Microsoft movie downloads – finally
When Microsoft bought WebTV back in the summer of 1997 the pundits predicted the end of the TV as we knew it and the beginning of a new era of interactive TV. So when Microsoft announced that it would be providing movies through the Xbox 360 yesterday the hurrah were less than one may expect.
WebTV arguably died an ignominious death, ending up as an msntv set-top box (STB) and selling in quite small numbers – certainly not enough to worry the television moguls, who are more concerned about web browsing replacing the typical passive viewing model of the typical American family.
Beginning Nov 22, Xbox Live users equipped with the current generation Xbox 360 gaming console will be able to watch shows, including CBS Corp’s "CSI", Viacom’s "South Park" on MTV Comedy Central; and movies such as Paramount Pictures’ "Mission Impossible III" and "Jackass: The Movie", plus Warner Bros’ "V for Vendetta" and "Superman Returns", amongst others.
At the time of launch, Microsoft expects to make available around 750 hours of programming, with the number intended to increase to nearly 1,000 hours by end-2006.
At the same time we suspect that we’ve heard it all before, doesn’t Microsoft have something called Windows Media Center as well. So the big question is will the Xbox 360 announcement make much of an impact?
The answer to that, as with most Microsoft announcements is yes and no. The intervening years have allowed the media companies plenty of time to adopt their offerings and adapt new technology into set-top boxes that allow customers nearly the kind of control over their viewing habits that they want.
Though ‘time-shifting’ equipment like Tivo initially surged it has recently seen disappointing growth as the cable and satellite companies have built similar functionality into their STBs. With media companies providing both ‘time shifting’ and the ability to ‘pay per view’ – ie download a film without getting off the couch – the differentiator is availability of material and ease of use.
Ironically both the Microsoft offering and the STB and Tivo’s are all based on PC technology, but with the latter two offerings the heritage of the PC is hidden from the customer. The convenience of a box with only a remote far outweighs the extra, and therefore complicated usage of the full-featured PC.
So will Microsoft or Apple ever enter the room and take over the television, possibly, but we suspect it will be the kids’ bedroom, not the main room. The advantage and lead that Microsoft, Apple et al had has been squandered and lost.
Also see
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Will Apple or Sony ever get portable video off the ground?