DVR Xbox 360 possible, IPTV the catalyst
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Jan 15th 2007 at 11:15PM }
Speaking with Major Nelson, Microsoft group product manager Aaron Greenberg speculated that a version of Xbox 360 specialized for IPTV and DVR activity was certainly possible. Greenberg admitted that "[Microsoft] did not build [Xbox 360] to be a high-definition DVR," suggesting an IPTV upgrade (i.e. larger hard drive) and IPTV-specific console "configuration" were both possible solutions to the inherent dilemma. Greenberg did note that a larger hard drive would only be necessary for DVR functionality -- IPTV could function with or without a hard drive.While this is hardly confirmation that a new version of Xbox 360 is inbound, Greenberg's statements may indicate that Microsoft is closing in on a strategy for 360 v2; one that won't upset early adopters (at least, not as much). Marketing v2 as an IPTV/DVR device (PSX, anyone?) might be enough of a diversion to excuse the original Xbox 360's lack of substantial hard drive space and HDMI output. If that is to be the case, it will be imperative that all of the v2 components are available for the original console, including a free IPTV software installation (with purchase of contract, of course).
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
alexanderwales @ Jan 15th 2007 11:26PM
It was a bad (or rather, unprofitable) idea when Sony did it, and I'm not sure that the addition of IPTV is going to be the thing that makes it a good idea.
Besides, how much will it cost?
Skyway Park Bowl and Casino @ Jan 15th 2007 11:37PM
Does anyone else think it odd that the HDMI rumors were all over the place and then, poof, they're gone? Do you really think believe that strange leaked video of the HDMI enabled 360 playing Kameo was a fake? Of course it wasn't, it was real. Something strange must have either killed HDMI or at least put it months behind schedule. Does anybody got any ideas? Was that video just a trial ballon? What's the real reason for Peter Moore crying his eyes out in that CES tent?
Ignatius @ Jan 15th 2007 11:53PM
I don't care if it works or not, 120GB HDD + better processor process type (65mn, less heat, less power requirements) + HDMI = win. ;D
Scott @ Jan 15th 2007 11:55PM
The guys over at Gamerscore Blog already said that the 360 in the HDMI video was a test unit. MS is toying around with different configurations of the 360 and that was one of them that somehow got leaked.
IPTV through the 360 would be nice but it is going to be completely dependent on how well the providers roll them out. Verizon is going the slow and expensive route while AT&T is going the only slightly less slower and less expensive route but is running into legal hurdles at the same time. Very few markets in the USA have IPTV available right now. Who knows what it will be like at the end of the year.
nick @ Jan 16th 2007 12:07AM
The HDMI video does not help Microsoft, especially since they released a console without it. If anything it detours potential buyers right now until such a model is released. To date, Microsoft keeps saying you really don't need HDMI for gaming.
Had they included HDMI in the 360, it would have been version 1.2, because 1.3 and later hadn't been introduced yet.
I really don't see what all the fuss is about, UNLESS you plan to play HD content (not games) that uses DRM, requiring an all digital connection. If I understand correctly, protected HD content isn't supposed to happen for another 10 years.
Sure HDMI is a simple connection, but then again, so was hooking up the 360 with a VGA monitor.
What I'm really curious about is why Microsoft is dragging their feat with increased storage. We all know a 250GB memory unit was mentioned last year, but never released. We've all speculated a larger hard drive is possible, but none has materialized even though tons of people want one, and I'm sure it would sell well. But you have to wonder, why isn't Microsoft selling these items?
samfish @ Jan 16th 2007 12:16AM
I don't own a 360 as of now (and frankly, plan on getting the AppleTV for this area), but I'm still interested in the media center abilities.
Although I heard that the movie downloads are 'rentals'. Is that true? That you can't actually own the movies you pay for on Xbox Market Place?? I mean, I guess with a 20gb HDD that makes a certain level of sense, but still...
...because that's kind of a deal breaker for me, if it is true.
At least as far as using the 360 for media management goes..
Frankie @ Jan 16th 2007 12:24AM
I hope they don't focus on this too much and focus on, you know, gaming. MS has not won the war and I hope the majority of their resources are not focused on the multimedia aspect. Don't do what Sony is doing and end up being crappy everywhere.
People are perfectly happy with their Tivo's and anything short of stellar will end up failing.
syed ali @ Jan 16th 2007 12:42AM
so I saw the pics of the HDMI version of the 360. Sold my 360 on ebay, hoping to buy the HDMI version, only to find out it wasn't real! Nothing makes me more mad. Now my HD DVD player, and all my games are just sitting there!
J Korn @ Jan 16th 2007 12:51AM
LOL at syed Ali, if you make you make major monetary decesion off rumors, you have more things to worry about than a useless HD DVD drive and a couple of useless 360 games.
embassy @ Jan 16th 2007 1:13AM
yeh MS refusing to comment on releasing a larger Drive makes the rumor of a new 360 all the more interesting...cuz like someone else said..LOTS of 360 buyers wud buy a larger HDD without hesitation...so why the hold up?...
the thing i dont like about this new DVR 360 is that..unlike the rumored HDMI upgrade 360 which most peopel thought wud stay at 400 and become the new "premium" unit...this DVR version cud warrant a whole new ( higher) price point.
Negativecool @ Jan 16th 2007 3:14AM
They figure out a way to fit that god damn power brick inside of it like the PS3 in ver. 2, then I'm sold!
Tom @ Jan 16th 2007 2:00AM
It'll all go into the Xbox 720: HDMI, 300GB, IPTV, all that great stuff. But I think it's better if features like those get packaged almost exclusively along side better graphics, different controls, built-in HDDVD/BluRay movie playback, a quad-core 5Ghz processor (hopefully!), and of course a whole new library of games. The reason I feel like it's better that way is because then it doesn't feel like Microsoft is double-dipping and disenfranchising those of us who already purchased our Xbox 360s. This would be the device for which the Xbox DVR is the catalyst. It all starts in 2009. Mark my words.
djboogie @ Jan 16th 2007 2:18AM
As a gaming machine, MS really dont need to worry about sony, theyre already out of it, they need to wory about Jap giants Nintendo. If this is the case (which it is!) then all this talk of HDMI, 300GB hard drives etc, is irellivant when youre at "war" with a machine that doesnt use DVD structures.
I say, the only PROBLEM microsoft made for themselves was releasing a core system. Many games (elder scrolls IV for one! aka framerate issues due to streaming off dvd) would benefit from in game use of the hard drive. Aside from this, MS should leave the 360 as it is. Most people do not bu games consoles for the "extras" theyre exactly what they say, extras (dvd play, cd play etc)
MS needs to completely focus on what they have or the public will start getting confused and think "Hmmm, Ill not buy a 360 cos theyre making them "better" soon"
SquirrelPhister @ Jan 16th 2007 2:41AM
I got one of the first batch of Xbox 360 when they launched and it came with a small remote control. At the bottom of the remote, below the Media Center button is a tiny button with red letters spelling "REC". Because of this, I've always figured that DVR functionality would be in their plans at some point, but certainly not without a hard drive upgrade. I really don't know why this wasn't a story 13 months ago.
Padriac @ Jan 16th 2007 2:49AM
I thought Microsoft was the one that was all about the games and Sony was the evil corporation forcing random content features into their console. Tables are turning, eh? Microsoft fanboys: I demand some ridiculous spin!
phipscube @ Jan 16th 2007 3:25AM
This is exactly what I wish the Xbox 360 was from the beginning, and one of the reasons why the PS3 appeals so much to me. One box for all my media. I own a core 360 with HDD and run it as an MCE extender from my media center PC, but its flakey at best. Stuttering TV, freezes etc. Jumping in and out of the MCE interface to play DVD and CD's in the dashboard (Why the hell cant we play DVD's and Audio CD's in the media center extender?). So reconnecting time occurs. No way to rip CD's in the extender interface (Have to walk to my MCE PC in the other room, with no screen connected and somehow figure out how to rip it into my library there) Its a royal mess to be honest, but works.. barely.
I'd love to be able to put all my MP3's (50GB+) and videos (80gb+) on the xbox 360 locally. I think the main reason why the 20GB (read 13GB, where is the other 7GB?) is kept is because it forces us media types to HAVE to use a PC, and up until recently that was a MCE PC only. Its a crafty way to avoid stamping on their MCE PC market. IF the Xbox360 was like the PS3, then it would go in hand towards the death of mainstream MCE adoption. Why do you think Vista has variants with MCE built in as standard?
I remember MS saying that they would eventually release various configs to the xbox360, and one was even DVR high end media center style box. I just hope this is whats planned for 2007. They definately need to make it possible for the current base to upgrade to the capabilities of the newer box, but that shouldnt be too hard as long as its only media related updates. If they suddenly include a HD DVD drive and start pumping out games on HD DVD, then thats gonna cause problems (highly unlikely though, but so was the thought of HDMI and 1080p a few months back).
Its almost like MS are looking at Sony and the PS3 for inspiration which is odd.
My Xbox 360 is really mainly used for games (Gears of War is amazing) and until MS can sort out its frankly piss poor Media capabilities then it will be a simple games machine for me (No bad thing as it IS a console). Its just a sign of the times that the console NEEDS to do more than just play games. No matter how often you hard core gamers go on...its inevitable. And dont tell me Nintendo are Pure games only... not true. Wii has basic media playing capability and a web browser coming. Similar for DS.
The biggest thing I'm looking forward to with the PS3 (If it ever launches here in sunny Denmark) is the ability to quickly upgrade the HDD (If only they would sell a no HDD version of the premium machine) and fill it with all my media (Photos, Music, Videos). Then have a bash on Motorstorm. Then I can get rid of my clunky (and very expensive) Media Center PC, that quite frankly ive dumped far too much money on to still have it fart around at the simplest of tasks, eg. Turning on media center (from standby, automatically promptet by network calls) to play an album on MP3 through the Xbox 360....
connect to pc............. a few retries for the PC to wake up...... 1 minute... connected!
Black screen...... more black.. (20 seconds)
MCE appears! (With sound and animations out of sync)
select my Music...........load.........load........ 30 seconds AH! finally.... choose artist, choose album...play...... *Music plays*
Thats about 5+ minutes to play an album. Granted its probably quicker through the dashboard, but the HDD limits a little (Right now mine is full of games stuff anyway)
Now if the PSP interface is anything to go by for PS3 then its less than 20 seconds from power up to get an album to play. Thats alot better.
So I say roll on DVR xbox 360 and DEFINATELY release a bigger HDD. We need the HDD NOW!
Dave @ Jan 16th 2007 3:58AM
Of course they're going to release the HDMI XBox. They have to. Unless they come out and publicly guarantee that it won't ever be released, people like me, who saw the video and don't already own a 360, won't buy one until they do. If I buy one right now, how do I know they won't release the HDMI version next week? So, I'm waiting. I suspect other people will do the same.
Spilt_Milk @ Jan 16th 2007 4:24AM
We don't need a new version of the 360. All we need is a god damn bigger hard drive or the ability to use our own freakin usb hard drives for storage. Those bastards won't give it to us.
The1 @ Jan 16th 2007 8:38AM
Then who is the fool? I have a Bridge I can sell you.
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8. so I saw the pics of the HDMI version of the 360. Sold my 360 on ebay, hoping to buy the HDMI version, only to find out it wasn't real! Nothing makes me more mad. Now my HD DVD player, and all my games are just sitting there!
Posted at 12:42AM on Jan 16th 2007 by syed ali
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Scott @ Jan 16th 2007 10:28AM
SquirrelPhister,
The record button on the remote that came with the launch 360s is for MediaCenter. If you have a Windows MediaCenter PC, you can have the 360 act as an extender and tell the MediaCenter PC to record TV shows.
Jake @ Jan 16th 2007 2:39PM
Just the games, please. Honestly, if you HAVE to have HDMI in the future (once a HD-DVD format is decided) to play movies I will be bummed that my 360 doesn't have it. I refuse to purchase any HD movie player until the war is settled. But it will still be worth the not having to wait an extra year for that to be available (PS3).
As far as larger HD's and that, I am not interested. 20 Gb is plenty for a couple extra maps here and there and temporarily downloading demos and owning a few arcade games. It is plenty. If the 360 added the ability to be a solid Tivo device, then perhaps I would want a larger hard drive. Otherwise, no. Delete your demos when you are done with them and the 20 Gb goes a long way.
jayman16 @ Jan 16th 2007 5:07PM
I talked about this days ago when I heard about it on Windows Weekly. http://adidat.blogspot.com/2007/01/new-xbox-360-confirmed.html
Brandson @ Jan 16th 2007 2:13PM
MS is currently gouging consumers on the price for the 20GB HD. They either need to let everyone add third-party HDs like the PS3 can, or release a bigger HD that's more in-line with what hard drives actually cost. That's the reason I don't have a 360. The games are finally starting to interest me, but I want a HD in my console and I refuse to pay $100 for a 20GB HD.
toot @ Jan 22nd 2007 12:51PM
My concern is how much this is going to cost.
What I would like them to do is have the new version be $400, and the premium system be knocked down to the price of the core, and have the core not exist anymore. That probably won't happen.
I was planning on buying a 360, but now I want to wait. There are so many unanswered questions. Why should I pay for a 20g drive when the 120g will come out soon? Surely they can't charge more than a hundred for just the hard drive? And what if I want just the hard drive and not the HDMI? I don't want to pay for something I don't need. The 120g will likely be 103g, if the original HDD is any indicator; why only 120, why not something bigger? And how are they going to handle the transfer of paid-for downloaded items? Will the HDMI hardware have any other improvements to take care of the noise and heat?
I think the cat is pretty much out of the bag in terms of secrecy, why don't they start letting us in on details? Every week that goes by that they don't, they are getting negative press and inflated expectations based on the speculation that occurs in the vacuum of facts.