Microsoft unveiled on Sunday a new brand name for its Internet-based television platform, a service deployed by 10 companies including AT&T Inc. Microsoft Mediaroom, formerly known as Microsoft Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), will link with computers found in the home to allow users to access a PC hard drive to listen to music or view photos on a TV screen, the company said.

The television push by the world's largest software maker aims to deliver TV over high-speed Internet networks and hopes the software will eventually open up the TV to a world of services already on the Web.

Microsoft said Mediaroom will also enable some applications that access the Internet without a Web browser, so users can view streaming online video or look at photos uploaded onto the Internet. The application environment also enables service providers to deploy advanced features such as dynamic video-on-demand portals, casual games and interactive TV services.

In addition, Mediaroom will offer MultiView capabilities. These allow consumers to see multiple channels, programs and camera angles on one screen.

The company said it will introduce a toolkit to allow developers to create applications for the Mediaroom platform.