XBox 360 to get HD-DVD Support

[jb22]

Well Gates confirmed it today during his keynote at CES. The 360 will get HD-DVD support via an exteral drive.


Along with Vista, Gates is also made his case for HD DVD--one of two competing formats for next-generation DVDs. Gates said Microsoft would offer an external HD DVD drive that can connect to the recently released Xbox 360 game console. By offering the drive as an Xbox add-on, Microsoft is hoping to win over consumers with a cheaper option than buying an all-new device to play next-generation Blu-ray or HD DVD discs.



Cnet Article (http://news.com.com/Gates+shows+off+Vista+in+CES+keynote/2100-1041_3-6018529.html?tag=nl)

I'm just confused as to how the 360 will be able to display HD-DVD video in hi-def. From my understanding of HD-DVD and Blue-Ray, to actually view conent in hi-def from these sources you need an HDCP connection, which I don't believe the 360 has. If this is ture then even with a HD_DVD drive, you won't be seeing the true hi-def signal, but that would defeat the purpose of buying a HD_DVD drive - so is MS going around HDCP? I can't see the MPAA allowing that to happen for long.

I wouldn't be shocked if MS decides to drop the Core package and bump down the current Premium package as the "base" system and hen sell a 360 with built in HD-DVD support as a "high end" option with HDCP support for hi-def output.

[bpbpbp]

Maybe the wire connection will come from behind the HDDVD drive, and perhaps not the 360 itself. *shrugs*. i dunno

To me, this is Microsoft shaking in its boots.

I'm confused about the wording. HD DVD as in Toshiba's format? Or HD DVD as in next generation format (referring to either Toshiba's or Sony's format)? Looks like they want to play it safe. But waiting for the results of the format war is dangerous. If Blu-ray wins, this would probably mean the ps3 is extremely successful and all owners of the ps3 would already have a blu-ray drive. If otherwise,... errr, i think you get the drift :)

[jb22]

I'm confused about the wording. HD DVD as in Toshiba's format? Or HD DVD as in next generation format (referring to either Toshiba's or Sony's format)? Looks like they want to play it safe.

Yes, MS has backed HD-DVD as in the Toshiba led standard.

[Exmortis]

I'm just confused as to how the 360 will be able to display HD-DVD video in hi-def. From my understanding of HD-DVD and Blue-Ray, to actually view conent in hi-def from these sources you need an HDCP connection, which I don't believe the 360 has.

And you'd be right. HD-DVD/BluRay will not allow anything higher than 480p on component, so you need an HDPC compliant display device to see HD. The speculation is that the drive will have HDMI/HDCP output, but will need a live connection to the Xbox360 to activate it. So instead of having one cable going from your Xbox360 to your TV, you'll have two...

[Dan]

the hd will be coming via HDMI connection...and im pretty sure HD-DVD and BluRay will be available on anything as high as 1080p.

it wouldn't be HD technology if they didn't support all the hd standards.. lets not forget for all this 'new hd techs' you need any HDTV ;)

[Exmortis]

Dan, HDMI isn't enough. It also needs HDCP. As I said, HD-DVD/BluRay will not allow anything higher than 480p on components and so far, the Xbox360 only has component outputs. So the drive has to have an HDMI output and if it does, then it's more than just a drive. It's a stand-alone player.

[Dan]

meh i don't care im on pc.....unless xbox360 is given to me for free i aint buying it

[Athlon_9800]

An add-on? That's stupid. I hope they release a new version of the 360 with an HD drive, that's what I'm waiting for.

[Law]

An add-on? That's stupid. I hope they release a new version of the 360 with an HD drive, that's what I'm waiting for.

yup

[chief]

All the sony fanboys are getting giddy now...

[Law]

All the sony fanboys are getting giddy now...

Of course they are, for once a playstation might turn out to be an awesome system opposed to what sony has put out so far.

[Athlon_9800]

Of course they are, for once a playstation might turn out to be an awesome system opposed to what sony has put out so far.

You just wait, there's still plenty of time for them to screw it up. I mean, we haven't actually seen the thing yet, have we?

Oh, and they're going to have two packages (one with hdd one w/o) like MS even though they bashed MS for doing it...

[jb22]

I think Sony may actually get a lot more sales becasue of the blue-ray feature on the PS3 compared to how many people will adopt the 360 for HD-DVD or rather adopt HD-DVD for the 360. To me it seems Sony might have a great home entertainment device - more so then a stand along game machine. Also, from what I've been reading, I think blue-ray may be a better as it can sell people on new features. I think I read somewhere that it can support Java, so future bonus material can be more interactive. HD-DVD seems more and more like the "poor man's" hi-def solution. I just say this as it seems Toshiba's main selling point with HD-DVD is that it cost less to make then BR as it uses current manufacturing methods. Seems like Sony might be doing a better job on selling the potential of BR, although Sony seems to be good at that in general.

Any way, here's a pic of a PS3 running a blue-ray demo. Two things seem interesting here if you look at the sign above:

- First of the video decoding o nthe PS3 will be done through software
- also, 1080p video at 60fps

http://internet.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/static/image/2006/01/05/cessn04.jpg

One thing I will say is that any real geek who knows abou hi-def video knows that with the lack of HDCP and proper hi-def outputs, right now the 360 doesn't look so good, along with the fact that the ability to watch hi-def (if you even can with lack of HDCP) is an external and extra option. Now I say this from the point of view of someone who's lookingfo the best solution for their HD setup. It seems that the PS3 will be a better machine to take advantageand show off your new HDTV.

I seriously think that MS will release an updated 360 with built HD-DVD, HDCP output, quiter fans and better intergration with Viiv based products and Vista Media Center Edition- I see all this happening right about the time that Vista rolls out later this year (if not early 2007 - although it would make sense to do this before next year's holiday rush).

And to anyone who thinks MS won't do tis becasue the don't want to alienate current 360 owners, I think ou are wrong. MS will do this becasue they view currnt 360 owners as "hardcore" gamers. Therefor MS assumes you have extra casht to upgrade and spend more cash on the "best". I also think this might make sense as to why there isn't that much supply for the 360. Create hype via a shortage, then give ll those people who missed out on the first batch or had to take a while to save up an added bonus by giving them extra features.

[Athlon_9800]

I just think the extra costs and entirely new media will turn companies off. Not to mention how common DVD is right now; what do you think sounds more to get an average consumer's attention? My bet is on HD-DVD even if BR is better.

[jb22]

I just think the extra costs and entirely new media will turn companies off. Not to mention how common DVD is right now; what do you think sounds more to get an average consumer's attention? My bet is on HD-DVD even if BR is better.

I don't know, blue-ray is being backed by Pioneer, Samsung, Panasonic, HP (also supporting HD-DVD), Dell just to name a few so obviously they see a market for it. Although I do hinkthat the fact that their are two competing formats for hi-def content delivery will hurt both sides, along with the fact that a lot of HDTVs already sold don't support HDCP.

I'm still curious as to what real extras blue-ray can offer (other then more storage space and what seems to be possibly slightly better quality), especially to justify the higher cost.

[chief]

Beta, Minidisk, blu-ray.

[bpbpbp]

Beta, Minidisk, blu-ray.

no comments on betamax.

minidisc... welll .... it's not successful but its flaw is that it does not as much data as a CD, the CD can hold 5x more data and can be burnt as a music CD, etc. Quality between CD and MD are same, but MD uses compression. The emergence of mp3 players quicky laid it to rest.

Wait a second, HD-DVD sounds quite like minidisc now ...

[Exmortis]

Beta, Minidisk, blu-ray.

That's a flawed comparison. For Beta and Minidisk, Sony refused to license the technology for the longest time so you only had Sony Betamax and Sony Minidisk. For BluRay, Sony has pretty much all the major studios on their side plus the majority of major manufacturers. They are licensing the technology now. Quite a huge difference.

[Jimbo282]

Well as far as people's theories on an internal HDD planned it aint happening.
Link: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6141930.html



Peter Moore clarified to GameSpot that the new external Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive will be used for video only, not games.
"Right now it's focused purely on movie playback. Think of the drive as something that lets you play high-definition movies on the Xbox 360." The external drive will function as an alternative to purchasing a separate HD-DVD playback device: "If you want to watch HD-DVD movies and if you own an Xbox 360, there will be no reason for you to go out and buy another player."

Microsoft hasn't announced a price point for the HD-DVD drive or possible system bundles, but Moore made it clear that Microsoft will not create a new Xbox 360 with a built-in HD-DVD drive. "If you actually built a HD-DVD new Xbox 360, that fragments [the installation base] even further. So the idea of having an external peripheral is far better to keep the user base consistent rather than build yet another Xbox 360 that has HD-DVD built in--that means millions of people won't have that."

[Athlon_9800]

Well as far as people's theories on an internal HDD planned it aint happening.
Link: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6141930.html

You mean an HD-DVD player :ygu:

[Jimbo282]

haha yea thats what I meant :p

[Athlon_9800]

I hope they come up with a good way for the thing to be incorporated with the 360. I mean, it would look stupid just near it with a wire running to it. They need to be inventive with its placement.