The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 are in many ways very similar; however there are also quite a few differences which set them apart from each other. In this series we are going to be looking at these differences, comparing the console’s features and showing how they can actually learn from each other.
This week we are going to start with the benefits of each console’s movie service, as well as having a brief look at their related functions such as video playback ability and also other extras such as the TV services.
One of the main things to consider when looking at both Xbox Live and PSN is that you do have to play £40 a year (RRP) to subscribe to Xbox Live while PSN is (currently) free, so throughout this article please keep that fact in mind.
PSN Video Store vs. Zune Marketplace
When doing our research on both video services the differences became obvious almost immediately. Starting with the Xbox Live’s Zune Marketplace, we can tell you that the service offers the ability to rent both Standard Definition and High Definition movies, at a starting price of around £3.50. Perhaps one of the most impressive features of the Zune Marketplace though is the ability to stream movies instantly for the same cost as renting them, which providing you have a decent broadband speed, is a huge advantage over the PSN Video service.
The PSN Video service does have some subtle differences over Zune, for one and as mentioned earlier, you do not need to pay a subscription fee to access the service, something that is mandatory on Xbox LIVE. Another difference is that you can actually buy movies on PSN and keep them on your hard drive, although the cost of these does fluctuate quite substantially, usually being cheaper to buy in store, which to be fair is usually the case with any digital content at the moment.
The Zune Marketplace does have a decent choice of movies and when compared to the PSN it seems that most of the new releases on this service compare favourably. Both the PSN and Zune video services receive support from 12 movie studios, so when it comes to choice there is not really a difference between the two.
Finally and importantly both services support Dolby 5.1 surround sound and 1080p video playback where appropriate.
TV Playback
This is an interesting area for both consoles and one where they differ quite substantially. We will start with the Xbox 360 and its Sky Player function. This of course allows you to watch Sky via your Xbox, giving you the ability to watch your favourite channels in another room. The main problem with the Sky Player is that you need to be a subscriber with Multiroom (£10 a month + LIVE Subscription) to enjoy the benefits, and chances are that if you are a multiroom subscriber then you will already have a Sky Box in that room.
Another problem with Sky Player is that if you are not a subscriber it will cost you £15 a month + an extra cost for any other channels you require. This is obviously great for people who are not allowed a Sky dish as one is not required to access this service, so if you have always wanted Sky then you are in luck.
The final feature of the Xbox 360 is the ability to use Windows Media Center on the 360 via a PC supporting the same service, this allows you to pause and record live tv and it also works using a Freesat card, meaning that you can even gain access to the free channels, giving practically the same service as Play Tv on the PlayStation 3. This is a great feature to have, although not everyone has their PC hooked up for TV services.
The PS3 TV functions are split into two in Europe,: first up is Play TV which can be picked up for around £50 and basically acts as a Freeview box, allowing you to watch all of the Freeview channels through your aerial and even pause/record live TV, although it’s only SD. You also have the ability to transfer programs to your PSP or use remote play to control Play TV with your PSP, which is a great function.
Another excellent feature of the PS3 is the very popular BBC iPlayer, which allows you to catch up with your favourite BBC programs on the custom designed browser, which is very easy to use and navigate. This is obviously a big feature that PSN has that Xbox LIVE doesn’t and with Microsoft insisting that only Gold Members gain access to features like this, it is never likely to happen either.
Blu-Ray / DVD
We all know the advantages of the PS3‘s Blu-Ray drive over the Xbox 360’s DVD, so that is probably an argument not worth getting into, however the machines do have other playback functions thanks to their ability to stream media from your PC and, in the case of the PS3, use the internal hard drive to store and play back a myriad of movie formats, including some DivX files.
Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 can use your PC as a media server, this allows for the machines to stream any movies and TV shows through the air using the wireless function. Again it must be mentioned that while the PS3 does have a built in wireless function, the Xbox 360 requires you to pay for the wireless dongle, although no Xbox Live subscription is required to use this service and you can in theory use the included ethernet cable.
Conclusion
The whole purpose of this article and those to follow, is not to start a fanboy – my console is better than your console war – but rather to inform users who may not own either console and would like to know the differences or even inform those who may already own one machine to the advantages of the other. In terms of movie services, then, both consoles are pretty even, but we’d be tempted to give the edge to the PS3.
Next week we will talk about the differences between the music streaming functions of both consoles as we look into Vidzone vs. Last.Fm.