Comments on: Xbox 360: Video-On-Demand Trojan Horse

By: Cooper

Cooper — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 15:51:39 +0000

Very entertaining issue. I haven’t heard of this one. It will be necessary to visit you on a thicket!

By: Zatz Not Funny. . .»Blog Archive » Microsoft Beats Apple, TiVo, Netflix, Sony To VOD

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 13:35:43 +0000

[...] Snooze you lose! I see an Xbox 360 in my future… as soon as new hardware (larger drives?) and/or lower prices are revealed in the next two weeks. All year I’ve been saying VOD is coming to the 360: Ultimately, Microsoft will want to simplify the process by taking a home computer out of the equation. Right now customers have the ability to directly download a variety of movie trailers and game demos which has served as a proof-of-concept, both as a technical demonstration and a demonstration of consumer acceptance: 70 million pieces of content downloaded.The next obvious step is to monetize by renting movie downloads directly to the 360. [...]

By: Alexi

Alexi — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 14:13:26 +0000

Despite any misgivings I have about DRM, I’d be sold on MS as a downloadable media provider if they were to offer more full-length high-def video and audio content (and a bigger place to store all of it). I’m a huge iTunes fan now, but might be singing a different Zune if MS had a comparable or better selection.

By: HDTiVo

HDTiVo — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 11:34:30 +0000

Looks like this also relates back to your comments about Unbox the other day. With a regular XP computer and a 360, you should be able to play Unbox content.

By: Tim Marman

Tim Marman — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 01:01:10 +0000

I don’t think Microsoft ever tried to hide these intentions. They saw the Xbox as a vehicle into the living room.

Initially, I think they thought the MCE would get more traction – but over time with cable offerings, price, and so on it became clear that wasn’t the best strategy.

By: Dave Zatz

Dave Zatz — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 20:16:59 +0000

I’m specifically referring to movie rentals via Internet/broadband going mainstream. Hopefully the cable and sat companies will feel the pressure and also decide to offer thousands of movies on demand via a usable interface.

By: Drakken

Drakken — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 18:30:00 +0000

The biggest barrier for Ineternet-based VOD is DRM. I don’t know if that can be addressed at a level where the content owners will allow this form to go mainstream in 2007 (or ever?). Plus, the cable and sat guys aren’t going to stand by and wait for Microsoft and Sony to steal away their lucrative business model either. I guess it depends on what you mean by mainstream. PVR/DVR tech has been around 10+ years, but it still hasn’t seen the kind of mainstream penetration you’d expect.