Orange Lounge Radio

Just got the following press release in my email, interesting that they don't mention anything about price.

For Release 6 p.m. PST

Nov. 6, 2006



Xbox 360 Teams With CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting, UFC and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to Digitally Deliver TV Shows and Movies to Gamers

Xbox 360 will become first gaming console to offer downloads of over 1,000 hours of TV shows such as “CSI,” “Robot Chicken” and “South Park,” and movies such as “V for Vendetta” and “Nacho Libre.”



REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 6, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. today announced agreements with CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. (TBS Inc.), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to bring an initial lineup of over 1,000 hours of hit TV shows and movies to Xbox 360™ gamers in the U.S. by the end of the year. Furthermore, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console to bring standard and high-definition TV shows and movies via digital distribution over the Internet directly to the consumer.



Beginning Nov. 22, on its first anniversary, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console in history to provide high-definition TV shows and movies directly to gamers in their living rooms. Xbox 360 gamers will have access to the full-length TV shows as downloads to own and movies to rent via download from the Xbox Live® network, the worldwide leader in online distribution of high-definition gaming and entertainment content. This announcement also brings with it several additional “firsts”:



· For the first time, consumers will get an integrated gaming and entertainment experience on a gaming console that includes downloadable high-definition TV shows and movies. This new full-length content adds to the ever-expanding number of choices gamers have on their Xbox 360, whether they want to play games or play a movie on a disc or as a download in high definition or standard definition.

· For the first time CBS will deliver high-definition download-to-own TV shows including “CSI,” “Jericho,” “Numb3rs” and remastered “Star Trek” episodes; gamers can buy them and watch them repeatedly.

· For the first time on any platform, NASCAR.COM will deliver download-to-own condensed versions of select NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races from “Race Rewind.”

· For the first time, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will make 50 of its most intense fights available for download as well as select episodes from the original season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.



“This groundbreaking announcement is a win for everyone,” said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “It connects our partners with one of the most coveted audiences in entertainment today, and provides even greater value to our Xbox Live community, allowing them to enjoy the games and entertainment they want, when they want it.”



The initial lineup of TV shows available for download to own and feature films available for download to rent will include a growing catalog of popular hits. Examples of content that will be available on the network by the end of year include the following:



· “Robot Chicken” and “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” from Adult Swim

· “CSI,” “Survivor” and “Star Trek” from CBS

· Emmy and Peabody award-winning “South Park” and “Chappelle’s Show” from COMEDY CENTRAL

· “The Real World” and “Pimp My Ride” from MTV

· “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and ”SpongeBob SquarePants” from Nickelodeon

· “Skyland” and “The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival” from Nicktoons Network

· “M:i:III,” “Nacho Libre” and “Jackass: The Movie” from Paramount Pictures

· “Carpocalypse” and “Raising the Roofs” from Spike TV

· “Race Rewind” provided by NASCAR.COM

· Select episodes of the original season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series and the “UFC: All Access” shows from the UFC

· “Breaking Bonaduce” and “Hogan Knows Best” from VH1

· “The Matrix,” “Superman Returns” and “Batman Forever” from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment



Xbox 360 gamers can access Xbox Live Marketplace with a free Xbox Live Silver membership and a broadband connection. More information about the content available on Xbox Live Marketplace can be found at http://www.xbox.com/marketplaceentertainment.

My god....

That.
Is.
AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Boy was I wrong on this weeks OLR! LOL

Wow, that was unexpected. This could definitely be a competitor to iTunes - especially since 360 owners will likely be used to digital purchases.

1 word:
Rental

VxJasonxV wrote:1 word:
Rental

Well, I know you were listening in to Scot rant about it on AGI earlier (www.allgames.com) He raised some valid points though, what if you start watching it then a life-or-death emergency prevents you from coming back to the movie? what then, does it get deleted and you have to repay/re-download it again?

DT

I didn't hear AGI today (Sadly since my iPod broke I'm behind on a lot of casts), but... I mean when you go to the video store and rent movies and you bring 'em back late because of a tragedy they don't typically give you a break either, it is what it is.

My point is that the rental scheme is stupid.
DRM is stupid.
If you have something in your possession LEGALLY, no one should be allowed to rip it away.

I don't care if it's "their terms". This is a bad bad set of terms for digital delivery and the next generation.

There's a reason why Blockbuster had to turn to NetFlick style rentals, and is STILL going down the tubes. I haven't rented something in years, and I heard about how Blockbuster gives you nearly a month before they actually charge a "pay full price" fee.

It's ridiculous, things could be done so much better.
I mean, come on. A song is $0.99 and you keep it unless you delete it (your choice), and THERE IS A CHANCE of getting it back.
A TV show (on Apple) is what did I hear, $13? And you keep it as long as you want.

XBL is doing less than half that, yet you can play it, record it, and have it forever (gasp).
To the best of my knowledge, Xbox does not employ Content Scrambling System protection unless you're actually watching a DVD. HDrive (HDrive vs. HDefinition is the disambiguation I make) stored videos are not likely to be classified as such,

Companies need to understand that when something is in our possession, IT IS IN OUR POSSESSION. You are victim to US, we are not victim to YOU.
(Hence why cheaters cannot be beat, anyone?)

VxJasonxV wrote:My point is that the rental scheme is stupid.
DRM is stupid.
If you have something in your possession LEGALLY, no one should be allowed to rip it away.

I don't care if it's "their terms". This is a bad bad set of terms for digital delivery and the next generation.

There's a reason why Blockbuster had to turn to NetFlick style rentals, and is STILL going down the tubes. I haven't rented something in years, and I heard about how Blockbuster gives you nearly a month before they actually charge a "pay full price" fee.

It's ridiculous, things could be done so much better.
I mean, come on. A song is $0.99 and you keep it unless you delete it (your choice), and THERE IS A CHANCE of getting it back.
A TV show (on Apple) is what did I hear, $13? And you keep it as long as you want.

XBL is doing less than half that, yet you can play it, record it, and have it forever (gasp).
To the best of my knowledge, Xbox does not employ Content Scrambling System protection unless you're actually watching a DVD. HDrive (HDrive vs. HDefinition is the disambiguation I make) stored videos are not likely to be classified as such,

Companies need to understand that when something is in our possession, IT IS IN OUR POSSESSION. You are victim to US, we are not victim to YOU.
(Hence why cheaters cannot be beat, anyone?)

You can say that rental is stupid, but if you went to the store on a Friday night and you're like, "dude, I wanna get a movie..."

How pissed would you be if you had to shell out $15-20 every time you wanted to watch a movie at home? I'd be hella pissed too.

You missed the point.
The only thing Microsoft / Publishers are pushing are bits (and licensing fees I guess), but there is no reason why this needs to be a RENTAL price. I would wager to say that Microsoft could keep their current prices, and make it a PURCHASE, not a rental.

There's no difference. They lose money to pay for bandwidth (which they pay out the ass for already, for everything), and they pay royalties. That doesn't change (or shouldn't, IMO) if someone "Rents" or "Buys" something. Either way, the customer is viewing the work.