Fall 360 dashboard update details

[pipo]

I was wondering the same thing.

Last year it came out by the end of this month...

 

[Diamond.G]

We also knew everything that was going to be included in it by now. This is odd of Microsoft.

 

[pipo]

Dunno. It's good PR, and they have a lot of that going on already.

 

[aselto]

Aaron Greenberg promised some neat community features in Geolff Keighley's Bonus Round a couple months ago. I wonder what that could be.

 

[RobertR1]

Waaay too quiet on this front. MS, you better not miss it

 

[Red Herring]

Well the v2 Vista media center extenders with MPEG-4 ASP (XviD/DivX) & AVC (H.264) support are due some time in November so I would imagine if the Xbox 360 is going to gain parity with them then it will probably be not too long after.

Though it would be a shame if the Xbox 360 does not get the same level of codec support the other v2 extenders will as it sounds a complex situation. A Microsoft dev posted on Doom9 that Microsoft must pay license fees on a per player process so the Xbox dashboard and extender UI are considered two different players as a result Microsoft would have to absorb the cost for both.

You could also have a situation were the Xbox dashboard does not get the updated codecs and remains limited to MPEG-4 SP in MP4 containers so only the media center extender side gets the new codecs.

 

[J_Saint]

Perhaps they could put a codec pack on the marketplace to offset the cost. Though if they limit support to Vista machines they probably won't see a huge return then claim nobody wants it.

 

[jb]

Perhaps they could put a codec pack on the marketplace to offset the cost. Though if they limit support to Vista machines they probably won't see a huge return then claim nobody wants it.

Shhh dont give them any more ideas as they are already bleeding me dry in other costs

 

[Red Herring]

The idea of selling third party codecs on the marketplace has been suggested to various MS people right from the start of the consoles launch so I would imagine they are well aware of the idea but have not gone with it for {insert} whatever reason (security concerns, source code access etc).

 

[AzBat]

Microsoft Mediaroom (aka IPTV) Surfaces

Looks like somebody got their repaired Xbox back with a newer Dashboard update. This update has the announced Microsoft IPTV services now called Mediaroom.

http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2007/10/26/rumor-leaked-screens-show-iptv-and-fall-update/

Found via Xbox-Scene.

Looks promising. Wonder if it will be the upcoming update available to everybody. Or if it's the update only available for IPTV-compatible TV subscribers.

Tommy McClain

 

[Shifty Geezer]

This is a software interface to a network service, right? With the XB360 acting as the 'set-top box'. wonder if MS get a license fee for each product shown using their service? If so, this is their vision for the living room rather than Live Marketplace and any of their own delivery service.

 

[mrcorbo]

This is a software interface to a network service, right? With the XB360 acting as the 'set-top box'. wonder if MS get a license fee for each product shown using their service? If so, this is their vision for the living room rather than Live Marketplace and any of their own delivery service.

I don't think it's an either/or. It's all part of the same vision.

It would be better if they had a more consistent interface to all this, though. They should have skinned the whole thing (dashboard, etc.) with the (Vista) Media Center UI so the experience was consistent through all of the different gateways. Right now, 360 as standalone and 360 as Media Center Extender are two completely different experiences with no consistency. And IMO, handling media through the 360 dashboard is awkward, especially when you are dealing with a lot of files. This is something Sony has done very successfully with the XMB.

 

[infinity4]

I chose to buy a 1280x1024 display instead of widescreen ones because 16:10 stretching is pissing me off. Now that I found out that the support for resolution is very poor, I am now wishing if MS can allow me to letterbox with black bars added to 1280x720 to make up 1280x1024.

 

[Red Herring]

The Mediaroom IPTV service actually uses the same UI as Vista Media Center it can be skinned with different colors/logos depending on the vendor but the overall UI remains the same.

Initially there does seem to be some sort over overlap though with the Windows Live for TV service in Vista Media Center but it only streams videos from the MSN Video site whereas Mediaroom will turn your Xbox into a standalone DVR and I presume eventually feature channels like BBC or Sky etc (if they agree to partner with MS) through it just like a regular set top box.

Also Microsoft seems to be prepping a MediaRoom Personal Server whatever that is.

 

[Graham]

I don't think it's an either/or. It's all part of the same vision.

It would be better if they had a more consistent interface to all this, though. They should have skinned the whole thing (dashboard, etc.) with the (Vista) Media Center UI so the experience was consistent through all of the different gateways. Right now, 360 as standalone and 360 as Media Center Extender are two completely different experiences with no consistency. And IMO, handling media through the 360 dashboard is awkward, especially when you are dealing with a lot of files. This is something Sony has done very successfully with the XMB.

Back when major nelson asked for 'overall microsoft feedback' this was my major complaint. I really, really like the vista MCE UI. Integrating dashboard features with it would be brilliant. Of course, as you allude to, the parallels to the XMB would be rather striking.

 

[mrcorbo]

The Mediaroom IPTV service actually uses the same UI as Vista Media Center it can be skinned with different colors/logos depending on the vendor but the overall UI remains the same.

Initially there does seem to be some sort over overlap though with the Windows Live for TV service in Vista Media Center but it only streams videos from the MSN Video site whereas Mediaroom will turn your Xbox into a standalone DVR and I presume eventually feature channels like BBC or Sky etc (if they agree to partner with MS) through it just like a regular set top box.

Also Microsoft seems to be prepping a MediaRoom Personal Server whatever that is.

Interesting, thanks for the linkage. If this MediaRoom Personal Server is a superset of a regular Microsoft Home Server, I can see where it might fit into their product lineup. Knowing Microsoft, though, they'll be two completely unrelated products.

Awkward is an understatement especially for someone like me that has purchased about 200 TV shows. It would be nice if MSFT organized on my hdd the way it is organized when I purchase, like, Media Blade >> TV Shows >> give me a list of the channels, in this case CBS >> CSI and Numb3rs. Right now it is one long alphabetical list...

Yeah, that's the main problem even when trying to access media from DLNA servers as well. The Metadata is there to allow for proper categorization in both cases, they just don't use it.

Back when major nelson asked for 'overall microsoft feedback' this was my major complaint. I really, really like the vista MCE UI. Integrating dashboard features with it would be brilliant. Of course, as you allude to, the parallels to the XMB would be rather striking.

I like it, too. They put a lot of effort into creating this UI for the "10 foot experience" and I think it paid off. Why they would not adapt it to be the interface for the ultimate "10 foot" device is beyond me.

Consistent UIs are a very good idea and I applaud Sony for what they've done with the XMB. It is also really smart, because once a consumer owns one of your products it makes your other products more attractive than your competitors because of the reduced learning curve attached.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

No IPTV this update...

Microsoft has issued a statement saying that IPTV functionality will not be included in the fall 360 firmware update.
It has also suggested that we might not even see it this year, as was originally promised by Bill Gates at the CES show earlier in 2007. Apparently the fancy new technology will only be given to service providers by Christmas, landing the final release-ball in their court.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=86504
Although from the sounds of it, IPTV will be present in the firmware but can't be used without access to an IPTV service provider, and the roll-out of the service will thus be dependent on the service providers. If the functionality isn't in the firmware update, how will the XB360 be able to access it when services are rolled out at Christmas? A separate download or install disc?

 

[Arwin]

Winter update, after a testing period by service providers? (hence that a consumer could accidentally get a firmware with IP included, they made a whole bunch probably to distribute to service providers for testing ... )

 

[AzBat]

I'm sure that normal Xbox 360 owner will not have access to the features(not included in the Fall Update). That means that only IPTV service providers will have access to the update and they will make those devices available to their subscribers like any other kind of TV set-top device. So you'll only be able to get those features if you get the console from your service provider. I seriously doubt that they will accept standard retail versions of the console.

Tommy McClain

 

[J_Saint]

So you'll only be able to get those features if you get the console from your service provider. I seriously doubt that they will accept standard retail versions of the console.

I wouldn't want my 360 to be the workhorse when the console has proven to be so unreliable. Because of that, renting a 360 (if possible) from a service provider might not be such a bad deal depending on cost and replacement policies.