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This Week in Video Marketplace (3/12)
Hot off of the Major Nelson press, this week's video marketplace offerings are juicy, sweet, and definitely ripe for the picking. By the this Friday we'll be able to download some great television content including the season eleven premiere of South Park and David Spade's Showbiz Show. This week's movie offerings are nothing to whine about either, with award winning The Departed being downloadable in HD, Snakes on a Plane, and a little Friday the 13th happiness. Click your way towards the break for a full list of content, as we're sure you'll find something to spend your Microsoft Points on.
This Week in Video Marketplace (2/26)
This week's update for Video Marketplace comes courtesy of Major Nelson. Unfortunately, the two movies we get are only available in 480p, which is kind of a bummer. On the upside, though, we do get South Park's seasons 5 through 8 exclusively this week. The O.C., which had its series finale a week ago. Those of you looking for some octagonal action should enjoy the UFC fights. In light of the addition of more South Park, one of the aforementioned films happens to be South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut. Full list of content available after the break.
This week in Video Marketplace
Xbox.com's TriXie posted this week's Video Marketplace update, and it brings a bunch of new Reality Television shows into the fold. Unfortunately, only one TV download (albeit temporarily free), Jericho's recap, is available in High Definition. Employee of the Month is the lone HD movie of the five films added. Hopefully we'll get some more HD lovin' soon. Full list of the titles available after the break.
Marketplace movies that don't expire?
Joseph Molnar of the Pensive Gamer is reporting a new "problem" with Video Marketplace downloads. As avid users know, movies are considered rentals on Video Marketplace. After the play option is chosen, the movie expires after 24 hours. According to Joseph, though, his copy of Superman Returns has never expired. He has successfully watched the movie on multiple days without issue. We're not sure how widespread this "problem" is -- or if it's something that could be further exploited -- but we'll take a budget HD copy of Superman Returns any day. Then again, we're saving room on our hard drive for the Halo 3 beta.Has this happened to anyone else?
Video Marketplace HD blowout
Major Nelson posted the latest releases for Video Marketplace yesterday evening. Items worth noting include nine of the movies released are available in glorious High Definition. This week also introduces Lionsgate Films into the growing list of Video Marketplace partners. LGF happens to be based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, right next to the Fanboy Igloo HQ. Finally, Skyland from Nicktoons is available with the show's pilot episode FREE to download until 11:59 PST on Monday, January 29th. Later this week you'll be able to get your hands on Barnyard and World Trade Center. Full list of the title available after the break.
Lionsgate joins Xbox 360 Video Marketplace
Lionsgate will soon join fellow movie distributors on the Xbox Live Video Marketplace, bringing targeted content to Xbox 360 gamers. "The Xbox gamer is the same moviegoer who wants to watch Saw III or Crank," remarked executive VP Jon Ferro. Ah yes, torture and meth labs ... you've got us all figured out, don't you, Mr. Ferro?Other Lionsgate titles destined for XBLVM: An American Haunting, Blair Witch Project, The Descent, Employee of the Month, Hard Candy, Ninth Gate, The Punisher, Requiem for a Dream, See No Evil, and Stir of Echoes.See also: Xbox 360 video download service succeeding, others failing
XBLVM a big success, Lionsgate on board
A recent press release confirms that the Xbox Live Video Marketplace has been a huge success. In only two months, Video Marketplace has become one of the top distributors of high definition downloadable media. According to Comedy Central senior vice president, Caleb Weinstein, Video Marketplace has become the second highest performing digital outlet for the network. Warner Bros. vice president for video on demand, Andrew Mellett notes that the service has "exceeded" expectations and has become one of Warner Bros' "top distributors." Again, this is a substantial achievement for a service that just debuted in November.In related news, Lionsgate has signed on to bring several of its movies to Video Marketplace in 2007. Some of the notable movies on the list include Crank, Blair Witch Project, SAW III, Ninth Gate, and the best date movie of the year 2000, Requiem for a Dream*.*This is a joke. Requiem for a Dream is not a good date movie at all. It's weird and it gives us nightmares.See also:Video Marketplace tops similar services
Xbox 360 video download service succeeding, others failing
According to Variety's recent assessment, Xbox 360's video download service is the year's digital distribution success story. Perhaps "success" is an overstatement, but despite an install base that's utterly dwarfed by the total number of Amazon.com users, Xbox Live's Video Marketplace is getting just as much love as the online retailer's 'Unbox' service, which also offers video on demand downloads.The Xbox secret? Simplicity. Each video is only a few button presses away, and the console is (usually) already connected to the TV. For most users, Amazon is confined to a PC monitor, likely stashed on a desk, tucked away in the corner of the house; and getting content from Unbox to the TV is a tedious process.So has Microsoft nailed it? Is Xbox 360 the frontrunner of the digital distribution era -- even with a 20 GB hard drive and limited studio support?
Video Marketplace tops similar services
Variety -- our go-to source for gaming journalism -- praises Microsoft's Xbox Live Video Marketplace in a recent article. While no specific numbers are mentioned, the article claims that sources have confirmed that Microsoft's download service is outperforming several similar services -- in particular, Amazon's Unbox service. The article further notes that this is from a user base of only 3.5 million Xbox 360s in the US, versus other services that can be used by anyone with a broadband connected PC. Another interesting note, HD versions of movies are downloaded far more than standard versions. What's the big difference between other download services and Video Marketplace? It's simple, Video Marketplace puts movies right on your TV. Other services allow users to download movies to their PC, which isn't exactly optimal for movie viewing. Sure, some people have the know-how and the hardware to get PC movies onto a TV, but it can be daunting for the average viewer. Variety expects that the movie download boom won't really begin until more services offer the same easy functionality -- something Apple's upcoming iTV claims to do. We have to admit, we were skittish when the Video Marketplace launched. However, as new content keeps rolling in (The State FTW!) we're finding more reasons to skip the video store. How often do you use the Video Marketplace?[Via Planet Xbox 360]
Reno 911 hits Video Marketplace
Okay, we'll admit it, we haven't really delved into the Video Marketplace. Sure you can rent movies for 4 dollars. We've got a vending machine down the street that rents DVDs for a dollar a day. Yeah, they have [adult swim]. Those shows are only fifteen minutes long and they cost the same. Hell, Mission Impossible III might have gotten us to rent something, but it's not available in HD. But now, now we might just have a reason to download. That's right, Reno 911 has landed on Video Marketplace. If you've never seen the show, it's more or less a spoof of COPS (with a few members of the disbanded group, the State). Now we might actually download something (just maybe).There is a problem though, we have no idea how long this has been available. Here's hoping that Microsoft can come up with a better system for keeping customers informed. As it is, loading up the Video Marketplace and manually checking for additions just isn't cutting it.
HD-DVD vs. Video Marketplace: it's a tie!
If you're a videophile who loves reading about things like lumens and color temperature, then boy have we got an article for you! XYHD has posted an article comparing HD-DVD content with Video Marketplace content. Using V for Vendetta as a basis of comparison, the article compares all kinds of statistics that we can't even imagine thinking about comprehending. Overall, the article surmises that the difference in quality is negligible (except for a tiny difference in black levels, as illustrated by the above image). The article further concludes that you would have to own a very expensive home theater setup that has been professionally calibrated to tell the difference. Was Bill Gates' prophecy right? Will digital distribution render the next media format war moot? If that war is based purely on visual fidelity, then yes, yes it might.Have any of you bothered to compare the difference between HD-DVD and Video Marketplace?[Thanks, Jake Ludington]
Xbox Live Video Marketplace downloads stalled by glitches
The two biggest questions since Microsoft announced its Xbox Live Video Marketplace have been: 1. does anyone still has enough space on their Xbox 360's 20GB hard drive for movie downloads in high definition? and 2. does anyone -- even the guys at Redmond -- have enough bandwidth to feed the HDTVs of millions of Xbox Live subscribers? Since launching two days ago those questions have been answered with a yes and resounding no, respectively. Users have complained of slow downloads that time out, receiving different files than the ones they requested and being charged twice when trying to complete timed-out rental downloads. Major Nelson has chimed in on the issue, letting us know that the company is aware of the problem and will refund Microsoft Points to all those who call 1-800-4MYXBOX for assistance. Good luck with that, though, as at least one person was told there aren't any managers available to refund customers until after the holiday weekend. So while network engineers and management sleep off yesterday's turkey and camp out for cheap plasmas, you may want to hold off trying to download Clash of the Titans in 720p 'till things get straightened out.[Thanks, WiFiSpy]Read - My Xbox 360 video rental nightmareRead - Video Marketplace Status
Xbox 360 Video Marketplace hurting, Microsoft aware
No one expected the launch of Microsoft's ambitious HD movie and television download service to run without a hiccup, but the servers took a big enough hit to render the experience useless for numerous Xbox Live users. As the official Video Marketplace forums began to fill with complaints, Major Nelson took a moment to relay Microsoft's concerns to the public:"We understand these technical issues have resulted in a very unpleasant experience for our members, including extremely slow downloads or not receiving the content they purchased. We've made progress over the past 24–hours, and the team is dedicated to fixing the issues and continues to work as fast as they can around the clock to get the service running as seamlessly as you have come to expect."Downloading will hopefully be stabilized within a few days, but has the damage been done? Will this sloppy roll-out affect Xbox Live's credibility? Perhaps. But as long as Sony and Nintendo remain behind, Microsoft is free to take risks with its online service. Like it or not, Xbox 360 still has the advantage.
Video Marketplace is open for business
Where the 360 is concerned, it seems like good things come in spurts. Small Arms hit the arcade today, the Lost Planet multiplayer demo drops tomorrow, and now the Video Marketplace is online. We took a break from Small Arms to check it out. The Video Marketplace itself will be familiar to anyone who has used Marketplace before to download demos or videos. Getting there is easy enough, open up the Media blade, select Video Marketplace, and you're there.The videos are divided among TV, movies, music videos, clips, and game videos. From these selections, videos can then be organized by studio, download rank, etc. Not all videos are available in HD, but a handy "HD Available" image is attached to all videos that do, so you won't have to go all the way to the download screen to find out. Interestingly, the "standard definition" content is actually 480p, not 480i, though it's possible that the 360 merely recognizes what connection you are using (VGA in our case). We loaded up a preview clip of Borat in about 15 seconds. The preview clips show up in a small window and include sound, which was missing from our earlier preview. Movies are available to watch 14 days after purchase, or 24 hours after selecting the "play" option. Frankly, we think that's a little stingy. There really isn't any reason you shouldn't be able to watch your movies for the entire period, but we digress. And the big issue we've been waiting for: the price. TV shows, it seems, are 160 points ($2) for standard definition and 240 points ($3) for high definition. It seems like these prices apply regardless of length, so you'll pay the same 160 points for an hour long episode of CSI or a 15 minute episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Movies seem to be divided into two categories: old and new. Older movies run 240 points ($3) for standard definition and 360 points ($4.50) for HD. New movies, on the other hand, are 320 points ($4) for SD and 480 points ($6) for HD. When compared with most movie rental chains, the prices seem fair enough, though it probably won't convince anyone to drop their online rental services.The SD Borat clip we downloaded wasn't the best quality, but it was passable. The HD Eragon trailer looked much better (and way better than the game, amirite?). We haven't actually downloaded any HD movies or TV, because, you know, we're not wealthy. Overall, the Video Marketplace is pretty much what you'd expect, and a welcome addition to the Xbox 360's growing list of features.Anybody out there downloading TV or movies yet? Does the quality live up to your standards.
Low def trailers for High Def content on XBLM
Most of you know by now that movies and TV shows are coming to Xbox Live Marketplace on November 22nd (just one day shy of the Lost Planet multiplayer demo!). To promote this momentous occasion, a few trailers have been put up on Marketplace, featuring previews of what you'll be able to download. Yesterday, it was a Paramount Pictures preview, and today it's MTV. Naturally, these videos are there to promote all the high definition content you'll be able to buy starting on Thanksgiving eve. Why then are these videos so damned ugly? The Paramount download wasn't great but it was passable. Now, the MTV video ... well, we've seen higher resolutions on YouTube. Seriously, it's a pixelated mess, like watching something on SEGA CD. What's funny is that we actually grabbed the "HD" version of the video. Let's hope this is a mistake and not an indication of what we can expect from the video Marketplace.Anyone grab the UFC trailers? Are they any better?
Video: Video Marketplace demonstration
GameTrailers has posted a nice video rundown of the upcoming Video Marketplace (embedded after the break). While we're as excited as the next person about downloading TV shows and movies, we do have one concern. The rep in this video assures us that the prices are not set, and that the prices used on the demo are just placeholders. Still, the prices listed, if accurate, seem a little high. 320 points ($4) for a high definition TV episode is fairly steep considering iTunes episodes usually run for $1.99. Granted, those episodes run in the tiny, tiny window of a video iPod, but we still hope that the Video Marketplace is similarly priced. The video is fuzzy, but the high definition downloads shown looked to take up about 2 gigs of space, whereas standard definition episodes were 0.5 gigs. An hour long TV episode is trimmed down to about 42 minutes when commercials are removed, so that should give us an idea of the amount of space we'll be consuming with TV and movies. The video Marketplace is visually much more interesting than the regular one we're used to. Each show has a themed storefront, highlighting some aspect of the show. Another neat feature is that users will be able to watch a short sample clip of potential downloads. There clips have no sound, but at least you'll have an idea of what you're purchasing (and maybe we're one step closer to video streaming?). Overall, the Video Marketplace should be an interesting addition to the Xbox 360, and possibly the console wars as a whole. Do you plan on using the Video Marketplace, or are you content just playing games?
70 GB hard drive spotted, HD DVD useless?
Hot on the heels of the confirmation of downloadable movies and TV shows on Marketplace comes this picture from a recent Microsoft press event. If you look closely, you'll notice that the hard drive has an entire 70 gigs free. In other words, that larger hard drive rumor has surfaced yet again. Given all the recent announcements, it's fairly safe to assume a larger hard drive is coming. It's just a matter of when. We're betting that you won't see these larger hard drives before Christmas. Microsoft might announce them -- especially in the wake of the Video Marketplace -- but we doubt they'll release them. Why not? Because Microsoft wants to sell as many 360 HD DVD players as possible, and a larger HDD plus Video Marketplace is in direct competition with that. Of course, this brings up an interesting quandary: knowing that you'll be able to download HD movies and (probably) get a bigger hard drive, are you still interested in the HD DVD player?[Via Engadget]
