Walmart Video Store
I spent some time today on the walmart video store. Walmart has an impressive collection from the Six major studios – considerably more than iTunes. They also have TV, but that collection is less impressive. Overall, it’s a strong entry with some cute, innovative ideas. I particularly liked:
- Movie Match, a series of 6 sliders that filter the entire collection
- Movie Connection – a nice little java applet that lets you browse connections in a semantic net.
In the end, I imagine this can't really get big adoption without a mainstream-ready living room story (although you can use it with a Media Center and Xbox 360, which is a nice solution).
Movies are WMV, in the following formats:
- PC: 640 X 480 maximum resolution, 30 fps, 1,500-1,700 kbps average bit rate.
- Portable: 320 X 240 maximum resolution, 30 fps, 500-810 kbps average bit rate.
14 Comments:
Now if it would only work with the zune...*sigh*
In others words:
"We don't sell movies or tv shows so we cannot compare them to Zune Marketplace. Excuse us for having to use iTunes instead."
Off-topic, how do I get Zune playlists to show up in Vista Media Center? I have Vista premium and the media center program can see zune songs but not playlists... David, anyone?
I've been to all the zune blogs and no one seems to know/care...this is my last shot at getting this to work.
The competition is heating up!
Tivo just announced that Amazon UnBox will be available to tivo users. They have really strengthened their position with Rhapsody, Amazon and Comcast partners. What I like about the Amazon/Tivo deal is the Unbox RemoteLoad where you can schedule download from work (Zune/XBox/MC team listening???).
I agree that for NetFlix (rental subscriptions) and WalMart (purchases) to be successful they need a mainstream method for displaying content on your TV.
All this competition means is going to drive/pressure Microsoft MarketPlace to offer the most comprehensive music, movie content available in both rental/purchase forms. If Microsoft is serious, it will happen..maybe sooner than we think.
But my biggest concern is the confusing relationship Microsoft Marketplace has with Zune, Media Center and XBox. Right now, you have to be in XBox to rent movies, in Zune to purchase music and Media Center has no interface to the MarketPlace store within that environment.
I agree with the comment that Zune Marketplace, xBox and Media Center are not as integrated as they should be. Looking at it individually I think xBox has the most comprehensive solution, though not prefect. The ideal situation will be to buy/rent songs from xBob and Zune Marketplace and maybe let Media Center have an interface to Zune Marketplace as well.
I think that’s the plan which MS is working towards. My complain is why was this not implemented earlier?
I think things started to move in the right direction after the Window Media Center and Mobile was brought under the same division in MS. I just hope this was done earlier.
Rohit
"and maybe let Media Center have an interface to Zune Marketplace"
Why maybe? Vista Premium (includes MC) is pretty much the standard install on new PCs. There are more Media Center PCs than their are XBoxes. I would think its a priority. Is Microsoft still debating which platform controls the living room? To me XBox is a standalone (entry level solution whereas the Media Center is the premium solution. There should be more media capabilities in Media Center than in the standalone solution. Otherwise, why upgrade to Vista Premium or Ultimate.
David, I love to hear your thoughts where the various MS platforms stand. Or is that revealing to much of your strategy?
By the way, HP Video Merchant Services powers WalMart Video Store. My guess is that HP would like to have their MediaSmart LCD TVs and upcoming Windows Home Server be able to access these HP powered stores. My only complaint, is they will likely bypass MCX to get it done so they can lock us into an HP only ecosystem.
johncz: I agree that MCE should have an interface to the Marketplace but I don't think the debate between MCE and the XBox 360 is so cut and dry.
While MCE is great (I use it everyday) it's still not a consumer level living room solution. The idea of a PC in the room is still awkward and really the only time it becomes easy for the average consumer is with the addition of an XBox 360 acting as an extender.
What bothers me is the concept of the 360 Marketplace and the Zune Marketplace, they should be the exact same thing, with the ability to download content to any supported devices.
The "Marketplace" and it's abilities should be OS and device agnostic, whether you're using it from an XP client, Vista Home Premium, a 360 or a kiosk in Starbucks.
There should *NOT* be any more or less media capabilities in MCE in different levels of Vista, there are already too many features carved out.
Is anyone besides me bothered by Wal-Mart as a concept? I personally don't shop there on principle, regardless of price.
shawn "There should *NOT* be any more or less media capabilities in MCE in different levels of Vista, there are already too many features carved out."
I wasn't suggesting different levels of MCE. What I am arguing is that a standalone XBox should offer a less premium experience than the MCE/XBox platform.
"not a consumer level living room solution"
Well then why is Microsoft so heavily invested in it with Vista? There are technical means in keeping the MCE PC out of the living room and still provide a MCE experience. I'm hoping the whole Zune initiative is more than just a Portable Device, Music and a Store, but the glue that enables and makes a MCE experience a reality for the masses.
Media Center is becoming the ugly step-child in microsoft's media solution, which is a shame. It has the most promise out of all these solutions. Its easily one of the best media solutions out there, it has a slick gui, and it will come standard on most vista machines. Sadly, it has no integration with zune and no video solution like the xbox live marketplace. Microsoft's digital media ecosystem is all over the place right now. All they could talk about at ces was integration. Well, where in the world is it?
I think eventually xBox Live Marketplace and Zune Marketplace will merge. However I have heard Bill Gates mention that there will be certain content will be only available as download on xBox. That’s because the Studios like the rental scheme of xBox and it’s harder to pirate movies from xBox. It will be interesting to see how the content will be differentiated on the marketplace when both of these (Zune and xBox marketplace) merges.
As for PC in living room, I really think it will be hard to convince consumer to go for that (in great number). However I see new form factors in some new Vista Desktop which might help.
But what about IPTV? If that catches on then I really don’t know if xBox or any other extender will matter.
sportsunit, in the Zune playlsit editor... you can Save As in .m3u playlist format. WMP 11 and MCE will read the .m3u based playlists without issue. This is a "static" (not auto) playlist only.
You can probabably copy the .zpl files to .wpl and they might just work, too.
Hey Dave,
Sorry to post off-topic, but I couldn't find an email address for you...
I just released some remixed songs featuring Gina's awesome violin playing, and I'd love to send you the CD. Let me know what address to use!
You can hear Gina playing the song "The Princess..." at the MySpace page for Salt Lady Records.
Congrats on the three kids! Wow. We just had #2.
Musically yours,
Jonathan Rundman
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