After years (and years) of waiting it\’s no surprise to work out the Xbox 360 finally sliding into the role of IPTV set-top box, but we couldn\’t have seen Canada\’s Telus being the first in North America to supply the option. It only switched customers over to the Microsoft Mediaroom platform (also used by AT&T\’s U-Verse, where the feature should appear soon) powering its Optik TV package earlier this year, enabling this new multiroom setup. Obviously, which means the Xbox 360 can\’t be the simplest set-top box within the house — it just acts as a shopper to the foremost DVR for live TV watching, or to schedule and watch previously recorded programming. Subscribers owners can check the most important website for access on their current Xbox 360 or grab a free new system by signing up for two years of internet access. Mediaroom 2.0 is anticipated to bring PCs and mobile devices into the fold at some point in addition, but for now inspect the Xbox 360 experience in our video demo after the break, in addition as a statement with all of the details.
TELUS customers first in North America to take advantage of their Xbox 360 as digital television box with Optik TV
TELUS and Microsoft to bring premier entertainment experience with Xbox 360
Vancouver, BC – Available beginning today, TELUS and Microsoft are bringing a North American premiere to Canadian homes, enabling the Xbox 360 to directly access TELUS\’ Optik TV service.
The Xbox 360 is a first-class home entertainment and gaming system that Optik TV customers can now use as a digital set top box to enable PVR Anywhere features, similar to scheduling the recording of up to a few shows simultaneously on one PVR unit. The Microsoft Mediaroom software that powers Optik TV now also supports delivery of Optik TV to the Xbox 360 to produce great functionality for watching television anywhere inside the home, in addition as your complete gaming benefits customers already know.
\” We are blazing a trail as the first provider in North America to provide this innovative capability with Xbox 360 and Optik TV. The combination of the Optik TV service, powered by Microsoft Mediaroom, with the Xbox 360 will deliver increased flexibility and enhance our customers\’ entertainment experience,\” said TELUS President and CEO Darren Entwistle. \” We continue to give the most recent and greatest technologies available for home entertainment systems through this industry-leading capability that Canadians are receiving first.\”
With this announcement, the complete features of TELUS\’ popular Optik TV service now become available directly via the Xbox 360 console. Which means that customers of Optik TV can use an Xbox 360 as a digital set top box to:
• Watch any of Optik TV\’s over 400 digital channels, including over 50 in HD;
• Watch any shows they’ve recorded on their Optik HD PVR digital box;
• Use PVR Anywhere to record up to a few concert events simultaneously from any room
• Pause a recorded program in one room and pick it up from a similar spot in a distinct room
• Get PVR functionality from any TV when watching recorded programs – Pause, replay, rewind, fast-forward.
\” With Microsoft Mediaroom, the Xbox 360 offers an unmatched entertainment experience for the whole family – and person who today gets even better for Optik TV customers,\” said Greg Barber, Senior Director, Home Entertainment and Devices, Microsoft Canada. \” By providing quick access to Optik TV directly via the Xbox 360, TELUS is uniting the ideal in TV with the most efficient valuable in gaming to lift the bar in Canada for in-home entertainment.\”
With the Xbox 360 console, Optik TV now delivers the last word integration of gaming and entertainment on one platform. Moreover having the ability to watch recorded shows and schedule recordings, subscribers could also use the Xbox 360 console to access digital photos and digital music libraries on the TV via their home wireless network and connected Windows PC.
TELUS recently began offering Optik TV, which offers never-before-seen functionality and contours over 400 channels, including over 50 in High Definition (HD). Optik TV features the precise PVR experience with PVR Anywhere, only from TELUS in Western Canada. Now one PVR is all clients must watch and record shows on any TV within the home with a digital box, record up to 3 shows immediately, or pause a program in one room and pick it up from an identical spot in another room. Optik TV also offers Picture-in-Picture browsing, onscreen Call Display, HD Video On Demand and HD Pay Per View, so clients can order movies and live events from the relief of their couch.
TELUS is currently offering a free Xbox 360 for clients who join High Speed Internet on a two year term. For clients who make the most of this offer, they may experience TELUS\’ impressive High Speed Internet with built-in home Wi-Fi, in addition as make the most of a free Xbox to take advantage of as a digital set top box with Optik TV.
Customers with an Xbox 360 can now join Optik TV by visiting TELUS.com/optiktv and turn their gaming platform into a hard and fast top box.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.6 billion of annual revenue and 11.9 million customer connections including 6.6 million wireless subscribers, 3.9 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers and 200,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides quite a lot of communications services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video.
In support of our philosophy to present where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $158 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 3.1 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Nine TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead TELUS\’ local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named essentially the mostsome of the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.
For additional information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.
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