Recently Microsoft announced an IPTV service for the Xbox 360. Soon you will be able to watch television through your favorite console enjoying all your favorite tv shows. How does this service work you ask? Well it seems that they have worked out deals with the major DSL Internet Service Providers to distribute this service, meaning gamers will only be able to purchase this service if your ISP supports it.

You will also be able to record tv shows on the 360 just as a digital video recorder would (in high-def!). This looks like an awesome feature as long as Microsoft releases a hard drive bigger than 20 gigabytes. It has been rumored that a second version of the Xbox 360 may include a larger hard drive (120 gigabytes) and some new features, perhaps to support some of the new opportunities presented by the IPTV service.

Video recording can be done in the background while you are watching a TV show or playing a game. Last but not least, Video On Demand will also be integrated into the service so you can download the latest movies and tv shows to watch at your own leisure.

Watch video demonstration of IPTV in action

This news has a huge impact on the face on console gaming and the use of consoles in the home as will be explained in an upcoming article.  However, this appears to be one of many major strategic moves made by Microsoft for the year 2007.

Much more on this topic will be presented later this week in Optimus' latest article where he gives gamers a look at some never-before-seen information exclusively given to GotFrag and makes his bold predictions for 2007.

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