Microsoft's recently won patent for a game console with built-in DVR technology could mean a new future for gamers who like to record (and post) videos of their greatest accomplishments.
For all of us here at spinmovr this development could mean no more tangled webs of wires, capture boxes and computers mixed in with our Xbox 360 and television wires like some kind electronic mantrap surrounding our gaming spaces. Capturing game footage and amazing plays in NCAA Football or FIFA using a built-in video recorder on an Xbox 360 DVR would only be cool if there's a way to get said footage off of said Xbox.
An interesting tidbit in the patent file says the DVR technology would allow recording even while the console is off. That suggests a DVR-functionality much more like what we see from Motorola boxes provided by most cable/satellite providers.It'll be interesting to see how an Xbox 360 DVR would handle switching back and forth between the gaming and "live video" signals. In fact, the very nature of the live video signal itself could be dark rabbit hole. Which video services would allow recording? ESPN? Hulu? FiOS?
Beyond these fascinating questions we have the evolution of price point for such a capable console. Right off the bat you're talking about a box that needs a ton of storage space and the 250GB Xbox 360 released in 2010 still isn't as ubiquitous as you might think. Wrap your head around the thought of a $500 Supreme Xbox 720 bundle that includes Kinect functionality, DVR functionality, all sorts of wireless connectivity and probably some stuff we haven't though of yet.
It's not hard to imagine Microsoft denying any export or uploading of captured video in ways users would actually want. A new Xbox-Tube uploading service or other partnership that leverages a Microsoft product (Silverlight) or partner product is highly likely.mainly because game console-makers rarely do exactly what the masses of their users want them to do. The target here is DVR functionality that allows gamers to instantly upload record files directly to a video hub of their choosing where it can be quickly tagged and shared while the bragging rights are still fresh.
We'll keep an eye out for any Xbox consoles with built-in DVR functionality, because that would change everything.
Tom's Guide offered an early look at the schematics for the new tech that was first submitted to the US Patent and Trade Office back in 2007.
No comments:
Post a Comment