Microsoft announces external HD-DVD drive for Xbox 360

[expletive]

Why don't they just replace the scratchy DVD drive with this one. Is the current DVD drive hard to take out ? At least that's a user service. I mean... they should use the money to fix their stuff first before trying to confuse the market.

With that kind of good enough/patchy attitude they play on Windows, I really doubt MS will be able to extend their footprint to the living room. I am actually very close to dropping XB360 altogether. Nintendo and Sony are starting to look very good.

Ok so now that they are going to release an HD-DVD add-on youre dropping it? Hoepfully they dont come out with any more options or theyll be losing customers by the boatload!

 

[robofunk]

Why don't they just replace the scratchy DVD drive with this one. Is the current DVD drive hard to take out ? At least that's a user service. I mean... they should use the money to fix their stuff first before trying to confuse the market.

With that kind of good enough/patchy attitude they play on Windows, I really doubt MS will be able to extend their footprint to the living room. I am actually very close to dropping XB360 altogether. Nintendo and Sony are starting to look very good.

This isn't as crazy as it sounds considering the way the 360's OS works. USB is notorious for it's more then trivial CPU usage though.

 

[mckmas8808]

So what will power this HD-DVD drive? USB?

 

[Ty]

I suppose it could use Xenon/Xenos for decoding. I can't see any other way in which the 360 and the HD-DVD player would need to interact.

That's what I was thinking but...

The HD-DVD player would still need its own digital output and everything, and I am not sure what kind of XBL features an HD-DVD player could have.

If the add-on would allow digital output for 360 games and perhaps 1080p mode however. . .

then this would require routing the signal BACK into the HD-DVD drive (if by digital output you meant HDMI/DVI). And IF the Xbox360 could already do this (and this quite up in the air - the ability to output a digital signal) then it might just make more sense to use a dongle on the Xbox360 and have your signal propagate from there.

 

[dukmahsik]

so if BR fails, will ps3 offer an hd dvd add on?

 

[patsu]

Ok so now that they are going to release an HD-DVD add-on youre dropping it? Hoepfully they dont come out with any more options or theyll be losing customers by the boatload!

Nope... it's how they treat their users. What's the latest story about the DVD drive ? Are they going to replace it or not ?

At the rate they are throwing money away on strange campaigns, spending resources to do HD-DVD in a piecemeal fashion (where's the content !?), ... it does not send the right message to me as a consumer.

At least Sony spent lot's of time and money researching, pushing and aligning the partners to maximize BR's success. Nintendo stays focused and maintain high quality. I feel safer with my investment on BR than HD-DVD. MS just wants to flirt around with sexy stuff to look good, and meanwhile important issues like the scratchy DVD drives get shoved.

I'll just wait longer and longer to decide whether to get a XB360 or not... may be forever.

 

[Nicked]

1. Again why dont you see what kind of graphics and framerate you get at 1080p before decding if the PS3 is 'future proof' for 1080p.
2. Everyone who buys a PS3 will pay for BR, yet not all of them will use it. Why should Sony care? Force everyone to pay for BR so they can chalk it up on their big "BR Installed Base" scorecard.
3. And? Theres no alien technology at work here. If sony demands 1080p theyll get wahtever eye-candy can be supported at that res, its a balanced equation. And wont it be grand for the 5% that own 1080p televisions who get to actually see what 1080p looks like while the rest live with an effect-starved product jsut so KK can tattoo 1080p across his chest.

1) Why? It can output 1080p. Thats future-proof. Hell it can output dual-1080p, but I don't expect them to support that outside the OS. Oh but now the OS doesn't count I guess.
2) Nope. Developers want Blu-ray, consumers will buy media for it when they support it. How insane would you be to doubt that. Not all, but the majority. And guess what Blu-ray isn't only Sony, all the other companies that recognise the importance of PS3 do this because of market-research.
3) What is your point? God, no one wants to get into a graphic power showcase with you.

Well then i guess Dell wont be selling a full featured version of Vista then will they? Remember, HP was exclusive once too...

Yep, but Dell has already issued a statement saying they're happy and have no plans to leave. Not to mention Dell is more important to the BDA (founding member) than HP was (general member). And why wouldn't Dell sell it? Suddenly HD-DVD becomes a neccessity to have a "full feature" version of Vista?
"Oh no, I gotta get a HD-DVD drive, don't want the 'tard pack!"

No it IS about Sony too. MS does actually want HD-DVD to win, just so happens if it loses in 2-3 years from now, that works for them too. MS didnt force Sony to put a lot of their eggs in the BR basket, an unfinalized, un-commoditized (?),unlaunched, and uncertain (for either format that is) technology.

Oh great, a Sony is betting the house, death awaits etc. post
MS said they would wait and support the winning format to placate initial consumer fears.
Then they turned around and added the underdog as an add-on when its clear it can't win, only stalemate at best. Yeah, MS really wanted to back them.

Whilst its amusing to argue with you whilst you're on high-damage control mode (and why, since I said this was a non-issue), this arguement is going to go back and forth for a long time if we continue, so I'll bow out.

SMART MOVE MS, YEAH! Who cares if you didn't provide consumers the feature standard because that might cost you money? I sure don't. Consumer choice (and me spending more of my hard-earned) FTW.

 

[robofunk]

then this would require routing the signal BACK into the HD-DVD drive (if by digital output you meant HDMI/DVI). And IF the Xbox360 could already do this (and this quite up in the air - the ability to output a digital signal) then it might just make more sense to use a dongle on the Xbox360 and have your signal propagate from there.

I don't think MS has ever said the Xbox 360 in it's current form can't do DVI/HDMI/HDCP.

 

[ihamoitc2005]

Blu-Ray

so if BR fails, will ps3 offer an hd dvd add on?

Only way for Blu-Ray to fail is for PS3 to fail. If PS3 sell "fraction" of sales prediction then Blu-Ray will have large win. It is much better format so even standalone player will have fine sales but PS3 will have much more sales than standalone. It is difficult to think how many people will want to spend much money on inferior HD-DVD format with 60% capacity. It is not so sensible choice since PS3 is same or less price than standalone and has much more function and 1080P quality. Big uphill battle for HD-DVD but really it is only downhill.

 

[Hardknock]

SMART MOVE MS, YEAH! Who cares if you didn't provide consumers the feature standard because that might cost you money? I sure don't. Consumer choice (and me spending more of my hard-earned) FTW.

It might just be the same price as the PS3, yet you have the OPTION if you don't want it or not. What are you talking about?

 

[robofunk]

HVD (Holographic Versatile Disc) could kill them both off. If the market penetration of either format isn't large enough by the time HVD comes out. The third better the both option could clinch the High Definition title. It has sort of happened before with DVD, SVCD, and VCD.

HVD is probably a long way off though.

 

[Ty]

HVD (Holographic Versatile Disc) could kill them both off. If the market penetration of either format isn't large enough by the time HVD comes out. The third better the both option could clinch the High Definition title. It has sort of happened before with DVD, SVCD, and VCD.

HVD is probably a long way off though.

Performance-wise I'd agree with you but if none of the major players end up behind it, then it's DOA.

 

[Nicked]

It might just be the same price as the PS3, yet you have the OPTION if you don't want it or not. What are you talking about?

PS3 will include BR standard for use with games (plus) and isn't external (plus). Its also included in the price of the console (plus). Now whilst the PS3 might cost $1000, odds are it'll cost $400, so essentially Microsoft are underdelivering on that front.

Thats basically the whole thing with Xbox fans, "who cares if this isn't standard, no one uses it" or "who cares if PS3 has it standard, it might fail and d000m Sony". Wi-fi, 1080p, HDMI, Blu-ray. Yeah. Thats my point, paying extra (and in the case of Wi-fi, gouging the customers) for stuff the competition isn't.

Oh? I have the OPTION of buying that stuff? It'll only cost me extra? But I can? But it won't be utilised to its fullest because it isn't standard? Awesome.

PS; Like the other, this could be an issue we go back and forth on for ages, so I'll just say you're right.

 

[ihamoitc2005]

Hvd

HVD (Holographic Versatile Disc) could kill them both off. If the market penetration of either format isn't large enough by the time HVD comes out. The third better the both option could clinch the High Definition title. It has sort of happened before with DVD, SVCD, and VCD.

HVD is probably a long way off though.

Yes, also content and display quality must be more for HVD to win for home theatre. Blu-Ray has chance because of 1080P TV. If only PAL and NTSC TV is still shown then no one will buy Blu-Ray. New standard will make need for new storage.

 

[expletive]

PS3 will include BR standard for use with games (plus) and isn't external (plus). Its also included in the price of the console (plus). Now whilst the PS3 might cost $1000, odds are it'll cost $400, so essentially Microsoft are underdelivering on that front.

Thats basically the whole thing with Xbox fans, "who cares if this isn't standard, no one uses it" or "who cares if PS3 has it standard, it might fail and d000m Sony". Wi-fi, 1080p, HDMI, Blu-ray. Yeah. Thats my point, paying extra (and in the case of Wi-fi, gouging the customers) for stuff the competition isn't.

Oh? I have the OPTION of buying that stuff? It'll only cost me extra? But I can? But it won't be utilised to its fullest because it isn't standard? Awesome.

PS; Like the other, this could be an issue we go back and forth on for ages, so I'll just say you're right.

Yeah youre right Sony made all the right choices and MS and nintendo made all the wrong ones, we should all jsut fall in line becuase Sony has always looked out for the customer.

 

[tema]

What will M$ upgrade next?

 

[Hardknock]

It's not an upgrade, it's an add-on.

 

[Nicked]

Yeah youre right Sony made all the right choices and MS and nintendo made all the wrong ones, we should all jsut fall in line becuase Sony has always looked out for the customer.

Why does everything have to be Sony vs. Microsoft and PS3 vs. X360.

Can't mistakes speak for themselves some time?

 

[ihamoitc2005]

Customer Care

Yeah youre right Sony made all the right choices and MS and nintendo made all the wrong ones, we should all jsut fall in line becuase Sony has always looked out for the customer.

I think all companies make choices for profit there is nothing wrong with this. This is purpose of companies no? Question is what is best value for average customer. PS3 with free superior Blu-Ray format for $400 or $500 or Xbox360 with seperate external unit inferior HD-DVD player for total price probably > price of PS3? Most people will prefer superior video performance and same or lower price and all-in-one type PS3 no?

I don't think Nintendo cares for HD-DVD or Blu-Ray yet so that is not alternative system but second system.

 

[tema]

It's not an upgrade, it's an add-on.

I can SLi a 7800GT add-on. Will i need it? No. Will it make my PC better? Yes. M$ is taking their PC crap to our Consoles.