Could Consoles Replace Set-top Boxes?

[MrMick]

A new report from market-research firm the Diffusion Group (TDG) predicts that video game consoles such as Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation 3 could eventually displace the set-top box.

Could Consoles Replace Set-top Boxes? : Read more

 

[Guest]

Cable and sat do not use the same tuners and how will Microsoft and Sony feel about being forced to run cable co software on there boxes in a tru2way / OCAP system?

 

[mtyermom]

My HD digital cable box doesn't get the red ring of death

 

[Shadow703793]

I'll rather build a HTPC (mainly so I can have useful software running) for the same price. esp. with BluRay drives for less than $100. Add in a good TV tuner and you are set.

 

[Blessedman]

I don't think any of this generation consoles have the ability to do this. Next generation though they could sell two consoles, one without a cablecard and coax inputs and one with. With a more open system like a console (comparatively) you could actually have a more universal system to do anything with. Not to mention the horsepower of the next gen's speeding up slow set top's.

 

[frozenlead]

why console users continue to pay for internet they already pay for is beyond me.

 

[malveaux]

Pfft,

The PC will replace them ALL.

Cheers,

 

[Guest]

you trust micro osft and sony to run life wow! you guys are full of moeny to milked from

 

[neiroatopelcc]

I'm kinda expecting most content providers to venture into online content instead of only analogue/digital sattelite and cable offerings.
Their users are buying huge computer screens that just happen to have built in tuners. So their target consumers already waits for it to happen. When that's done, there's no reason sony, nintendo and microsoft shouldn't be able to update their software to render streamed content from 3rd party.

 

[nekatreven]

[citation][nom]Joe_The_Dragon11[/nom]Cable and sat do not use the same tuners and how will Microsoft and Sony feel about being forced to run cable co software on there boxes in a tru2way / OCAP system?[/citation]

How exactly will MS and Sony be forced to run certain software on their systems? Why does it matter if they use the same tuners?

If they have shown that customers aren't married to the cable company and that they like the content their consoles can provide, all MS and Sony have to do is choose a partner to provide traditional channels or negotiate directly with Disney, QVC, Playboy, etc. (as opposed to begging for content from cable providers) All we really have left for the cable co at that point is 'go lose money and die'.

Granted this is just one possible scenario, I'm just saying that if they try to move forward here, I don't think they will be as limited by traditional providers as you suggested. (I mean just look at vonage and other voip providers vs. traditional phone companies...instead of conforming, the message to the old carriers so far seems to be 'you suck, go away')

 

[TwoDigital]

For DRM reasons, you're going to be stuck with a cable box or CableCard/Tru2Way for the forseeable future so long as you're getting content from the cable provider. Just as cable boxes and consoles themselves have become tiny PCs (granted, they have FAST specialized processors for some of their operations) we'll see things integrate even more going forward.

Personally, I wouldn't mind if we see the XBox720 and PS4 with a built-in expansion connector for a Tru2Way slot or something similar. I still would prefer, however, that the whole thing have a connector to plug into my Windows 7 Media Center PC so it can run everything.

 

[The Schnoz]

[citation][nom]Joe_The_Dragon11[/nom]Cable and sat do not use the same tuners and how will Microsoft and Sony feel about being forced to run cable co software on there boxes in a tru2way / OCAP system?[/citation]

They won't need to and wouldn’t mind regardless. Sony has already agreed to make Tru2Way TV’s and devices for cable companies and Microsoft has a long history of working with the cable companies. However, the article is merely stating that consoles could replace set top boxes through the use of their own on demand content. Instead of connecting through coaxial to a cable service it will instead connect to the internet through your home network just like they do today. The article states this is a growing trend to the point that a household may only need internet service and on-demand content through a console rather than a set top box and cable/satellite service. I hardly see this as news worthy and I doubt cable and satellite companies will let this happen without a fight. Besides there are many other things to think about such as the power usage of using an Xbox 360 to watch tv. I would imagine future consoles will eat up even more power. Also most cable companies offer on demand for free with their service and Xbox Live and Playstation Network charge per movie. I think a cool thing would be the consoles including compatibility with Netflix (ala 360) as well as free sites like Hulu.