Xbox Live Marketplace vs. Apple TV

[bapenguin]

Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/charted-xbox-live-video-marketplace-vs-apple-tv/) has a pretty good side by side chart of the features in both Xbox Live's Video Marketplace vs. the recently announced Apple TV 2 and it's video rental service.

More or less across the board the Apple TV 2 wins in terms of availability, price and options. The 360 does have an advantage in that you can actually buy TV shows through the service in HD.

It's good to see some competition in this marketplace. Hopefully Microsoft will start to utilize the Zune and maybe even decrease their pricing.

[LilAbner]

People actually buy TV shows? On XBL, no less?

[Inspector Fowler]

It's my hope that the Apple product does cause MS to get its butt going.

My secret hope? Netflix has said that it wants "Netflix compatible devices" on TV's. I would probably die with happiness if Netflix partnered with Xbox, and allowed you to link your Netflix account with your Gamertag and started providing their download library through the 360 under Netflix's new unlimited download program.

I do also wonder what the real quality of the Apple downloads is. As a test, I bought an episode of Heroes, and a movie. Compared to DVD playback on the same computer, they looked like crap to me. Given that right now (I'm currently a Blockbuster Online subscriber) I can rent essentially unlimited movies and turn them in for Blu-ray films at the local BB, I'm not impressed with the Apple quality. I hope they improve it, because at $5 a pop for an HD new release, it better be looking pretty damn good.

[Roc Ingersol]

Both appleTV and video marketplace are awfully silly without an X-at-a-time option.

the AppleTV moreso, because it doesn't have much of a purpose other than getting audio/video from your network to your home theatre. Though it does a better job of doing that (with version 2) than the 360.

[Yeti2005]

MS needs to let you download movies off Marketplace onto your Zune. Otherwise I'm pretty happy (selection and quality) with the HD movie downloads from Live.

Edit: I do wish there was a suscription plan for Tv shows.

[MosBen]

I doubt I'll ever use the video marketplace under the current system. An unlimited service with a not-insane monthly fee though? That's a sure way to get my money.

[patgas]

People actually buy TV shows? On XBL, no less?

This was a system seller to my casual gaming, HDTV-owning friend. In summary:

Playing games online with his best friend: meh

Downloading Action Jackson in HD: hells yeah

[Sir Kodiak]

Given that both systems use lossy compression, I'm not convinced that smaller file sizes for iTunes is actually an advantage unless the quality is the same or better.

But I have a Netflix membership anyways, so I'm not likely to use either of these services. I'd be pretty pleased, though, if one of the 360 or PS3 got hooked up with the Netflix download service, as it doesn't work with my Mac.

[Vandenh]

A pretty stupid comparison.

Oh.. yeah... and the 360 plays games. Not so important is it.

NOT!

[Digital Outlaw]

A pretty stupid comparison.

Oh.. yeah... and the 360 plays games. Not so important is it.

NOT!

I was just thinking, when will Apple get into the home console wars?

[agentgray]

I really don't see this as much of a competition.

Do a lot of gamers have AppleTV or a lot of Mac geeks have a 360? I don't know.

[trip1eX]

Yeah different products. I'd rather have an ATV for movie/tv viewing than a 360, but if I own a 360 then there's a lot less incentive to get an ATV.

[Shadowstorm]

A rather stupid comparison.

I detest the 24 hour viewing period for purchased movies on XBLM. That needs to change (but probably won't).

[Zanzibar]

Well, let's hope Microsoft starts dropping prices now that there's competition. The prices for movies/shows on XBL are ridiculous.

If XBL finally partners with Netflix for all-you-can-eat prices, I may need to finally buy that 120gb HDD.

[SuperMonkeyFighter2]

I can't say I mind the prices to be honest (for XBL). The selection though could use some updating. More frequent updates of new releases would be a good thing

[ElectricMonk]

I love the XBL marketplace. Not having regular tv service myself, and no other way to watch HD movies it's been pretty cool to rent movies and buy tv shows with.

I am not so much a fan of covergence devices and the selection on live marketplace is still a little weak. I want more hd movies, right now the ones they have are very sparse and it doesn't make sense at all. Apple TV seems to be a step in the right direction, but they really need to drop the set top box price down somehow.

I only rent maybe one movie per month (which may be because of XBL's poor selection) so it'd take a lot of movies to justify the $300 apple tv price tag.

[cp#]

I don't see Apple every getting into the home console wars. The Mac Mini costs $600, if you get my drift.

[sleepbox]

Umm...using Tversity w/ a 360 is usually extremely reliable for these tasks.

[ascl]

This is definitely a valid comparison. I am tired of having several boxes that do almost the same thing... bring on convergence I say.

That said, I am a mac geek (professionally) with an xbox + a 360. My trusty XBMC xbox has served me well, however I have retired it now the 360 can play divx... but the AppleTV has a *much* better interface than the 360 for media sharing, so I have definitely been interested in the AppleTV. Also the AppleTV is quieter. The thing that is not a selling point for me, is the online stores. Why? Cause outside of the US, you can buy jack shit (and jack just left town) on either of these services.

Whichever one provides a decent selection of movies and/or tv shows in my region will get my business... and I hope its an AppleTV, its a much nicer interface.

[Jack B]

I think it's closer than the article leads you to believe. For instance, it's $1 difference in price for HD movies, but that assumes you pay full retail for Xbox Live. You can typically find Live cards for sale for less and 16% discount. In fact a $35 card would make the 360 movies much cheaper, but they don't mention that fact.

Another thing is the 1,000 movies by March number. My understanding is they have 100 right now to the 360's 350 (+45 Sundance Short films) and the 360 could easily have many more by March, but they skip that prediction.

The Apple has Wifi and SD purchases, but they don't have TV shows. The 360 has DIVX, Xvid and DVD playback (yes, mine is quiet enough to use).

Anyway, they both have valid reasons for owning, but "beats the 360 in almost every way" is typical journalistic sensationalism, IMO, but that's the way journalism tends to work.

It's just surprising that many people don't notice it when it happens.

[mister_slim]

iTunes has TV shows.

[KingGorilla]

I would say that the amount of free content you can get from Apple TV is one it its major selling points. Especially for us gamers/geeks, having Diggnation, The 1Up Show, and a lot more for free, is a nice bonus. There is so much that you cannot get anywhere else on TV like that.

Also, does the 360 offer season passes yet? That is also nice, buy a season of a show, and get it downloaded automatically.

[Jack B]

I would say that the amount of free content you can get from Apple TV is one it its major selling points. Especially for us gamers/geeks, having Diggnation, The 1Up Show, and a lot more for free, is a nice bonus. There is so much that you cannot get anywhere else on TV like that.

Also, does the 360 offer season passes yet? That is also nice, buy a season of a show, and get it downloaded automatically.

Ummm, you really need to get a 360 to understand what you can and cannot do. The 1up Show is a free podcast. You can easily run that through your 360 for free.

The 360 has entire seasons of TV shows for sale.

[Soap]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2008/20080118.jpg
I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this....