iPS360TV and “The Battle for the Living Room” Part 2

So, how are we today? Still clutching your pitchforks, waiting for the next wave of attacks on your living room, eh? The Battle for the Living Room chronicles is still under full swing. Three set top boxes – Sony‘s PS3, Microsoft‘s 360, and Apple’s Apple TV (iTV) – are vying for that oh-so comfortable spot in your living room. Digital download services have been around for quite some time now, but with these three new factions on the battle field, how can one survive through the media format wars?

Indeed there are a lot of interesting elements, features, and other factors involved when comparing these three set top boxes (again, we are stressing that we are viewing these as set top boxes with the “gaming console” aspect stripped out). Some might even say that, what with all the tech specs thrown into the equation, choosing your Living Room King can be a task left for the gods.

We here at QJ aren’t gods (aaaw, sadness) but we can still enlighten you! When you’re in a war, you’d definitely want to be on the winning side. And as of now, there isn’t any clear-cut winner just yet. We can just assess the tipping scales as the battle changes every so often. Time to rip open the reports in the case file!

Cry: “Havoc!” And let click the “Full Article” link of war!

So, how are we today? Still clutching your pitchforks, waiting for the next wave of attacks on your living room, eh? The Battle for the Living Room chronicles is still under full swing. Three set top boxes – Sony‘s PS3, Microsoft‘s 360, and Apple’s Apple TV (iTV) – are vying for that oh-so comfortable spot in your living room. Digital download services have been around for quite some time now, but with these three new factions on the battle field, how can one survive through the media format wars?

Indeed there are a lot of interesting elements, features, and other factors involved when comparing these three set top boxes (again, we are stressing that we are viewing these as set top boxes with the “gaming console” aspect stripped out). Some might even say that, what with all the tech specs thrown into the equation, choosing your Living Room King can be a task left for the gods.

We here at QJ aren’t gods (aaaw, sadness) but we can still enlighten you! When you’re in a war, you’d definitely want to be on the winning side. And as of now, there isn’t any clear-cut winner just yet. We can just assess the tipping scales as the battle changes every so often. Time to rip open the reports in the case file!

Hardware Proliferation:

Firstly, you’d have to check out the availability of the device. Even before you think about putting that set top box in your living room, you have to make sure that you can actually manage to find one. The 360 is very much “out there” already – now notching sales figures of 10-million units sold. And although Sony’s hasn’t shipped that much yet, consider their track record with the PS2. In its lifetime, the 2nd-gen Sony console sold over 100-million units. And of course, there’s the PSP. Especially with the video downloading service promised for the handheld, number of units sold could sky rocket. They could catch up with the big MS pretty soon.

Where does this put Apple? The fact that it costs around half the price of the other two chaps means that purchasing one would reel in a lot of buyers. You’ve also got the popularity of the iPod line and its iTunes. Given that almost everybody and their mayor’s pet goldfish has an iPod, accessing media from iPod to iTunes from your Apple TV would be a snap.

With the sheer size of the army alone, Microsoft currently has an upper hand. Sony’s got some reinforcements coming, though, and that could eventually turn the tide of the battle. As for Apple, their iPod army can potentially smite everyone’s forces silly with their click-wheels.

Hardware Itself:

Aside from the hardware availability let’s talk about the device itself. As a stand-alone hub without all the frills and sequins of next-gen Blu-ray discs and HD DVDs, then you might as well take a bite from (the) Apple. It won’t put you to sleep, but that US$ 300 price tag will definitely let you sleep easier with the peace of having been able to cut down on your expenses. Do note though that, given the price, you’d have to compromise for its limited flexibility and power.

Take a look at the PS3 and 360. The former has a replaceable HDD, and the rumored “Zephyr” for the latter has a 120GB. Apple TV’s 40GB storage looks puny compared to the other two, but as we said, if you want to keep things clean and simple – as all things Apple are tend to be – then this could be your lucky ticket to boob-tube freedom.

There’s also been quite a hubbub about IPTV. Microsoft has already confirmed this for their 360, and once again, they’re ahead of the game. But who’s to say that Sony and Apple aren’t going down the same path?

Studio Backing:

One of the other biggest factors to change the tide is how much support a set top box actually has from some studios. Currently, Sony’s got the edge here. They’ve got full support from studios, and the best thing is that the call will be “coming from inside the house.” Well, technically. But under the same Sony umbrella, you’ve got MGM, Sony Pictures, and Sony Pictures Classics, with smashing exclusives like “Casino Royale” and “Spider-Man”.

But then, Universal Studios and a couple of other Hollywood biggies are giving Microsoft some loving with HD DVD support. Steve Jobs has his own Apple-Pixar rainbow connection of exclusive movie titles as well. This is how Broken_Hero from our comments puts it: “It will be Interesting… Sony already Has a Large Standing in the Movie Industry, Microsoft has Good Connection.”

And the battle wages on:

All factors in, this could be another Hundred Year War, never-ending and always shifting… All we can do now is wait. Apple, Sony, Microsoft. Who will invade your living room? In the end, you will be the one to decide. In the meantime, keep your pitchforks on the ready. You never know when Sony will pull a Microsoft, or Microsoft pull an Apple, or Apple pull a… well, you get the point.

And with this, the next page turns in the Battle for the Living Room chronicles.