Engaget: 360 v2 'Zephyr' - HDMI, 65nm?, 120gb HDD (picture)

[Graham]

Engadget: 360 v2 'Zephyr' - HDMI, 65nm?, 120gb HDD (picture)

here we go:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/05/the-second-xbox-360-revealed-codename-zephyr/

Could well be a photoshop, but thats certainly an HDMI port there.
And apparently, they will be available 'soon'.

No word on an internal PSU.
Also this conflicts with the rumour that the 65nm shrink was delayed significantly.

This could upset those expecting an accessory.

[edit]
This could also fit in well with the 'no price cut' strategy. If it stays at 399, having 120gb on tap certainly will put the hurt on the 20gb PS3 - at least from the average consumer perspective (I've been told before the PS3 is 3x faster because it's memory is '60 gigs' not 20.. sigh).

 

[vazel]

Can't wait to get my hands on that HDD. Two episodes of Star Trek in HD and my HDD is already full.

I hope this isnt the only way to get HDMI is to buy a new xbox360. They better plan on releasing a cable or something.

Amazing how people still hold out.

 

[Fu3lFr3nzy]

Would be great news if true. I was planning on getting a 360 this month, but assuming the Zephyr comes out by Q2 07, then I guess its worth the wait :smile:

 

[expletive]

Yeah, based on this story, this new revision either isnt coming unit June-ish or it wont have the updated CPU.

 

[Farid]

X360 with a HDMI port do, in fact, exist. This is not a rumor, nor a future project.

What is still unknown is if, or more exactly when and how, MS will propose these new X360 versions.
They had different plans during the last months, so I didn't keep up with the latest word. But it wouldn't be insane, at all, to expect a new revision with a higher HDD to have an included HDMI port.

 

[Graham]

It will be interesting to see how they handle it.
Especially those wanting to transfer from a 20gb to 120gb drive. A replacement program would be ideal.. $60 upgrade, something like that. But I don't expect it to happen. No way I'm buying a memory card just to transfer data (Although I'll probably do this eventually, when the 256 comes out - get a cheap 64 to backup my saves, etc.)

Overall I'm more interested in seeing if they quieten the damn thing and honestly couldn't care less about HDMI right now.

 

[expletive]

I do wonder if they would put out a revision prior to the CPU shrink. I think its likely since the only things they would want to tie together are things that cusomters will care about, features and price. The mainstream dont care about 65nm CPUs, and its not like MS can advertise "Now-mch quieter than the old hairdryer sounding one!" They could always sneak a 65nm CPU in there later and integrate the PSU without having to tell anyone...

 

[Arwin]

If they release this one, AND make it quiet, then they stand a much better chance of selling me one than now.

 

[Diamond.G]

Any one think that they will start replacing the non-hdmi units with the hdmi ones?? (you know get a red ring o death and get a new box!!!)

 

[Shifty Geezer]

and its not like MS can advertise "Now-mch quieter than the old hairdryer sounding one!"

PS2 revisions were marketted as being quieter IIRC.

 

[Qroach]

everyone knew this revision was coming when we saw a picture back in july of an HDMI port on a 360 motherboard. This doesn't mean they won't sell an HDMI cable for existing 360 units. Regardless it's not really needed for games anyway, so I don't see why a fuss is being made about it over at GAF.

Every HDTV or 16/9 TV comes with component inputs at a minimum. I'd be glad if they used a quieter DVD drive as that's the component making 85% of the noise when playing a game.

I bet this is announced at CES Along with some other interesting Xbox 360 related stuff (since E3 is basically dead).

 

[JardeL]

I was expecting a new Xbox360 with internal HD DVD drive but after this I do not expect anymore ... But , we've seen similar comments like it , anyone remember this ;

"I think 1080p, just to address that directly, will be basically impossible. I think if you talk to any developer they will tell you that they will not have a performing game at 1080p."

...

I don't think that 120GB HDD will affect PS3 because you can change PS3's HDD ... You can buy 120GB HDD for $90 ... Cheaper than Xbox360's 20GB HDD ...

I wish they would fix problems with this new version ... I don't want to pay $400 for a can-be-broken-anytime product [ no warranty in my country ] ...

 

[Ben-Nice]

Doesn't this kind of screw the people who already bought an X360? Or can you trade in / swap your current one to upgrade?

 

[PG2G]

Doesn't this kind of screw the people who already bought an X360? Or can you trade in / swap your current one to upgrade?

I don't think they'd be screwed at all. Sony added (and removed) non-essential functionality during revisions of PS2 also.

 

[Platon]

Just to be clear as for me all these connections are a bit fuzy, when you use the HDMI connection there is no problem with doing upscaling is there? As far as I know, right now, if you use the 360 as a DVD player it is able to do upscaling but only through VGA as for some reason it seems not to be allowed to do it over component...

 

[Qroach]

I was expecting a new Xbox360 with internal HD DVD drive but after this I do not expect anymore ... But , we've seen similar comments like it , anyone remember this ;
...

I don't think that 120GB HDD will affect PS3 because you can change PS3's HDD ... You can buy 120GB HDD for $90 ... Cheaper than Xbox360's 20GB HDD ...

I wish they would fix problems with this new version ... I don't want to pay $400 for a can-be-broken-anytime product [ no warranty in my country ] ...

I'm not really sure why you are quoting that statement in this thread. Besides it's still correct imo. MS added a 1080p option, but I doubt you'll see many games that run at that res natively (instead of upscaling to that res). beyond a few ps3 launch titles I bet support for 1080p native (in games that are not downloadable arcade games) will slowly diminish.

 

[AzBat]

everyone knew this revision was coming when we saw a picture back in july of an HDMI port on a 360 motherboard. This doesn't mean they won't sell an HDMI cable for existing 360 units. Regardless it's not really needed for games anyway, so I don't see why a fuss is being made about it over at GAF.

Every HDTV or 16/9 TV comes with component inputs at a minimum. I'd be glad if they used a quieter DVD drive as that's the component making 85% of the noise when playing a game.

I bet this is announced at CES Along with some other interesting Xbox 360 related stuff (since E3 is basically dead).

Here's the photo from last July compared to today's photo:

Man, I wished I would have waited before I bought my 360. I told myself to wait for the HDMI and HDD upgrades that should be coming out later this year, but that's when I couldn't afford it anyway. LOL Oh well, maybe I'll be able to upgrade to it officially or not when and if it comes out.

Tommy McClain

 

[JBark]

Just to be clear as for me all these connections are a bit fuzy, when you use the HDMI connection there is no problem with doing upscaling is there? As far as I know, right now, if you use the 360 as a DVD player it is able to do upscaling but only through VGA as for some reason it seems not to be allowed to do it over component...

No upscaling over component is only due to licensing issues, they could upscale just fine if they were allowed to. Who knows about HDMI, but with the amount of complaints about the PS3 upscaling, I'm sure they wouldn't make the same mistake.

I wonder if this will replace the premium, or maybe take over the $399 pricepoint, with the core and premium going for $50 less or so after the die shrink? 3 SKU seems like a bit much, though, so it's pretty unlikely.

Since the core and premium are identical on the inside, there's really no reason why the core couldn't get HDMI as well. Even though the mobo itself will be a bit more expensive, I'd imagine in the long run only having a single mobo would be cheaper to manufacture.

Man I miss my old department, I used to know all these details months before they were announced. Now I'm just as clueless as everyone else.

 

[sumdumyunguy]

They better have an upgrade path for us current 360 owners. Or else, there will be some "'splainin'" to do

 

[22psi]

hmmm, time to jump in