Microsoft: Xbox 360 with Built In HD-DVD Drive On The Way?

[jb]

Nice, then people can buy yet another version of the same console. For something that should have been there in the first place for a "next gen" console.

I disagree I don't want to pay extra for a hardware that I may or may not use in a format war thats long from over. Now granted hind site makes things much easier to see. But at the time lots of people were thinking HD-DVD was going to loose and thus it made it a risky investment at best back then. Of course it would have increased the install base of HD-DVD....

 

[J_Saint]

Ken Birge, a spokesman for Microsoft, emailed me late yesterday with the company's official response: "Microsoft has no plans to integrate an HD DVD player into Xbox 360.

So Toshiba is doing it.

 

[fallguy]

Should have been?

Certainly not for a 2005 console. If 360 came out a year later, it would be almost stillborn. We're already seeing how little of a difference a HD disc is making in game content. Very few devs have the budget to generate that kind of content and be truly limited by disc space with no economical method to fit it on a disc.

It is making a difference, and will more so in the future of games.

Wifi makes a difference too, whats your excuse for them not having that? There is no format war for it, and makes life much easier. And what about hdmi? Whats the reason for not having it? USB/SD card readers? It seems like they're going to keep on putting out new versions, one next gen component at a time.

 

[AlphaWolf]

It is making a difference, and will more so in the future of games.

Wifi makes a difference too, whats your excuse for them not having that? There is no format war for it, and makes life much easier. And what about hdmi? Whats the reason for not having it? USB/SD card readers? It seems like they're going to keep on putting out new versions, one next gen component at a time.

And perhaps sony will keep removing features in every release, maybe they'll agree on a middle ground.

 

[TheChefO]

Wifi makes a difference too, whats your excuse for them not having that?

umm ... how about not everyone needs it?

Not everyone has their console far away from an ethernet/internet connection and not everyone is connected to the net.

 

[AzBat]

I like my HD video streaming nice & smooth via a wire thank you. As of November 2005 802.11n was still being argued over. For that time it was a good call. Plus, it gives the customer a choice on when it's right for them.

Tommy McClain

 

[Barbarian]

So Toshiba is doing it.

It is quite possible that Toshiba might foot the bill for any additional costs there might be for adding an internal HD-DVD drive. If the rumors about the 150M payment to Paramount are true, Toshiba might be willing to spend some money to guarantee further HD-DVD adoption. It is not that far fetched.

 

[pipo]

It is making a difference, and will more so in the future of games.

Wifi makes a difference too, whats your excuse for them not having that? There is no format war for it, and makes life much easier. And what about hdmi? Whats the reason for not having it? USB/SD card readers? It seems like they're going to keep on putting out new versions, one next gen component at a time.

Wifi - option
HDMI - standard on new 360 model
Card readers - gone on new PS3 model

Any of the above making a difference in the future of games?

I'm sorry, but LOLZ!!11!11!!

Keep 'm coming please...

 

[function]

The two things a "next-gen" console needs:

1) "Next-gen" games
2) Sales

The two are related. Currently, MS has more of both. Their "next-gen" system is "next-gen" enough. If the guts of the 360 can power a 360-media player device then Toshiba might as well give it a go.

This does not mean that HD-DVD needs to be part of the 360 "games and Xbox Live" platform, which is what Microsoft's own 360 models are focused on delivering.

 

[fallguy]

And perhaps sony will keep removing features in every release, maybe they'll agree on a middle ground.

Nice try, but not even close.

umm ... how about not everyone needs it?

Not everyone has their console far away from an ethernet/internet connection and not everyone is connected to the net.

Sure, and not everyone has a HD TV. That doesnt mean all games should be in a low res either. The point is, a lot of people in this day and age have a PC, thats online with broadband, and not in the same room as their main TV. A buddy got the $450 hdmi version. Yet he went the cheap route, and took cable from his den, to his living room. Tried to hide it, but it still is easily seen. Sure he could pony up the cash to get a wifi, but I personally dont think he should have to. And he would rather deal with it, and get a few games instead.

Take a poll and see who has a 360 and isnt online, see what the results are.

Wifi - option
HDMI - standard on new 360 model
Card readers - gone on new PS3 model

Any of the above making a difference in the future of games?

I'm sorry, but LOLZ!!11!11!!

Keep 'm coming please...

Yes, it is. An expensive after market option. Yes, again it is. After people already bought 360's before. So now if they want a hdmi output, they've got to buy another. This is the first time Ive head that the new 80gig model doesnt have a card reader.

A gaming console is not just about gaming. It brings much more to the table these days. This isnt the Atari era. They're going to be doing more and more in the future.

A lot of bitter 360 fans, seems I hit a sore spot. Im waiting to buy a 360, yet every few months, there is news on a new version on the way out. Almost got one a while back, then the announcement of hdmi. Now the announcement of the HD-DVD drive. Its pretty annoying than buying some shiny new hardware, only to have a better version be out in a few months, thats even cheaper, or the same price. To me the wifi is a big deal. I have nice wood floors, and dont want to screw them up by drilling holes. And dont want to pay the price to buy the wifi adapter, more so out of principle. So I guess Ill just wait till they finally get the Xbox 2.0 out. Not the 1.7 they're currently working on. Or maybe they'll have what Im looking for in the next xbox.

 

[function]

You seem to be more interested in hardware features than games, and seem to think it's a hardware vendors job to offer you those features rather than worry about competitiveness and profit.

It's games that primarily sell hardware, with hardware cost being a factor in the point at which people "jump in". Appealing games sell hardware. Hardware that sells well gets more of the appealing games.

So what if MS added HDMI to consoles. The old ones can still play all the games and use Live. So what if Toshiba release a HD-DVD 360. The original 360's can still play all the games and use Live. So what if a 360 with wifi comes out at some point. The original systems will still be able to play all the games and use Live.

The original PS2 didn't have a network adapter built in. The standard PS2 could never do what the PSX did. So what. It didn't mean that people should hold off for PS3, or that owners of the old style PS2 were cheated or shouldn't buy it out of prinicple.

If you want to hold out for a better system that may never appear good for you, but don't pretend that ignoring the "games" part of the "games console" equation and chasing features "out of principle" is the logical or correct thing to do.

 

[-tkf-]

Wifi - option
HDMI - standard on new 360 model
Card readers - gone on new PS3 model

Any of the above making a difference in the future of games?

I'm sorry, but LOLZ!!11!11!!

Keep 'm coming please...

Harddisk, standard on every PS3

 

[Carl B]

Let's try to keep this on 360 HD DVD inclusion and its possibilities, rather than a dissection of what Sony vs MS give you in the box.

 

[pipo]

A gaming console is not just about gaming.

In your opinion. Talk to Nintendo.

That's the clear difference between you and me, I buy a console to play games. Go ahead, buy a 360 and try it, games are actually pretty fun.

A lot of bitter 360 fans, seems I hit a sore spot.

Nice try. The only thing I'm bitter about is the fact that Sony made me buy a PS3 before there's hardly anything worthwhile to play on it (remember I already have a game console) because they removed BC from the new model. And your desperately needed card readers of course (which I couldn't care less for). I'll give you this: I like the Wifi on my PS3, but it really doesn't matter for games. Especially when your online infrastructure and features are hardly anything to write home ('scuse me) about.

I will be even more bitter when it turns out to be a lie and they do introduce a new model with BC over here, but that's for another time.

Harddisk, standard on every PS3

That's a good try, but he forgot to mention it.

There still aren't any signs it really matters though - have a look at Metacritic for a non-biased look at how the 360 games suffer from not having a HDD.

And to drag this back on track - the same can be said for the HD-DVD.

There will be games that will make excellent use from BR that will probably be impossible to do on the 360, but it doesn't make the difference Sony wants to make of it.

Let's try to keep this on 360 HD DVD inclusion and its possibilities...

Watch movies? I can see a model with HD-DVD somewhere in the future, but it won't be a big deal. IMHO it's only a big deal for Sony fall... err... fanguys.

There's also the real possibility this 'format-war' will be over pretty soon because of downloads or streams. E.g. XBLM is growing pretty fast.

HD-DVD / BR might just as well turn out to be the next Super Audio CD.

 

[TheChefO]

HD-DVD / BR might just as well turn out to be the next Super Audio CD.

True, and as odd as it sounds with MS possibly including an HD-DVD drive, I think that's exactly what MS is hoping for.

Realisticly though, it's up to the movie studios. They are still holding back on quite a few classics that people would want on HD format and instead have been offering titles that either don't benefit, or aren't the type to sell to an early adopter.

 

[AlNom]

End of thread?

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/14900/Toshiba-Denies-Xbox-360-with-BuiltIn-HD-DVD-Rumor/

"It’s got nothing to do with us. But we know Microsoft doesn’t want to include the HD DVD drive so as not to limit the user’s experience."

 

[Carl B]

End of thread?

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/14900/Toshiba-Denies-Xbox-360-with-BuiltIn-HD-DVD-Rumor/

Post #59.

I think the CNBC angle though keeps it alive, and it's probably kept alive by default as just being something not likely per se, but plausible enough.

 

[fallguy]

You seem to be more interested in hardware features than games, and seem to think it's a hardware vendors job to offer you those features rather than worry about competitiveness and profit.

Im interested in game, and hardware. As I said, consoles are not just for gaming. And yes it is a vendors job to offer them, and they have been. After the fact. Adding them one at a time.

It's games that primarily sell hardware, with hardware cost being a factor in the point at which people "jump in". Appealing games sell hardware. Hardware that sells well gets more of the appealing games.

Yes, it is. Consoles are still very much about games, mostly in fact. And there are a lot of great games on the 360, I never said there wasnt. What I did say was that they keep on releasing a new version, with things that to me, make a next gen console. And what their competition already has. All the while, upping the price.

So what if MS added HDMI to consoles. The old ones can still play all the games and use Live. So what if Toshiba release a HD-DVD 360. The original 360's can still play all the games and use Live. So what if a 360 with wifi comes out at some point. The original systems will still be able to play all the games and use Live.

So what? Because if someone already has a 360, and wants the hdmi version, they have to buy another. There is up upgrade to it, or trade in like evga's deal. Sure the older systems can use live.. again, I never said they couldnt. But I dont want to pay more for a wifi adapter, when for a "next gen" console, I think it should have been there in the first place. And again, is on their competitors console. And I despise paying to play a game online, when again you dont have to do this on other consoles. And now they're trying to force it on the PC market too.

If you want to hold out for a better system that may never appear good for you, but don't pretend that ignoring the "games" part of the "games console" equation and chasing features "out of principle" is the logical or correct thing to do.

Once again, I never ignored games. Games wasnt the topic of the conversation. Also, you have no right to try to tell me what the logical, or correct thing for me to do is. Its my choice to wait, because eventually, they will have the version I want out. Or maybe they'll have one that just wont die on me. Id be happy with that, but they cant even get that right yet. Ive got a Wii and PS3, but there are still some games I want for the 360. Its just not where I want it to be yet, in hardware configuration, or quality.

 

[Dave Baumann]

Yes, it is. Consoles are still very much about games, mostly in fact. And there are a lot of great games on the 360, I never said there wasnt. What I did say was that they keep on releasing a new version, with things that to me, make a next gen console. And what their competition already has. All the while, upping the price.

There's been one revision so far, and within 6 months that has trickled down to all products at the same or lower than their introduction price points.

We are hardly talking about a raft of product revisions so far. We've had the inclusion of HDMI in the base specification in nearly 2 years. Thats not a great deal.

 

[function]

There's been one revision so far, and within 6 months that has trickled down to all products at the same or lower than their introduction price points.

We are hardly talking about a raft of product revisions so far. We've had the inclusion of HDMI in the base specification in nearly 2 years. Thats not a great deal.

In the UK, the HDMI Premiums started appearing about a month after the Elite and will have appeared in all the Core 2s (the Arcade) about 2 months after the Elites launch. The Elite launch coincided with the Euro price cut.

It's not like HDMI has been used to justify a price hike.

A little more on topic, I have to say that I wish MS would release a DVD speed reduction option (even a "fast" or "quiet" option would be nice) in a firmware upgrade. I would most certainly purchase a Toshiba 360 even at a higher price if they simply gave the user the choice of selecting between these two options. As the current 360 can already be tricked into doing this, consciously giving users the option wouldn't be at all difficult and is the kind of thing I'd hope a high end CE manufacturer like Toshiba might do.

My biggest problem with the 360 wasn't what the hardware could do or the features it came with, but the obtrusive and infuriating noise and vibration (it made my desk vibrate!) that accompanied it!