NetFlix Coming to Xbox 360?

[Jeremy Charette]

http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/story.gif

With all the hubbub over the Xbox 360 Elite, another Microsoft press release (http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2007/mar07/03-26HastingsPR.mspx) has fallen off the radar. "Microsoft Corp. today announced that its board of directors has increased the size of the board from nine to 10 members and elected Reed Hastings, 46, chairman and CEO of Netflix Inc., to the board." Is it coincidental that this comes at the same time as the announcement of an HDMI equipped Xbox 360? Perhaps not. Partnering with NetFlix for downloadable movies would greatly expand Microsoft's selection on Xbox Live Marketplace. With HDMI, Microsoft can now assure content providers that the entire path from Microsoft's servers to users' televisions is secure. This should open up new opportunities in terms of available content. Stay posted folks, it's about to get really interesting.

[Felix Torres]

The fit is even better than that, guys.
Netflix has a movie streaming subscription service, remember?
And it uses, ahem, WMV files...

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2089868,00.asp

It makes sense for the two to partner cause Netflix has the movies and the servers, MS has the platform and the customers. Keep in mind there has been no announcement of such a partnership (first week in May would be the time to do it; after the next Dashboard update, I think) and maybe Mr Hastings' role would be a more traditional advisory one, but it is an intriguing tie-in, no?

With Amazon tied-in with TiVo, and Apple (as always) going it alone, the only big platform players left, after XBOX, are Cisco/Scientific Atlanta, Motorola, and Sony. (Not sure how big Moxie is.) Looking at the wannabe players in this arena (Starz/Vongo, Cinemanow, Movielink, Moviebeam, Wal-Mart, Blockbuster's, etc...) there may not be enough STB platforms outside the PC for all of them to play on.

A scramble may be upon us, guys...
The Set-top box wars are upon us! 8)

[Damion Chaplin]

Yes, yes, YES!

I've been wanting a set-top Netflix box for a long time now. I always knew it would be the next logical step for them. Now it turns out we may already own the set-top box! How sweet is that! 8)

[rzanology]

and the dagger goes deeper into sony! DEEEPER!!!!!

[Mexico]

Now it turns out we may already own the set-top box!
That is, if the Netflix service works over connections other than HDMI. If it doesn't, then we may not already own the set-top box. I want an Elite, but not that bad...

Mex (fingers crossed)

[Felix Torres]

That is, if the Netflix service works over connections other than HDMI. If it doesn't, then we may not already own the set-top box. I want an Elite, but not that bad...

Mex (fingers crossed)

Why wouldn't it?

Video marketplace works over everything. And that includes the HD content. Nobody worries that OnDemand movies are played off-HDMI, why would anybody care about this?

The Netflix system is video streaming, not d/l's, and so far its strictly SD. It is the *perfect* complement to the Video Marketplace and its by-the-minute-subscription service is both clever and well-suited to the XBL points system.

A good match *if* that's what's going on.

[Jason Dunn]

Knowing that it won't be available to me in Canada puts quite a damper on this. But you guys look like you're having fun speculating. 8)

[Felix Torres]

Knowing that it won't be available to me in Canada puts quite a damper on this. But you guys look like you're having fun speculating. 8)

When has the absence of data ever stopped us from speculating, right?
For all we know, MS simply liked the idea of a nice round 10 Board members and Hastings was walking down the street at the right time. ;-)

Of course, making the Netflix CEO privy to all of Microsoft's long-term strategic planning does suggest something's cooking...

Well find out soon enough.
May 8th or thereabouts would be my guess.

[Mexico]

Why wouldn't it? Video marketplace works over everything. And that includes the HD content. Nobody worries that OnDemand movies are played off-HDMI, why would anybody care about this?

HDMI allows IPTV content protection. I'm not saying they are going to deliver NetFlix through a protected IPTV protocol. Hell, we don't really know much at this point. BUT, they could choose to do so, and I'm really hoping they don't.

Mex

***long quote edited down by mod JD***

[Felix Torres]

Any Netflix content would be a variant of straight internet video streaming tech; a very different creature than IPTV which, for starters, is controled by the service provider, not MS.
Very different creatures.

If you check the PC Mag preview in the link, above, you'll see the Netflix service runs on regular PCs with no special restrictions.

And IPTV itself is simpler a high-quality form of cableTV. Which is readily available via component video at HD resolutions.

Honest, there is zero reason for tying either service to any kind of DRM nightmare. Not even out of sheer stupidity. ;-)