
Xbox 360 Teams Up With Entertainment Leaders to Transform TV - ghurlman
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2011/oct11/10-05XBTVPR.mspx
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ryanb
This is cool, but it's certainly not a game changer. If you didn't need an
Xfinity or Verizon account to get all this content then it would be a lot more
interesting.

If I were willing to pay $80/mo for cable, I wouldn't be on Xbox streaming it.

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mikeryan
Assume for a second you're right you still need a cable subscription to view
this (you are).

What if the viewing experience on the Xbox is better? Easier access to related
clips and content, more interactive features like social interactions or group
viewing? An easier to use guide (get rid of your remote and use hand gestures
and voice commands to control your viewing). More HD content? (Cable Ops are
quickly running out of shared bandwidth for more broadcast channels, this
would allow for more HD offerings)

These are the features that the Xbox will offer to enhance the experience over
what you'd get viewing on your cable box.

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doron
Ill be more then willing to pay per view for HBO content as well as other
providers on the list. But if it follows the same model as it HBOGO, then i
guess I will keep getting my HBO content via torrents for free and stream them
on the very same xbox360.

I am not alone in this, I am willing to pay this provider, I am not willing to
pay for the idiotic bundle inflated priced plans the cable provider offers
that include hundreds of channels i never ever watch.

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channelmeter
I'm on the fence of this one; Xbox/MS has the potential to provide a la carte
tv that many people long for and go head to head against cable
providers/telcos such as Comcast or Verizon. I want to be able to select 10-15
channels I like and only pay for those. However, I suspect they don't want to
be in the media game.

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carson
It will be interesting to see details on this. I expect that it will be
disappointing and you will be forced to have the cable channels to get the
online content. This is already something that is making its way into other
XBox content like espn 360.

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paul9290
So with this your xbox360 becomes a cable set top box you own, yet still have
to pay a monthly fee to have service on.

Not too revolutionary as you still have to deal with the cable company and
continue feeding their deep pockets.

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roc
Not to mention the monthly fee for the XBL Gold membership.

If you do need that. I'd imagine that you would, given the situation with
Netflix, HULU and ESPN. But I didn't see confirmation either way in the
article.

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Shengster
It feels strange that in the light of all these great streaming services that
have popped up over the years... (Hulu, Netflix, etc.) ISPs have begun to
punish people using these services via bandwidth caps and throttling.

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stonemetal
What is strange about that? ISPs sold you service with a certain usage model
in mind( light usage, web browsing and email.) As soon as a different heavier
usage model they hadn't planed for became popular(streaming video) they had to
react. They reacted in the way that provided them the most profit. Certainly
understandable if somewhat disappointing.

It is like everyone with a gym membership started showing up at the same time.

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flatrabbit
From what I read elsewhere, it may require either a Verizon FiOS or Comcast
account to access it as well as a Xbox Live Gold membership.

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MatthewPhillips
Yeah, they are asking ISPs permission to launch an IPTV service. Bad
precedent.

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mikeryan
No, thats not what they're doing. They're extending a cable operator
initiative called "TV Everywhere" ESPN 360 and HBO Go are the two main
services using this.

The basic idea is that if you can prove you're already a cable subscriber then
they're willing to stream you content via IP to certain devices, within a
strict set of parameters. For example if you're connected to the internet
through your Comcast provided cable modem you can stream to your tablet
device, or perhaps in this case the Xbox.

MS is not doing anything here without the cable operators permission they're
working very closely with them to fit within the parameters they set. Its the
only way they're able to launch this service. (Compare the lack of success
GoogleTV has had which tried to go completely around the cable operators)

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laconian
Sigh, this is just another lost opportunity for a la carte television.

The first company to finally drive that initiative home will become filthy,
filthy rich overnight.

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chadgeidel
I'm not so sure. How many folks would be willing to pay _extra_ for a la carte
television? It is my understanding that in the current "bundled" packages the
"channels you like" are subsidized by the "channels you don't like". A la
carte would increase the overall bill.

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aidenn0
It would increase the per-channel bill, but if you selected fewer channels, it
could potentially be cheaper overall.

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chadgeidel
It certainly would be an interesting experiment.

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kenjackson
Depending on exactly what they get from Comcast and Verizon, this could be big
in the US. Is there any video showing the feature set?

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mtogo
Or <http://thepiratebay.org/>

