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Xbox 360 set-top box won't record TV News
Xbox 360 News by Ellie Gibson
BT has confirmed the new set-top box for Xbox 360 won't allow you to view or record live television.
As announced earlier this week, the telecoms company has signed a deal with Microsoft to offer 360 owners access to the BT Vision service. At present, BT Vision users receive Freeview TV channels via a set-top box which also works as a digital video recorder.
The Xbox 360 service, due to launch this summer, will only be available to BT Broadband subscribers. It will offer users access to on-demand movies, near-live FA premier League matches and other content. Users won't require a set-top box, but they won't enjoy all the benefits of BT Vision other users get.
Speaking to the BBC a spokesperson said, "The reason for streaming only on the Xbox is because currently the console does not have the capability for live TV or enough hard drive for practical downloading of content."
Microsoft could face stiff competition in the face of PlayTV, the new television and personal video recorder for PS3. As revealed at last year's Leipzig Games Conference, it will let users watch and record live TV and can be controlled remotely via PSP. PlayTV is due to launch in the UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain early this year.
UPDATE: Microsoft has since contacted Eurogamer to clarify matters. Apparently. Here's what they have to say: "Xbox 360 is able to offer the complete Microsoft Mediaroom experience, including both live TV and VOD, when delivered over an Internet Protocol (IP) network.
"BT Vision is unique in that it does not deliver live TV over IP. It delivers live TV over antenna-based digital terrestrial television (DTT) to a set-top-box. There are currently 13 other service providers delivering commercial TV services with the Mediaroom platform, and each of them delivers a live TV service that could potentially be accessed via the Xbox 360.
"That said, BT Vision customers can transfer live television content to their Xbox 360 that they have captured on their set top box."
Anyone?
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"The reason for streaming only on the Xbox is because currently the console does not have the capability for live TV or enough hard drive for practical downloading of content"
That is such a blatant lie. Live TV can be sent via the internet (many websites do it) and if they are providing On-Demand movies then they are already offering downloadable content... |
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GamesProgrammer
10/01/08 @ 10:27
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would you want to record on to a 20gig hdd, and they can keep there rediculously overpriced 120gig hdd.
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seasidebaz
10/01/08 @ 10:28
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360 doesnt have a built-in tuner.
btvision does. btvision box is free. btvision box is capable of hd, and comes with an hdmi port. i know which one makes more sense to me... |
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seasidebaz
10/01/08 @ 10:31
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and you really think it will be free on the xbox?
there is no contract for bt vision. therefore, free box. no monthly subscription. on demand programming if you want it. built in hard-drive recorder. |
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@L42yB - its more that the BT vision service doesn't provide live TV in the first place. You get that via freeview, and it just records that. The streaming stuff is all on demand from its catalogue of programmes, and that works better streamed as you don't need to wait. I can see it working really well on the 360, just i can't see why people who have BT broadband would use it, when they can get the Bt vision box for free anyway.
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"and if they are providing On-Demand movies then they are already offering downloadable content... "
On-demand movies can using buffering using 1GB max or even just buffer to the RAM so that core systems can use on demand. I don't know the tech requirments but stream live content is a lot harder, this is why the sports are "near live" as assumedly they recording the sports to the on demand service so you'll need to be a few minutes behind to allow for buffering. As for recording tv Sky+ boxes has an 80GB hardrive, your avergage 360 has 8GB available which just can't record enough to be worth while, I'd guess they're not wanting to offer the server to Elite owners only. My personal biggest problem with this is the need to BT Broad band which isn't the cheapest available, your better off having sky and getting sky's free broadband package. |
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"Getting tired of all this now. i wish they would just drop all this HD movie streaming downloading bollocks, and release more games!
I really miss the megadrive/ snes days." I understand yor sentament, but with the increased complexity and cost of consoles and games I can also understand why MS and Sony are so keen to deliver more services through the consoles |
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GamesProgrammer
10/01/08 @ 10:45
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I think the MUCH BIGGER STORY here is :-
"The Xbox 360 service, due to launch this summer, will only be available to BT Broadband subscribers" Thats a bit of a kick in the balls aint it, i dont know how big BT is as a broadband provider but surely that limits the market this is available to quite considerably, it certainly makes EVERYONE i know ubale to get this feature. |
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Games are just one one of many features intended for both consoles, I think, and it is not really a desireable feature for neither Sony nor MS. Games are a perfect early adopter feature, but as we all know, gamers smell funny, are not an attractive demograpic for commercials, and besides gamers regularily go on serial-killing sprees after too much GTA.
Pretty, pastel-colored families concisting of Sally, Bob, Joey and little Britney are a much more attractive demographic, with their BMW's and mortgages and impending divorces which will split the happy little household into two happy little households, both requireing the same utilities and gadgets - ka-ching! Sally and Bob don't play games, of course, but they do watch TV. So in order to appeal to this attractive suburban demographic, the PlayBoxes must become TV's. The logic is solid. Feel free to examinate the detailed spreadsheet and the powerpoint I've prepared for this briefing. |
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kangarootoo
10/01/08 @ 10:50
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"So will the PS3 be able to record TV while you're playing a game? If so then it may be useful; if not then it's a waste of time"
That seems a bit harsh. TIVO type functions are well handy. What if you are down the shops instead of playing a game? "And that's because PS3 set-top box records TV ?" Yeah. Here be some blurb. http://www.scee.presscentre.com/Content/... Add a PSP, remote play and "wake on lan" and you can set things to record on your PS3 even if you aren't at home (I know I bang about remote play a lot, but its dead nifty and much overlooked). Anyway, Play TV and BT Vision aren't quite the same service, as has been mentioned. Most people could probably benefit from having both if they had the right bits and pieces. |
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GamesProgrammer
10/01/08 @ 10:56
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@Moz
Well there isnt a chance in hell id ever go back to BT( Weather it be Phone Broadband or TV ), so this new feature is a complete right off to me. |
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seasidebaz
10/01/08 @ 10:58
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@Moz
the concept of iptv is that tv is not streamed over the internet, it's a bit like cable in that you have a direct connection to the provider. hence, if you want iptv you must go with a provider that offers it. there is a minimum quality of service that must be achieved, and rerouting from one isp to another degrades this, not to mention is pretty silly. |
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@Wash
Hmm ok, heres a few.... - GT5 - LBP - God of War - Motostorm 2 - Metal Gear Solid - Resistance 2 (debatable) - Killzone Im not trying to troll, I have all three home consoles. Im just impressed (and happy) that Sony are finally getting their arse into gear and unimpressed by the lack of 360 exclusives coming up. |
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Nope....
Maybe Warhawk/R&C/Motostorm? Usual first year console trash other than that..... Still console game linups are meant to get stronger over time and not the other way around! (take the PS2 for example, God of war/Shadow of the coll.) EDIT: BTW - I record TV all the time on Sky Plus/and a recordable freeview box....
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 10/01/08 @ 11:12
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@LetsGO
Hmm ok, heres a few.... - GT5 - Fair dos, whats the release date. - LBP - Uknown Quantity tbh, but september release aint it? - God of War - Yeah, popular franchise good game (Y) release date TBA? - Motostorm 2 - First one wasnt triple AAA, fun, but no means great. - Metal Gear Solid - April - Resistance 2 (debatable) - Release Date? - Killzone - Hmm, this the halo killer? or is that haze - first one wasnt as nearly as a good as resistance. Anywho, theres how subjective those lists are anyway - i'm sure everyone and their uncle could argue aboot it. Just know tho that in the time all of those games are released. 360 (hopefully) will see: Halo Wars - Great pedigree behind the making of this game. Too Human Splinter Cell Conviction Fable 2 Alan Wake (highly doubtful, pft could be the next duke nukem forever) Banjo 3 ** Gears Of War 2 (i really think this may be shown closer to e3 for a holiday release - few copy and pastes here and there and they'll be set, still one of the best looking games on the console anyway) Off the top of my head. |
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Agreed - live TV shouldn't really be a problem on a decent broadband connection and server, so that's rubbish. But with regards to storage, the 360 is woefully inept, with the PS3 being only marginally better. Neither really are fit to replace a proper recording solution due to the limited storage available. And Sony seem to be going backwards with the storage aspects of the PS3, going from standard 60gb to 40gb, not forwards.
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"Who still records TV out there?
The last time I used a VCR was about 5 years ago, and I haven't really missed it at all apart from about 2 occasions, which I got over pretty quickly. " Use Sky+ all the time, I'm out the house when most my fav shows are on and live pause comes in surprisingly useful. |
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@peterfll: as pointed out above the BT service uses a standard freeview reciever for live tv something 360 doesn't have.
The PS3 solution comes with a separate box with a freeview reciever, as for the hard drive size with PlayTV plus a 160GB hard drive costs less then a freview PVR then you well away. |
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tonynibbles
10/01/08 @ 11:24
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So basically it pales in comparison to PlayTV's twin tuners (HDD capacity limited to those brand new 500Gb drives) and a 'from the future' HD Freeview tuner.
PS3 has definate advantage hardware-wise. Not just the 3-tuner freeview unit but the ability to upgrade to any 2.5" SATA drive you can get your hands on is far cheaper than having to buy 360-proprietry hardware. Not to mention remote programme access and record scheduling via PSP. @Wash Motostorm 2 - First one wasnt triple AAA, fun, but no means great. By ALL means it was *great*.
Edited 4 times,
most recently on 10/01/08 @ 11:31
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