HBO, Comcast, Verizon, Others Bringing Stuff to Xbox 360

Why do I see another increase in gold subscription fees coming in the near future? Have a piece of this cheesecake...good isn't it? ...how about a piece of this pie, everyone loves pie! Now pay me!

My cable company isn't supporting this right now so not much changes for me.

Unless it saves me money on my current cable subscription, I'm not interested.

@McShank: We'll see what happens. I don't want to load up my PS3 or Wii and not be able to do anything until the ads load. If they make it discreet so it's hidden when disabled, then good. But if it's like anti-virus trials that come on computers that ask you to renew/subscribe, then I won't like it. That's bloatware.

Corporations run off money and do nothing without monetary incentive, especially entertainment companies. So whether it be luring you into a subscription or plainly earning money from ads, they plan on earning more revenue from these new features.

My cable company isn't listed so this doesn't really change anything for me. What I take away from this is it's a step toward what I really want: a la carte programming straight from the companies themselves.

Having to pay $60 for standard definition Basic, SD Extended Basic and Pay-Per-View plus another $50 for SD Digital Premium channels (I never watch anything in standard def, ever) just to be able to get to the HD channels tier (for another $5) is growing old fast.

@014 said:

@McShank: Because the other systems will follow suit. Plus, people complain all the time about stuff that doesn't affect them immediately -- like weapon permits or age restrictions when they're already past the age. I might tell someone what I don't like about a vehicle I won't buy. Maybe that's part of the reason I won't buy it. This is normal conversation.

If sony follows suite then so be it. You dont have to ever use it.. you dont have to ever pay for it. Whats the problem? You are doing nothing but being "That guy" In this post since all your doing is putting it down even though you cant use it, and never will use it. Didn't anyone ever tell you "Cant say something nice, dont say anything at all?" Or otherwise stfu and keep walking?

Software bloat is a process whereby successive versions of a computer program include an increasing proportion of unnecessary features that are not used by end users, or generally use more system resources than necessary, while offering little or no benefit to its users.

So far, most people are happy about this announcement, and you are the only one who is sad about it. Bloatware is something people dont use or wont benefit. This is from what i read is going to benefit alot of people and will most likely be used by the majority.

I like the sound of this. Sony is probably planing on doing this too. Why else would they ass and extra row for T.V on the xmb. HBO GO!

I really hope this isn't just another way to get more money from us... we are already paying for the gold membership

@McShank: Because the other systems will follow suit. Plus, people complain all the time about stuff that doesn't affect them immediately -- like weapon permits or age restrictions when they're already past the age. I might tell someone what I don't like about a vehicle I won't buy. Maybe that's part of the reason I won't buy it. This is normal conversation.

@simian said:

I was going to say "Oh boy so glad Canada wasn't left out!" but looking at that selection, we might as well have been.

A lot of the points on the list are international channels... why would you want a UK station etc. Canada gets a lot of stuff, right now we have basically nothing.

Looks like Canada gets this:

Astral Media's Disney XD, Crackle, Dailymotion, Facebook, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment/Real Sports, MSN with MSNBC.com, Rogers On Demand Online (RODO), Netflix, TELUS, UFC, Twitter, VEVO, YouTube, Zune.

Between all of those I'd say most/all your tv needs are covered.

I was going to say "Oh boy so glad Canada wasn't left out!" but looking at that selection, we might as well have been.

JUST FUCKING LET ME ACCESS HBO IN SWEDEN ALREADY! WAAAAAH!!!!

I was going to say "Oh boy so glad Canada wasn't left out!" but looking at that selection, we might as well have been.

@014 said:

@McShank: Well, I sold my 360 over a year ago. It didn't get used.

Then why complain about something you are not going to use, And that you dont even have?

@faustyn: Thank you for giving some of these people some perspective. I don't quite understand people complaining about features added at no cost.

@bhhawks78: i have cox for cable and internet, pretty sad they cant do this when they make as much money of the consumer as they do lol.

in my area its damn near a monopoly

@Branthog said:

...If you make it the right price with the right interface and offer the right variety of content with the least amount of bullshit barriers, people will opt to use your legitimate service over the hassles of doing it any other way.

Having to get a $100-$200/mo cable subscription so that you can get the $15/mo HBO subscription, so that you can watch your HBO content on your XBOX or iPAD (HBOGO) is not the way to accomplish any of that. These content licensing and distribution deals need to catch up to the 21st century.

AGREED

C'mon Insight!

@Kordesh said:

Please tell me this is satire. I refuse to believe something this stereotypical is taking place here.

That's funny, cuz that's exactly what I said to myself when I read your first comment. Haters like you are gonna hate, no matter what. Doesn't mean I should have to listen to it or shouldn't point out the sillyness in your statements. Go ahead and tell me in detail what makes 360's current lineup so woefully inept compared to anything else this year, cuz I'll give ya a hint; they're all pretty even except Wii.

@TPoppaPuff said:

@Kordesh:

What more do you want? Almost every single game that matters comes out on the 360, some have exclusive content or timed exclusives, and often perform better than their other console counterparts because 360 was the lead system (yes there are exceptions). Aside from Uncharted 3 and maybe Zelda, every single title that matters is on 360, if not exclusive.

Maybe you oughtta save your stock wise-ass, hater comment for chances where the complaint actually has some validity.

Please tell me this is satire. I refuse to believe something this stereotypical is taking place here.

@Kordesh:

What more do you want? Almost every single game that matters comes out on the 360, some have exclusive content or timed exclusives, and often perform better than their other console counterparts because 360 was the lead system (yes there are exceptions). Aside from Uncharted 3 and maybe Zelda, every single title that matters is on 360, if not exclusive.

Maybe you oughtta save your stock wise-ass, hater comment for chances where the complaint actually has some validity.

all this did was remind me how long it's been since I watched TV and how very little I miss it.

I can get the good shows later thru netflix, and that's worked out pretty well. things like battlestar and the few other good sci-fi shows.

If I feel like a game then HD over the air kicks the crap out of HD over cable in terms of picture quality, and it doesn't require a sub.

@Kordesh: Well, what more do you want in terms of games?

@Geo7877 said:

I just want to subscribe to HBO and use HBO Go, is that too much to ask? Damn cable companies.

this

This is awesome, been waiting for this for ages. But I want Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment in the UK!

The more and more they keep piling this crap into Xbox Live, the less I want anything to do with it. How about instead of mashing in as much media and consumer content as you possibly can, you focus on, oh I don't know, GAMES?! I don't know, maybe I'm just crazy, but I'm pretty sure that's why people bought a 360, not to watch TV from freaking Comcast of ALL companies...

wait, Canada isn't getting totally screwed for once?

I'm shocked

For those who don't know: Lovefilm is basically a Netflix from amazon. Only in Germany and UK so far.

A service to watch.

Cool, more choices can only be good!

@McShank: Well, I sold my 360 over a year ago. It didn't get used.

@dox said:

@Branthog: Well if you are comparing paid services to just stealing content I think your expectations are skewed.

We'll dismiss the point of "stealing" being inaccurate and focus on the point that things like Netflix have reduced the amount which people are acquiring content via bit torrent. If you make it the right price with the right interface and offer the right variety of content with the least amount of bullshit barriers, people will opt to use your legitimate service over the hassles of doing it any other way.

Having to get a $100-$200/mo cable subscription so that you can get the $15/mo HBO subscription, so that you can watch your HBO content on your XBOX or iPAD (HBOGO) is not the way to accomplish any of that. These content licensing and distribution deals need to catch up to the 21st century.

@Branthog: Well if you are comparing paid services to just stealing content I think your expectations are skewed.

I don't have cable TV now (not even local TV) and don't want it. This service is not useful. It's bloatware.

@014 said:

I don't have cable TV now (not even local TV) and don't want it. This service is not useful. It's bloatware.

because its not useful to you does not mean its not useful to others. All you have to do it no update your xbox EVER and you will never have the full service of it.

I have Shaw in Canada. Do I get anything?

@Vandersveldt said:

@keef: I payed a one time fee for something called "PlayOn", when I payed it it was 40$. One of the many many features it does is stream hulu, the web based hulu, to your 360 or PS3. It has some hiccups, and has to be updated often, but is so completely worth it. It will also stream all videos on your computer to your 360, no matter the format. Youtube, whatever you want. I personally went out and found a giantbomb app someone wrote for it, so I can watch quicklooks on my 360 as well. It seems to be about what you're looking for.

Hmm, can I watch Hulu Plus content with it? Or does it stream from Hulu as an anonymous user?

Like I'll ever see any of this in my country.

@Geo7877 said:

I just want to subscribe to HBO and use HBO Go, is that too much to ask? Damn cable companies.

Yeah this. I have Midcontinent and they're taking their sweet time on getting HBO Go.

BBC, BSkyB, 40D - I'm happy.

Iplayer and 4od is good news, I was hoping they'd show up at some point, there's a few comedy series that 4od has archived that I wouldn't mind watching but never fancied sitting through while at my PC so this helps with that.

I don't understand who this helps. I already have a cablebox next to my tv.....

@Branthog said:

Just give me the actual content directly from the 360 and Microsoft (or the PS3 and Sony). Charge me a subscription fee or whatever you want. Let me time-shift, archive, search and whatever else. Give me a huge variety of content to choose from. Don't make me choose bullshit "premium" or "basic" or any other packages. And we might start to have a deal.

Don't the Xbox and PSN stores already have this option? It's fairly overpriced, but the last time I browsed through the Zune Videos or whatever the heck it's called they seemed to have a ton of varied content. I think I spent like 10 minutes watching previews of Beavis and Butthead episodes

Sadly, we only have Cox in my area. So a bummer

No thanks. I have Netflix...I just download whatever show I want to watch :)

Most half way decent shows on now, are on-demand online. I'll watch basic television off an antenna to get crystal clear tv, and the only thing I watch that isn't available online live, is wwe raw. Which...perhaps next year, thats probably going to happen.

@Clubvodka: LoveFilm is on the list, I might consider upgradeding my package to streaming now

BBC? Count me in. Wish they'd bring lovefilm to the Xbox in the UK. I don't use either of my ps3s so I need it on the olde xbox.

I'm just gonna play games on my xbox I could care less about this garbage.

@014: As someone who enjoys watching TV, I have to say it's not bloatware at all. I can't think of a single good interface on a cable box. Being able to use a decent interface for onDemand content is pretty cool. I'm a comcast user, and while the cable box interface is a fucking piece of shit, the web interface is actually pretty good.