TV, movie downloads launch on Xbox 360; PS3 in works

Microsoft Corp. launched a digital video download service Wednesday that lets Xbox 360 owners buy television shows and rent movies,while Sony works on a similar PlayStation 3 offering.

Launched on the console's first anniversary, Microsoft's service available only in the United States for now lets people with a broadband internet connection purchase standard and high-definition content through the Marketplace store on its dedicated Xbox Live network.

The move makes Microsoft the first console maker to offer such a service.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., which launched its own network with its PlayStation 3 console on Nov. 17, currently offers short video clips of movies and video games for download, but plans to increase its offerings.

"The content will grow on PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Store," Matt Levitan, marketing and public relations manager for Sony Computer Entertainment of Canada told CBC News Online. "The plan will be to have full length content and make it a one-stop shop."

Levitan said he expects to see offerings increase weekly, with more substantial content debuting before the end of the year.

Nintendo Co. Ltd.has no plans to offer video downloads for its Wii console, launched Nov. 19, a spokesman told CBC News Online.

Television series being offered for download through Xbox Live Marketplaceinclude crime drama CSI, remastered episodes of the original Star Trek and reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter, which documents athletes' training regimes for bouts of the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts matches. The fights are also available for download.

Feature length films to be available by the end of the year include Superman Returns, M:I:III the latest instalment in the Mission: Impossible franchise and The Matrix.

Service tested in May

Microsoft's first public test of its network's ability to let people download video to the Xbox 360 occurred the week of May 7, when it offered through the Xbox Live Marketplace online store free, three-minute high-definition video clips of a documentary film about the making of the science fiction action game Gears of War.

On Oct. 31, the company sent a software update through Xbox Live to Xbox 360 consoles that added a range of video playback functions to the game machine.

The new capabilities include the ability to stream video in Microsoft's proprietary WMV file format from a computer running Windows Media Center software, the ability to play video files from CDs andDVDs, and increasing the console's video output to full high-definition resolution, known as 1080p.

Microsoft earlier this month announced agreements with television networks CBS, MTV, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.; movie companies Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment; and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which produces mixed martial arts competitions.

The downloads are available to Xbox Live members irrespective of whether they have a free or paid account.