(23 November 2006 3:17 pm)

MUMBAI: On its one-year anniversary Xbox 360, is digitally delivering an initial lineup of TV shows and movies to gamers in the U.S. via Xbox Live, the online games and entertainment network from Microsoft.

Xbox Live Marketplace will now provide gamers with easy access to hundreds of full-length TV shows for download to own and movies for download to rent from CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment with more content rolled out through Xbox Live Marketplace every week, asserts an official release.

Expected to be available in 37 countries, Xbox 360 continues to retain record game and accessory attachment rates, according to NPD.

Examples of the download-to-own TV shows and download-to-rent movies available on the network include the following:

- CSI, CSI: Miami,CSI: New York, NCIS and Star Trek from CBS

- Chappelle’s Show, Drawn Together and South Park from Comedy Central

- Pimp My Ride and Punk’d from MTV

- Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants from Nickelodeon

- Skyland and Invader Zim from Nicktoons Network

- Chinatown, Star Trek VII: Generations, Patriot Games, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, The Sum of All Fears, The Untouchables and We Were Soldiers from Paramount Pictures

- Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Frisky Dingo, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, Sealab 2021 and The Venture Bros. from Turner Broadcasting

- Some of the fights from Ultimate Fighting Championship

- Breaking Bonaduce and Hogan Knows Best from VH1

- Perfect Storm, Poseidon, The Shining, Three Kings and V for Vendetta, as well as The Nine and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip along with the CW show Veronica Mars from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Using the family settings feature, parents and individuals can choose the video content that can be played on their family’s Xbox 360. With the availability of this new entertainment content, gamers now can set controls based on movie, TV and video ratings, or they can entirely block explicit and unrated video content for themselves or their children, adds the release.

Pricing is competitive and will vary based on format, media type and whether the content is a new release movie or a classic feature film. High-definition TV shows will be 240 Microsoft points per episode, and standard-definition TV shows will be 160 Microsoft points per episode.

New release movies in high definition will be 480 Microsoft points, and standard-definition new release movies will be 320 Microsoft points each. Classic feature films in high definition will be 360 Microsoft points, and standard definition will be 240 Microsoft points. After purchasing a high-definition TV show or movie, gamers can download the standard-definition version at no additional charge.

Microsoft points can be purchased at retail or via Xbox Live. Gamers can get a 1600 Microsoft points card at retail for $19.99 or 1000 Microsoft points through Xbox Live for $12.50.