Xbox Joins Forces with SKY – Could This Signal the End for Set-Top Boxes?
May 29, 2009
Gamers everywhere will soon be able to watch TV channels through their game consoles. TV giants Sky have just announced that they are to team up with Microsoft to produce a package that will transform their Xbox. Utilising Sky’s online Sky Player, Xbox owners will be able to access a variety of channels and programme’s to view live or on-demand.
Combine this announcement with the recent price drop of the Xbox, and it could signal a major revival for the Xbox. Microsoft suffered slight embarrassment recently when it was announced that HD-DVD was to be dropped. At the launch of the Xbox, Microsoft put their backing behind HD-DVD as the new HD media technology, whilst Sony went with Blu-Ray.
So what kind of impact will this have on the technology world? Could this potentially be a great breakthrough for the entertainment world, where games consoles become the ultimate all-in-one home media centres? When we take a look at the functionality of consoles it is not a far cry from reality. Both the Sony Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360 have Hard Drives to store media, and the ability to be configured to receive a live media stream wirelessly. The Playstation 3 & Nintendo Wii also have web browsers to surf the internet. Many people have ditched their traditional DVD players, instead using their games console to cut down on space. To add to this, PC’s are increasingly being installed with TV Tuners and used as Media Centres, and Sky subscribers are already able to watch channels live on-line.
None of us can predict the future, but whatever happens, this announcement will certainly make it a more entertaining one.
Entry Filed under: General News, Technology. Tags: Microsoft, Sky, TV Tuners, Xbox.
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1.
Andrew Smith @onedegree | May 29, 2009 at 10:58 am
I think this is a shrewd move by Microsoft and Sky. The xbox is great online, and since its first steps into online gaming it has been a far better solution than its competitors (playstation 2 was awful online). They need to leverage the all round potential Microsoft can bring to games consols, until now, I really dont think they have.
The sky box itself is a little buggy, and hopefully between Microsoft and sky a really good solution will come to the marketplace. After all, it will save space, and will open up a far wider audiance to xbox, with even people buying them who have no intention of using them as a games consol….but like the option of being able to play a game, if they fancy it…
2.
mediaatlantic | May 29, 2009 at 11:07 am
Agreed. Imagine how much space could be saved. many people have 3 or 4 media devices. I am very keen to see how Sony will respond to this.
3. SONY in trouble – XBOX and SKY TV merge this autumn « The MediaAtlantic Blog | July 17, 2009 at 8:41 am
[...] you have read our article Xbox Joins Forces with SKY you will be aware that XBOX Live will see the Sky Player integration this autumn to face off [...]