While PS3 owners have now gained a new way of streaming TV shows and movies to their consoles with Blinkbox, Xbox 360 owners are fighting to bring the BBC iPlayer to their consoles.
Console Video
Video games consoles are continuing to be important drivers of online video thanks to their ability to connect to the Internet and broadcast on televisions in people’s living rooms. Which makes a big difference when compared to watching online video on a small computer screen.
The PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii games consoles all offer different ways for the consumption of online video. Netflix, VidZone, the BBC iPlayer, and services from Sony and Microsoft are already on offer, depending on which console you own.
PS3 Blinkbox
The U.K.-based Blinkbox has offered the streaming of movie and TV shows for years, but it’s now available on the PS3 as, according to The Telegraph, the company has built a version of the website especially optimized for the Sony console.
Movies such as Avatar and Sherlock Holmes are now available to stream for as little as £0.99, with episodes of TV shows such as Gossip Girl and Fringe available to stream for as little as £0.39.
Content can also be permanently bought for as little as £2.99 and £0.89 respectively.
Xbox iPlayer
Meanwhile, there’s a renewed push to get the BBC iPlayer on to the Xbox 360. The free streaming service has been available on the PS3 and Wii for a while now, but Microsoft and the BBC couldn’t agree a deal to bring it to the Xbox 360 due to “an incompatibility between Microsoft’s desire to limit iPlayer access to users of the paid-for Xbox Live Gold Service and the BBC’s public service remit.”
TechRadar has launched a campaign to get the BBC iPlayer to the Xbox 360 at last. There’s a Facebook group and a couple of ways of promoting the cause on Twitter.
I’d urge all Xbox 360 owners to do their bit to persuade the BBC and Microsoft to work together to end this unfairness.
Conclusions
Games consoles are helping people cut the cord, although the fact that more televisions are now connecting to the Internet may mean their place in the big scheme of things lessens over the next few years. But until then they are important.
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