Chris Lanier's Blog

Zune Community Brings New Shared Experience to Music

Spring release adds features that inspire people to explore, discover and discuss their favorite music.

REDMOND, Wash. — May 5, 2008 — Last November Zune launched “Zune Social,” a music community Web site where music fans can discover new music, browse each others’ playlists, and comment on their discoveries and tastes.

In just its first five months, more than two million users have joined the community. With enough members to populate a major city, the community is almost as diverse as the world of music itself, from hardcore audiophiles and passionate music fans to people who are just crazy about the Zune player.

Brian Seitz, a Group Marketing Manager for Zune, says it’s a core goal of his team to create an experience where the diversity and knowledge of all those music fans is tapped to inspire Zune listeners to explore new music. With that in mind, the Zune team worked to incorporate extensive customer feedback into a refresh of the online music community and Zune software, which is being launched this week.

“Zune owners are pretty passionate, and they had a lot of great ideas for making the community more valuable to music fans,” he says. “And I definitely fall into that category myself — the main reason we’re all here is we love the music.”

The spring update includes enhanced features that build on the sense of community and musical exploration Zune delivers. The downloadable Zune application is now integrated with the Zune community site so members can send messages to friends, look at their music collections, shop for new content, and drag-and-drop Zune Cards to their players, all without opening a Web browser. Also, the online Zune Marketplace is offering TV episodes for download for the first time.

Zune Card Makes Musical Exploration Portable

One way to make these connections is with the free Zune Card, a sort of electronic Zune playlist, which automatically reflects the songs played on a Zune player or Zune PC software. With the spring update, the Zune Card now becomes more portable.

“For Zune Pass subscribers, dragging and dropping a friend’s Zune Card onto your Zune means that all of the music that friend has been listening to is automatically synced to your Zune, so you can listen to the full tracks when you’re out and about,” Seitz says.

Read Full Press Release

Microsoft: “No Plans to Introduce a Blu-ray Drive for Xbox 360”

I hope you didn’t really think Microsoft was doing an Xbox 360 with Blu-ray, because they are once again denying it.  So, what do you think is really going on?

1. These sites are flat out making up the rumors to drive web traffic
2. OEMs think constant reports will help get them a contract, suggesting they would be able to provide the drives at $xx to Microsoft.
3. Microsoft has expressed interest in Blu-ray Disc drives for the Xbox 360, reports are truly leaking out.
4. Microsoft has expressed interest in Blu-ray Disc drives for the “Xbox” (360 not implied, meaning it could be Xbox 720).
5. Other – Let me know

Why I’m I Still Posting About Xbox 360 With Blu-ray?

Previous coverage: Here, Here,  Here,  Here,  Here, and Here.

Latest rumor, ASUS subsidiary Pegatron has reportedly won the contract to “assemble the Xbox 360 with Blu-ray Disc ROM drive” according to Economic Daily News (Chinese).

I’ve covered the Xbox 360 Blu-ray rumors since they started, and I think I’ve made my case pretty clear.  In my opinion it doesn’t make sense for Microsoft to include Blu-ray in the Xbox 360.  It doesn’t make sense for Microsoft to even offer an external Blu-ray drive.  If doesn’t even really make sense to do a single new SKU for Blu-ray, but lets look at it from another angle.  Forget the technical aspect, forget what Microsoft wants or doesn’t want, let’s look at it from the consumer aspect and from Microsoft's price perspective.

External Blu-ray Scenarios

(I’m blindly assuming that Microsoft would sell an external Blu-ray Disc drive for $150, which would most likely be a loss for Microsoft.  Remember that HD DVD originally shipped for $200 with Toshiba taking the huge loss.  Other HD DVD drives where shipping for $300+ at the time.  This only takes into account drive prices, loss on the software/licensing side not included.)

• Playstation 3 40GB (include Blu-ray) = $400
• Playstation 3 80GB (includes Blu-ray) = $500
• Xbox 360 Arcade ($280) + External Blu-ray Disc Drive ($150) = $430
  
• Xbox 360 Premium 20GB ($350) + External Blu-ray Disc Drive ($150) = $500
• Xbox 360 Elite 120GB ($450) + External Blu-ray Disc Drive ($150) = $600

Once again, the Xbox 360 Arcade is targeted at casual gamers, so I’m going to leave it out of the picture (but note the total price is still more than a PS3).  I’d also remind everyone that specs are the only thing that matters.  Everyone keeps telling me Microsoft needs Blu-ray to compete with the PS3.  Unless you’re matching the basic specs, you’re not competing.

This means you can get a PS3 with double the hard drive space for $100 cheaper.  Point goes to the PS3 if you are talking about competing.  You don’t gain anything by offering an external Blu-ray Disc drive, the PS3 is still a better deal all around.

For current Xbox 360 owners the concept of an external Blu-ray Disc drive is the most appealing.  Even at $200 it would be the cheapest Blu-ray Disc Player on the market, but why exactly does Microsoft care about this situation?  It doesn’t boost Xbox 360 sales, and they are most likely losing money on the drive to start with.  I understand why current owners would be interested, but it just doesn’t benefit Microsoft at all.

Internal Blu-ray Scenarios 

Considering the Xbox 360 Arcade is again targeted to casual gamers, the chance of Microsoft integrating Blu-ray into it doesn’t exist.  UNO and Pac-Man players generally are not Blu-ray owners.

Microsoft already needs to upgrade the Premium to a larger hard drive to directly compete with the PS3 at its 40GB entry price.  Put a Blu-ray Disc drive in the current 20GB, sell it at a loss for $350 and the PS3 is still a better deal on paper.  Point goes to the PS3.

Upgrade the Xbox 360 to at least 40GB and add internal Blu-ray (selling at a loss again) and the Xbox 360 would finally be able to compete directly.  So far this is the only feasible option from a consumer perspective, of course that replies on Microsoft taking the hit for Blu-ray and upgrading the hard drive at the same time.  If Microsoft ups the price (figuring 40GB and Blu-ray) your price would be equal to the 40GB PS3 (and I’ve covered reasons why the PS3 is a better Blu-ray Disc Player to start with).

The Xbox 360 Elite is supposed to be Elite, right?  Is Microsoft going to alienate all Xbox 360 Elite owners by doing another SKU that is truly the Elite one?  The one advantage the Elite has is the large hard drive, but once you cross the $500 price tag your product isn’t going to push any units.  This would mean Microsoft takes the hit for the Blu-ray Disc drive and doesn’t pass any on the consumer.  Not likely.

Exclusive Titles

None of the above takes into account people buying either the PS3 or Xbox 360 for exclusive titles.  These people are going to get whichever system has their exclusive titles, matched features might sway them one way, but if Halo is your game then you are buying the Xbox 360 no matter what.  If Grand Turismo is your game, your buying the PS3 no matter what.

Previous HD DVD Owners

A larger percent of the 300,000 people who purchase the external HD DVD drive still have a bad taste in their mouth.  This might be eased by Blu-ray officially being the winner, but Xbox 360 Premium ($350) + Xbox HD DVD ($200) + External Xbox Blu-ray ($150) + Accessories = $700+ for a game console that is three years old (earliest release of such a drive would be years end, console turnover time has been around four years).

Growing User Awareness Against Xbox 360 with Blu-ray

The best part of all of these rumors is growing user awareness that the Xbox 360 with Blu-ray doesn’t make sense.  Check out the comments on Engadget and Engadget HD, the vast majority of the comments (especially the ones ranked high) are going against buying, needing, or wanting an Xbox 360 with Blu-ray.  Once again, I just don’t see how this would make any sense.

Console Redesigns

One of the newest ideas that has been thrown out is Microsoft including Blu-ray in the Xbox 360 when they really start the console redesign process to cut costs in manufacturing.  I can see this happening if they are planning Blu-ray for the Xbox 720, but if they are not then I don't see why they would waste the time.  As Blu-ray drives fall in price, they will become the standard.  I don't think we are there just yet, but in another year or so the prices will be around of that OEM DVD drives today.  If Microsoft is doing Blu-ray for the Xbox 720, you might as well throw it into the redeisgned Xbox 360 as well (unless they hold out and use Blu-ray as a feature to sell Xbox 720).  At current prices this story is much different.

Update: Microsoft: “No Plans to Introduce a Blu-ray Drive for Xbox 360” (5/5/08)

Did Someone Already Reverse Engineer the Extender Protocol?

There have been several projects to figure out exactly how Extenders work so that maybe a Software Extender (Softsled) could be developed outside of Microsoft.  There is a project on CodePlex, though slow moving it seems like people are starting to get an understanding on how things work.  There have been a dozen threads on The Green Button talking about the same, and of course there is a full website dedicated to SoftSled.  No one thus far has come up with anything ground breaking however.

But wait, last night I was browsing SourceForge and found a project started last year called Tufour.  I've never seen anyone link or talk about Tufour, but it says it “Emulates the media center server protocol used by Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 to allow media center extenders (with a focus on the Xbox 360) to operate as thin clients.”  I know enough about programming to write Hello World, and that's about it.  Anyone want to compile this and see what it really does, if anything (especially in Vista)?

The code is in SVN at SourceForge, who wants to take a stab at it?

Short Bits: ToDVRMS, Netflix Instant, Sage Extender, more

Andy just posted a new command line application, ToDVRMS.  As the name suggests, it converts files to DVR-MS.  It was developed for MPEG/VOB, so rip your DVDs as one large VOB and run ToDVRMS on them and they should playback on Extenders.

Anthony Park added support for Netflix’s new Instant Queue Feature to MyNetflix yesterday.  This lets you create a queue for all “Watch Now” material that Netflix has up, and it operates independent of your main Netflix queue.

Brent Evans had a great post about PC World reviewing Sage’s Extender, and generally not understanding the concept.  It does show a few good points (other than the obvious), we complained we didn’t want to extra cost of 802.11n in Media Center Extenders, but yet again the general public requires it.  The quote of the review is "I had to laugh at the included 1.5-meter ethernet cord; if only my TV were that close to my PC.”  If your TV where that close to your PC then a Extender is not what you would have purchased to get the PC experience on the TV.

Ben Drawbaugh has had a few great Media Center posts after moving from TiVo to Media Center with CableCARD.  He seems to enjoy Media Center more than TiVo, but is not sold on mControl just yet.

mControl 2.1 Adds Translucent Menus

Much like the Start Menu and Guide in Media Center, mControl 2.1 is going to add a translucent UI so you can continue watching your favorite show or video in the background.  Other features in the upcoming update include a new INSTEON utility (also support for SimpleHomeNet device, INSTEON thermostat, more), better localization, new mControl Editor, Sideshow module, and of course that iPhone/iPod Touch UI.  I will have more on mControl and lighting control/home automation this weekend.

iTunes Gets Movies on DVD Release Date; Downloads Still Lagging

Apple announced today that they will have digital downloads up the same day as the DVD release.  This is part of the download problem, but once again I don’t see downloads being anywhere near ready.  Not only the bandwidth problems, which has lead to non-HD downloads and/or poor audio/video quality, but are the masses ready to pay $14.99 for a digital download with convenience being the main factor?

I’d like to see companies embrace the fact that DVD is still the mainstream format.  If I’m going to pay $14.99 for a digital download, how about a digital coupon that I can print out to go pickup the physical DVD for a discounted price?  Now is the time to work with DVD, you’re not going to replace it yet.  The same basic concept is at play with the few DVDs that include a digital copy to copy to portable devices (Example). Remember that convenience of obtaining the content only goes so far, when your download fails to scale all of your devices (eg. DVD player at your friends house, or in the car) the concept dies.

Apple might finally be getting somewhere with the content owners, but no one (Microsoft, Apple, et al) is going to replace DVDs with digital downloads for several years to come.

I’m on The Media Center Show

Last month I did a special live edition of The Media Center Show with Ian Dixon, and today the podcast is ready for download.  It was great to finally get back with Ian, so I hope everyone gives it a listen.  Just ignore me stumbling over the word “Blu-ray” every five seconds.  My apparent inability to talk mixed with some horrible allergies that I was trying to get over led to some interesting fumbles.

Anyway, be sure to listen to The Media Center Show #154 for the whole thing.

Short Bits: HD PVR, mceShoutCast, My Movies

Brent Evans has confirmed that Hauppauge's HD PVR has officially been delayed until at least mid-May.  Check out the full post for exact expected ship times based on order number.

eHomeUpgrade points to a new ShoutCast plug-in for Vista Media Center (English translation).  It's MCML that has several features including favorite streams, top 500 listing, and even recording!

Brian has opened the backend services from My Movies to third parties.  This means that other plug-ins or applications can tap into Brian's backend database as well as the My Movies Collection Management program.  Check out the full announcement here.

Thanks Ryan!

ATI Digital Cable Tuner Firmware Update Posted

ATI/AMD has posted version 1.17.1 firmware for Digital Cable Tuners (OCUR/CableCARD).  The update is said to fix several issues including Multiple OCUR having the same IP address and “No TV Signal” errors when tuning twice on the same channel.

You can download the 32-bit update here and 64-bit update here.  Release notes (PDF) are here.

Also seen on Missing Remote.

mControl Gains iPhone/iPod Touch Control Interface

Embedded Automation is on the urge of releasing mControl v2.1 which already adds several new features and improvements, but it looks like one last feature it sneaking its way in, an iPhone/iPod Touch UI!

I will have more about mControl later this week.  I have read several comments about people being interested in getting started with lighting control and home automation, so with the help of Embedded Automation’s mControl I’m going to see if we can help everyone get started.

Thanks Dan!

Short Bits: Lifeware, 64-bit HD-PVR, Dragon

Audio Video Interiors has a great article on Life|ware, more specially the Life|ware install in Exceptional Innovation founder Seale Moorer.  If someone wanted a prime example of how MCML has impacted third party products then look no further then the UI for Life|ware.

Hauppauge reps are now saying they will have 64-bit drivers for the HD-PVR upon release...in two days.

The Green Button, Ian Dixon, jkOnTheRun, Barb Bowman and 27 other sites are set to give away HP HDX Dragon Entertainment Notebook’s worth over $4,500.  I’d keep an eye on all the 31 sites for more.