] here. College kids are into new areas of music, indie-type bands, and whatever. For example, we've been running some Franz Ferdinand [from the U.K.] music videos lately, and we've gotten a great response from the college-age crowd."
The biggest content change for mtvU Über is the inclusion of localized college-centered news and features on campus life, fashion, dating, sports, work study, travel, food and other topics, Friedman said.
"Broadband is coming into its own as a legitimate medium for creativity," said Cisco senior vice president, Dan Scheinman.
"The convergence of high-speed Internet and entertainment, coupled with networked consumer electronics devices, creates unique opportunities for digital artists to explore new forms of storytelling."
Read the full story on eWeek.com: MTV, Cisco Launch Streaming Network
Web Design 
