Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Multimedia, iTunes, Steve Jobs
Disney HD on Xbox Live... but not iTunes
I'm not sure how closely you're all following E3 (the big gaming convention going on this week in LA), but one of the tidbits of news dropped by some little company named Microsoft last night is Disney movies are now available for download on Xbox 360's Live Marketplace. Finally, just like all of us iTunes users have been doing for months, Xbox owners can enjoy Disney flicks via digital distribution.But wait-- the Xbox flicks are available, right now... in HD. Wha? Is Microsoft's CEO the largest Disney shareholder and on their Board of Directors? Did someone from Microsoft run the animation company that turned Disney animation around? Why are Xbox 360 owners watching these movies in HD when we can't do the same on iTunes?
We've speculated before that HD movies would be coming to iTunes, but right now, Xbox 360 owners can see every single hair on Ariel's head, and iTunes purchasers cannot. What's wrong with this picture?
Thanks, James H.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Chris said 5:48PM on 7-11-2007
If you actually visit the XBox page describing the pictures available from Disney, you'll find that they are more of the "Meet the Deedles" variety than classic Disney fare. Also, no Pixar movies to be seen.
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James Donevan said 5:51PM on 7-11-2007
"What's wrong with this picture?"
Poor research before reporting?
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Pez said 5:53PM on 7-11-2007
Let's think about this: XBOX 360 users most likely have their boxes hooked up to a nice big TV, and there's a good chance it's an HD set, too.
Most iTunes users don't have their computers hooked up to anything other than their iPod.
If you were in the game of distributing content, which would you work to put out first? Jobs might be the biggest Disney shareholder, but he's no idiot.
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Doc said 5:57PM on 7-11-2007
i too find it strange that apple still can't get it together...but this is a good thing because this puts pressure on apple and in the end everyone will get some great quailty flicks to watch...competition is a great thing. think if MS didn't push this type of content in the face of apple it wouldn't force there hand as much. I hope that apple wakes up soon because i hate the quality of itunes videos with only a few exceptions they are all really made for the ipod, right? is that the underlying problem here, ipod support?? apple may just be putting it off so that they can prepare the servers for HD content since it is quite a bit more in terms of size..and time.
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artifex said 5:59PM on 7-11-2007
What native formats are the HD masters in, compared to the formats 360 and iTunes support?
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Graham Hall said 6:00PM on 7-11-2007
Oh the injustice!
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jh said 6:03PM on 7-11-2007
Umm..
I hate to break it to you guys, but the XBox people have been able to watch videos, in HD, for a good long while now. We've also been able to rent them, rent TV shows, and other such things
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Object-X said 6:03PM on 7-11-2007
Pez -- What about all those AppleTV users? I'm pretty sure they have their AppleTV hooked up to a HDTV. Downloadable video is not primarily for iPod users, but for AppleTV users, at least not any more.
The whole point of an AppleTV is to use it with your HDTV and to get your content from iTunes. AppleTV in it's current form supports up to 720p.
So, I agree with the author of the post, if Xbox 360 users can get 720p content from Disney, Apple better get with it and start providing their AppleTV customers with the same.
I expect an AppleTV announcement is imminent.
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FrankMcBilboWinker said 6:21PM on 7-11-2007
I believe this is about revenue stream for Disney, and Microsoft it is damage control because of their Billion dollar recall/repair charge don't worry about your console thing.
I'd only worry if they turned up on the Zune marketplace.
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Misael said 6:41PM on 7-11-2007
Maybe they are comming to iTunes too, along with iPods updates. Quicktime /iTunes just got updated too, right?
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jason said 6:41PM on 7-11-2007
I think it's a bandwidth issue. there's only about 7 million subscribers to xbox marketplace (figure cited by MSFT so i wouldn't be surprised if it's a little inflated. or alot inflated). Compared to 300 million copies of itunes out there, apple probably just doesn't have the infrastructure right now to host HD content to that many potential buyers.
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Scotty said 7:08PM on 7-11-2007
THe updates are coming with Leopard when they introduce BLu-Ray HD-DVD support in the new MBP's and IMac's comingout.
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infinitespecter said 6:57PM on 7-11-2007
Yet another reason why the 360 is more flexible than the Apple TV. Currently, the only thing I can't do with it that the Apple TV can is play iTunes purchases, and that's not a problem.
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Josh Farkas of Pixelton said 7:14PM on 7-11-2007
It should be noted these are rentals. Xbox live only allows them to play once or for 24 hours.
That is what is behind the decision - money.
Disney likes to squeak these releases out so be prepared for the digital Disney vault to drip not flow.
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Galley said 7:21PM on 7-11-2007
Yeah, and my PS3 can download 1080p movie and game trailers. C'mon, Apple. Give me some HD content and I'l buy an Apple TV or two.
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James said 7:26PM on 7-11-2007
The iPod is always the excuse when it comes to HD on iTunes.
1) Most computer monitors are some variety of HD
2) The AppleTV supports 720p
Apple doesn't really have much of an excuse anymore. My prediction: they are waiting to release new iPods which WILL support HD file formats, at which point they launch the "HD" iTunes Store to support the AppleTV and the new iPods. HD downloads will work sort of like iTunes+ tracks in that they will cost a bit more. You heard it here first.
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Adam said 8:02PM on 7-11-2007
360 Users are only allowed to RENT HD movies, we cannot BUY them. They expire aka disappear after the alloted time. So, that is the reason iTunes users don't get HD disney movies, we (360 users) don't buy them, we rent them. We can only buy Standard Definition movies.
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Judson said 10:48PM on 7-11-2007
for all we know, steve-o said no, at least for now. iTunes might now be able to carry the weightor maybe their working on some crazy p2p solution for dowloading the large files.
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Exidor said 10:27PM on 7-11-2007
"Currently, the only thing I can't do with it that the Apple TV can) is play iTunes purchases, and that's not a problem."
Well, that's kind of true, but I own and use both the 360 and the AppleTV and I find the AppleTV is much more elegant and fun for playing video, as long as my iTunes library is organized. It has an attractive menu system showing cover art for my files with a nice little description for everything as opposed to a big long list of all my files with no image or description, or even any indication of whether or not the files will play. I use a Mac for streaming, though, so maybe it's better with a 360/Windows set-up. The 360 plays HD WMVs better than my modded AppleTV, though.
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Quix said 1:04AM on 7-12-2007
Why does Microsoft use that ridiculous points system? Just a tactic to confuse the customer into paying more than they normally would?
For instance, the HD (720p) movie rentals are $6 each. With no physical disc to package, ship, store in inventory.
Rip. Off.
I'll stick with far-cheaper 480p physical media through Netflix for now, thanks.
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