Need help undestanding Xbox LIve! What does gold membership provide?!?

[GreenScrew]

I don't own and Xbox and most of my music/video entertainment is provided by Pandora, Slacker, Netflix, Vudu, Amazon through either computer, WP8, or PS3/Sony Home Theater. I've been contemplating what the benefit of an Xbox 360 might be and it becomes very unclear exactly what is provided with a gold Xbox Live membership. The official site does a great job marketing everything you get without any of the details that worries me. Can someone point me to a site that provides better clarity of exactly what one gets with Xbox Live?

Music Streaming:
Free? Like as in Pandora Slacker (largely free anyway)
Albums are still purchased I assume, does this require gold membership, provide discounts, anything?
What is "music pass"? And is it included with gold membership? Valuable service?

Video Streaming:
OK, they have Netflix, Vudu, and Amazon on the Xbox 360 console, do I need Xbox LIve account to use these pay services?
What is Xbox Movies, similar to Xbox music? Why no "Xbox Video Pass"?
Does gold membership provide value here? I mean, it is a pay service right? So what does one get?
Seems to have similar content available to Vudu, Amazon, Netflix... is any free? Movie rentals discounted?

Please, someone help explain what is provided with Xbox Live, what the upgrade to gold provides, and what will be potential additional costs to keep a media consumer happy? Without all of vague marketing fluff that makes it hard to decipher exactly what you get and what you'll still want.

Thanks!

 

[King Benneth]

For most of the apps on the Xbox 360 console, you'll need to be an Xbox Live gold member. Gold membership also allows party chats (silver only allows private chats) also online multiplayer (if you're in to gaming, too.)

 

[GreenScrew]

Thanks for the reply. So, it provides access to the apps that are "free" on competing platforms? No value to Xbox services on Windows phone (I'm not a gamer)? And the Xbox music service is separate?

 

[Manny Mesa]

Xbox Live - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

this wiki may break it down for you better but pretty much that is the case, I mean I am a Xbox Gold member for a while before the apps started. It really just started with gaming so everything else was just a bonus as it had evolved. They are keeping true to its console main purpose of online gaming.

 

[peachy001]

Gold gets you "access" to use the apps you would find free elsewhere. The BBC app was delayed ages as the BBC required MS to provide it for free. MS insisted it is for gold members only. If you want Xbox music, that is extra too.

I have not used a PS3 so I cannot see if it is worth paying for.

The rule of thumb with MS is that if you only want to game locally then Silver will do. Everything requires gold membership, which costs.

 

[inteller]

It costs $35 freaking bucks, deals are all over the internet. If this is too steep then you can always join Sony's Passwords Stolen Network which will allow you to enjoy regular yearly outages and password thefts....for free.

 

[peachy001]

It costs $35 freaking bucks, deals are all over the internet. If this is too steep then you can always join Sony's Passwords Stolen Network which will allow you to enjoy regular yearly outages and password thefts....for free.

I was going to go on and say that also. I got mine in an Amazon sale ?28.99, which is fine.

 

[blackhorse6]

Xbox gold membership provides Microsoft with money, no real value added to be honest.

 

[Microsoftjunkie]

If your fine with your setup so far, just wait a lottle while longer to see what the next box will provide. but I do prefer Xbox over ps3 even though ps3 online gaming is free. Xbox has a larger US presence in the form of online players.

You also need gold status to send messages to other gamers from the game hub.(wp8)

So for gold you get:

.Wp8 player messaging

More players to play with online (Xbox)

You get discounts on purchases from the marketplace (Xbox). After a certain amount of gamer points.

Free points for your birthday
Free movie weekends(doesn't matter if silver or gold)
Free games, every now and then

Overall better services, slightly more secure and better games, but all of that last part is subjective.

 

[TonyDedrick]

It costs $35 freaking bucks, deals are all over the internet. If this is too steep then you can always join Sony's Passwords Stolen Network which will allow you to enjoy regular yearly outages and password thefts....for free.

I think the point being made is you can access this stuff for free other places without having to pay the Live fee in addition to the others you already are paying.

Personally, I do think if your main objective is to consume media other than gaming, you do have other options. Though, I can understand why some feel services you already pay for should be free with a basic Silver membership

 

[Keith Wallace]

I think the point being made is you can access this stuff for free other places without having to pay the Live fee in addition to the others you already are paying.

Personally, I do think if your main objective is to consume media other than gaming, you do have other options. Though, I can understand why some feel services you already pay for should be free with a basic Silver membership

I wouldn't disagree with you there. It's annoying that people have to pay for LIVE to access paid subscriptions. However, companies tend to be greedy when their console reigns supreme (as the Xbox does in the US). They've tested what they can get away with in pricing, and this has worked for them. If people won't speak with their wallets, their voices won't be heard.

 

[Gwendolyn Carter1]

For most of the apps on the Xbox 360 console, you'll need to be an Xbox Live gold member. Gold membership also allows party chats (silver only allows private chats) also online multiplayer (if you're in to gaming, too.)

My daughter is into Minecraft and she has on YouTube how they get to build and have contest with other players, and I've bought a gold membership and she can't play online or with multiplayer.