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Image courtesy Engadget
Microsoft looks to ruffle a few Sony feathers with Xbox Live Video

With Sony's PlayStation 3 just around the corner, Microsoft is looking to have just a bit of an edge to push things in its favor for the holiday season. Gears of War should be out this week to give gamers a bloody dose of fraggin' fun and the HD DVD player is set to drop on November 7. But Microsoft has even bigger plans for its year-old Xbox 360.

Starting November 22, Microsoft will be expanding its Xbox Live service to include high-definition movie downloads as well as standard and high-definition television content. The Redmond-based company has announced deals with CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, TBS, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to blanket Xbox Live with over 1,000 hours of TV programming and movies.

Gamers will be able to access full-length TV shows and download/rent movies from Xbox Live. Customers will also have access to condensed versions of hit TV shows like "CSI" and "Numb3rs" as well as re-mastered versions of classics like "Star Trek." And for the racing fans out there, condensed versions of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races will also be available.

"This groundbreaking announcement is a win for everyone. It connects our partners with one of the most coveted audiences in entertainment today, and provides even greater value to our Xbox Live community, allowing them to enjoy the games and entertainment they want, when they want it," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft.

According to Engadget, here are a few things to know about the new service:

  • Content will be purchased using Microsoft Points.
  • TV shows will go for 240 MS points while movie downloads will ring up at 480 and 320 MS points respectively for high-defintion and standard-definition versions.
  • TV shows and movies can only be downloaded to the Xbox 360's hard drive and not to an external USB hard drive or thumb drive.
  • Movies can only be rented, TV shows are purchased.
  • Downloaded movies can be watched as much as you like for up to 24 hours.
  • No content is streamed -- it's download only.
  • All content is encoded in VC1 (WMV HD) at 6.8Mbps video and 5.1 surround sound

All content will be downloaded to the Xbox 360’s removable 20GB hard drive, so if your drive is already near full, you may just be out of luck. That’s too bad considering that it’s unlikely that Microsoft will release that previously rumored 100GB hard drive.

You can catch a full listing of programming available on Microsoft's Xbox website.

Update 11/7/2006: Engadget has posted a hands-on look at Xbox Live Video including numerous images of the interface.

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Gamer Over
By Montrevux on 11/6/06, Rating: 0
RE: Gamer Over
By ObscureCaucasian on 11/6/2006 10:25:02 PM , Rating: 1
I'll be really interested when they start offering free content.


RE: Gamer Over
By Serifan on 11/6/2006 11:32:11 PM , Rating: 4
Everyone we don't need to buy a PS3 or Wii Montrevux has said Microsoft won.

*claps*


RE: Gamer Over
By tuteja1986 on 11/7/2006 12:31:46 AM , Rating: 2
well at least the movies are much higher quality than apple sells on itune and its also cheaper. Now we just need a Hard drive ;(


RE: Gamer Over
By tuteja1986 on 11/7/2006 12:33:28 AM , Rating: 4
Wait ;( , i didn't read about rental part.. this service is doomed


RE: Gamer Over
By moonraker3000 on 11/7/2006 1:54:01 AM , Rating: 2
IT'S A LOT LIKE COMCAST'S ON DEMAND SERVICE. which is awesome and works really great. so don't be hating microsoft for doing something pretty cool.

hmm... this means that if on demand dosen't have the movie that i want, maybe xbox will, lol. :D


RE: Gamer Over
By S3anister on 11/7/2006 1:58:07 AM , Rating: 2
I completely agree, I don't know where you live... but on demand is really nice for when you don't want to get up and drive to the video store. I'm just guessing that maybe microsoft is playing off of comcast ;)


RE: Gamer Over
By tuteja1986 on 11/7/2006 7:22:29 AM , Rating: 2
Yeah ;( But Downloading a 120min which would be 6GBish would take me a long while since i am on 1.5megabits connect. Atleast Microsoft is offering HQ Video not like apple where my sister bought 3 movies and they are such in terrible Quality.


RE: Gamer Over
By othercents on 11/7/2006 10:48:28 AM , Rating: 2
The next step is to ditch your Cable or Satellite connections for your internet and Xbox360 premium subscription. Maybe they will actually start allowing streaming of popular TV shows.

Other


RE: Gamer Over
By rushfan2006 on 11/7/2006 4:45:59 PM , Rating: 2
I was also thinking 'bout the Comcast On Demand service. I also have their DVR (records in HD) service because I'm more into either spending time with my girl or when I am home my free time is more on the computer playing a game than it is watching TV. With the DVR solution I never have to "worry" about missing a show I like.

That said, I think that comcast DVR solution is a better deal as far as the movie/tv show solution through Xbox. For starters the HD dvr is only $9.95 a month. And you can record all the shows you want for no added cost. And record in HD too...so if you are intrigued by Xbox360 offering you the ability to record your favorite TV show....perhaps you may want to think "$10 a month" vs all the per episode charges of the Xbox service.

Btw...hold your flames for someone else, I'm merely making this post as a SUGGESTION/OPTION to look into for those folks that it may apply to...in the attempt to save them some money.



RE: Gamer Over
By Hydrofirex on 11/7/06, Rating: -1
RE: Gamer Over
By AmbroseAthan on 11/7/2006 9:30:53 AM , Rating: 4
1) Same price as my On Demand from TimeWarner give or take a dollar (the pay-per-view one, not HBO's etc).
2) TimeWarner doesn't have HD On Demand for movies or TV Shows yet; don't know how else I will get an HD movie to my living room without some expensive gear (Blueray/HD-DVD).
3) As stated above, the movies, unless it is playing that moment on HBO/Showtime, is not in HD.
4) This is how rentals work, you only get them for a specified time; refer again to On Demand.
5) So ?
6) Did I miss something? How is Oblivion, or Gears of War, or all the rest not HD resolutions (I play in 720p)? Actual game coding still doesn't fill most DVD's, only the cut movies do (and I personally prefer game engine movies, cut movies take you out of the game, break the 4th wall).
7) I always hate free features, don't you?
8) Refer to 7.
9) Sony's advantage is not a leap and bound beyond the 360's. Overall it is similiar to an overclocked system to a stock system. Sure there is a difference, but it is not very noticable.
10) You can legally rent/buy HD movies on your computer (sans a physical disc)? Can you punch your friend who just killed you with a gernade because he is sitting next to you on the couch?

PC's are very versatile and I tend to play on them, currently a 24" WUXGA from a 512mb 7900GT for HL2 fun.

But consoles have their places for all the rest of the world who doesn't want to invest in a gaming machine and its hardware (my setup above cost me a good bit). A console is cheaper and more easily universal for people to pick up, and easily hooks up to people's current large screen TV's. Microsoft is just offering a nice bonus for anyone who, like me, doesn't have an HD movie service for their living rooms.


RE: Gamer Over
By deeznuts on 11/7/2006 1:50:27 PM , Rating: 2
Psssst. 720P is an HD resolution.


Finally...
By Enoch2001 on 11/7/2006 8:01:25 AM , Rating: 2
Microsoft has had the infrastructure to do this with Live for a while; I'm glad they finally got the red tape worked out and moved on it.

Sadly, our pathetic 20 GB drives are a problem; Microsoft *MUST* offer a larger drive as an option now. How am I supposed to buy TV shows and leave room for movie rental and game save data, music, etc?

A 20GB drive really is too small for our 360's. Especially when I want to download HD content...




RE: Finally...
By therealnickdanger on 11/7/2006 8:59:01 AM , Rating: 1
... or just let me connect my USB 250GB drive OR let me place all the content on my Media Center server. They should allow for the option to purchase WMVHD movies. I already have a couple such movies (that I aquired legally... :D) that are playable on the Xbox360 since the update and they look fantastic! Fifth Element in 720p and 5.1 surround fits on a single-layer DVD and is so sharp! I am certainly prepared to pay $15 or maybe even $20 for WMVHD movies - so long as I can back them up.


RE: Finally...
By InsidiousAngel on 11/7/2006 9:07:07 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
A 20GB drive really is too small for our 360's. Especially when I want to download HD content...


Yes, I agree. But also remember, last month they discussed the possibility of the 100GB HDD coming to North America early next year. If that happens, it should make this service a little more valuable.


RE: Finally...
By MrFluffo on 11/7/2006 9:47:43 AM , Rating: 3
This rumor has been busted. Turns out MS how no plans to release the hard drive anytime soon, if ever. Though they will practically have to with the size of the movies. According to the article all content is encoded in 6.8Mb/s just for video that means:
20Min TV show: 1020MB (almost 1GB)
12 Episode Series: 12.24GB // $36
24 Episode Series: 24.48GB // $72
90Min Movie: 4.59GB
Looking at those number the people who buy a 12 Ep Series are now almost out of hard drive space, Leaving less room for demos, music, etc. And someone wanting a 24 Ep series is out of luck seeing as how they cant hold the entire season on disk. Also people who have a 12 Ep series will not be able to Download a 90+Min Movie without removing episodes from there series. All of the file sizes are only estimates using the 6.8Mb/s Video, You had better hope that the 6.8Mb/s encludes sound otherwise were going to have even bigger problems.


RE: Finally...
By therealnickdanger on 11/7/2006 10:03:21 AM , Rating: 2
I'm sure they just wind up releasing an update that allows for users to download content directly to Vista machines in order to get people to upgrade... then later releasing an update for XP... LOL

It's not like MS just pulled this out of a hat, they have been working on it for a long time. I'm going to guess that they supplied only a 20GB (12GB) because they knew that was all that they needed. 20GB was more than likely NOT an oversight. They probably expect users with high media demands to have external HDDs and media servers. If Vista had been on schedule, we would probably already have the capability to download all of this content to our Vista PCs, but for now we must be in this awkward media storage limbo...

Just my $.02.


RE: Finally...
By MrFluffo on 11/7/2006 10:12:16 AM , Rating: 2
"TV shows and movies can only be downloaded to the Xbox 360's hard drive and not to an external USB hard drive or thumb drive." 20GB is all you have untill they allow it to be put somewhere else. 20GB is no where near enough. As i stated 12 Eps and your pretty much tapped, no movie download for you.


RE: Finally...
By therealnickdanger on 11/7/2006 11:36:55 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
20GB is all you have untill they allow it to be put somewhere else .

... which was exactly my point.