Maybe we're missing something here, but it seems like the forthcoming live TV service that Microsoft announced on Monday at E3 is basically a way to get TV on your TV.
No, it's a way of getting TV through your console so you don't have to subscribe to a cable / satellite company.
You can get it all, games, music, movies, sports and now TV shows in one place for one subscription. ( And it's all kinect compatible - all voice controlled - no tv remote needed.)
Pointless? How many people pay for Live? Yeah, this article is pointless. If it wasnt for MS, these types of services wouldn't be on consoles. Their pioneering efforts is the reason the service continues to be a step ahead of the competition...fact.
Why is this man or woman getting disagrees. This is straight from the interview: "Q: So you'll have to be a Comcast subscriber, similar to the way you need a subscription to get the ESPN content on the Xbox now? A: Yes." With Zune you need a zune pass (or not actually that's optional but you have to pay for songs after subscribing to XBLive), ESPN need an ESPN subscription (source from the interview above, Netflix/Hulu Plus also need their own subscription (or like zune you can but them from the marketplace but it's not free movies for the XB Live gold subscription).
Know this wont register because its coming from me, but this is just a talking point. It gives MS something to say about the Xbox 360 to the general consumer. Any real benefit it offers is minor and will likely come added requirement. Like having to subscribe to a certain cable or satellite provider.
This is really no different than what they did with Netflix. MS got an exclusive deal for a while, was able to advertise this as exclusive to their console, but in the end lost what momentum and general advantage this gave once Netflix become available on the PS3 and Wii.
@Minartis: Read the interview: yu have to get the service *through* a cable provider. Likely one given to a specific region, meaning that this service proabbly wont be available in multiple regions at once.
One thing I wonder for what its worth, will this open an opportunity for Sony and the PlayTV add-on for the PS3. Get competing cable services to sign on with them.
And if you want to dump your cable service you could probably do it now. Between Netflix and Hulu Plus, all the other streaming services on PSN and XBL, you can pretty much drop all of the pay channels like Showtime and HBO.
"Know this wont register because its coming from me, but this is just a talking point. It gives MS something to say about the Xbox 360 to the general consumer. Any real benefit it offers is minor and will likely come added requirement. Like having to subscribe to a certain cable or satellite provider."
I dont know if you live in the US or not but the cable provider 9 times out 10 is the internet provider. Meaning 9 times out of 10, people already have whatever is needed to actually make use of the service Live is offering. I have Comcast cable internet...just the internet. I dont need a cable package from them because of Hulu, Netflix and whatever else MS brings to LiVe. I get ESPN by default through LIVE because i have Comcast internet...without the cable package/bill.
Would you really want to keep your xbox on for that long. You watch tv then play the game all day so what happens when you want to give your system a break. Also it unsure of who will actually partner with ms in this venture or what additional pressures may arrive with things like smart tv rolling out.
If you actually read the interview and as pointed out by Active Reload, you only need internet service provided by one of the ESPN approved ISP. That is how ESPN works on Xbox 360.
You don't need to pay anyone to get ESPN on your Xbox.
The section of interest:
"Q: So you'll have to be a Comcast subscriber, similar to the way you need a subscription to get the ESPN content on the Xbox now?
"Q: Will live TV be universal, or will it be regional TV services provided by whoever your cable provider is?
A: In the U.S., it will be bifurcated by region, by market. You'll be a Comcast guy [in Seattle], for example."
And another part:
"Plus, Microsoft hasn't announced any partners yet, so it's not even clear whether Comcast (or Time Warner, or whoever your cable provider is) will be on the list."
To sum up the author's summary, this isn't about cutting out cable companies, but more about having XBL and Bing replacing a local cable provider's program guide.
@Active Reload: And for someone who has or was using DirecTV, they wouldn't have access to ESPN. They'd have to switch over to Comcast.
A lot of what was said is somewhat ambiguous. The only part that was "clear" is that ESPN is a free service to Xbox Live Gold members. If it works just like that (which is what was said and indicated above) then the TV service would be free.
Besides, I'm not entirely sure how a cable TV service would matter as the Xbox doesn't have a coax input!
That means, they can't just be a guide... especially since it is called "Live TV" and the box now is a DVR so it needs to receive the stream. So this DOES sound like an attempt at cutting out the cable companies.
Either way, this is from a dubious source anyhow and things can change.
sony slunks alot the playtv box has been around for a while dnt know why they just get in in america and advertise it wtf sony you let microsoft take controller free gaming and make it seem like they are first when you had the tech from ps2 times just needed advancement had the playtv from mabe 2008 now microsoft gonna bring this thing and make it seem like never done before WOW
It is in the execution and that is where Sony failed. Similarly, MS was in the smart phone business long before Apple, yet the iPhone is by far the most popular phone today.
Anything that allows me to dump my "cable" provider makes me happy. It would be great to have all these services over XBL alone, this article is pointless.
The author is just engageing in typical Microsoft bashing.
i pay $25 a month for my tv, im cool with that, i aint cool with another damn xbox live increase. Have any of you KIDS seen espn on live, thank you i rest my case. Even on my excellent 40mbps bandwidth it still looks horrible, get with the program. stop being a bunch of fan boys.
I got an idea, microsoft, try making some games for once in your lives, yah creeps.
if it had a pvr and or was in hd then it might be worth it, but just streaming live sdtv, when you can get that anyway, any cable company you subscribe to will give you a box to get all their content, in better quality too i'll bet.
but then this is likely to be another america only thing so i don't know why i'm even bothered.
When I borrowed my friends PS3 I really liked having BBC IPlayer, unless you have money to have multiboxes with Virgin/Sky or whatever it's easier to use a console with WIFI and watch your stuff anywhere you like, I don't have a sky account so have hot used the sky player yet but I do have virgin, so if I am able to use that I will be happy.
No, it's a way of getting TV through your console so you don't have to subscribe to a cable / satellite company.
You can get it all, games, music, movies, sports and now TV shows in one place for one subscription. ( And it's all kinect compatible - all voice controlled - no tv remote needed.)
Makes sense to me.
Know this wont register because its coming from me, but this is just a talking point. It gives MS something to say about the Xbox 360 to the general consumer. Any real benefit it offers is minor and will likely come added requirement. Like having to subscribe to a certain cable or satellite provider.
This is really no different than what they did with Netflix. MS got an exclusive deal for a while, was able to advertise this as exclusive to their console, but in the end lost what momentum and general advantage this gave once Netflix become available on the PS3 and Wii.
@Minartis:
Read the interview: yu have to get the service *through* a cable provider. Likely one given to a specific region, meaning that this service proabbly wont be available in multiple regions at once.
One thing I wonder for what its worth, will this open an opportunity for Sony and the PlayTV add-on for the PS3. Get competing cable services to sign on with them.
And if you want to dump your cable service you could probably do it now. Between Netflix and Hulu Plus, all the other streaming services on PSN and XBL, you can pretty much drop all of the pay channels like Showtime and HBO.
sony slunks alot the playtv box has been around for a while dnt know why they just get in in america and advertise it wtf sony you let microsoft take controller free gaming and make it seem like they are first when you had the tech from ps2 times just needed advancement had the playtv from mabe 2008 now microsoft gonna bring this thing and make it seem like never done before WOW
Im sure it will improve over time and get better and more features.
TV/Moviebox 360 :)