on your ipod or on your game console...what's better?

[qtip919]

Ive never been a big believer in putting TV shows (or movies for that matter) on my ipod. I do like having them on my laptop. In fact, I prefer to watch TV on my computer (despite having a nice HDTV)

Well, MS is showing their stuff (as expected)

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.asp?Feed=AP&Date=20061106&ID=6172329&Symbol=US:AAPL

now, the question becomes: what's better? Buying TV shows on a TV (through xbox marketplace) or buying TV shows on your computer?

Now remember, Im NOT asking you to answer this with your geek hat on. Answer this from what you think the VAST MAJORITY of people in the US woudl want to do...

By the way, you will be able to buy FULL HD CONTENT...yeah baby! Im sooo glad I held back my prejudice and bought one of these 399 dollar little gems. This officially KILLS the iTV...and yes, that's 1080p (when available)...thank you Microsoft.

iTV vs. xbox 360...no contest...same price, but about a million reasons to purchase the 360 over the iTV ... oh, except "blind devotion"

 

[Poff]

Hmm.. I believe the iTV will play back 1080p aswell. BUT..! Apple will have to start selling files in that format. We'll see how the contest battles out.

I, for my part, don't care about HD anyways as such a TV is waaay into the future for me. I have a feeling it is more us geeks who care about video quality and HD. A lot of people I've talked to couldn't care less. (Some were even happy with the quality of VHS.) There are still a lot of people buying the tv-sets, though, so that might drive the HD-pressure for movie aswell.

 

[ddrueckhammer]

Ive never been a big believer in putting TV shows (or movies for that matter) on my ipod. I do like having them on my laptop. In fact, I prefer to watch TV on my computer (despite having a nice HDTV)

Well, MS is showing their stuff (as expected)

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.asp?Feed=AP&Date=20061106&ID=6172329&Symbol=US:AAPL

now, the question becomes: what's better? Buying TV shows on a TV (through xbox marketplace) or buying TV shows on your computer?

Now remember, Im NOT asking you to answer this with your geek hat on. Answer this from what you think the VAST MAJORITY of people in the US woudl want to do...

By the way, you will be able to buy FULL HD CONTENT...yeah baby! Im sooo glad I held back my prejudice and bought one of these 399 dollar little gems. This officially KILLS the iTV...and yes, that's 1080p (when available)...thank you Microsoft.

iTV vs. xbox 360...no contest...same price, but about a million reasons to purchase the 360 over the iTV ... oh, except "blind devotion"

I might be interested in the iTV for streaming all of my videos from a media server eventually but right now my Verizon Fios set top box gives me tons of On Demand Movies and TV shows and I can rent new ones that are available at the video store for around $4. Why would I ever want to pay $14 for a Movie off of iTunes again?

Comparing the 360 to the iTV is like comparing Apples to Oranges IMO. People that want a video game console will get a 360, Wii, or PS3 but probably won't even consider the iTV since it won't play games. People that don't care anything about games might get a game console but there are already media "sligboxes" out there so I'm not sure where Apple is actually innovating other than sending higher quality video wirelessly. It doesn't seem like there will be an ability to buy shows/movies directly from your TV with the iTV from the initial reports...

As for HD. I have an ED 42" Plasma that is more than capable for my needs. My dad bought a 50" HD one and it is beautiful and there is a noticeble difference in picture quality but I think for what he paid there are definately diminishing returns. Most people could care less about HD but the on demand service whether through the cable company or Apple/Amazon etc will be a huge hit. To be honest, I think the Cable/Phone companies already have the interenet content delivery trumped if they don't try to rip everyone off...Fios is really the bomb...

 

[dwishbone]

i do like that microsoft is offering different quality versions of their programming. this is something ive really wanted apple to do with its music and videos.
im a bit fuzzy on their "rental" model though. while im sure its done that way because of the extremely limited 360 HD (only about 17GB actually useable) id think it would be very bothersome to most people having to download a 4GB file everytime they wanted to watch what they had purchase.
also..that being said i think Microsoft's TV price is pretty fair...only $3 for an episode...and its in 1080p. the movies i think are pretty badly priced ($6 HD/$4 normal) since you dont OWN the movie and only have rights to it for 24 hours. you can do that on a satellite or cable service for about the same...or less.
i guess its ok if you dont watch many movies, but if you DO like alot of movies services like Netflix is the best value currently.
but i do have to give MS a hand for continuing to add value to the 360. i hope they keep trying to come up with things for it to do. its really becoming a nice little home entertainment center.

 

[qtip919]

Its compelling, but you are right; netflix is a great deal, if you are patient. I guess its pretty comparable with On Demand...

 

[26139]

Still...

I'm still excited for the iTV.

That way, I can watch movies on my iPod when travelling, on my laptop in bed and on my TV when I want. While I do LIKE XBox Live's new features, I don't think it's a DIRECT competitor to the iTV.

I also believe HD content is great, but I still don't believe all THAT many people own HD sets yet (yes, SOME do, but they are a huge minority).

Quick question...how LONG will it take to download an HD movie from XBox Live?

 

[qtip919]

I'm still excited for the iTV.

That way, I can watch movies on my iPod when travelling, on my laptop in bed and on my TV when I want. While I do LIKE XBox Live's new features, I don't think it's a DIRECT competitor to the iTV.

I also believe HD content is great, but I still don't believe all THAT many people own HD sets yet (yes, SOME do, but they are a huge minority).

Quick question...how LONG will it take to download an HD movie from XBox Live?

FOREVER...the file sizes are HUGE!

Direct competitor...absolutely...the release of the iTV is in direct competition with the momentum and motion of the things that are happening in this space. Why on earth would Jobs release this information if not to keep us feeling like we are still in the game while all of these releases are taking place...

I would bet the farm on the following:

You will be able to store these movies in other locations: Laptop, Windows media center PC
You will be able to take these shows/movies with you (on the next version of the Zune)...

 

[Poff]

I also believe HD content is great, but I still don't believe all THAT many people own HD sets yet (yes, SOME do, but they are a huge minority).

Is this really true? I know I'm in Norway and we adapt quickly to new technology, but I would guess that after Christ-mass, more than 50% of all norwegian households will have a flat-screen TV, and flatscreens without HD aren't sold here anymore.

I'm having doubts as to if everyone cares about the HD-quality itself, or just the flatness of the screen, though.

So if this is really true then, well.. I've recently learned that the United States are generally back in the stone-age on a lot of things. I have a friend staying in New York for a year, and at first I suspected he was lying about how things were "over there". But that's on the side of the subject.

 

[TheBusDriver]

Can microsoft have an original idea?