Iptv!

mcgovern

It doesn't mention countries, but hopefully Ireland will be included.

BT and Microsoft Announce Partnership to Deliver IPTV
By: César A. Berardini - "Cesar"
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Jan. 7th, 2008 4:55 am

Last night, during the keynote address by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates , Microsoft announced a partnership with British Telecom to offer Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) platform to BT customers in the middle of 2008. Below is the press release with the announcement:
BT and Microsoft Announce Partnership to Deliver Powerful, First-of-its-Kind Entertainment Experience to Consumers Through Xbox 360

BT Vision IPTV customers will soon be able to receive best in gaming, TV and movies, all through Xbox 360.

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 6, 2008 — Microsoft Corp. and telecommunications leader BT announced they are bringing together the next-generation TV service BT Vision with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 games and entertainment system. All BT broadband customers will have the unique opportunity to receive the best in high-definition gaming, television and movies through an Xbox 360 console, in a powerful, all-in-one entertainment experience. BT Vision, which is powered by the Microsoft Mediaroom Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) platform, plans to make this first-of-its-kind device and service offering available to customers in the middle of 2008. The announcement was made during the keynote address by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Microsoft President Robbie Bach of the Entertainment & Devices Division at 2008 International CES on Jan. 6.

The groundbreaking partnership will enable any BT Broadband customer to use an Xbox 360 console to access the BT Vision service and its extensive library of on-demand content, giving instant access to hundreds of movies and thousands of hours of sporting events, television programming, music videos and other digital content, such as BT Vision Sport’s 242 “near-live” FA Premier League football matches.

BT Vision customers with an Xbox 360 console will gain the option of accessing BT Vision from either the Xbox 360 console or a set-top-box. The service will be available to existing and future Xbox 360 console owners.

BT Vision on Xbox will combine the richness of the Microsoft Mediaroom-enabled TV service with the benefits of next-generation gaming, as well as unique new capabilities that the integrated solution brings. Xbox LIVE, the largest online social network in the living room, will be seamlessly integrated into the experience, providing consumers with a wide range of community-based features, such as voice chat, sending and receiving text and voice messages, and accessing Xbox LIVE Marketplace, all while watching TV. For example, while a TV viewer is enjoying his favorite football game, he can receive a message from a friend inviting him to join a voice chat, or they could play a game of their own with EA SPORTS™ “FIFA Soccer.”

“We are pleased to partner with Microsoft to deliver a truly compelling connected entertainment experience to our customers,” said Dan Marks, CEO of BT Vision. “For the first time consumers in the U.K. will be able to experience the advantages of an advanced TV service together with the benefits of next-generation gaming. Our aim is to provide BT Vision on multiple platforms — giving customers greater convenience, control and flexibility over what they watch, when they watch and how they watch TV. It also means that we are able to potentially expand our BT Vision customer base by tapping into the popularity of Xbox 360.”

“This is an exciting moment in home entertainment,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Connected Television Division at Microsoft. “Last year at CES, we announced Xbox 360 on Microsoft Mediaroom as a powerful platform capable of enabling new entertainment experiences for consumers, and we are pleased to team with BT to bring this service to market. Together we are enabling BT Vision customers to be the first in the world to enjoy this next-generation TV and gaming entertainment experience.”

TheDoc

you can get sky digital now in any room for an extra tenner a month.

my dad got it in for us, no installation fee, costs us ten euro extra a month,

will depend very much on prices and quality of the service tv over broadband....in ireland....smells disastrous to me

Fingleberries

It sounds great, but I think BT are only rolling it out in the UK for now.

If you check out the Microsoft IPTV site (now called MediaRoom) it lists the service providers that have selected to run this service. BT is listed for the UK. Seeing as how they offer 8MB Broadband packages over there, it makes sense.

At some stage it might come here, seeing as how they're starting to offer 8MB Broadband here in some exchanges. Fingers Crossed, eh?

mcgovern

[DM]-TheDOC- wrote: »

you can get sky digital now in any room for an extra tenner a month.

my dad got it in for us, no installation fee, costs us ten euro extra a month,

will depend very much on prices and quality of the service tv over broadband....in ireland....smells disastrous to me

But you have to have the package already, the cheapest of which is €20 and can go upto €68.

bucks73

[DM]-TheDOC- wrote: »

you can get sky digital now in any room for an extra tenner a month.

my dad got it in for us, no installation fee, costs us ten euro extra a month,

All digiboxes MUST be connected to a phone line. Anyone with no landline can not avail of this.

Riesen_Meal

Would ye be arsed lads though?

Honestly, im sure most of us here have digi/sky, would we really benefit?

Ive a dodgy (cough) I mean digibox in my room, if a service came along thru net do you think id be arsed paying for it?

Our bband speeds are waaay behind the UKs by far so I dont see it taking off over here just yet....

Could well see it as an option if I lived in a non cabled area or if I couldnt put up a satellite dish though....