Hands-on with IPTV on Xbox 360

We had a chance to check out Microsoft's IPTV offering for Xbox 360, announced earlier this week during Bill Gates' CES keynote, and get answers to some of the questions that have been nagging at us since first hearing about the service. Though Microsoft hasn't announced any providers for the service yet, both AT&T and Verizon -- as well as fourteen other telcos around the world -- use Microsoft's IPTV middleware platform to provide television over fiber, so they seem like likely candidates when the service debuts holiday season '07. Of course, if you're considering the DVR functionality, the Xbox 360's anemic 20GB hard drive won't get you very far. A Microsoft rep said the file sizes are dependent not only on the resolution of the feed, but the compression used by the provider; however, one could probably assume that the Xbox Live Video Marketplace's videos would be roughly analogous in size. Regardless, we'd expect an update to the drive before IPTV launches. Because IPTV uses software, not a hardware tuner, to decode the signal, the number of streams that can be simultaneously recorded is limited solely by internet and hard drive bandwidth. In addition, IPTV is capable of offering more HD channels than other platforms, like cable or satellite. Because the service shares the same connection as your phone and internet connection, it can provide telco caller-ID and features like teleconferencing have "been discussed." Perhaps the biggest question we have is whether or not any of this functionality would (or could) be made available to gamers who don't (or can't) get IPTV service in their area. Microsoft isn't saying anything but, considering the small amount of consumers with fiber service to the home, we certainly hope so.

Hands-on with IPTV on Xbox 360

[mudman @ Jan 11th 2007 11:24AM]

it certainly would make the polycom/tandbergs a bit nervous if microsoft added in their roundtable camera to this platform

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2006/oct06/10-20officeroundtable.mspx

right?

[Jonathan Keim @ Jan 11th 2007 11:30AM]

I can't remember what IPTV is. I wish that engadget would put an extra sentance to explain new acronyms until they are well know.

[Mike D @ Jan 11th 2007 11:36AM]

Internet protocol television

[LZBravo @ Jan 11th 2007 11:48AM]

Fiber to your house? I don't see that happening in my area for years. My "6" mbit Comcast connection couldn't even consistently stream the Gates keynote speech.
Bandwidth is going to be the constraning factor limiting the success of this product, at least in the US.

[Liqwid @ Jan 11th 2007 11:50AM]

I better be able to get this. This will be and awesome alternative to a digital set-top box when I move out of the house later this year.

[Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Jan 11th 2007 11:58AM]

I really think Verizon needs to work with Microsoft here and get a custom Xbox 360 DVR. The motorola box they have now is so sluggish. I like MCE GUI a lot better than what Verizon is offering now. Plus that would be sweet if they intergrated the Xbox Live Vision Camera for video calls.

[alex @ Jan 11th 2007 12:04PM]

I think this is so premature. At the rate Verizon and whatever telecom are doling out fiber it'll be somewhere in 2040 before we see any of this is happening.

[andy @ Jan 11th 2007 12:19PM]

They just broke ground on a new neighborhood in my area of STL. They're putting in Coax cable and cat4 (telephone) lines.

Why in the world would you do something like that: Install a brand new, obsolete system underground that you KNOW you're going to have to redo in the next 5-10 years.

I understand that you may still be limited to coax to the neighborhood, but why wouldn't you make the underground network fiber? I mean, that's what your're going to have to redo shortly anyway, and that's what costs all the money in teh first place (redoing it).

[Steve @ Jan 11th 2007 12:32PM]

It will work fine over copper phone lines. The BT IPTV service is over ADSL and we have a really old network here.

[Lonnie McClure @ Jan 11th 2007 12:46PM]

Keep in mind that the source server for this type of IPTV will be much closer (fewer hops) than virtually any streaming video one might be watching on the net now. The server would likely be no further away than your provider's main office, and perhaps as close as the neighborhood node. If you've ever experienced On Demand viewing over digital cable, you can expect a similar experience with this variety of IPTV.

[DWAnderson @ Jan 11th 2007 1:11PM]

Actually, although I am underwhelmed by the proposed implementation of IPTV. MS claimed at CES when I spoke to them that AT&T could get 35mbps service over the "last mile" of copper to the home as long as the infrastructure in and upstream of the CO had been upgraded.

See http://thunor.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!71C238B5E0E3724D!149.entry

[TV @ Jan 12th 2007 9:51AM]

Yes the 360's HDD does need and increase, but IPTV (at least for ATT) DVR functionality is rumored to be centralized outside of your home. People always complain about space, so I think this will help for the DVR function, but not the DTOR (download to own/rent) content.