A comparison of PS3 and 360 as media players

[jonabbey]

I'm thinking of dropping WinXP on my desktop PC & going full-time to Jolicloud, but I'll need a Linux replacement for PlayOn to stream Hulu, TheCW & other channels to my Xbox. Other than PS3MediaServer are there any other suggestions out there? Guess I could continue using PlayOn with Wine, but haven't heard good things about that. Appreciate any feedback.

Tommy McClain

I don't know about Linux solutions that support Hulu, etc. I use Mediatomb which works well for locally stored videos, and they have some support for YouTube, but that's about it.

 

[patsu]

jonabbey, what are you using these days ? I'm still on PS3MediaServer (on Windows and Mac OSX). I remember you mentioned something else running on Linux.

 

[habbe]

I stumbled over serviio, worth checking out. Http://www.serviio.org

 

[patsu]

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=5711

According to the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG), Blu-ray software sales rose 68% in 2010, with $1.8 billion sales revenue. BD rentals were also up 24% in brick-and-mortar outlets. Regarding hardware, 11.25 million Blu-ray playback devices – including set-top players and game consoles – sold in calendar 2010 (six million of them in the fourth quarter).

Overall, home entertainment spending was $18.8 billion, down 3%.

The total number of Blu-ray playback devices in U.S. households increased to 27.5 million, up 62%.

More than 170 million Blu-ray Discs shipped to market in calendar 2010 (73 million in the fourth quarter). Nearly 350 million Blu-ray Discs have shipped since launch.

Sales of catalog titles on Blu-ray are up 52%, according to PC World citing DEG figures.

...

Original DEG Source:
http://www.degonline.org/pressreleases/2011/f_Q410.pdf

 

[patsu]

http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/01/22...ity-debuts-in-france-germany-italy-and-spain/

Sony has just announced that Qriocity, the strangely named cloud-based digital music service it aims to rival Apple’s iTunes with, is now immediately available in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

…

All existing PlayStation 3 computer entertainment systems in France, Germany, Italy and Spain will have access to Qriocity. Sony says the service will also be made available on a range of Sony’s portable devices, as well as on Sony and third-party Android-based mobile devices and ‘other portable devices’.

 

[2real4tv]

Just found out you can't watch Netfix w/o Live Gold...not happy. It teased me with a couple of days of use then without warning poof. I guess no Pingu for my little boy unless I take him downstairs.

 

[patsu]

Germany: Blu-ray Sales Double in 2010, Drive Home Video Growth:
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=5870

The German Federal Association for Audiovisual Media (BVV) has released figures for the home video market for 2010. During the year, Blu-ray sold 12.0 million units, a growth of 94% over sales in 2009. Revenues from Blu-ray sales were 193 million euros (62% up). Thanks to that, home video sales grew both in units and in revenue over the figures from the previous year. Around one of every seven home video euros comes now from Blu-ray.

 

[patsu]

More Than 150 Criterion Collection Films Come to Hulu Plus:
http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/s...erion_Collection_Films_Come_to_Hulu_Plus/6364

"Starting today, there are more than 150 of our most important films online on the Hulu Plus subscription service," writes Peter Becker on Criterion's release. "Over the coming months, that number will swell to more than 800 films."

 

[patsu]

Perhaps, this is why Sony started the PSN ban wave yesterday…

Qriocity launched in US, Australia, and New Zealand:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/17/sony-music-unlimited-music-streaming-service-arrives-in-the-us/

Let's hope Sony's new streaming music service -- just launched today for the US, Australia, and New Zealand -- isn't as unwieldy to use as its "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" moniker suggests. The service features six million tracks from Sony Music Entertainment, Universal, EMI, and Warner and is available on Sony's own devices including the PS3, Blu-ray disc players, Bravia televisions, and VAIO PCs. It'll also be available on Android smartphones soon with an iOS app coming later this year, assuming Apple's new subscription debacle doesn't derail Sony's plans. A basic membership provides an interactive radio experience for $3.99 per month while a premium $9.99 per month service gives subscribers on-demand access to the Music Unlimited library with the ability to manage your music through playlists and the like. Sony also provides a useful service that scans your local library and playlists to "jump start" the organization of your Music Unlimited collection.

Another firmware update coming soon ?

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I'll be somewhat surprised if Apple allows this on their iOS devices as it represents direct competition to their iTunes store for media.

Regards,
SB

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Qriocity support is already in the FW. It'd just need a localaised signal of availability in new regions, the same as the new UK TV channels just appeared without any downloading or updating requirement.

 

[patsu]

Qriocity support is already in the FW. It'd just need a localaised signal of availability in new regions, the same as the new UK TV channels just appeared without any downloading or updating requirement.

Ah, quite true.

Hope I can stand the overly fancy UI. I may use this a lot in my office PS3. Just leave it running throughout my office hours.

 

[patsu]

I'll be somewhat surprised if Apple allows this on their iOS devices as it represents direct competition to their iTunes store for media.

Apple may "allow" it with stringent or unacceptable terms. ^_^

I believe someone is trying to sue Apple over their iOS payment decision as we speak. Fun times.


EDIT:
… and this is how Sony promote it in US ? With a sticker-size video interview and press release ?

http://www.sonyinsider.com/2011/02/17/music-unlimited-powered-by-qriocity-launching-today-in-the-us/

Why didn't they at least tip it in the Xperia Play or NGP event ?

 

[patsu]

SonyInsider posted a MidemNet 2011 interview with Tim Schafer about the Sony Network Entertainment and Qriocity:
http://www.sonyinsider.com/2011/02/17/conversation-with-tim-schaaff-of-sony-network-entertainment/
(They also scaled up the first sticker-sized video interview )

EDIT: According to the MidemNet interview, Qriocity is driven by OmniFone and Gracenote services:
http://www.omnifone.com/announcements.php?announcement=28

Gracenote and Omnifone today announced that their technology is driving the back-end of "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity," Sony's new Cloud based digital music service, which gives music fans access to millions of songs from the four major labels, leading independent labels and major publishers—on Sony network connected devices.

…

Omnifone provided its award-winning platform services to develop and deliver the Cloud-based service for "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" across a range of device platforms and also licensed the service with rights holders around the world, providing a global catalogue of over six million tracks for subscribers to enjoy.

…

Gracenote's music identification and discovery technologies and Global Media Database create a rich experience for "Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity" subscribers, letting them enjoy their existing digital music collection and discover new artists and albums within Sony's service.

etc.

EDIT 2:
PS Blog has a demo video. Free 30 day trial on Qriocity Premium Service:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011...network-with-music-unlimited-available-today/

Is it on XMB yet ?

 

[patsu]

I'll be somewhat surprised if Apple allows this on their iOS devices as it represents direct competition to their iTunes store for media.

Apple may "allow" it with stringent or unacceptable terms. ^_^

I believe someone is trying to sue Apple over their iOS payment decision as we speak. Fun times.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657704576150350669475800.html

U.S. antitrust enforcers have begun looking at the terms Apple Inc. set this week for media companies who want to sell their content on its popular iPad and other devices, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission's interest in Apple's new subscription service is at a preliminary stage, and might not develop into either a formal investigation or any action against the company. But it comes as Apple has attracted growing antitrust scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe.
A spokeswoman for the European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, said Thursday that the commission was aware of the new subscription service and was "carefully monitoring the situation."

...

 

[-tkf-]

SonyInsider posted a MidemNet 2011 interview with Tim Schafer about the Sony Network Entertainment and Qriocity:
http://www.sonyinsider.com/2011/02/17/conversation-with-tim-schaaff-of-sony-network-entertainment/
(They also scaled up the first sticker-sized video interview )

EDIT: According to the MidemNet interview, Qriocity is driven by OmniFone and Gracenote services:
http://www.omnifone.com/announcements.php?announcement=28




EDIT 2:
PS Blog has a demo video. Free 30 day trial on Qriocity Premium Service:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011...network-with-music-unlimited-available-today/

Is it on XMB yet ?

Pretty nifty, i was worried for a moment, if this service was only possible on the PS3 it would be expensive.. in power

However:

In addition to PlayStation 3, you may also enjoy Music Unlimited on your network-enabled BRAVIA TV, Blu-Ray Disc player, Sony VAIO or other PC and coming soon to Sony’s other mobile devices, including PSP.

This is pretty nice but a rental service of course.

 

[patsu]

Does it work on Internet connected Bravias already ? I downloaded it on PS3 yesterday but have not tried it yet.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657704576150350669475800.html

Good it's about time Apple was hit with some of the same restrictions for anti-competitive behaviour that MS has been hit with.

BTW - does Qriocity also allow you to keep 10 tracks each month? Otherwise I don't see much reason anyone would switch from Zune or use it instead of Zune unless they had a Sony branded product that only supported it. It has pretty much the same monthly price with the same unlimited access to music.

Regards,
SB

 

[patsu]

BTW - does Qriocity also allow you to keep 10 tracks each month? Otherwise I don't see much reason anyone would switch from Zune or use it instead of Zune unless they had a Sony branded product that only supported it. It has pretty much the same monthly price with the same unlimited access to music.

Nope. Qriocity is streaming only currently. Since it's based on OmniFone, it should already support Android technically:
http://www.omnifone.com/announcements.php?announcement=21

The rest is probably packaging and marketing.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Nope. Qriocity is streaming only currently. Since it's based on OmniFone, it should already support Android technically:
http://www.omnifone.com/announcements.php?announcement=21

The rest is probably packaging and marketing.

Ah, bugger then. The 10 keepers with Zune allows me to think of it as buying 10 individual tracks and getting the Zune unlimited music streaming for free.

Regards,
SB