Community Poll: Will XBox Next have HDMI in?

[BRiT]

Will the next-gen Xbox console have HDMI in functionality?

 

[Deleted member 11852]

This will be an opportunity to begin final deprecation of most of the non-gaming Kinect functionality. It probably wouldn't cost a great deal in hardware BOM terms to include a port, glue and buffer but it'll be an ongoing software effort to continue supporting Kinect.

I wouldn't completely rule it out, though.

 

[BRiT]

Thats pretty much what I think too. It all depends on the software support costs.

Though do they even make economical 4k HDMI 2.1 IN ports? The nonexistence / extreme cost of that was why OneX remained at 1080p IN.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Thats pretty much what I think too. It all depends on the software support costs.

Maintaining and modifying code is probably minimal but ongoing testing and Q&A is likely something that adds steps which adds time which adds cost for every single change to the OS going forward.

Though do they even make economical 4k HDMI 2.1 IN ports? The nonexistence / extreme cost of that was why OneX remained at 1080p IN.

4K 60Hz HDMI in/out capable controllers do seem fairly common even on affordable HDMI/USB/Thunderbolt switch boxes. It's more about the bandwidth than supporting specific HDMI specifications, i.e. HDMI passthrough for various audio codecs doesn't require being able to decode the data, just being able to pass it on. Across HDMI there are increasingly resolutions (simple), different colourspaces (HDR - a little more complex) and audio, which generally is being passing to the device delivering the audio. Also some control data and ethernet data. Newer implementations supporting features like VRR are unlikely something Xbox would be required to adapt too on the input, but something you would expect it to support for output to a display device like your TV.

I'm sure Microsoft already have a solid library for this which, this being Microsoft, should be fairly portable and easy to adapt for Xbox. This is their gig after all, very much their technical strategy going forward.

This is why I wouldn't rule it out. Second position in any market means you try harder. If most of the work is done and the cost implications are low, go for it as fan service. Ongoing original Xbox and Xbox 360 compatibility initiatives have got to be costing them more!

 

[AzBat]

In like Flynn. You other guys are nuts. It shipped on the XB1X. It's going to be on the new ones too.

Tommy McClain

 

[Wynix]

Hdmi 2.1.

 

[BRiT]

This is why I wouldn't rule it out. Second position in any market means you try harder. If most of the work is done and the cost implications are low, go for it as fan service. Ongoing original Xbox and Xbox 360 compatibility initiatives have got to be costing them more!

That's why I thought they might do this via external device sold separately. For a small enough cost, perhaps $30? Maybe they even make it usable for WinOS PCs too.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

That's why I thought they might do this via external device sold separately. For a small enough cost, perhaps $30? Maybe they even make it usable for WinOS PCs too.

You're back to the ongoing software QA cost. If you want to support something, you have to QA it in perpetuity. Development costs are often dwarfed by lifetime support costs. It depends what processes Microsoft have in place and what pressure they they are under to keep longterm costs under control.

 

[BRiT]

Right, but with an external device they can expand their market to all WinOS devices so maybe that could offset the additional longterm costs? They also wouldn't take on additional hardware costs across all consoles.

Shrug, just different thoughts.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Right, but with an external device they can expand their market to all WinOS devices so maybe that could offset the additional longterm costs? They also wouldn't take on additional hardware costs across all consoles.

Microsoft offered a way to use Kinect under Windows and provided an adaptor and driver. But Xbox isn't Windows, Xbox has a hypervisor and runs games under a virtualised OS package which brings a lot of advantages but also long-term legacy issues. Each game's virtualised environment expects support for the environment/hardware that was available at the time of creation, i.e. Kinect. If you're phasing out hardware then you want to deprecate that in the OS as soon as is possible.

I have no axe to grind vis-à-vis Kinect, it's very cool hardware. But hardware means support and support comes with a cost. Microsoft need to decide what they want do with Kinect. If there is any prospect of Kinect playing a part in Microsoft's future, they need to double down and continue support. If not, then next opportunity is when to begin formal deprecation. You can still find them new for purchase, but they're not-widely available.

 

[Davros]

Question: why would a console need a hdmi in?

 

[BRiT]

Question: why would a console need a hdmi in?

To be able to consume your media from set-top-boxes while getting online notifications from friends to play games etc. At least that was the vision delivered for the entire current-gen Xbox system from 2013 on. Where have you been hiding or burying your head since then?

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I'd like to see the next Xbox have HDMI in and a way to record content to an external drive. If it could do that, I would seriously consider getting one. If they make KB/M support mandatory in games, that would just seal the deal. Good-bye PC gaming for the most part at that point. Well, 60 FPS would still be a sticking point...argh.

That said, I have a hard time seeing the inclusion of HDMI in, much less the ability to record from the HDMI input.

Regards,
SB