iPS360TV and "The Battle for the Living Room" |
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While people are rallying around with pitchforks and flaming torches to take part in the unending console wars, it's time to take a step back and view things differently. The gaming industry is aggressive and sometimes even rabid - there's no secret there. But gaming aside, another campaign being fought is that of the next-gen media format: the digital download.
The "movie download" industry has actually already started for quite some time now. You've got companies like Cinemanow and Movielink that are pretty well-established and successful already. New in the game would be the services provided by Starz's "Vongo" and Amazon's "Unbox".
Of course, this whole service wouldn't be just as booming without the specialized setup methods and software needed to download the content. What you need in your living room is a set top box to which content can be quickly transferred and is easily accessed by the user.
Cue in Sony, Microsoft, and Apple. Cue in props: PS3, Xbox 360, and Apple TV. Three new players in the game and it looks like it's going to be one fierce battle to be reckoned with.
Microsoft's first strike:
The big MS was the first to draw blood by launching the 360's Xbox Live Video Marketplace last November 22. Almost two months in and it's starting to show signs of being a tremendous success. With Lionsgate's deal with Microsoft, there's even signs of more support for the video downloading service, including a recent announcement of Starz Entertainment to make Vongo compatible with the 360. Hosting over 1,000 titles on the database, the XBLVM empire is growing, more so with some backing from Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal.
Sony sallies forth:
Recent developments have also put Sony on the map especially with an announcement that they'd be offering video downloads also for the PSP with possible partnerships with Cinemanow, Amazon, and Movielink. Yes, Microsoft was indeed first in the game, but given the whole clout Sony has in the movie industry, they're sure to build quite a fortress over the PlayStation Network. It won't be hard to upload a lot of their own content - videos and other stuff from Sony Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, and MGM.
Apple takes a bite:
The Apple TV (previously "iTV") was also just revealed during the MacWorld Expo. February is just around the corner, and it's only then when we'll fully know if it starts off on the right foot. Although iTunes Store's movie downloads were available since last year, some of us can probably say that we've adopted the Apple-culture with open arms already. Their devices are easy-to-use and simple without all the bells and whistles of highfalutin technology. Disney's Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group has also got Apple's back with some exclusive movies like "Pirates of the Carribean".
Three set top boxes to stir the battle for the living room. Which will the emerge as everyone's boob-tube hub? There's definitely a lot to think about when trying to assess what will tip the scales in the war. You've got price, support, and of course, the tech specs among a lot of other things (we're excluding the "gaming" factor, mind you). Mull this over and comment if you will. We smell a Part 2 in the Battle for the Living Room chronicles.
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Comments [refresh]
Does the PS3 convert media and transfer it to the PSP ? (I know it can stream media)
This would be cool if they had something like XBLVM with tv shows, and they could be converted to avc and put on your psp all automagically...
I still refuse to pay for TV so it really doesn't matter
If IPTV takes off there might be 100 to 200 million 360's in house holds around the world.
and so will Apple..
It will be Interesting....Sony already Has a Large Standing in the Movie Industry,Micros oft has Good Connection.
Wonder How will it End...??
I have a computer that does DVR functions, and channels, and filtering even. Hooks right up to a TV.
And guess what, no proprietary or DRM bullsh*t.
*dances*
But PSX does ironically
That you Dont Need the IPTV service for the 360..
Its Your Choice... ;)
"Microsoft was indeed first in the game"
"A recent announcement of Starz Entertainment to make Vongo compatible with the 360. Hosting over 1,000 titles on the database, the XBLVM empire is growing, more so with some backing from Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal."
Looking very good now.
he is saying his PC has DVR functions, and channels, and filtering even.I don't see a mention of the 360 anywhere
He could also be saying it also plays games so you don't need the PS3..
it is your choice :) pathetic isnt it
movie link is much better (higher quality videos) than vongo also sony has much more pull in the movie industry than m$ (when have u heard of micropictures?)
Looks like the other one is playing catch up AGAIN.as usual M$ are one step ahead of their rivals.
I wonder how sony is going to distrubute the movies when MS is using it's smart compressed VC1 codec to distrubute movies at 1/2 to 1/3 the size of Sony's preferred and outdated MPEG2 codec.
Sony 720p movies at 12GB to 18GBs, when MS currently distributes them at 4GB to 6GBs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v+xiEOBEQlzZc
Replace + with equal sign
The Ps3 supports all the latest codecs cand can use them all. So they have no reason not to use VC-1.
Also a VC-1 movie in 720p is well above 4-6GB. You might be thinking that those HD DVD 720p movie rips are the same size as the original rips but the people who rip them try and make them smaller to fit on a DVD.
If you had a HD DVD player and compared a rip and the original movie, the HD DVD movie is several times better then the 4.6GB rips you can download.
This is broadcast quality, meaning that it will be streaming standard definition TV, not HD resolutions. Probably 480p. Read it, It says IPTV is broadcast quality meaning it wont look any better then what you can get from a cable company or satellite company that offers non-HD programing.
End of story. iTV. Just wait.
and I don't tend to watch normal television that much because most of it is pure crap.
Now watching video that are on my main computer is much more common.
yeah, and the whole thing was like $250 when I built it.
yeah, they can support the newest codecs, just like any computer ever can run any codec if the right app is made. so why dont they use it then, smart guy? why do they still use the outdated format? by the way, broadcast quality would be 480i, not 480p. not all TVs support progressive scan, so it would be stupid for someone like espn to broadcast in something that isnt supported by all. also, all HD programming is broadcast in 1080i, so if they meant broadcast quality in the HD respect, thats what youll be getting. idiot
For one, not all stations broadcast in 1080i because its still not a standard for HD programing over the air.
Microsoft said they are offering broadcast quality video. This means the same you can expect from a regular TV. They never once mentioned what resolution they are offering so chances are, they will be offering the same quality as cable TV or satellite.
Because otherwise you would have to be expected to pay just as much as the competition to get 1080i. Not even Microsoft has the bandwidth to stream a hundred thousand 1080i signals unless they are going to make you pay 60+/month
I find it interesting that everyone has already put Mac out of the game. They are a leading producer in apps for movies, in fact, nearly every movie studio in the world uses Macs for their special effects and editting. They are the experts when it comes to these things. What sort of plan they have laid out is yet to be seen, but, if they shell out popular music for 99 cents (U.S.) each, I am sure the videos won't be to expensive either.
Sony wont use VC-1 because it's an MS codec. Blu-Ray can support VC-1 but MS get royalties from the use of it. So you a wrong, there is a very very good reason for sony not to use VC-1.
MS wont be providing the bandwidth for IPTV, the content providers will.
IPTV Bandwidth Specs:
Increased Bandwidth Utilization
Windows Media® 9 Series advanced compression technology %u2014 a core component of the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition platform %u2014 delivers standard definition video at bit rates ranging between 1.5 and 1.8 Mbps (Megabits per second) and high definition programming ranging between 7 and 9 Mbps. That is as little as one half to one third of the bandwidth required by comparable MPEG-2 solutions.