News - Sky TV joins forces with Microsoft's Xbox 360

[HEXUS]

Sky TV's live programming will become available to to UK Xbox 360 owners later this year.

Read more.

[finlay666]

Might want to edit that

You will need a sky contract/subscription of some kind, you don't currently need to have sky to use it but you do need a seperate contract (like you can on the PC client without having sky) likely to be free for higher end users
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009...mers-satellite

and add in
The video content from Sky will be streamed in standard definition, "DVD quality" and will require at least a one megabit per second connection.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8070291.stm

Come on Hexus, we need details!!!!

[Mnia786]

No suprises tbh. 360 is more popular in the UK compared to the PS3 so would make sense for Sky to choose MS over Sony.

[Knoxville]

Interesting, hopefully this shouldn't cost me anything either as I've already got Sky+ downstairs.

[burrellhead]

just like sky to jump on the microsoft band wagon

sony need to bring out something good out

burrellhead

[finlay666]

just like sky to jump on the microsoft band wagon

sony need to bring out something good out

burrellhead

BBC did originally when iplayer came out but there was a huge arse on from the Mac/open sauce community about the use of WMV for the videos when downloaded so they switched to Adobe Air

[walibe]

No suprises tbh. 360 is more popular in the UK compared to the PS3 so would make sense for Sky to choose MS over Sony.

I'm afraid it will its a seperate subscription altogether. I have Sky+HD downstairs and oridinary Sky+ upstairs but would still have to pay again. Would be nice if this integrated with the Media Centre component of Vista and Windows 7 aswell.

[Kato-2]

No suprises tbh. 360 is more popular in the UK compared to the PS3 so would make sense for Sky to choose MS over Sony.

That isn't really the driving factor its down to the fact that Microsoft have a much more robust IPTV platform than Sony do. Go check out mediaroom which is MS name for it.

Also I believe the Sky Player on PC/Mac uses Microsofts silverlight player for streaming video so it would have been not too difficult to port their service to the 360.

[finlay666]

Go check out mediaroom which is MS name for it.

I work on that product

It doesnt appear to use Mediaroom, looks like an over the top style product like Primetime.

[JimmyBoy]

well as long as the ppv price is reasonable it'll be pretty good for the footie, and as long as you can switch to full screen and not have to watch in that virtual cinema in the screenshot it'll be pretty good, would also be nice if we'll be able to log into our sky accounts and watch what we can already on pc and tv as per subscription.

[kopite]

Seems like a great idea but its a shame that they are charging extra for it.

if it worked like the Skyplayer on PC then i`d be happy

[Tomahawk]

Looks like a great new addition to the 360; lets hope the pricing is reasonable(!).

[kopite]

I read that it would be cost of a multi room subscription

[JimmyBoy]

I read that it would be cost of a multi room subscription

well that would rule me, and most others out then

[Brewster0101]

I wouldn't be interested in paying any silly subscription. £17 minimum a month for extra TV channels is silly. Freeview offers like 50 channels now and you can only watch one at a time, so whats the point in more.

[Spud1]

I wouldn't be interested in paying any silly subscription. £17 minimum a month for extra TV channels is silly. Freeview offers like 50 channels now and you can only watch one at a time, so whats the point in more.

...silly argument really..what if the channels on freeview do not air the content you want to watch? (which they don't..). £17 is not much considering what you get..its actually a bargain.