Microsoft has announced a partnership with Paramount Pictures, MTV Networks, CBS, Turner Broadcasting, UFC and Warner Bros Home Entertainment to bring TV shows and movies to Xbox Live.
On November 22nd, Xbox Live Video will begin to offer standard and high-definition TV shows and movies for an undisclosed price over the Xbox 360. Users will be able to download and own TV episodes from shows like Robot Chicken, CSI, Star Trek, Avatar: The Last Airbender and a good deal more. Movies will be handled differently, with rental periods allowing for unlimited replay up to 24 hours after the movie is started the first time. After that period is up, further play would cost the same as the initial download, and the movie would be deleted from the machine after 14 days.
With a 44 minute HD TV show weighing in at 2.28GB and an average HD movie being around 4 to 5GB, the 20GB hard-drive included with the Xbox 360 is going to fill up quickly for users who take a shine to the service. Microsoft has not announced a higher capacity drive for the Xbox 360 at press time, so users with systems full of game demos and map packs may be out of luck.
Engadget has screens of the Xbox Live Video interface in action. A full list of shows and movies currently announced can be found at the official site.
