Xbox 360 Getting HD-DVD

[TechZ]

Microsoft founder Bill Gates announced, among other things, that the company will sell an external HD-DVD drive for its Xbox 360 console sometime in 2006. No specifics such as price or release date were given.

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Just a month after the global launch of the new Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, Gates discussed the product's strong momentum in delivering high-definition hardware, games and digital entertainment experiences. Xbox 360 is on track to be the fastest-selling video game console ever, forecast to ship between 4.5 million and 5.5 million units worldwide by the end of June 2006.

Gates noted that Xbox 360 has also become a powerful application for high-definition television, adding that nine out of 10 Xbox 360 owners currently own or intend to purchase a high-definition television set. He announced that more than 50 new high-definition Xbox 360 games will be available by June 2006.

Building on Xbox 360 leadership in high-definition experiences, the company announced plans to deliver a new Xbox 360 external HD DVD drive in 2006. The new drive will offer millions of Xbox 360 owners the ability to easily enjoy HD DVD movies and will provide consumers with even more choices for experiencing high-definition content, in either physical or digital form.

Using Xbox 360 and the Xbox Live service today, consumers are already able to access high-definition entertainment such as Xbox Live Arcade titles, game demos and high-definition movie trailers. Consumers can also use their Xbox 360 system to access high-definition television and movies from their Windows XP-based Media Center PC.

[SL65]

Thanks to Microsoft releasing their new-gen gaming console before Sony, Sony will definatly have the same product for their console but better.
Do I buy a XB360 or PS3? Its a no-brainer I think!
*hides to avoid a flamewar*

Gates noted that Xbox 360 has also become a powerful application for high-definition television, adding that nine out of 10 Xbox 360 owners currently own or intend to purchase a high-definition television set.

Whats that got to do with the Xbox 360 anyways?

[Lilleput]

^^

Bought a X360 under two weeks ago! dont make me cry please!

[fluke667]

Originally Posted by SL65AMG~V12~604BHP!!!!!!!

Whats that got to do with the Xbox 360 anyways?

normal tv resolution = crap
you need a highdef. tv to watch the games in native resolution

[Buba]

Right.

But that implies something else. The Xbox will get a HDMI out, otherwise its impossible to play most HD-DVDs, since they require the copy protection...

One thing is a no brainer: If you don't feel like you can easily fork out the 400 Euros to buy one, then wait until the HD-DVD drive is included in a bundle or the console itself.

Anyway, if you own a HDready Flatscreen of any kind you will have to buy the PS3 or Xbox with HD-DVD support, since HDDVD players will cost a projected 1000 Euros/Dollar or more, and the consoles only half...

Buba

[TechZ]

Peter Moore, Microsoft corporate vice president, has made a statement that the external HD-DVD add on for Xbox360 will be used to play movies only, there are no game planned. Also, there are no plans to make a new model of Xbox360 with the HD-DVD drive included as the main disk reader. According to Moore, the drive is planned for release "this year," but the console connection format has yet to be determined.

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"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 has considered the benefits of HD-DVD for games, but Moore is confident that the current Xbox 360 system and Xbox Live service are fine for next-gen gaming. "HD-DVD from the gameplay point of view is primarily about media storage as is of course Blu-ray," he said. "Our developers are very comfortable with the [Xbox 360's] storage options--I think they're utilizing Xbox Live very creatively, and the hard drive, we have a very strong attach rate for the hard drive."

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."

[Buba]

Still, they need to sell HDMI or DVI with HDCP cabels then... Otherwise almost no HD DVD will play...

[hokiethang]

Originally Posted by Buba

Still, they need to sell HDMI or DVI with HDCP cabels then... Otherwise almost no HD DVD will play...

I don't doubt that microsoft can make that happen, since the xbox 360 video controller is proprietary, it can likely output whatever signal it needs to. I would figure that would come eventually anyway as more TVs are moving to strict digital internal data pathways.

[Buba]

Anyway:
They should have waited for 6 damn months... PS3 is never gonna make it on time... The latest devkits were 4 months late, the console won't arrive in Europe or the States before the end of 06 anyway...

[haha604]

No one is gonna buy this drive just to watch movies .

[Overheat]

can anyone tell me what audio outputs the Xbox360 has?

[hokiethang]

Originally Posted by Overheat

can anyone tell me what audio outputs the Xbox360 has?

Standard Analog RCA (L+R) and Optical TOSLINK from the connector on the HDTV cable kit, I think the VGA adaptor is similar.

Originally Posted by haha604

No one is gonna buy this drive just to watch movies .

If the drive is less than $100, i'd buy one, just because other HD-DVD players are going to be >$500, and I want whatever HD content I can get for my theater. I'll buy one as long as its before HD-DVD players drop in price.

[Overheat]

would I be able to link that to my surround sound system? pic of the imputs here: http://www.eu.onkyo.com/ir_img/6907113_75c80d5417.jpg

[hokiethang]

Originally Posted by Overheat

would I be able to link that to my surround sound system? pic of the imputs here: http://www.eu.onkyo.com/ir_img/6907113_75c80d5417.jpg

Yeah, you'd connect it to one of the optical inputs on the right (beneath the coaxial digital in), and the component video would plug in right next to it. You will have to buy an optical audio cable (I think you can find one by searching for Optical TOSLINK), since the xbox cables don't come with optical cables.

[TechZ]

- According to the statement, Microsoft believes the HD DVD format is the best choice for its consumer and thus is the reason behind planning to launch an external HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360 later this year. It also mentions that Microsoft has absolutely no plans to take on support for any other optical format on its Xbox 360, however they do mention that the console is a future proof system in that they can adopt its functionality to suit its customer's needs.