MSN TV 2 - No Longer For Newbies

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/Microsoft+gives+MSN+TV+a+face-lift/2100-1041_3-5286151.html?tag=nefd.hed' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/Microsoft+gives+MSN+TV+a+face-lift/2100-1041_3-5286151.html?tag=nefd.hed</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The MSN TV 2 box is among a wave of new products that promise to shuttle audio and video content throughout the home. In a separate effort, Microsoft plans to introduce Media Center Extenders this fall, a family of set-top boxes designed to display TV shows stored on a Media Center PC in another room. Other companies, including start-ups such as Roku, are also getting in on the act. The MSN TV 2 device, which is expected to sell for $199, is designed to stream video and music either from the Internet or from a PC. It also grabs photos from e-mail and computers for a living-room slide show. The device will carry the RCA brand of consumer electronics maker Thomson, which is manufacturing the boxes."</i><br /><br />Sounds like an interesting product...as long as it doesn't require an MSN Premium subscription.

[Felix Torres]

I'm thinking this is an iceberg...

First, this box fills the gap between WMA/WMV-capable DVD players and Media Center PCs.

Second, do remember that MS is working with Bell Canada to deliver basic cable on DSL, so this could be a means to deliver HD video and video on demand to DSL and broadband-by-powerline customers.

Third, it comes with Windows Media Player, so it might even serve as a bridge between MSN Music and digital music players.

We'll have to see what the full feature set looks like (HD or no HD, USB ports and connectivity to cameras and media players, and HDTV support) but at a minimum it will open the realm of streaming media to non-PC users; a major step forward and a good complement to the upcoming Media Center Extender for XBOX. The old fashioned MSN TV has a million customers; this offers them a non-PC upgrade path.

And, for PC users, it will allow a Media Center Extender function so it could become the primary front end for an HDTV monitor.

Seems to me that all the various plays MS has been making of late (signing up MLB, MSN Music, making XP a streaming server, etc) are all converging in this box. Which means this might be more than just a play for the PC-phobic...

If I were a cable operator, I'd be getting antsy right around now... 8O