Xbox as a cable provider

[mr_808]

So the XBone can serve up live television, but evidently, the way it does this isn't going to work as well as most people would like. I feel like the best way to really take advantage of this feature would be for MS to become a cable provider and offer internet based television through Xbox Live. Does anyone know how feasible this would be? Also, if you like this idea how much would you be willing to pay, on top of your Xbox Live subscription, in order to have a full cable experience that includes premium movie channels and DVR functionality?

 

[inteller]

can't do that because most cable cos have a bandwidth cap. They would have to work out a deal like the current Xfinity app where it doesn't count against your cap. Microsoft would rather just control the guide and pass through the content. I think cable cos are ok with them becoming the "cable box".

 

[Coreldan]

Also this sounds like one of those things mostly limited to US = bad idea

 

[Robert Carpenter]

This is the "goal" in the long run.

The truth is, the cablebox integration is actually aimed for the purpose of legacy support. TV over the internet is the goal in the future.

There have been many factors in the past stopping this movement.

Speed and bandwidth of internet service has always been a big one. We are approaching a point where these limitations are growing less relevant.
The second big problem is the device. What device can cable providers use that gives them all of the functionality the current cable boxes do?
- Until now, the only real device solution was a PC. But there's a reason why the PC never caught on. Security.
- Feeding TV data to a PC is just begging for massive piracy. There's a reason why Windows Media Center became the Computer Live TV solution. It provided the security cable companies demanded. It had custom encryption methods for DVR content that can restrict content to a finite number of views, or a finite length of time.

The Xbox One offers the flexibility and power (Windows Kernel), the security (locked down operating system), the scalability (Any cable provider can utilize this and program it to work with their system), and the simplicity that no device has ever offered before in the same package. Until now, there was always compromise somewhere. The closest success was Windows Media Center, but do your research and you'll find that it only worked with very specific cable providers.

Finally, a system that ANY cable provider can utilize, and a system that EVERY consumer can use with ease.

Comcast and Verizon made apps for Xbox 360 that did everything the system would let them do. They went as far as the system would let them go.
With Xbox One, they can now do a lot more. Expect entirely new experiences from these large cable providers, with extremely immersive apps/system integration.

 

[Robert Carpenter]

Also this sounds like one of those things mostly limited to US = bad idea

I keep seeing this being repeated about a lot of functionality with Xbox One. Can you elaborate on what Xbox One features are limited to the US?

Is there a reason why HDMI-cec control, IR blaster control, or OTA Live TV is limited to the US? I'm from the US, so I'm very interested to learn.

 

[Coreldan]

I never said those would be US only, but MS providing cable service does seem like something that would never leave US soil.

I'm very glad that basically the HDMI passthrough support doesnt seem to be in any way locked to US (although I dont expect the guide etc to work on my tuner, but Im just happy to be able to have it go through xbox and easily switch the input with voice) and it's the requirement for me to get an X1 anyways.

 

[jhguth]

Microsoft is not why you don't have these things, cable companies are the reason you don't have these things

 

[Robert Carpenter]

I never said those would be US only, but MS providing cable service does seem like something that would never leave US soil.

I'm very glad that basically the HDMI passthrough support doesnt seem to be in any way locked to US (although I dont expect the guide etc to work on my tuner, but Im just happy to be able to have it go through xbox and easily switch the input with voice) and it's the requirement for me to get an X1 anyways.

I misunderstood the original post so that's why I was confused. I didn't see that he was talking about MS becoming a cable provider, I thought he meant other cable providers offering TV on Xbox ONE through the internet lol.

 

[Coreldan]

I misunderstood the original post so that's why I was confused. I didn't see that he was talking about MS becoming a cable provider, I thought he meant other cable providers offering TV on Xbox ONE through the internet lol.

I do hope your future goal-vision is right though, the more the device can do in the future, the more it pays itself back!

 

[Robert Carpenter]

I do hope your future goal-vision is right though, the more the device can do in the future, the more it pays itself back!

Google is already doing it. Once Google starts expanding as a service provider, there will be no choice. It's the only way cable providers will be able to compete against Google's service and the features that come with it.

We already witnessed an identical transition in our lifetimes. The switch to VoIP. Everything is switching to VoIP because it's an improvement in every aspect. And look at all the additional functionality VoIP brought with it.

It's better for these companies too. In the future, they can penetrate new markets with less cost. All these different cables running down streets and through towns all become consolidated into a single standard. The business model doesn't really change. The market penetration is revolutionized.

 

[mr_808]

Google is already doing it. Once Google starts expanding as a service provider, there will be no choice. It's the only way cable providers will be able to compete against Google's service and the features that come with it.

This is actually what got me thinking about this. I live in Kansas City and will have fiber by the end of the Summer(if I'm lucky). I figure with the amount of cities Google has announced in the last few weeks it would seem like Internet TV is the way of the future. I'd like to think that G Fiber would work well with the XBone, but also I know we are all to familiar with how well Google and MS products have been getting along lately.

 

[jhguth]

There is a reason though that fiber hasn't spread to more areas, the infrastructure and maintenance is incredibly expensive. Even if it expands faster than the most optimistic forecasts, its not an option most places during the life-cycle of the Xbox One.

 

[Robert Carpenter]

There is a reason though that fiber hasn't spread to more areas, the infrastructure and maintenance is incredibly expensive. Even if it expands faster than the most optimistic forecasts, its not an option most places during the life-cycle of the Xbox One.

True, but it wasn't really what we were referring to. Our conversation was more about the TV service that Google provides. You do not need a pure fiber network like Google to do what they are doing with the TV service.

Almost all ISP's can achieve the speeds needed.

 

[Coreldan]

1,8mbit down is enough for 480p, but not enough for 720p without buffering.

 

[Robert Carpenter]

1,8mbit down is enough for 480p, but not enough for 720p without buffering.

Yes, but everyone has well over 1.8 mbit. Nowadays, anything under 10 mbit is very rare.

 

[Coreldan]

I have a 1/1mbit connection, but in a speedtest I get 1,8mbit. So, I always watch my videos in 360p basically.

Only thing that caps it though is streaming video or just pure downloads.

 

[Robert Carpenter]

I have a 1/1mbit connection, but in a speedtest I get 1,8mbit. So, I always watch my videos in 360p basically.

Only thing that caps it though is streaming video or just pure downloads.

Are there faster services in your area?

 

[WPmunkey]

Microsoft wanted IPTV (cable over broadband) for a while now. It was first dreamed up for the 360 but we all had to settle for apps that work with an existing cable subscription.

Microsoft would love to serve you cable directly to your box but it's the cable companies and large networks that won't let go. We all know the future is TV over the internet but old men with lots of money are milking the current system for all its worth and fighting change aggressively (intimidation, lawsuits, stamping out new startups like Aereo that bypass the current model)

Tl;dr - don't blame MS

 

[Coreldan]

Are there faster services in your area?

Sure, but they are rip off expensive. I already pay 20€/month for this one. My city is pretty weird, although Nokia Mobile Phones originates here (thus not exactly a small city in Finland and technologically fairly signifigant city), we basically only have one ISP who has a monopoly on the connections. We've had others, but they give up soon and the same local company is left every time.

That said, as a student with no income, I've learned to live with a 1mbit connection, after all I've never really even had anything better (except a 10/1mbit for like 2 years at my moms place, who now has a 15/15 fiber which is not available for me -_-). I'd have to pay 10-15€ more in a month to get like 8/1. I don't watch that much videos online anyways and netflix is actually very much watchable even on the current one, so I'll just deal with it

I think the best non-fiber is at about 40mbit or so, but that costs closer to 80€/month or so.

 

[dba415]

Google is doing the same thing with their fiber. If MS wants to do this then they are once again behind Google to market.