iptv

IPTV On The 360? It’s Still Up In The Air!

8:30PM Luke Plunkett | 2007. CES. Microsoft get a few people excited with mention of an IPTV service for the 360. British Telecom will be the first to offer it. Years pass, however, and we hear nothing. More »

Set-Top Xbox Not Able to Receive or Record Live TV

11:22AM Brian Crecente | There wasn’t a whole lot of details flapping around when Robbie Bach announced that British Telecom would be the first company to team up with Microsoft to offer consumers an Xbox 360 set-top IPTV box. Fortunately the BBC was able to squeeze some details about the box out of British Telecom. Chief among them is the fact that despite rumors, and our fervent desires, the box will not be able to receive or record live television. Boo! The service actually sounds like a more robust version of the Video Marketplace Microsoft already offers on the box. As well as access to BT’s library of on-demand content, users will also be able to watch hundreds of movies and other digital content, including its near-live FA premier League football matches. … “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,” explained a BT spokesman. Well that sucks. Xbox will host BT’s TV service [BBC] More »

IPTV Not Hitting 360 With Fall Update

1:00AM Brian Crecente | Turns out that IPTV option loaded into an Xbox 360 during a repair was a mistake not a sign of things about to hit. Microsoft told Joystiq that the IPTV feature seen in several screen caps were real, but a mistake. “Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) features will only be available from the Xbox 360 through a service provider who has deployed Xbox 360 with Microsoft Mediaroom (IPTV) services. This was an isolated incident where these features were inadvertently exposed while the customer’s console was being serviced and is unrelated to the Fall Update. Xbox 360 with Microsoft Mediaroom (IPTV), will be available to service providers by the end of the year. Microsoft’s IPTV service providers will ultimately determine the timing of Xbox 360 with Microsoft Mediaroom deployments.” So we’re back to where we started. We know IPTV is coming by the end of the year and that it will be through service providers. What we don’t know is which service providers are going to bite the bullet and test the feature out. Microsoft: IPTV not a part of Xbox Live Fall Update [Joystiq] More »

“What’s Opera Doc” Free On XBL

8:00AM Flynn De Marco | As we reported earlier this week, the Xbox Live Video Marketplace just added a ton of old Warner Bros. cartoons to it’s lineup. I logged on to XBL earlier to investigate that IPTV rumour and discovered that one of my favourite Bugs Bunny cartoons is currently available for free. What’s Opera Doc, Bugs’ take on Wagner’s epic Der Ring des Nibelungen, is offered in both HD and regular versions. So if you’re like me and love the site of Bugs Bunny in Valkyrie drag riding an obese horse with tiny legs, log on to XBL now and get it while it’s still free. “Kill the wabbit!” More »

IPTV Coming to Next 360 Dashboard Update?

6:00AM Flynn De Marco | Xbox 360 Fanboy has the rumour mill running at full speed today with salacious speculative details on the new Xbox 360 dashboard update. According to some photos sent to them by a tipster who’s Xbox recently returned from the repair center, a mysterious new icon appeared on his dash that had four blank squares next to it. The photos have led to mass speculation that this is a sign of impending IPTV inclusion in the Fall Update. Oddly, the tipster is running the same dashboard version as the rest of us (2.0.5787.0), so how this ended up on his system is unknown. As you can see from the photo, the features listed are: Live & recorded TV, On-demand movies and Chat while watching TV. If all this turns out to be true, it could mean a pretty spiffy update when it finally rolls around. If it’s not true, feel free to head over to Xbox 360 Fanboy and register your many outraged complaints there. Rumor: Leaked screens show IPTV and Fall update [Xbox 360 Fanboy] More »

Korean PS3 IPTV Launching In November

12:20AM Mike Fahey | Way back in May Sony announced plans to deliver video on demand to the Korean market, and now those plans have come to fruition. While we sit patiently waiting for Microsoft’s service to launch, Korean telecom operator KT and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea are teaming up to transform the PS3 into a set-top IPTV box. Starting in November, PS3 owners in South Korea will be able to access content from KT’s Mega TV service, all in the pursuit of that ever-elusive synergy. “With this partnership, Mega TV will include high-definition games and Blue-Ray media in its periphery,” said Lee Young-hee, chief of the Media Center at KT.”`We will seek more cooperation with SCEK to create synergy.” Users will be able to download and store content from the service for their viewing pleasure whenever they want, but at what cost? No clue as pricing hasn’t been announced, though I am assuming they will go the monthly subscription route. Way to synergise, Sony! PS3 to Debut as IPTV Set-Top Box [Korean Times via Gizmodo] More »