This isn't some pie in the sky future tech, the hardware and functionality is already working and for sell right now. That something is the Slingbox 350 (or 500), it's nothing but a little HDMI passthrough box you place between any cable/sat box. It steams any live TV or recording to a webplayer (for your PC/Mac) or an Android/iOS/WinPhone app. Viewing isn't limited to your home network, it works to your 3G/4G mobile, or any other land line broadband connection. Dish Network also has the functionality built into their new Hopper DVR (Cnet's real Best of CES winner). Implementation into a console would just be about bringing the technology mainstream at an effectively lower price point (as it does more than just stream TV content).
Ah okay. My main worry is more bandwidth and what this does to the central computer.
For example, a cable box is for watching stuff. On mine I can watch one programme and record two more (can also record what am watching). I can't do more cause its not capable of that.
If I use this, how does it affect my Xbox at home, would be my main question. Can someone else in the house play it?
I would say this is a backwards step when considering the availability of shows out there that are provided by another business online and not by my own server. Its necessity seems rather questionable.
DVR stuff just seems well represented elsewhere. Its nice 'additional' stuff but if I have a netflix account I can get that on mobile AND on my Xbox. I'm not sure streaming from home makes all that much sense.
Personal feeling is Durango will come with a lot of wee features. I also think you'll be able to plug your cable programmes into a social thing through Xbox. Lots of wee sites do this, but nothing appears with the show. This could work with Surface and just on screen quite well.
Thats my guess for the HDMI In anyway - doing what cable can't, least I hope so. Stuff like that is actually useful.