Zune Marketplace videos coming to the Xbox

This bit is a little more in the gaming side, however it is still Zune related so here goes...

It looks like the videos from the Zune Marketplace are going to be available to watch on the Xbox. The service is expected to be available sometime in the Fall, however an exact release date was not announced.

According to Microsoft, the playback will be using something called "Smooth Streaming" which means they playback should be free from any buffering messages. Of course, on the flip side, this also means that you are going to see a lower video quality in the beginning of your selection. As far as the top quality level, ultimately it will be 1080p with 5.1 surround sound.

The strange (and annoying for some) part with this announcement is that it will be launched in 18 countries including US, Canada, UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. Getting to the strange/annoying portion, it is being launched in 18 countries, which means that many of those users will be able to enjoy Zune Marketplace videos on their Xbox but not on their Zune player. Of course, many still cannot even get music from the Zune Marketplace either.

Anyway, maybe this launch will help to pave the way for a proper Zune Marketplace in many countries, aside from the US.

[ZuneThoughts]