Telus turns Canadian Xbox 360s into IPTV boxes starting today
By Richard Lawler 
posted August 4th 2010 3:07PM
posted August 4th 2010 3:07PM
August 4, 2010
TELUS customers first in North America to use their Xbox 360 as digital television box with Optik TV
TELUS and Microsoft to bring premier entertainment experience with Xbox 360
Vancouver, BC – Available beginning today, TELUS and Microsoft are bringing a North American premiere to Canadian homes, enabling the Xbox 360 to directly access TELUS' Optik TV service.
The Xbox 360 is a first-class home entertainment and gaming system that Optik TV customers can now use as a digital set top box to enable PVR Anywhere features, such as scheduling the recording of up to three shows simultaneously on one PVR unit. The Microsoft Mediaroom software that powers Optik TV now also supports delivery of Optik TV to the Xbox 360 to provide great functionality for watching television anywhere in the home, as well as all the gaming benefits customers already know.
"We are blazing a trail as the first provider in North America to offer this innovative capability with Xbox 360 and Optik TV. The integration of the Optik TV service, powered by Microsoft Mediaroom, with the Xbox 360 will deliver increased flexibility and enhance our customers' entertainment experience," said TELUS President and CEO Darren Entwistle. "We continue to offer the latest and greatest technologies available for home entertainment systems through this industry-leading capability that Canadians are receiving first."
With this announcement, all the features of TELUS' popular Optik TV service now become available directly via the Xbox 360 console. This means that customers of Optik TV can use an Xbox 360 as a digital set top box to:
• Watch any of Optik TV's over 400 digital channels, including over 50 in HD;
• Watch any shows they have recorded on their Optik HD PVR digital box;
• Use PVR Anywhere to record up to 3 live shows simultaneously from any room
• Pause a recorded program in one room and pick it up from the same spot in a different room
• Get PVR functionality from any TV when watching recorded programs - Pause, replay, rewind, fast-forward.
"With Microsoft Mediaroom, the Xbox 360 offers an unmatched entertainment experience for the entire family – and one that today gets even better for Optik TV customers," said Greg Barber, Senior Director, Home Entertainment and Devices, Microsoft Canada. "By providing easy access to Optik TV directly via the Xbox 360, TELUS is uniting the best in TV with the best in gaming to raise the bar in Canada for in-home entertainment."
With the Xbox 360 console, Optik TV now delivers the ultimate integration of gaming and entertainment on one platform. In addition to being able to watch recorded shows and schedule recordings, subscribers can also use the Xbox 360 console to access digital photos and digital music libraries on the TV via their home wireless network and connected Windows PC.
TELUS recently began offering Optik TV, which offers never-before-seen functionality and features over 400 channels, including over 50 in High Definition (HD). Optik TV features the best PVR experience with PVR Anywhere, only from TELUS in Western Canada. Now one PVR is all clients need to watch and record shows on any TV in the home with a digital box, record up to three shows at once, or pause a program in one room and pick it up from the same spot in another room. Optik TV also offers Picture-in-Picture browsing, onscreen Call Display, HD Video On Demand and HD Pay Per View, so clients can order movies and live events from the comfort of their couch.
TELUS is currently offering a free Xbox 360 for clients who subscribe to High Speed Internet on a two year term. For clients who take advantage of this offer, they will experience TELUS' impressive High Speed Internet with built-in home Wi-Fi, as well as benefit from a free Xbox to use as a digital set top box with Optik TV.
Customers with an Xbox 360 can now subscribe to Optik TV by visiting TELUS.com/optiktv and turn their gaming platform into a set top box.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.6 billion of annual revenue and 11.9 million customer connections including 6.6 million wireless subscribers, 3.9 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers and 200,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video.
In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $158 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 3.1 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Nine TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead TELUS' local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.
For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.
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Move it football head!
@H264
something about that guy makes me feel very uneasy. Like he's about to watch something involving humans & horses, queen elizabeth style.
@H264
"Helga, shut the hell up!!"
LOL
Gotta love "Hey Arnold!"
@H264
Sweet. Now Telus has free time to finally update my HTC Hero up off of Android 1.5.
Wow, cool! Although I hate Telus, I may consider them if they succeed with this and my current ISP/Cable screws up badly enough.
@DudeGuyMan
free xbox with 2 year contract? Not bad..i plan on having internet at home for two years anyway!
@metformin True story
good job telus.. show these yankees how its done!!
@Cautionfire ..whilst using yankee hardware
@aaroninde
and software
@ssguy
Made in china.
@MrGreen RUNNING... in Canada.
@AdamSpruijt
Made in Canada*
*by illegal immigrants.
@AdamSpruijt
Eh!
Microsoft and OEM licesing... here we go....
Now if AT&T would announce when this is coming for Uverse customers. Microsoft said sometime this year but I'd like a little more specificity than that.
@muzzymate From what I have heard, it will be available sometime around late October/early November of this year.
I'd love to have this functionality but I don't want it in my 360, if only because you lose more entertainment options than before in the event of a RRoD.
@TheBennettBrigade RROD... so 2008
@TMoney2007
Oh, my bad. I didn't realize that the console's failure rate had dropped to 0% after 2008. Thanks for clearing that up.
@TheBennettBrigade
No, but I would venture that the new Xbox console has a lower failure rate than a U-Verse DVR. It's certainly quieter, and I can attest to that.
@Benglishman
Now that my 20gig is out of warranty, I'm kind of hoping that it does die again so I can replace it with the new model. If it can avoid the failure rates of the old ones then I wouldn't mind trying out services like this. I use my PS3 to stream Netflix now specifically because my 360 has failed several times already.
@TheBennettBrigade yes and i would love to pay $50 a year to talk online with ps3 but the yellow light of death and the latest update bricking hard drives would only make it lose entertainment value
@Benglishman
Yes, the NEW one maybe does have better hardware that contributes to a low failure rate, but we shouldn't forget at the many old models that are still out there running in people's living rooms. I've had many friends who have had their 360's red ring of death. I'm not implying the XBOX 360 is a bad product, I'm just saying the RROD isn't so 2008, it's still relevant today.
@TheBennettBrigade Not 0% but I've had 2 DVRs fail over the years and only one 360. So in that regard my Xbox is actually more reliable. Still though I get the point that a single point of failure is no good.
But if you had bothered to actually watch the movie you would have seen that you're required to still have an additional cable box so if you RROD then you can just resort to the main DVR which I assume is necessary for Cablecardesque encryption.
I wish this were available in southern Ontario.
Wow, again, just when you thought Redmond was asleep!
@dalex7777
Looking back to how the xbox 360 started I didn't think MSFT could pull this off. Especially after HDDVD failed I though the PS3 with its blu-ray player had the better chance of becoming a complete multimedia entertainment center.
But the xbox 360 has managed to become complete multimedia entertainment center, delivering TV, HD Movies, Games
I really hope this doesn't require Xbox Live Gold.
I might get the new Xbox and use my old one for Uverse to replace the set top box, but I'm not going to get two Gold accounts just to have it (although it still might be cheaper than a set top box monthly rental).
@Meekermoloko A Silver account will work just fine, but a modded/banned console won't work (much the same way as it wouldn't work as a Media Center Extender either).
Screw IPTV... Its a free (with lease) X-box! (to play games on)
So, really, it's not an IPTV at all, still just a media extender. Yawn.
@notfred Not sure what you mean by media extender, but this does have full capacity for broadcast content, video on demand as well as any operator-created custom applications. At the moment it cannot act as a DVR... which is not a technical limitation... simply a decision because the XBOX is not an "always-on" device like a set top box. Can you imagine the help desk calls from someone missing recordings not realizing that they would have to leave it turned on for eternity?
@noochie I'd like to be able to pause and rewind live tv though...
@TMoney2007
Sounds like Xbox 360 is slowly catching up to the PS3 in terms of features:
first it was playing games from the Xbox
then it got HDMI
then it fixed software/firmware issues
then rumours about the attachable wireless controller
now it can act as a DVR (like PlayTV for PS3)
... the only things it lacks is a Bluray player, OtherOS (if you will), 3D movies, 3D games and a Wiimote/MOVE controller.
... something tells me the Kinect will have many issues relating to inaccuracies like the Wiimote did (still does!)
I don't get why some people have a problem with telus. I have had only excellent service and reception. Plus their mobile phone offerings are the best in Canada and now they are doing this. Hands down best provider
@canteaus
Oh boy, where to start... I worked in the Telus call center for a couple of months and I can't even recall a caller NOT being in a rage because of some negligent, colossal screw-up by Telus. And to also tell them that their appointment was going to be in 3 weeks...this was the norm.
On the other hand, with Shaw as my ISP and cable provider have never failed me and have always provided same or next day service. Even their agents are mostly very intelligent, helpful, and friendly Even when my underground line to my house was faulty, they troubleshooted it, and had a temporary overhead cable the next day. They even tunneled a new underground cable when the ground thawed in the Spring.
Not to mention getting ripped off by Telus regularly for mystery charges on my phone bill. But I have dumped them ever since Vonage came out in Canada and haven't paid them a dime since.
Not that I am bitter... ;-)
@DudeGuyMan
I can testify to the good people at Shaw cable. Jim Shaw is a friend. And he has always been a straight shooter.
BC and Alberta only for OptikTV? What about the rest of Canada??? This makes me sad./
@Rask it may be sooner that you think. Both UltimateTV on MTS and Bell have a Mediaroom system available today. Not in all areas, but it is growing.
This just might be the thing that pushes me over the top and convinces me to drop my ~$1500 investment in shaw hardware. The issue of course is to get Optik TV you have to have atleast Telus' phone and/or Internet as well and I dnt know if I want to suffer through that.
Just another reason to hate Comcast...
it's quite apparent a lot of people in these comments have not had the displeasure of dealing with Telus, or experiencing their craptastic internet service.
@T3rry LOL, fine print
Existing Optik TV clients wanting to add or change an existing digital box, including connecting an Xbox 360, will require a TELUS technician visit to connect the new hardware. An $100 fee applies.
@T3rry touche but its probably better than TWC
Hell yeah! This give me hope! I have a 360 and U-verse and I've been waiting and waiting for this. Now that Canada is getting this I have a renewed hope that this is still getting the green light here in the states. I live in Austin and we are sometimes on that first to get it list so hopefully this hits soon!
Just the iplayer would be nice, but no , Microsoft wants its pound of flesh.
live in Edmonton, so I just finished the last hour finding out as much as I could from Telus on this (first with their chat support on the telus site then about 25 minutes on the phone).
For the initial setup, when the Telus tech comes to install your HD PVR, it's free to setup every 360 in your house to use Optiik/Mediaroom (the $100 per xbox is if they have to come back later because you would like to add another xbox).
Also you have to switch high speed provider's (as well as TV carrier) and you are billed $5 per month per Xbox (even if you already own them or if you get the "free" Xbox with contract). And they said based on how many HD streams are being watched (and/or recorded) you will have a drop in bandwidth for internet connected devices.
And lastly in case anyone is wondering, even the Mediaroom supports WIN7 MCE out of the box, the sevice is not available through Telus yet.
Cheers
Where have I seen that guy before? What movie??
OK, from that picture, I now know that Major Monogram, Carl, and Perry the Platypus work for Telus.