Rumor: Xbox 360 CES Announcements Leaked

[wco81]

IPTV is only being pushed by one company AT&T (formerly SBC).

They are just starting their rollout.

Already, even before they've rolled it out, they're facing criticisms about their plans to provide bandwidth on the cheap. Probably because MS promised them 5 Mbps bitrates to deliver HDTV channels.

Even with those low bitrates, currently they can't deliver more than one HDTV channel at a time, if it's available at all. Check out uverse.att.com and see which areas the service is available.

So it's strange that they'd be touting IPTV at this point (even though it is their platform AT&T is using) since it's so nascent and there are questions aout AT&T's infrastructure (FTTN in contrast to Verizon, which is using FTTP for their Fios TV, which is NOT using IPTV).

Anyways, I think the Uverse package includes a DVR capable of recording up to 4 SD streams at a time and currently one HDTV stream (assuming HD is available in a given area).

Why would X360 be better for watching digital TV programming when it can't record or has the storage capacity of a dedicated DVR, which is probably free (or leased with monthly service)?

Oh and I agree about the download service too. But iTunes won't offer HD at reasonable prices (if at all) so bottom line is if you're serious about HD content, you buy or rent packaged media.

 

[Tap In]

Ah I see. Then for people who play online games, the cost difference between PS3 and Xbox 360 is smaller.

not really, the price difference is the same still because to ME (and others like me)... online gaming on 360 is WORTH $50 a year more compared to the PSN just as the difference between PS3 and 360 is worth it to YOU (and others like you). Free online means nothing if the services are not up to snuff compared to paying (small fee) for a better service.

Not to mention that if you don't need or care for an HD movie player you can still get your gaming on with 360 for less.

But now we're just arguing silly, common, personal preference points and are totally off topic.

 

[bomlat]

As I remember the M$ had a few attempt to enter into the set tpo box market,and the respond from the cable porviders was :we will cut our throat before allow you to etner into our market.

 

[22psi]

As I remember the M$ had a few attempt to enter into the set tpo box market,and the respond from the cable porviders was :we will cut our throat before allow you to etner into our market.

I am wondering why people have to use "M$" or "$ony"

 

[Tap In]

I am wondering why people have to use "M$" or "$ony"

Well I've never seen "$ony" posted here

 

[Tap In]

40k in Nov.

Sales should have at least doubled in Dec like consoles.

So 120k, minimum, I'd say more like 150 in USA (not sure if it's offered in other territories yet..).

PS3 sold maybe 700k, so it does help ms corporate goals of blunting blu-ray a bit. It's 120k more players out there.

Judging by amazon HDDVD vs Blu Ray sales, people aren't using PS3 as movie player anyway.

Wall Street Journal allegedly reporting 150,000 HD DVD kits sold which are all people that bought it specifically for a movie player and will buy HD DVD movies.

 

[bomlat]

I am wondering why people have to use "M$" or "$ony"

Probably beecause of the $100 that I have to pay for a win32 interface and for a dx9 interface?And I don't have to mention the big pile of money for the office (and the closed file format too)

 

[patsu]

IPTV is only being pushed by one company AT&T (formerly SBC).

They are just starting their rollout.

Already, even before they've rolled it out, they're facing criticisms about their plans to provide bandwidth on the cheap. Probably because MS promised them 5 Mbps bitrates to deliver HDTV channels.

Even with those low bitrates, currently they can't deliver more than one HDTV channel at a time, if it's available at all. Check out uverse.att.com and see which areas the service is available.

So it's strange that they'd be touting IPTV at this point (even though it is their platform AT&T is using) since it's so nascent and there are questions aout AT&T's infrastructure (FTTN in contrast to Verizon, which is using FTTP for their Fios TV, which is NOT using IPTV).

Anyways, I think the Uverse package includes a DVR capable of recording up to 4 SD streams at a time and currently one HDTV stream (assuming HD is available in a given area).

Why would X360 be better for watching digital TV programming when it can't record or has the storage capacity of a dedicated DVR, which is probably free (or leased with monthly service)?

Oh and I agree about the download service too. But iTunes won't offer HD at reasonable prices (if at all) so bottom line is if you're serious about HD content, you buy or rent packaged media.

wco81, if they were to relaunch IPTV in a big way.... I think we may be looking at a deeper partnership level. One possibility is MS offering AT&T a sweetheart deal by subsidizing 360s more (or rev share 360 sales with them -- like Zunes and the music publishers), subsidizing/sharing bandwidth from MSN, plus taking away the software licensing fees if AT&T can guarantee a certain level of penetration. New hardware may also be announced. Let's wait for the keynote before pouring cold water on it.

The gaming media may also not care about the differences between IPTV and other similar technologies.

Free online means nothing if the services are not up to snuff compared to paying (small fee) for a better service.

But now we're just arguing silly, common, personal preference points and are totally off topic.

I'm saying don't write off a free PSN. If a 2-month-old, free service (e.g., Resistance on PSN) can offer an equivalent or better online gaming service level than an annual $50 subscription, more mature service, then it's a worthy consideration for many gamers. But it's off topic, and I won't talk about PS3 in this thread now.

 

[wco81]

wco81, if they were to relaunch IPTV in a big way.... I think we may be looking at a deeper partnership level. One possibility is MS offering AT&T a sweetheart deal by subsidizing 360s more (or rev share 360 sales with them -- like Zunes and the music publishers), subsidizing/sharing bandwidth from MSN, plus taking away the software licensing fees if AT&T can guarantee a certain level of penetration. New hardware may also be announced. Let's wait for the keynote before pouring cold water on it.

The gaming media may also not care about the differences between IPTV and other similar technologies.

I'd love to check out U-Verse, although it's not available for my home yet, because Comcast has become so bad recently.

But I would not be tied to a service contract for video (Comcast doesn't require one) and I won't do it for a subsidized X360 either. Actually, I wouldn't want something that noisy and power-hungry on when I'm just trying to watch TV or record shows, which is a lot more hours of the day than gaming.

Give me a good reliable DVR that is designed mainly for TV viewing.

 

[Tap In]

One possibility is MS offering AT&T a sweetheart deal by subsidizing 360s more (or rev share 360 sales with them -- like Zunes and the music publishers), subsidizing/sharing bandwidth from MSN, plus taking away the software licensing fees if AT&T can guarantee a certain level of penetration. New hardware may also be announced.

good points.... leveraging their partnerships here would certainly make sense.

 

[patsu]

I'd love to check out U-Verse, although it's not available for my home yet, because Comcast has become so bad recently.

But I would not be tied to a service contract for video (Comcast doesn't require one) and I won't do it for a subsidized X360 either. Actually, I wouldn't want something that noisy and power-hungry on when I'm just trying to watch TV or record shows, which is a lot more hours of the day than gaming.

Give me a good reliable DVR that is designed mainly for TV viewing.

Well... in general, it depends on how well the US economy is doing too. I am not a fan for subscription contracts, but there are people who buy them It will also take some time for people to realize the power consumption (if they do at all).

The hard part about subscription is the churn rate and ARPU. At least for now, a cheap, heavily stacked player buys the telcos opportunities to pilot various schemes. Whether they continue after a year or two, is the question (They have dropped many before). But we are getting ahead of ourselves, if true, this keynote should make a worthy headline assuming there are no other surprises in CES or MacWorld.

Telcos have been talking about triple-play or quad-play for sometime now. Knowing them, I don't think MS will be the only vendor in town. If it is, then it may be more like a private label arrangement (i.e., it's an MS service branded under AT&T).

 

[Dave Baumann]

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/110233.asp

But the television capability will be available only through IPTV providers. Jim Brady, a spokesman for Microsoft TV, said providers are expected to offer discounted Xbox 360s for lease along with IPTV service, much as wireless companies offer mobile phones with service agreements.

 

[wco81]

IPTV providers?

AFAIK, there's only one in the US.

This isn't really surprising though. IPTV is their software.

Certainly the X360 has the horsepower to run the software, compared to the typical boxes which video providers deploy.

 

[Tap In]

holy crap... watching the Xbox 360 IPTV demo on the CES keynote right now.... this is incredible

available Holiday 2007, PiP, no waiting channel changing, recording TV etc.


BTW

Gears of War sold 2.7 million copies in 8 weeks.

10.4 million Xbox 360s sold in 37 countries

50% new to Xbox brand

5 million Xbox Live users

NO mention of hardware changes to 360

Xbox Live! on Windows Vista

 

[wco81]

5 million PAYING XBL users?

 

[Tap In]

5 million PAYING XBL users?

He didn't say but it really doesn't matter as FREE Xbox Live Silver users can do everything gold users can do...

dL demos, trailers, XBL Arcade games, Voice chat with friends (while even gaming or watching movies) Instant Message, DL HD movies and TV shows, Microtransactions etc.... except play online multiplayer... point being the user base for the majority of their services is in place and growing.

 

[patsu]

NO mention of hardware changes to 360

Ouch ! not even a larger HDD for recording TV ? Also they are pre-announcing this for Fall 2007 ? That's a bit later than I expected. Must be taking some time to negotiate the content. Who will be the provider(s) ?

Gears of War sold 2.7 million copies in 8 weeks.

10.4 million Xbox 360s sold in 37 countries

50% new to Xbox brand

5 million Xbox Live users

NO mention of hardware changes to 360

Xbox Live! on Windows Vista

Since sold = shipped...
Any mention of how many actual consumers ? (A number smaller than 10.4 mil but larger than or equal to 5 mil, if they are counting free Xbox Live users)

 

[Tap In]

Ouch ! not even a larger HDD for recording TV ?

not yet

 

[wco81]

Hmm, I bet it matters to them how many are actually paying customers.

 

[Tap In]

Since sold = shipped...
Any mention of how many actual consumers ? (A number smaller than 10.4 mil but larger than 5 mil)

MS = SOLD= shipped to retailers from their warehouse so I'd guess 10.4 million minus whatever retailers have purchased for current stock which means 10.4 million in consumers homes by what 4-8 weeks tops?