Xbox 360 to add IPTV Support - Wiihacks

fatal · 01-07-2007, 10:33 PM

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Bill Gates used his annual keynote speech to talk about new uses for his Xbox 360 game device. Through a software update on Xbox Live, any current Xbox 360 will be able to act as a digital TV receiver and recorder in conjunction with Internet Protocal Television (IPTV). But to use your game machine as a TV device, you'll have to sign a deal with one of Microsoft's yet-to-be-announced IPTV partners. Companies like AT&T currently provide this service.

The plan is for the new software upgrade to come through these partners by this fall. For those who don't already own an Xbox 360, IPTV providers are expected to lease the machines, like cable companies lease set-top boxes. This means people won't have to put out $400 for a next generation game console come next Christmas.

Gamers will be able to perform the same types of functions while watching IPTV programs as they do while playing online games, which means voice chat and video conferencing are both possible. It also makes sense, since the receiver part of this device will eat up storage space on the 20GB hard drive, that Microsoft or these IPTV providers will bring out Xbox 360s with larger hard drives for storage.

Gamers can already buy HD TV content from dozens of networks like MTV, SpikeTV, CBS and Nickelodeon vis Xbox Live Marketplace. They can also download and rent HD movies from studios like Paramount and Warner Bros. Gamers can also buy a $200 HD-DVD drive to watch next generation movies through Xbox 360.

Once IPTV kicks in, the Xbox 360 will be even more of an entertainment device than it is now. While gaming will always be the focus, one true way to get these consoles into the mass market living rooms is through entertainment like TV and movies. And that's just what Microsoft is doing.

Trout · 01-08-2007, 06:40 PM

Will definitely need a bigger hard drive to use that. This seems like the 360 is the testing ground for their next Xbox. Microsoft must have some grand plans.

Jumper · 01-08-2007, 07:21 PM

I don't know if you guys remember 'webtv' but its a product microsoft has been pushing for years and years... i think since 10million people already have an xbox in their homes, why not launch those services there...

This will also put Xbox in direct competition with Apples ITV which should be announced yesterday....

I don't know how big of a HD it will require as the IP-TV will all be streaming....

Jamezli · 01-08-2007, 07:36 PM

WebTV was a big failure back in the day. I'm glad to see it making a comeback in the 360.

fatal · 01-08-2007, 07:43 PM

Did you know webtv is still alive and kicking? well donno if its kicking.. maybe crawling... but they are still selling them and supporting them....

there is a call center near me with about 500 Microsoft techs selling and supporting them...

Nave · 01-09-2007, 06:53 AM

Heh, i love the renewed standards races going in this market. It is great for school reports, first Sony and Blue-Ray now these types of things popping up all over the place. All trying to be the new standard in our homes. But in the end dividing the marketplace and loosing money. Too bad the world can be so evenly divided (i think sony is kinda sad, they seem to have forgotten all their other format failures... Betamax, UMD, so on.)