MSN Video Downloads: You'd Better Have a Spare Few Gigs!

[Jason Dunn]

I'm a sucker for trying out new technology, so of course as soon as I heard about the <a href="http://www.msnvideodownloads.com/">MSN Video Downloads site</a> I jumped over and signed up for their basic service. It seemed like a cool service - it provides video content optimized for PMC/Pocket PCs (320 x 240, 500kbps) and Smartphones.<br /><br />I installed the MSN Music Client (which was odd because I already had it installed), and waited. And waited. I was expecting to see some sort of screen after the sign-in process that actually showed me what the hell I was supposed to do. Nope. I noticed that the client was running in my system tray, so I moused over and and saw that it was downloading some video content and would take....three hours? WHAT? 8O There's an option to see the download status, which takes you to a Web page that lists all the files that are downloading. That's a cool integration, but why was it cramming all this content down the pipe at me? I'm not into sports, so why was I getting hundreds of Fox Sports videos? I decided to leave it to see what it would do. For the next three hours, my Internet connection was sluggish as the MSN Videos came hurling down at my cable modem.<br /><br />When it was all said and done, inside the My Documents folder, I had 408 video files, totalling 4.15 GB in size. And because I use data mirroring software, my other laptop and server now had the same video files, so MSN Video was now taking up over 12 GB of space on my network! Gee, with all that content there must be something good, right? I'll never know - I tried playing six random files, and all six files <a href="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/msnvideo-godzillarampage.gif">gave me the same authentication error</a>. I tried logging in with my Passport information, since that's the authentication that MSN Video Downloads uses, but no dice. You can see in the error window that it was trying to authenticate from admin.theplatform.com. It seems thePlatform <a href="http://www.theplatform.com/mps.aspx">is a DRM service</a>, and <a href="http://www.theplatform.com/pressrelease_msnvideo.aspx">MSN is using them for the DRM</a> on these files. Keeping in mind that these files are all free once you log in, why would they have such hostile DRM? And what username and password was I supposed to use?<br /><br />I've since deleted all the files and cancelled my free subscription - it feels like a beta service that no one bothered to test with real people. If you've tried it out, what did you think? I hope you had a better experience than I did. ;-)

[Dave Conger]

And be ready because if you begin using the basic service, the MSN Music Assistant will want to download all the files it queues. Even if you cancel the free subscription, it will still download what it has queued.

[lonesniper]

I stopped using this service about a month ago as the download program just keep downloading the same content again and again filling my HD. The best clip that it downloaded though was the first episode of 'Paddington Bear' (if you are from the UK and 30-ish you will know Paddington Bear). But apart from that I was not impressed

Nice to see MS trying to provide at least some legal video for the Portable Media Centers as the only other content is largely illegal from filesharing networks.

[Project23a]

I also wanted to try out this new service from MSN. When I reached the first screen requesting a username and password, I did the same thing Jason Dunn did: type in the same Passport info that I used to subscribe to the basic service. When that did not work, I contacted MSN, and found that currently, one must use the following to access the DRM content:

Username: CES

Password: CES

I'm wondering if they originally set this up for CES 2005 in Las Vegas, and it's a fallback since their 3rd party DRM company was swamped with subscription sign ups. Who knows? Anyway, these will allow you to sample the MSN Video downloads on your PC.

I am frustrated that they will only play on Dell x50 and HP Rx 3715 with Ozone Update AKU2 upgrade (available on the HP site now), as these units include Windows Media Player 10 for Pocket PC.

When will Microsoft realize that it is in everyone's best interest to release Windows Media Player program updates directly to the end user? I'm just hoping that HTC / Siemens / Cingular decide to release an update for the SX66 that includes WMP10, but with the MDA IV on the horizon, I'm not going to hold my breath. It would be great to be able to use my Napster and FYE subscriptions to their fullest, along with these new MSN Videos.

[jewelhux]

How did you unsubscribe from the service? I've been emptying out the files after they accumulate but I want this to GO AWAY!!!

Thanks

[spaceman]

can't run videos on my hx4705 since it does not have MP10. How do you unsubscribe?

[lapchinj]

I'm a sucker for trying out new technology... it feels like a beta service that no one bothered to test with real people. If you've tried it out, what did you think? ...Yeah, Me too but I think after such a stunning initial offering I'll pass on this one until they have something real to show. :roll:

Jeff-

[Jason Dunn]

How did you unsubscribe from the service? I've been emptying out the files after they accumulate but I want this to GO AWAY!!!

SIGN IN > SETTINGS > MEMBERSHIPS > CANCEL

[topps]

Keeping in mind that these files are all free once you log in, why would they have such hostile DRM? And what username and password was I supposed to use?

I've since deleted all the files and cancelled my free subscription - it feels like a beta service that no one bothered to test with real people. If you've tried it out, what did you think? I hope you had a better experience than I did. ;-)

It's sad to see that Microsoft still don't get it when it comes to making DRM easy to use. Having been frustrated one time too many with Reader and other MS DRM nonsense, I will no longer have anything to do with it.

For books, I much prefer eReader's nice simple method. Much more flexible and user friendly.

[DaveSadler]

Tools...
Options...
Devices
Storage Card -> Properties
Quality
Uncheck "Confert files as required by this device (recommended)"

That should do it... mediaplayer will no longer try to convert the drm files to wmv.

[brianbitzkowski]

What data mirroring software do you use? I have been looking for software to keep data synchronized between all my computers.

[firefoxrocks]

tried this service. personally, i think it's simply overhyped.