Microsoft to offer pay TV via Xbox Live

According to Bloomberg, Microsoft will begin offering online pay TV service from both Comcast and Verizon via its Xbox Live platform.

The software giant is currently in talks with two dozen providers in the U.S. and Europe and could announce some deals as early as next week.

Outside of Verizon and Comcast; HBO, Crackle, Bravo, Syfy and Lovefilm are all expected to sign deals with Microsoft, as well.

It is unclear how the other services will work, but Comcast?s Xfinity TV and Verizon?s FiOS would require users to prove they already are pay-TV customers in regions where the services operate, likely with a simple account number-based authentication.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 29 Sep 2011 22:35

Mysttic

Too bad this will only work State-side.

30.9.2011 09:38 #1

KillerBug

...And that it will be locked to one company. I don't want to use my gamestation as an overrated cable box.

THIS IS THE SIMPLE IDEA I WANT:
-Would offer live streaming of all channels from any place; like NetFlix streaming except live.
-Would record the stream and save it for 15-30 days, allowing people to see shows they missed by using old guide listings.
-Would not require my to sign up for any other services...especially something like Comcast that I couldn't even sign up for if I wanted to (and I don't).

I will pay for this...I really don't mind paying for this if it is done right and the price is reasonable. Keep in mind that NetFlix is giving me unlimited streaming for $8 a month, so none of that $110 a month crap that the cable company pulls.

To keep costs down, maybe sell individual channels. So, if you have 220 channels that would normally cost $110 a month to get, sell them for $0.50 each and let me choose; I shouldn't have to pay for 195 channels that I don't want.

30.9.2011 18:20 #2

Xplorer4

Originally posted by KillerBug: I don't want to use my gamestation as an overrated cable box. I don't either but it is something I would consider. For example, I live in apartment complex. For Internet we have to use ATT DSL. For home phone, which is almost pointless these days, ATT. For "cable" it is included in our rent, but it's provided by a Dish Network Subcontractor called Blue Top Communications. Well Blue Tops businesses principal is they install multiple satellite dishes in on central location on a property and feed that out to all the hotel rooms,apartments,etc. You can imagine what high quality picture we get. When a problem arises, the staff here doesn't really know how to fix anything and direct you to call Blue Top since Dish can not help you as they do not have accurate records. Good luck getting an answer, and don't bother leaving a message with Blue Top. They do not return phone calls. Not to mention the rudeness I encountered with them. I once received a smart card error on my box. All that needed to be done was ship me a new smart card. Blue Top claimed I would get a whole new box... So the maintenance man came out the next day and got my box. He put the box in the rack at the garage so Blue Top could "send the hit to it to activate it." It took 3 weeks to get a "new" box which was far from new. After that I voted with my wallet and cut my cable service. So in short, this may be the answer to my problem depending on what the price is and so forth.

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2.10.2011 14:39 #3

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