Combine
the OP with
this 2011 post and the method of BC becomes clear
Windows 8 will allow for Xbox 360 games to be played on PC\'s July 2011
Teknylate.com and Insideris.com have reported that with the next versions of Microsoft’s PC operating system, Windows 8, will include the function to allow users to play Xbox 360 games on their PC’s
Getting to the point there are going to be two console as part of the redesigned “Xbox Line” of products. A repackaged and reoriented Xbox 360 unit and the new “Durango” gaming console, both designed to compete with more than Sony in gaming, but against Apple as well.
When the Durango (game machine) launches, it will not support backwards compatibility for 360 games out of the box. Instead, this functionality will come from the other unit that will be networked with the Durango to provide this (not unlike the DVD add-on for the original Xbox).
The purpose of the smaller Xbox unit is to compete with Apple TV, but also provides XBLA and 360 game support which will give it an edge over Apple TV. The rumors of “always online required” comes from the smaller Xbox unit which may not have a disc drive and like Apple TV it would require a network connection and internet to provide any real functionality. It may be possible they will design both consoles to be stackable.
Durango itself will also always be online like any other device (correct with rumors), but it will not be a requirement to play local content and it will not prevent playing used games. Putting in an Xbox 360 disc into Durango will prompt the user to attach the supporting device that is sold separately. By separating the two devices and their functions it will ensure price competitiveness for both pieces of hardware. Microsoft’s delay in announcing these products from April goes more inline with not having a physical set of devices to show (among specification updates), which should be ready by May or June when this information is officially released.
The price goal of the smaller Xbox is $149 or lower and it is likely to not have a disc drive and would require a network connection. Durango will be priced competitively according to PS4′s price.
Windows 8 is primarily on Tablet class platforms so not enough power to emulate a Xbox 360 so
it must be a Xbox360/ARM LAN streamed to Windows 8 PCs Gaikai like. Same planned by Sony and their reason for buying GaiKai. According to rumors, Xbox 720 and PS4 can stream games to handhelds too (Codec encoders and Trustzone built into both).
Microsoft registers Microsoft-Sony.com July 2011 Gaikai like functionality between Microsoft 720 and Xbox 360/ARM as well as Sony Network CE platforms with ARM Trustzone (TVs and Blu-ray players). This is just an expansion of RVU with Trustzone needed to encrypt RVU (DTCP-IP) and Game disk data moving from a Blu-ray player to the diskless Xbox 360/ARM.
In the EU standby power examples is the mention of a game console that can LAN access a Blu-ray drive and remote play the disk. This would be a diskless PS3 or Xbox 360 as Xbox 720 and PS4 will have blu-ray drives. Besides giving us a clue on a 22nm PS3/ARM and 32nm Xbox360/ARM diskless $99 game console it tells us that some model Sony blu-ray player is going to support this. Smart TVs will also use this Blu-ray RVU ability to remote control and play blu-ray media. Again ARM Trustzone and h.264 encoding will be needed in the blu-ray player.
RVU is mandated by the FCC for cable companies July 2014. It and ATSC 2.0 will require home networks and h.264 support. ATSC 2.0 NRT requires DVR ability and XTV (browser). Software stacks in all CE platforms that support ATSC 2.0 and RVU as well as hardware that supports AOAC will be a standard and that eliminates many chicken and eggs limitations.
Windows 8 AMD tablets all support AOAC and Trustzone.
The requirements for Windows 8 hardware should confirm some of the Next generation game console features. Arm Trustzone and PowerVR (Sony signed an agreement with Imagination Tech to put PowerVR series 5 GPU into their CE platforms) in Sony TVs and Blu-ray players is another indication of next generation features.
brotkasten in the NeoGAF thread I referenced above found this:
Xbox 360 references discovered in Windows 8 kernel July 2011
Italian site win8italia has discovered several strings that reference the Xbox 360 system inside the Windows 8 kernel. “XBOX_360_SYSTEM_CRASH” and “XBOX_360_SYSTEM_CRASH_RESERVED” are present in ntoskrnl.exe, part of the Windows NT kernel.
Which is Windows 8 NT with Xbox 360 error messages. So confirmation of a Xbox 360 running Windows 8 NT (System crash wouldn't be a Emulation/engine crash). Windows 8 with RVU media and next generation remote desktop between Windows 8 platforms which includes Game consoles (Xbox 720 and Xbox 360/ARM are both going to have Windows 8).
This is all 20/20 hindsight in reading posts from
July 2011 and newer.