When have they ever claimed to be neutral? They've said they won't force an expensive HD media format on consumers but a special high end edition wouldn't change that, the Core and Premium models still exist.
Black XB360 120 Gig HDD + HDMI = $479
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When have they ever claimed to be neutral? They've said they won't force an expensive HD media format on consumers but a special high end edition wouldn't change that, the Core and Premium models still exist.
The DVD drive in the 360 is a 12x drive, the current read speed for Dual layer DVDs from toshiba is 6x as far as I can tell. Not sure whether each is CAV or CLV but regardless, its seems like a pretty relevant performance disparity to me.
Microsoft is not neutral. They support HD DVD. They support VC-1 on both formats but HDi, the software interactive layer of HD DVD, is Mircosoft's also thus their support for HD DVD. Blu Ray uses Java for it's interactivity layer.
I know they're not neutral, but as far as HD DVD versus BRD, they've claimed to have no side in that 'war'.
I agree they have a lean but not a "side". They want their horse to win but they won't exactly rake in the cash if it does so the investment in this regard would be "minimal".
Latest word is the Zephyr" model would not have a hd-dvd drive but the whole thing is still a rumor at this point so we'll see. Personally I think the model will have a hard time selling to the upper price bracket without an hd -drive of some sort as the crowd that would be interested in an expensive hdmi enabled console would also be interested in a hd-drive. Perhaps a $100 off coupon for the external drive or something to that effect but even that is crap as this crrowd would also want the device to look nice (black).
Time will tell I suppose but the BOM and rumored msrp point to an embedded drive being a real possibility.
Agreed. For that price point just to get a HDMI port and a larger hard drive something more is needed to be compelling. Specially when compared to a similar priced console (PS3).
The better Blu-Ray does, the more money it makes Sony, which means Microsoft would have to sustain a longer fight than with a poor Sony.
Yes, they do. It's HD DVD. They are fully behind HD DVD for now due to HDi.
Their support of VC-1 across both platforms is independant of their HD DVD support.
Again, I know this. But on record, before XB360 was even launched IIRC, they were being asked about HD DVD and BRD, and the HD DVD addon, and a spokesperson said they had no sides and wanted to offer consumers a choice. As I remember it, anyhow.
Here's the official Microsoft statement on the matter:
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/sep05/09-26HDDVDPromotionGroupPR.mspx
So they officially 'support' HD-DVD, but their business moves suggests that they're hedging their bets in that they make no plans that rely on it in any way. I.e. they'd like for HD-DVD to succeed, thus they'll back it, but won't take any risks in doing so.
That's pretty naive and mostly PR spin. They back HD-DVD 100% and they will never offer a BD add-on. They don't want to tie their console to a long shot like HD-DVD, but they would love to help it and they do in many ways.
The new SKU, if real, shows some of MS's shortsightedness. Adding HDMI after selling 10+ million is kind of a slap in the face to many who screamed about it over a year ago. The hard drive fiasco (20GB/14GB usable or 0GB) doesn't make much sense considering all the DL-able content on Live, including 4GB movies. Is there going to be a 120GB add-on SKU?
Maybe I can cash in my extended warranty to get a new SKU someday
Adding HDMI isn't a slap in the face to me. I accepted component or VGA when I went into it and I also accept that its reasonable to expect HDMI to be added at some point. Doesn't change the gaming experience I've had for the last 17 months.
Of course it was PR. My original statement was that including HD DVD would fly in the face of those PR comments about 'neutrality'. The reasons for not backing HD DVD are primarily technological. However, I do think MS would be reluctant to back either format in hardware, even if the technology is sound. There's lots more going on with the movie format war than just MS and Sony (and Toshiba).
Are you arguing that they should not release a new version with HDMI and larger hard drive? Or that they should have released one like that from the beginning?
I wonder why people who already got a 360 are so hyped about this (seems to tell something about those people).
It'll be nice though to see MS accepting the importance of the HDD, let's just hope that they'll make it standard for games too.
Using Dave's argument, he had quite some time of gaming fun validating his initial purchase.
It'll be nice though to see MS accepting the importance of the HDD, let's just hope that they'll make it standard for games too.Using Dave's argument, he had quite some time of gaming fun validating his initial purchase.
Uhh, they're not nuetral. They've stated they support HDDVD for some time now.
And dont kid yourself, the major reason Blu-Ray is winning is because there is a million PS3's out there, which dwarves the number of stand-alones sold for either format. But if HDDVD was included in 360, that userbase edge likely would change very quickly.
Personally I think HDDVD has a decent shot at winning without any 360 support. There are still a lot of things going right in that camp. If this battle was about stand-alone players alone HDDVD would have a huge sales edge to this point.
I wonder why people who already got a 360 are so hyped about this (seems to tell something about those people).
I'm hyped because it's black, more than anything. Still, I doubt I'll be able to afford one, or justify affording it when I already have a perfectly good white one.
The HDD cant be made standard for games. I certainly hope that never happens. Seems only supporters of the other camp hope that happens, because they are already saddled with it..
thatdude90210
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No no no... that 17 months of fun, that wasn't real. The trauma of lacking HDMI caused you to repressed the whole experience. Hopefully, this slap in the face will help you recover the repressed memory.
I wonder why people who already got a 360 are so hyped about this (seems to tell something about those people).
Using Dave's argument, he had quite some time of gaming fun validating his initial purchase.
Making the hdd standard would be giving up the biggest advantage they have over Sony at this point.
Price.
The core with slight msrp adjustments can become very attractive.
Regarding the hype/ positive posting in regard to this sku (if true), I also don't quite get it. I doubt it would sell well in the rumored price range but if it's "limited edition" you always get some of the hardcore's with that line. To me it justifies the ps3 price point further and does so without offering an hd drive which makes no sense at all.
If they replace the preium price slot with this model and drop the premium and core prices -$100 I think it could do "ok" but still... just seems odd. If they add an Hd-dvd drive for the rumored price and under size the hdd I could see that doing "well" at that price but other than that, this move would be a real head scratcher.
Spot on. Not only do they give up that advantage, but what do they gain by doing so? I've never heard a satisfactory answer to that one...
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