This week Sirius Satellite Radio announced plans to launch its mobile video satellite service, using Microsoft's VC-1 (based on its Windows Media 9 compression standard). Sirius expects to offer the video service late in 2006 and will initially program up to three channels of premium children's offerings.
Making the service possible is the recent explosion in the numbers of vehicles fitted with both factory and aftermarket DVD players. Most of these will accept an external video signal, which Sirius will provide with the new service. Sirius and Microsoft expect to collaborate for additional video offerings once the initial rollout is completed.
