Xbox iPlayer Deal Delayed Indefinitely

[JWAN]

holy crap this is the first time in recorded history where Microsoft wont try something that wont work!

 

[roekenny]

Actually can watch bbci without a tv licence as law still outdated as don't include it as need to be able to receive a TV reception or something along them lines. Will never need one so long as bbci player is exempt as only use 4od as nothing worth it on any other channel. But since never use my xbox for anything but gaming (and even that rare) is no loss just use my PC like always have done for the service.

Guys, you seem to be missing the big picture here - again, what I'm trying to convey (and you've posted yourself without even realising it) is that I wouldn't put it past them to try their damndest to get more money out of us Brits.

The fact that "the law is still outdated' does not mean it can't be changed, and the fact you use your Xbox for nothing more than gaming will probably not matter much, as that argument was used for a famous case years ago where the BBC took a guy to court for not paying his license fee because he claimed he only used his TV for watching videos. He was able to prove (don't ask me how) that he had disconnected his aerial, and was telling the truth and the BBC lost the case. After that they CHANGED their small print preventing that ever happening again.

So don't get TOO confortable.

Hmmm might need to look into that again as sucks if they have...still least projectors and monitors clear cut and cheaper with the law so TV licences can still swivel

 

[Insanum]

Seems a silly move to me. Surely anyone with an internet connection can get on the BBCI player, And im sure if you told Mr Parent that their little timmy can watch the BBC on his Xbox they'd consider buying him one, Instead of a Wii (i hate the Wii, Not enough valid info on the PS3)

 

[Ophiuchus]

Xbox 360 has been and always will be Zune friendly and thank the Gods for that ... I refuse to go over to the ipod

BBC iPlayer has nothing to do with the iPod, Apple, any kind of music player, or music at all. Go back and actually read the OP to find out what it is, then try again. Actually, scratch that. You must be in America if you own a Zune, so it won't affect you anyway. But still, the point is: reading before responding saves people making fools of themselves.

[small](For the record, though: the Xbox 360 is iPod-friendly too. Just hook it up with the same cable used to sync it on the PC and it works just like any other portable hard drive full of music.)[/small]

Okay. As it currently stands, my Xbox and PC are sitting on the same desk and running through the same screen, so it really makes very little difference to me. That said, it would be nice to have it on the Xbox as well, if only just for the sake of having it. But, since it's pretty clearly not going to happen, I reckon it all evens out to a 'meh'.

 

[Therumancer]

I think Microsoft is looking towards the long term. They are thinking positively and assume that they are going to eventually defeat the various services out there that provide access to free online content. Right now XBL is doing better than say PSN despite charging a membership fee, and being a massive cash cow. If they decide to suddenly make their service free it will be hard for them to reverse positions and suddenly get people to start paying for what they already feel entitled to.

The thing with the iPlayer is that it allows access to services very similar to what Microsoft currently charges for as part of gold. If this showed up on their service for free people would stop paying for those services and simply go through iPlayer.

Now honestly, I am hoping that Microsoft winds up getting clobbered in the long run for making people pay for gold, for reasons a lot of people who dislike it have already stated.

As someone who doesn't play many console games online, I have rarely had gold membership status except occasionally when a new fighting game has come out and I'm "in the mood". Right now I'm a silver member for example. This also incidently means that I have not used my PS3's free online much either.

Still, I agree with the article that this is probably doomed. From the perspective of Microsoft there is no reason to reverse their policies when they have so many people paying for gold as it is.

This whole thing though is the kind of issue that is turning me into an even more bitter and pessimistic person. I mean video gaming is rapidly becoming such a corperate, cash-sucking vampire that it's rapidly getting to the point where someone like me worries about where they will be able to find any solace at all eventually.

I'm half expecting that within the next decade buying a video game is going to be a major undertaking and financial committment, more so than it is now, since in addition to buying the game your probably going to have to pay so much for services and microtransactions to get the full experience that it's going to be ridiculous.

It makes me wonder as what might be called a game addict, who happens to be retired on disabillity, if I'll eventually be going through withdrawal and robbing conveinence stores to fund my RPG habit... almost like something Warren Ellis would have written in "Transmetropolitan". Or better yet... we'll see cyber begging with people creating sites to beg for video game money "puhlease... I'm desperate. Buy me a copy of 'Dragon Age 8: Blightmonkey Bugaloo' look how pathetic I am" (picture of fat, quivering nerd in a looping video, above a paypal link).

Ahh well, if we do wind up going truely into really bizzare dark future territory, as a child of the 1980s SOMEONE had better create a real Max Headroom VI.

 

[Snotnarok]

Sounds much like Valves trouble with Microsoft.

 

[FROGGEman2]

We have iView (well, not yet) in Australia, which is the same but for the A(ustralian)BC instead of the BBC.

I'd like it if they added iPlayer to the AU PS3.

That'd be an interesting idea.

 

[300lb. Samoan]

As much as I love my Xbox and Windows, Microsoft are such dicks.

Nailed it. Come on, BBC! Don't give up, it's time to break the chains!!! Time to bring anarchy to the Live market!

 

[Nova5]

Well, this is fairly disappointing, but not surprising in the least. Doesn't effect me too much - HDMI out from laptop to HDTV, PS3 > HDMI > HDTV, shouldn't be a big problem. Do feel bad for all of the XBOX users... but I get the sneaking suspicion that most of MS's user base doesn't know what the iPlayer is, or why it'd be nice to have. Like this guy:

What the hell is an iPlayer? And why should I care, considering that I live in America? You know what, don't answer either question.

And as for the whole "M$" thing, yeah, it's not something to get too worked up over, but it still ceased to be witty after the third time I saw it (years ago, back when 98SE was hot shit).

 

[Jared]

Dont really see much reason for iPlayer on console anyway. If you have a console, likely you have a PC anyway...so might as well watch it on there. Although it does suck Microsoft wont budge on it, I do think its good though the BBC kept to its moral on the subject.

 

[johnman]

Good old Mirco$oft.

Congratulations! You worked out that the dollar sign looks like an "S"! You are the first person ever to realise that! You're so witty!

Calm down tiger.


I don't see the problem here. Everyone has a PC anyway, why not just watch it on that?

My arguemnt for pro PC gaming, everyone has one, why not have it do everything?

Yeah and while you are at it why not build a microwave into your car?

To the patent office!!

 

[ironlordthemad]

can I ask...
WHAT ABOUT THOSE OF US WHO WANT TO USE OUR CONSOL FOR GAMING!?!

sorry about that I just needed to get that out of my system before I start to piss blood in frustration at the idiots who want to make our consols able to access the internet to update our twatter and change our fuckbook status! (cant think of one for bebo at the moment but stay tuned)

seriously microsoft how about getting a few new gaming series on the go?

 

[LGC Pominator]

Well as far as I see it, if you provide a top-notch service like xbox live, and want to charge your users for accessing the best of the content that you are providing then go ahead, that funds further development on the platform, M$ treats its gold subscribed fans very well (5 year veteran of Xbox live here) and I am quite happy to be a member of that fanbase, I would feel ripped off if the silvers did get their hands on the stuff that we get with our subscription to the service, after all silvers are just a strain on the live economy, the content they can already access is costing M$ whilst they use it, as a gold member I am just glad M$ is looking out for us and giving us the good stuff because we support their company.

I understand that Iplayer is free on the PC, PS3 and Wii, and that is all well and good, I just view the lastfm/facebook/twitter/1vs100/skyplayer thing to be an added incentive for more customers to joing the gold members, as well as a nice "thank you" to those of us who do pay our hard earned cash.

But, you know, thats just what I think, and lets face it what would I know right?