Peter Moore says that Xbox360 could possibly adopt a Blu Ray addon

[BlueTsunami]

http://www.xboxcircle.com/portal/content/view/949/55/

At CES Microsoft announced an add on HD-DVD drive would be available for Xbox 360 for movie viewing purposes only. However in the interview Moore said that Microsoft would be more then willing to adopt a Blu-Ray drive if HD-DVD should lose the format wars.

Shamefully stolen from GAF (thanks to Matlock for finding the article)

I just quoted the relevant part (to the thread) but the rest of the article states that MS is commited to the HD-DVD addon. Also, its a logical position and its a good thing, just covering all their bases.

 

[mckmas8808]

Well that answered my 2nd most important question every since MS announced it's HD-DVD add-on. Now if they can answer my 1st most important question.

How will the Xbox 360 play HD-DVD and possiblity Blu-ray disc without HDMI?

 

[Guden Oden]

Neither camp has said wether HD video would be allowed over component or not, personally I feel it's overly paranoid of studios to worry about this. After all, there are boxes that strip away HDCP from DVI/HDMI, so what's the big deal.

The original complaint studios had about digital storage formats was it allowed perfect copies to be made generation after generation. Well, analog formats like component do not allow that. So there's nothing to worry about!


As for 360 getting BR or HDDVD external drive doesn't really matter to me. Even if it's BR, it's still a limited and kludgy solution. Still, I would buy a HDDVD addition just to watch those odd movies that I like that aren't released on BR. Unless universal changes their stance that is, I have a few universal favorites that I enjoy watching, including E.T., T2, Back to the Future and some others. Not that I'd neccessarily buy BTTF in HD tho... I don't think the experience would be sufficiently improved to warrant the expense! You know what I mean, don't ya?

 

[mckmas8808]

What if they did release both? Would anybody actually buy both for their Xbox 360?

 

[scooby_dooby]

Well they'll only release BR if BR becomes the clear winner, until then it's head to head.

If BR comes out on top, then bye bye HD-DVD, hello external BR. I don't think anyone would buy both, because for MS to make the switch, BR would have to already have won the war.

 

[mckmas8808]

Well they'll only release BR if BR becomes the clear winner, until then it's head to head.

If BR comes out on top, then bye bye HD-DVD, hello external BR. I don't think anyone would buy both, because for MS to make the switch, BR would have to already have won the war.

Well I'm saying would somebody think to themselves, "Hmmm I can buy an external blu-ray drive for $150 for my Xbox 360 instead of paying $300 for a standalone." I wonder how many people would actually do that?

 

[3roxor]

As a consumer I wouldn't buy some HD-DVD/BR addon for my game machine.

 

[scooby_dooby]

What if you don't make a ton of money?

The external hd-dvd or BR drives ar budget solutions for people who already own 360's, they won't be a huge seller, but I'm sure they'll sell.

 

[speng]

If that is an actual quote, then that would make everyone steer clear of that add-on.

Why buy it when it could be useless in 9-12 months?

It is very possible that the wars could end abruptly, with HD-DVD losing. It's more likely that Blu-Ray will exist regardless of what happens because it's in PS3 and Sony cannot just let it go.

Speng.

 

[AlphaWolf]

It is very possible that the wars could end abruptly, with HD-DVD losing. It's more likely that Blu-Ray will exist regardless of what happens because it's in PS3 and Sony cannot just let it go.

Remove the very. At this point it seems much more likely its going to drag on for a long while, considering significant announced support on both sides.

 

[Tap In]

I expected that would be the case.

why not?

the whole add-on-for-movies thing is what makes the set up so interesting.

again... it allows options. :smile:

 

[Nicked]

Any add-ons better have a extremely nice form factor for me to even consider it...and very cheap.
Even then, I don't think I want an external drive hooked up to my game console 24/7. Blu-ray via PS3 or HD-DVD standalone FTW.

I wonder if MS are happy with Moore undermining their displayed confidence in HD-DVD. Seems to me that if you're entire company is promoting HD-DVD then you shouldn't indicate you would consider the competing format, because you should take the position that your format will win.

 

[Titanio]

What a confused message. The announcement was supposed to be a timely and strategic boost to Toshiba's claim for credibility for HD-DVD, yet here you have an exec contemplating options beyond the hypothetical failure of that format.

 

[MrWibble]

Any bets on the add-on essentially being a PS3 and a roll of selotape?

 

[BlueTsunami]

Any bets on the add-on essentially being a PS3 and a roll of selotape?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Another BluRay/HDDVD thread in the console forum. Yay!

We couldn't talk about it more if we were a DVD tech forum!

 

[scooby_dooby]

No-ones mentioned the fact that MS could give this thing added value by making it compatible with windows, just like their controllers.

Then you would be getting a little external(portable) BR or HD-DVD drive that could hook into your PC, laptop, or x360 via USB. If they price it right it could be quite attractive for some consumers.

"What a confused message. The announcement was supposed to be a timely and strategic boost to Toshiba's claim for credibility for HD-DVD, yet here you have an exec contemplating options beyond the hypothetical failure of that format."

So he should rather deny the existence of any war? Or stubbornly refuse the possibility of adopting the winner of the war? I prefer his forthrightness over the usual marketing speak of "we will certainly look at our options.." or some other bs you would usually get, and which he could just as easily have said.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Any bets on the add-on essentially being a PS3 and a roll of selotape?

it'll look like a revolution, but smaller, with rounded corners, and white...or at least that's what I want it to look like!

 

[slider]

So he should rather deny the existence of any war? Or stubbornly refuse the possibility of adopting the winner of the war? I prefer his forthrightness over the usual marketing speak of "we will certainly look at our options.." or some other bs you would usually get, and which he could just as easily have said.

That's one way of looking at it. Following the way some people reacted to various studios supporting (exclusively or not) Blu-ray I certainly felt, or should I say the impression I got, was that there was only likely to be one winner in Blu-ray v HD-DVD. When arguably the 2nd player in the console market says they're releasing a HD-DVD drive it made me think maybe this format war isn't over yet. A few days later and news like this? I'd say it's slightly a confused message.

Although it won't take much effort to back the winning horse at the last bend... still kudos to their flexibility. Sort of. Have to say though, if I could find a 360 I'd hold off the external HD-DVD drive for a while!

 

[scooby_dooby]

A few days later and news like this? I'd say it's slightly a confused message.

not confused just taken out of context.

He was putting dow the PS3's inability to be flexible, and referring to the external drive as an advantage. He was stating that one of the advantages of having a external drive is that you can adopt the dominant format, meanwhile ps3 will be stuck with BR even if it's the losing format.

You could easily make an argument that for someone who wants a next-gen movie player in their console, the least risky option is the 360 since they will be able to adopt whichever format wins, whereas with PS3 if BR fails, you're stuck with a beta machine....