Xbox 360: Not Ready For Primetime Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Xbox 360: Not Ready For Primetime Posted by XanTium | October 21 00:32 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From forbes.com: [QUOTE] Microsoft has delayed the launch of "Xbox Live Primetime," its programmed series of interactive games with real-world prizes, until the spring. Microsoft managers say the delay is necessary in order to ensure a smooth launch of the system's new user interface (or, if you prefer the terminology of Microsoft's PR department, the "new Xbox experience"). That's too bad. Xbox Live Primetime is a provocative concept and could represent the gaming industry's first serious foray into the turf dominated by TV. By waiting until the spring, Microsoft's offering will likely go up against a more compelling lineup of television shows--and put its chances of instant success at risk. When it was announced in July at E3, "Xbox Live Primetime" was described as a major component of the Xbox relaunch. Virtual game shows, which would only be playable at regularly scheduled times, would let members of the Xbox Live community members compete against one another for physical prizes rather than virtual ones (like digital trophies or gamer points). [/QUOTE] Full Story: forbes.com

[spinr34]

now this makes me sad. this is one of the features i was really looking forward to and spring is a long time. if it were january, i'd be ok with it. /me cries

[Elemino]

That's nice... whatever happened to that whole IPTV thing?

[spinr34]

That's nice... whatever happened to that whole IPTV thing?

it was supposed to launch in EU but who knows what happened. i think it's still in the works, ie. hasn't been announced that it's cancelled... yet

on a serious note though, it would be nice if the IPTV does launch, even if it's just in EU. i'm not sure if MS knew at the time they announced the IPTV, that they were going to make NXE. I think NXE was a last minute decision and a huge push to get it to where it's at today.

This post has been edited by spinr34: Oct 21 2008, 10:15 AM

[bucko]

Yup I always got the feeling that NXE has been rushed in the wake of Home, seems one of these features just didn't cut it in time. Anyway it doesn't look like my cup of tea anyway. Just hope the party feature don't get cut.

[sirsmacketh]

Hmm.. well here are my thoughts...

a) They're waiting till spring to hopefully snatch up other gameshow licenses.

They want to make sure the NXE launch doesn't have any problems.

c) IPTV from what I hear from friends in the telco industry... the framework is in place... but it's up to the telcos to want to use the technology. Bell here in Canada has satellite and a DSL based set-top box already. I don't think we'll see anything soon from them since this would conflict with the satellite business.

With Netflix coming on board, it may be a dead issue now. It's a great capability.. just not fully taken advantage of.

Besides.. I use my 360 for gaming instead of movies and TV most of the time.

[Elemino]

Besides.. I use my 360 for gaming instead of movies and TV most of the time.

I have lived off of my xbox playing divx for the last year almost. Since I don't have cable anymore, it's almost a necessity. I still would have liked to see it. I have Verizon Fiber Optic, and you can tell from my signature I have more than enough bandwidth for something like that. It would be a great alternative to cable.

I too thought it would be nice to have this feature, but as Sony is telling the world it can deliver less and less this year we see MS cutting back as well. It's funny because I have never seen console makers copy what others are doing before now. Nintendo brought in arcade games like MS, Sony included a browser and motion sensing like Nintendo, MS is copying home from Sony while adding their Mii characters from Nintendo... crazy cycle. Unprecedented.

This post has been edited by Elemino: Oct 21 2008, 04:51 PM

[bucko]

That's nice... whatever happened to that whole IPTV thing?

BT supports IPTV here

[koolkid1935]

I have Verizon Fiber Optic...

While you might have FiOS, they don't use IPTV for their video delivery.

[Elemino]

While you might have FiOS, they don't use IPTV for their video delivery.

Yes they do, or atleast in some version of it. Everything on their FiOS service is just one big network sending data packets; be it internet, phone, or their HDTV service. My box has an IP address and it connects to the server/network in my area.

This post has been edited by Elemino: Oct 21 2008, 11:20 PM

[koolkid1935]

Yes they do, or atleast in some version of it. Everything on their FiOS service is just one big network sending data packets; be it internet, phone, or their HDTV service. My box has an IP address and it connects to the server/network in my area.

For guide data and VoD, but not live TV. That is sent via traditional methods that CATV uses, just over fiber instead of coax. IIRC, it uses it's own wavelength on the fiber, but it is essentially the same as CATV.

This post has been edited by koolkid1935: Oct 22 2008, 05:26 PM

[Elemino]

For guide data and VoD, but not live TV. That is sent via traditional methods that CATV uses, just over fiber instead of coax. IIRC, it uses it's own wavelength on the fiber, but it is essentially the same as CATV.

Almost everything you just wrote contradicts itself (you're right about the guide data and VoD). After the ONT the output signal is very similar to digital cable, but nothing like analog. Fios uses some encrypted form of QAM. TV's with digital tuners can see the channels are there, but cannot decode them (except for the locals, which are not encrypted). The problem with your statement is CATV is not A FREQUENCY, it is many frequencies travelining the same cable. It's up to your TV to select which one it wants to pass or tune to. The ONT is responsible for taking the signals from the fiber and converting them to a useable format for your telephone, computer and TV. The signal(s) (if more than one) is limited to a few frequencies in the infrared spectrum. I promise you it is digital in some form or fashion, but not analog based like CATV.

[koolkid1935]

I understand fully, just my poor choice in words and explanation is all

By traditional methods, I didn't mean analog CATV, I meant blasting all channels and the receiving device (TV/STB/etc) tunes to it. Unlike multicasted IPTV or SDV now where the edge router only sends the requested channel to the end device.

This post has been edited by koolkid1935: Oct 22 2008, 10:06 PM

[ssj4android]

That's too bad, I was looking forward to this.
Only good stuff left now is 1680x1050 and ripping games to the hard drive.