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Xbox One plays audio CDs and streams MP3s… kind of

Looks like the Xbox One trumps the PS4 when it comes to media skills. Now if only the price would come down a bit.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
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Joe Svetlik
2 min read

Microsoft has confirmed some of the Xbox One's multimedia skills.

A spokesperson from the Redmond company told Penny Arcade Report that the console will play audio CDs, which the PS4 won't. The Xbox One is DLNA-compatible, so can stream video, pictures and audio. Though it's not quite as versatile as we'd like.

The console is a Play To receiver. Play To is Microsoft's own method of streaming, that lets you bounce movies, music and more from your PC to your TV or home-entertainment system. But it only works with Microsoft devices. So you'll be able to stream music to your Xbox One, but only from your Windows 7-, 8- or 8.1-enabled PC, Windows Phone handset, or other compatible Microsoft doohicky.

To see if your device is compatible, have a gander at Microsoft's Windows Compatibility page. Though the Xbox One is listed as having no info at present.

I've asked Microsoft for clarification, and will update this story if I hear back.

Sony released an FAQ for the PS4 recently, and the console came up a little short in the media department. Among other things, it won't play audio CDs or stream media (though Sony has since added an asterisk to the blog post, saying it's "exploring possibilities" because of the feedback it's received).

Oh, and if you want to play DVDs and Blu-rays, you'll need to download a 300MB software update, which will be a bit of a hassle.

The Xbox One's media skills are going to cost you, though. The console will set you back £429 when it touches down in the UK on 22 November. That's £80 more than the PS4, which goes on sale exactly a week later, on 29 November. Microsoft is currently touring the Xbox One, and in Canada, it erected a massive model of the console that was filled with zombies. Halloween, eh?

The Xbox One Tour hits Dublin from 14-17 November, and London from 21-24 of the month.

Which console is on your Christmas list? And do the extra media skills justify the Xbox One's higher price? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.