Microsoft brings TV contest to Xbox

NEW YORK (AP) — Owners of the Xbox 360 will soon be able to watch a broad breadth of TV shows and other content through their gaming consoles — though most of that won't be free.

Microsoft Corp. said today that it's partnering with Comcast Corp., HBO, Bravo, Verizon's FiOS service and others to bring on-demand and live television content to the Xbox.

This doesn't exactly replace the set-top boxes currently used to access TV programming. But M2 Research analyst Billy Pidgeon says it's likely a good option for families who want to able to access TV content in different rooms of the house. With the Xbox, they won't need a second set-top box.

What they will still need is a subscription to Comcast or other pay-TV services. The Xbox may make it easier to access those HBO shows, but you'll still have to pay for them. In some cases, you'll also need a subscription to the Xbox Live Gold online service, which costs $60 a year.