Sony: PlayStation 3 Beats Xbox 360 On Video Delivery

Sony is outlining several video-playing advantages it feels the PlayStation 3 holds over rival console Xbox 360, such as Blu-ray support and the lack of "double fees." The company's pitch follows only a day after Microsoft announced that 1 million Xbox Live Gold members have downloaded and activated Netflix's Xbox Live application since launching last November, watching 1.5 billion minutes of films and television episodes with the service so far. But Sony argues that it offers a better "comprehensive digital entertainment experience," as PS3 owners have free access to the PlayStation Network and are not required to pay "double fees" to download videos. Xbox 360 users must pay for both an Xbox Live Gold subscription and a Netflix Unlimited subscription to stream Netflix movies with the Microsoft console. However, Microsoft does offer an alternative Video Store through its Xbox Live Marketplace that all Xbox Live members in the U.S., UK, Canada, Ireland, France, and Germany can use for free to download TV shows and rent movies. The PS3 company also points out its free PlayStation Portable connectivity, which allows users to transfer standard-definition content from their PS3 to a PSP, and watch videos on the go. Sony also claims that a recent experiment conducted by gaming weblog MTV Multiplayer proved that the PlayStation Network offers faster download speeds. The company adds that its PlayStation Network provides HD content reliably without "waiting for streaming connections that might not ever be made." The system's built-in player for Blu-ray discs, the victor against HD DVD discs in the high definition optical disc formats war, is also a key point in Sony's release, as are the PS3 browser's Flash 9 support for streaming online video, and new film releases available on the PlayStation Network.