Comments on: Microsoft Xbox 360 IPTV

By: nick

nick — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 03:58:36 +0000

From what Ive read about this system its not all peaches and cream. To properly use the IPTV a seperate box will be needed along with you having to subscribe to AT&T since they are one of the only fiber optic networks in the US. If thisnis the case I for one will not be getting this.

By: Tim Coyle

Tim Coyle — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 16:57:25 +0000

I think you are right on that Microsoft is trying to win the set top box market. The IPTV announcent isn’t so much about getting subscribed users but getting more partners (even in the cable world).

By: Scat

Scat — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 17:31:45 +0000

Fist off, comparing a STB to ANY device with an operatiing system is not apples and apples. Try looking at a Set Top PC versus a STB. Light years apart in what you can and can’t do. I’ve always said that an STB is the Internet through a plate glass window. Look, but don’t touch.

IF the XBox360 and all its capabilities cannot deliver an interactive Internet along with it’s new IPTV features and on-line gaming, it’s still nothing more than the Internet through a plate glass window. Just with some added intertainment.

But WHO has an Xbox360 that doesn’t already have a TV and some form of broadcasting? What “niche” solution is this unit fulfilling? Is there something on MS TV that isn’t anywhere else?

Personally, give me a Set Top PC that allows me a fully interactive PC Gaming, Internet interaction, personal/business applications as well as Television in ONE unit.. and THEN you have a Revolution.

Surely Xbox 360 IPTV can’t be the best out there.

SCAT!

By: Marco

Marco — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:43:12 +0000

Hi All,

Quick point. There is a big limitation to the Video functionallities: the bandwith. HD VoD (unicast or multicast) type of functionallities are really far from achievement on the public internet, even with Mpeg4 AVC.Here IPTV and Cable can still have their space. Keep this in mind.

By: Xbox IPTV Announced at CES at Nyquist Capital

Xbox IPTV Announced at CES at Nyquist Capital — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:56:13 +0000

[...] I’m here in Vegas and Microsoft (MSFT) has announced that the Xbox 360 will be morphed into a set-top box, delivering IPTV like functionality. This is something I predicted almost a year ago, based on the fact it made sense and Microsoft appeared to telegraph this. [...]

By: Xbox Does IPTV - It’s Official at Nyquist Capital

Xbox Does IPTV - It’s Official at Nyquist Capital — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 04:37:57 +0000

[...] Microsoft (MSFT) just announced that on November 22nd the Xbox 360 will allow users to purchase and rent high definition television and movies. I made this call back in January of 2006, and repeatedly since then (search this site for Xbox IPTV). [...]

By: Apple Overload and Zune Confusion at Nyquist Capital

Apple Overload and Zune Confusion at Nyquist Capital — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 16:11:38 +0000

[...] Both the Xbox 360 and the new Tivo series 3 can do HDTV. Once Microsoft decides to do movie and TV downloads through the Xbox Live service to the embedded hard drives of XBOX 360’s (which, by the way, only cost $100 more than the Apple media extender), why would anyone want the Apple service? It’s about being able to access your media in a platform independent way, and Microsoft should have the upper hand here, given they control more platforms than anyone. [...]

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 08:28:46 +0000

A quick reply to Graham who wrote (and Andrew who agreed):

-> “Sorry, but your belief that the cost of the Xbox 360 will drop to the same level as a basic STB is silly. You seem to have forgotten that just as the cost of the chips used in the Xbox 360 will drop, so too will the cost of the chips in a standard STB….”

Please note: an STB used by MSOs (also by Verizon in FiOS as they use RF, not IPTV, for the moment – but will migrate when MSFT IPTV Edition is ready) does not only contain silicon + HD drive (which effectively is similar to Xbox360 and will come down in price similarly), it also containes one tuner for each channel (that’s the nature of RF). IPTV eliminates the tuner business, which is where its key economics reside: you get IPTV-on-a-chip ultimately. Not to mention the non-finite number of channels for IPTV (versus strong limitation in the number of channels, and only a handful of HD ones, with RF in DOCSIS2.0).

While it is fair to say that DOCSIS3.0 will somewhat ease this pressure on MSOs and improve their value proposition (particularly in BB access and in HDTV broadcasting ability) greatly, I would strongly warn you against neglecting:

1) the vastly superiour economics of a pure silicon-based solution (which is IPTV+Xbox360) vs a hybrid solution (MSO’s);

2) the ability of MSFT to heavily subsidise its box (as this is routine in the consoles market) and get the payback elsewhere (in games, in software… you name it), something that MOT, SFA (now CSCO) and the like will never, ever, be able to match.

By: Tivo Should Be Sold

Tivo Should Be Sold — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 21:15:11 +0000

[...] Unless Tivo starts moving in this direction, more sophisticated products and content portals from Apple (AAPL), Sony (SNE), Microsoft (MSFT) are going to enable broadband content distribution. This is the end game, and Tivo cannot compete against the kind of capital, in which case the company should be sold to one of the above. Other bit players like Netflix (NFLX), Yahoo (YHOO), or Google (GOOG) might be interested as well. [...]

By: Andrew Schmitt

Andrew Schmitt — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 19:30:18 +0000

Yes, a bloody battlefield indeed. First to arrive and seize the commanding heights will prevail.