I would get the bigger HD - it would save me money on getting another DVR from DishNetwork.

 

Here's a video of Xbox IPTV in action:
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...n_2MB_on10.wmv

I'm incredibly impressed.

Granted, this is a controlled demo, but it looks pretty true to life. The most amazing part, which I was wrong about, is that all the content is in HD at 720p! I really didn't think they could offer live streaming HD content this seamlessly.

Channel changes, as promised, are instantaneous. The UI seems fast, responsive, and gorgeous. Microsoft's Xbox team really should run Microsoft. IPTV is looking like a home run.

I f they have all the content they seem to have (hundreds of high def channels + local stations???) I will ditch my TimeWarner cable service.

 

Man, it's high def? Either they are miracle workers or i'm gonna need a new connection. I have been without cable/satelite for about 6 months now, for the same reason I no longer go to blockbuster (i can't stand those guys).

Just like the xboxlive marketplace got me back into watching movies this may get me back in to tv.

What sort of price do you think they will charge for this? I would also question how they handle the billing and hardware when you have more than 1 tv in the house, that would be a bit pricey with a xbox on each one.

 

Ah, now i've seen it. I'm not so excited anymore It sounds like you will have to buy more hardware to me. Like a different xbox as part of a subscription to a content provider, and thats IF one of their providers is in yoru area. Hopefully i'm wrong.

I suppose it coudln't really work well any other way though. As I stated before my connection probably isn't capable of such witchcraft.

 

Why do you think you'll have to buy more hardware? There's no indication of that.

The only thing that might make you right is they keep referring to it as "IPTV Edition", but that could be a marketting faux paus.

To me it seems as though it'll simply be something added to an Xbox Live premium tier. "Xbox Live Platinum" or some shit.

 

"Edit": Ya, considering it's all 720p, you'll probably need the new HD. But im guessing that's about it.

Even then though, if you have at least 10GB free u may be able to have basic functionality. 720p in VC-1 is somewhere around the same weight as 480p in MPEG-2, and like I established earlier. First gen DVR's had 20GB HD's.

So it's possible. If M$ was smart though they would have put out the new HD for this holiday season, considering their new product offerings.

 

Some screens of the Xbox IPTV interface: http://www.engadget.com/photos/xbox-...rface-gallery/

INCREDIBLY HOT.

This screen impresses me most: http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.en...xbox-vod-6.jpg

PIP previews of the channels your browsing in the guide while still watching current programming in full screen? Too fucking slick.

 

That is the name of their existing platform:

http://www.microsoft.com/tv/IPTVEdition.mspx

 

Strange ass name for a software platform, but thanks... there we have it. You'll definatley be able to use this with existing 360 hardware. At most, the new hard drive will be required. But I'm better that will be sold along with "subscription cards" or some shit.

 

i still don't understand how the average person with a cable or DSL connection will have the bandwith to stream 720p content.

 

see the CES thread in HT forum for data on this.

 

Anyone ever get error messages saying the disc is not readable and to clean the disc? I've gotten 3-4 of these messages while playing RB6:V and it's extremely annoying. The first time it happened was 20 minutes after I turned the console on for the very first time. There are no scratches on the disc and I haven't moved the console with a disc in the drive while the power was on or off.

Is this a common error?

 

I have had that too. When I was in a room and someone was changing the map I would get booted and then by the time I got back into the room the game already started so I wold have to wait 19 minutes for the next round.

What seems to work, so far, is I cleaned the disk (there were a couple small fingerprints) and then blew air into console to make sure there was no dust on the laser and haven't had that error in about a week.

Coincidence

 

Happened to me once.

Certain people seem to get booted alot though. Silver, for instance. heh

 

Tell me about it

About a week ago it went like this. I accept your game invite and have to sit around for 6-7 minutes for you guys to finish. Then you decide to change maps and of course I get booted because of a disk read error. So by the time I get back you have already started the game so I get to sit around for 19 minutes until it is over. Then you decide to change the map again and of course I get the same error and get booted and by the time I get back of course there are about 19 minutes left in the game.

 

sorry dude, speak up! if you'd said something id of cancelled the game and started a new one, or simply have waited in the lobby for you to reboot. i dont mind, really.

you just never say shit

half the time i figure you just bounced for a minute to beat the kids or something.

from now on we'll wait for you, k?

 

Any chance this new Xbox will have the ability to play HD-DVD without the HD-DVD add on?

 

definately not.

an HD-DVD drive would be a waste internally. it's not fast enough. you'd have the same problems the PS3 is experiencing.

plus, it would drive the price up.

the HD-DVD drive will stay external, but will likely get cheaper. i'm betting $159.99 MSRP in the next year.

the other reason Microsoft will keep it external is in the case of HD-DVD losing the format war. If Blu-ray takes a lead in consumer perception Microsoft will be able to sell an external Blu-ray drive to keep up. On the flip side, if HD-DVD wins, what does Sony do?

In short, the HD-DVD drive will stay external and you should want it that way.

 

Good points.

 

anybody have any idea what was included in this mornings Xbox Live update? it was easily the LARGEST update I've downloaded from LIVE yet. BUT, I can't find any information on it... not even from Major Nelson himself.

 

Make your way onto Xbox Live today and you'll be prompted to download the first Xbox 360 dashboard update of 2007. According to Microsoft, they've been "listening to what the community has been telling us," which is apparently the following:

# Improvements to the Xbox Guide.
# Option to retain your saved games when you delete a profile.
# Increased accuracy of "last time played."
# Network configuration improvements for Xbox Live members in the Netherlands.
# More detailed messaging for unreadable disk or region errors.

The addition of being allowed to keep game saves after deleting a profile is quite nice, and more info on why your disc isn't being read is another nice fix.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3156293

 

Funny, since I downloaded the update i've gotten 3 "unreadable disk" errors with no information then the 1 single time it happened to me in the past

 

Then I am going to host tonight and change maps on you

 

I hate it when it tells you that the disc is unreadable... you eject it... and there's nothing wrong with the disc...

 

Hmm I have not experience this yet. I play with no problems.

 

Anyone want a Wii-like motion sensitive Xbox controller?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290075115504

 

^ haha, that's pretty cool. Wouldn't work so great for me since I mainly play sports games... and that would suck with games like Madden and NHL... but pretty cool for other types of games...

 

I'm having this problem...every few times that I power on the 360, it takes a little while and then red flashes on the console with error 67 coming up on the screen. It works again once you disconnect the hard drive and connect it again. Anybody else have this problem?

 

Microsoft has upgraded new Xbox 360 consoles with a quieter DVD drive.

According to the hardware modding crowd over at Xbox-scene, the new BenQ drives (full model name is BenQ VAD6038, if you're really interested) is not only quieter but also subtly improves load times and streaming.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=157114

 

so if i were to buy one now it would be pretty much luck on getting a system with the quieter drive?

 

Depends on the retailer. There are a lot of older 360s already out there, so until those sell through, I doubt you will get the quieter drive.

I don't notice the drive when I am in the game, even when the action is at a stand still.

 

Loyal Xbox 360 owners who have managed to climb into the Gamerscore stratosphere will soon be able to get some sort of benefit for their efforts, when Microsoft opens up its Reward Challenge program later this month, with smaller awards available for users who haven't logged as much time on their console.

Beginning February 12, any Xbox 360 user over the age of 13 with an Xbox Live account can register online for a chance to get Microsoft Points, Xbox Live Arcade games, and other Xbox gear in a pool of $500,000 worth of prizes. All registered users who can increase their Gamerscore by at least 1500 points before April 12 will win some digital swag, with prize values on a sliding scale depending on how many Gamerscore points the user has already accrued prior to February 12.

For anyone with a Gamerscore of less than 5000, completing the challenge will award them an exclusive Xbox 360 dashboard theme and gamer profile icon, as well as a download of the Xbox Live Arcade title Contra, a $5 value.

Gamers with existing Gamerscores of 5000 to 9999 who up their score by 1500 points will win the same as the first group, plus a credit of 100 Microsoft points ($1.25) and a contest T-shirt. Anyone with a 10,000+ Gamerscore will have an upgraded Microsoft Points prize of 200 points ($2.50), and a retail copy of Fuzion Frenzy 2, a $50 value, in addition to all the aforementioned prizes.

http://www.tgdaily.com/2007/02/08/xbox_rewards/ (full article)

 

Just yesterday our inside source gave us a tip that Microsoft Australia has told a store named Myer to prepare the store for a Black 360 with a 120GB hard drive in April. Well day 2 of product knowledge today (Brisbane, Australia) featured Microsoft themselves and it's now 100% official that the Black 360, (with black controller), 120gb hard drive and HDMI is due out in Australia for $749 AU in April. They will try to push this forward to late March to deter buyers from the March 23 PS3 launch. Hopefully we see this good news sometime in Europe and USA.

http://www.gamersreports.com/news/49...hdmi-official/

 

sweet so a black 360? i never liked the white color of the 360, damn im gonna go broke if i end up getting a Wii and a 360

 

twisting my arm.... ;p

 

Sounds very cool, but what would the premium be for that thing? I just want the bigger HD.

 

this is the only reason why I'm holding out as long as I can.

I don't want to buy the current premium setup for $400 to have a 20GB hard drive that I'd replace with a 120GB drive later anyway.

 

Cool app for the Mac people

http://arstechnica.com/journals/appl...2007/2/12/7005

 

Rumors of Microsoft trying to spoil PS3 launch dates around the world have come and gone with little in the way of evidence to back them up. As the Australian and European launches of Sony's new machine fast approach (March 23 in the U.K.), the rumors have resurfaced.

According to GameCrazy stores, a new price update got added to its system listed as GM-XBOX 360 (black/120 GB) US$479.99 NEW $439.99 USED. This news was posted on Cheap Ass Gamer by an employee of GameCrazy. Since the listing had a price, it meant the machine could also be pre-ordered. Later on, the listing was given a price of $0.00 on its system so as to stop pre-orders. The new listing is also due to arrive on May 1, 2007.

The listing suggests Microsoft is going to release a black version of the Xbox 360 with a 120 GB hard drive. Microsoft took its usual line of not commenting on rumor and speculation.

http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/20...0219002782.htm

 

so when is this new version of the 360 supposed to come out?