Who's TV plan is the best, Sony or MS

[Normchacho]

Machiavellian said:

Normchacho said:

But it does allow you to have the content from several providers in one service rather than seperate apps for say nbc or fox or what have you. It also allows you to watch live tv, on deman programing, and even use a DVR. Sure some cable providers have apps that allow you to watch tv on your other devices but MS doesn't and a good number of the tv apps on the 360 are missing from the Xbox One. I don't see why people keep talking about the 360? The MS plan for tv on the Xbox One involes the HDMI in which does little more than allow you to watch tv without having to change the input on your tv.

When comparing Sony's tv plans to MS tv plans it's pretty obvious which its pretty obvious that the Sony plan is much more ambitious and as long as they don't screw anything up could be very sucessful.

@ Bolded: The TWC, Verizon Xfinity, Dish and DirectTV App do all of what you just mentioned without having to have a separate app for individual content providers like HBO, NBC etc.  What Sony is providing is no different from what is already provided by cable and Satellite providers now.

MS doesn't have to have an IPTV service because they will support or now support other services.  MS can distribute their content however they want without trying to compete in a very competitive space.  If Sony service does not have what I am looking for, then it cannot replace my existing setup nor will the PS3 or PS4 allow me to use my existing setup without having a cable box.  The reason I bring the 360 in the conversation is because those same Apps will be coming to the X1.  The partnerships MS has made with the cable companies did not disappear.  Since the X1 is a new device creating the Apps take some time.

@ 2nd Bolded:  This is incorrect.  The HDMI in is one part of a much bigger stragety.  Your vision is way to narrow.  MS stragety is to be the central box that controls delivery of all content within your living room.  The HDMI is a solution to control cable and other media that do not have an App within its eco system.

Sony plan isn't more ambitious its more risky.  Did you know that MS sold their IPTV to Mediaroom to Ericsson.  MS had a IPTV solution longer than Sony has been in the console business.  After fighting for media and licensing agreements etc, they decided to sell the business.

"Sure some cable providers have apps that allow you to watch tv on your other devices"

If you kept reading after the first bolded part you'd know I already said that.

Where have MS said that those TV apps are coming to the One? So far they have the Verizon app which has a maximum of 74 channels and that only works if you have Fios internet (not to mention some of the channels are locked behind payed packages even if you have Fios). They have also not come out and said that anymore apps will be added.

@2: Why haven't they said anything about greater TV functionality or compatibility? All they have talking about regarding watching tv has been the HDMI in for months. Unless you have some insider info that they haven't told anyone else about? Care to share with the rest of the class?

Of course it's more risky. They are moving into a very competitive market as you said. But it's also a very weak and flawed market. There are several well known issues with the current live tv market from pricing, to the UI, to the packaging structure. This puts Sony in a very unique position, if they can come to market with a strong content lineup and solve even a couple of the issues that current cable and satelite providers have it could be huge.

It's certainly more difficult than just piggybacking an app or allowing someone to plug there cable box into the back and if they don't have enough content or the pricing isn't right they could fall flat on there face. But as a concept and as a far as potential goes, it blows what MS (and actually most TV providers have) out of the water.