Stream HD content to your Xbox 360

[flash]

I don't know is this has been posted anywhere else but I thought I'd start a thread to let other know about it.

Starting on November 22nd, Microsoft is going to allow users to download
High Definition content (TV shows and movies) to their 360's via the marketplace.
I'm sure a lot of it will be for a fee but the idea of "renting" a blockbuster movie like
Superman Returns or Batman Forever and seeing it in High Def is a big bonus to me!

You can read the entire article here!

[kevbeck122]

The 360 has such a small hard drive though... I wonder how they're gonna pull it off.

edit: Nevermind.. the November update allowed for streaming video from a computer (non media center computers) and has support for external hard drives.

[Bebop]

You can get the HD-DVD player add-on and watch HD movies too.

[flash]

Here's the pricing structure as of today which they just launched the ability to download stuff today:

- High-definition TV shows will be 240 Microsoft Points per episode ($3)
- standard-definition TV shows will be 160 Microsoft Points per episode ($2)
- New release movies in high definition will be 480 Microsoft Points ($6)
- standard-definition new release movies will be 320 Microsoft Points ($4)
- Classic feature films in high definition will be 360 Microsoft Points ($4.50)
- Classic feature films in standard definition will be 240 Microsoft Points. ($3)

My 360 is in for repair but if anyone else here has downloaded HD content I'd like to know how it looked. :cool:

[Bebop]

Microsoft goes out of its way to confuse consumers. What's wrong with $0.01 = one point :confused:

[flash]

They utilizes a points structure because it is an international gaming community and the point system keeps the games and down loadable content even for everyone in the world.
The value of the dollar, yen, euro etc.. fluctuates and by using the same points value
for everyone in the Live Marketplace it keeps thing honest.

[Bebop]

Is that Microsoft's answer?

[SRW1000]

They utilizes a points structure because it is an international gaming community and the point system keeps the games and down loadable content even for everyone in the world.
The value of the dollar, yen, euro etc.. fluctuates and by using the same points value
for everyone in the Live Marketplace it keeps thing honest.

Or, they're doing it so people disassociate points from actual value.  Thinking about stuff in terms of points is much harder for consumers to track actual cost.  By keeping the cost close to a penny, people will probably link the 1 point = 1 penny value in their heads, and end up actually spending 25% than what they think.

The pricing structure seems high to me, especially in comparison to Netflix or Blockbuster.  Sure, you're going to have to wait a couple of days from the two rental outfits, but the downloads won't exactly be immediate on the 360, either.

On top of that, I'm concerned about the HD content they're offering.  From early reports I've read, movies average 4-5GB.  That's really low for HD, so I'm guessing that they're making some compromises in quality to keep file sizes low.

Scott