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

[function]

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

In what way are you thinking they might be being screwed?

The current 360 still does everything they sold it as being able to do, and it'll still be able to play all forthcoming games.

Now there's going to be a revision which adds a port while locking current owners out of nothing. By giving future owners an extra connection option, how are they screwing current owners?

 

[function]

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

Why?

 

[Dave Baumann]

Who knows about HDMI, but with the amount of complaints about the PS3 upscaling, I'm sure they wouldn't make the same mistake.

Well, its a question of whether there is a change to the ASIC's in the 360 or whether its an additional (3rd party) component and whether or not the existing components can handle it.

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

You have a method of connecting it to your HD set, you also knew that your current box didn't feature HDMI when you got it. Whether you want some other mechanism for connection is another issue.

 

[JardeL]

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.

Come on , PS3 has 1080p games [ RR7 ] , right ?.. What did he say " I think 1080p, just to address that directly, will be basically impossible. " , and you still say this statement is correct ?..

BTW , I think Zephyr revision will replace Premium and Premium will replace Core Pack ... Core Pack is a shame for MS ...

 

[22psi]

In what way are you thinking they might be being screwed?

The current 360 still does everything they sold it as being able to do, and it'll still be able to play all forthcoming games.

Now there's going to be a revision which adds a port while locking current owners out of nothing. By giving future owners an extra connection option, how are they screwing current owners?

I totally agree with you. For example, when I first got my PS2, there was no NIC port but the later revisions did, did I mind? Not enough because I got another PS2 with the port. Electronics will always evolve and have new features added. This is a good thing.

 

[Qroach]

Come on , PS3 has 1080p games [ RR7 ] , right ?.. What did he say " I think 1080p, just to address that directly, will be basically impossible. " , and you still say this statement is correct ?..

BTW , I think Zephyr revision will replace Premium and Premium will replace Core Pack ... Core Pack is a shame for MS ...

He's talking from a performance standpoint 1080p is "basically impossible", he's leaving room in that statement for some titles. Either way you look at it, performance and or memory are the two limiting factors for supporting 1080p. So yes IMO i do think it's correct. Beyond a few titles published by sony I think you're not going to see many store bought games that run in 1080p native.

Do you seriously need to argue this point? it's already off topic

 

[Tap In]

BTW , I think Zephyr revision will replace Premium and Premium will replace Core Pack ... Core Pack is a shame for MS ...

core was designed for market saturation with casuals in late 2007/2008

Ultra- $399
Premium- $349 ($299 later)
Core- $249 ($199 later)

 

[AzBat]

I totally agree with you. For example, when I first got my PS2, there was no NIC port but the later revisions did, did I mind? Not enough because I got another PS2 with the port. Electronics will always evolve and have new features added. This is a good thing.

Somewhat bad comparison since you could add a NIC via the Network Adapter prior to the Slim model being released. Now if Microsoft provides a HDMI cable that provides the same functionality to older systems, then you comparison would be valid. However, seeing as there will be a new model with it built-in the possibility of just buying a cable is less than it was. Cause if they could just release a cable to add the support, then why go through the trouble of revising the motherboard?

Tommy McClain

 

[PSman]

Next, another version of the Xbox 360 with HD-DVD drive!

 

[archie4oz]

Now if Microsoft provides a HDMI cable that provides the same functionality to older systems, then you comparison would be valid. However, seeing as there will be a new model with it built-in the possibility of just buying a cable is less than it was.

I don't think there was any possibility anyways with the existing system, as there weren't enough free pins remaining on the multi-out for HDMI...

Next, another version of the Xbox 360 with HD-DVD drive!

Well if they got a decent enough performing one, it would be nice as it reduce a significant portion of the noise issues and offer out of mux reading natively.

 

[blakjedi]

Somewhat bad comparison since you could add a NIC via the Network Adapter prior to the Slim model being released. Now if Microsoft provides a HDMI cable that provides the same functionality to older systems, then you comparison would be valid. However, seeing as there will be a new model with it built-in the possibility of just buying a cable is less than it was. Cause if they could just release a cable to add the support, then why go through the trouble of revising the motherboard?

Tommy McClain

If they could have offered a cable for the current rev... i think they would have.

 

[AzBat]

I don't think there was any possibility anyways with the existing system, as there weren't enough free pins remaining on the multi-out for HDMI...

I wouldn't go that far. We've already had this discussion before. Lack of free pins is not the nail in the coffin. I could see them using existing pins but offer a switch on the cable like "TV/HDTV" switch on component cables.

Tommy McClain

 

[AzBat]

If they could have offered a cable for the current rev... i think they would have.

To a certain extent I would agree, but I don't think it's impossible. There may be other issues blocking them from releasing such a cable: cost, licensing, compatibility, reduced-quality, etc. I don't think it's lack of digital output or pins that's hindering the idea. Especially considering comments from Dave and others on the matter.

Tommy McClain

 

[plat]

You have a method of connecting it to your HD set, you also knew that your current box didn't feature HDMI when you got it. Whether you want some other mechanism for connection is another issue.

and what about the people who bought based on Microsoft stringing people along about releasing a HDMI cable "when the market demands it". i think they have a legitimate beef here.

 

[AlNom]

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...

Could someone please explain to me why there is this idea that there are HDMI issues with scaling? IIRC, DVD players with upscaling ability can only do it through HDMI... So why would it be an issue

 

[jamesnmandy]

and what about the people who bought based on Microsoft stringing people along about releasing a HDMI cable "when the market demands it". i think they have a legitimate beef here.

same exact thing happens with automobiles and any other consumer product, new models have the newer features, and the old model doesn't always accept the new features as an addon, so if you want the new features, buy the new model

 

[plat]

same exact thing happens with automobiles and any other consumer product, new models have the newer features, and the old model doesn't always accept the new features as an addon, so if you want the new features, buy the new model

except like i said Microsoft was promising the old model would accept the new feature...

 

[Kryton]

same exact thing happens with automobiles and any other consumer product, new models have the newer features, and the old model doesn't always accept the new features as an addon, so if you want the new features, buy the new model

That makes the 360 start to sound like a PC. Hey, wait a minute

 

[jamesnmandy]

except like i said Microsoft was promising the old model would accept the new feature...

it does 1080p

did they specifically say the original models would be able to use the HDMI interface in the future?

i missed that promise

 

[plat]

it does 1080p

did they specifically say the original models would be able to use the HDMI interface in the future?

i missed that promise

yes they did, at least 3 times.