Microsoft Bows Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-on - Blu-ray Forum

zombie · 05-08-2006, 06:30 PM

http://www.homemediaretailing.com/index.cfm?sec_id=2

Quote:

Microsoft Bows Xbox 360 HD DVD Add-on
Author: ERIK GRUENWEDEL
Posted: May 8, 2006

As expected, Microsoft May 8 at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles announced it would offer an aftermarket HD DVD player drive for its Xbox 360 video game system.

The yet unpriced accessory, which had been widely speculated to be in the works for some time, would connect to the 360 game console via a standard USB cable. Microsoft didn’t announce delivery dates for the HD DVD drive.

"We decided to save that good news for another day, but we're clearly out to make this an affordable option for Xbox 360 owners," said Albert Penello, director of global marketing at Xbox, in a statement.

Penello said comparing HD DVD video quality with rival Blu-ray Disc is awash, and that the primary advantage for HD DVD for consumers is affordability.

"The major difference is going to be price, and all the leading indicators point to HD DVD winning,” Penello.

He said that despite declarations in the press about HD DVD “as DOA” in comparison to Blu-ray, Microsoft believed ongoing technical problems with Blu-ray were more serious than previously thought, as evidenced by Sony’s delay of its PlayStation 3 game console launch and the first Blu-ray player slated for late June.

“Now that both sides are laying their cards on the table, the word is getting out that HD DVD is the best value,” Penello said. “The momentum is with HD DVD. Eventually, we feel all the studios will support HD DVD, perhaps not exclusively. But the studios are too savvy to leave money on the table.”

JTK · 05-08-2006, 09:11 PM

I think Penello is churning that MS/HD-DVD propoganda all too well.

He hasn't seen what REAL momentum looks like yet...

partridge · 05-09-2006, 12:13 PM

The studios, MS refer to, won't make any firm decisions on which format to go with until PS3 has been launched.

If that goes well then the studios will all support blu-ray. MS are only supporting HD-DVD to niggle Sony. They know full well that their HD-DVD add on won't sell in huge numbers, and is hardly likely to do for HD-DVD what PS3 will do for blu-ray.

So eventually MS will drop the add on and stick to games. If it was 100% proven that blu-ray was the better technology, MS would still support HD-DVD.

But of course we've yet to see a movie playing on a PS3, I'm hoping E3 will show us what that is like and it better be good! PS3 has to be a quality player or it's a pointless exercise!

partridge · 05-10-2006, 11:20 AM

More on the add on drive:

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05...0_hddvd_drive/

it will only display up to 720p and there is no guarantee it will display all content, but, as the article points out, the basic PS3 doesn't have HDMI either...

thunderhawk · 05-10-2006, 03:29 PM

Sick.. That's just sick man...

Won't have the success as BD with PS3. (the player I'm talking about)

marzetta7 · 05-10-2006, 05:53 PM

Ghetto man, absolutely ghetto. It better be "affordable" when it is only capable of 720P. I think it summarizes HD DVD in a nutshell,...cheap (as in cutting corners and giving consumers sub standard hardware cheap).

krojsy · 05-11-2006, 08:09 AM

hey everyone,

just starting to read up on the debate. i own a 360 but am by no means a Fanboy, prob getting a ps3 later on. just wondering how it all works. from the impression i get, the 360 uses normal DVDs but the console displays in High-Def. is that right?

meaning that the ps3 using BD will have a truer representation of high definition?

not to start a war, but does that factor alone make the ps3 better?

thanks guys

krojsy

Rob · 05-11-2006, 10:55 AM

I think it's going to be interesting to see how they price this HD-DVD add on. With the PS3 to launch for around £340 in November, the HD-DVD add on would have to launch for £60 in order to match it and a 360 main pack. i.e. the 360 + 20GB HDD is £280, and £60 for the HD-DVD is £340 total. Anymore than that and surely people interested in next gen gaming and HD movies will go for the all in one PS3. Especially with the stregnth of the Playstation branding. You'll probably get home cinema enthusiasts buying the PS3 as a cheap Blu-Ray player what with the first BR from Samsung likely to cost £800+.

JTK · 05-11-2006, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krojsy

hey everyone,

just starting to read up on the debate. i own a 360 but am by no means a Fanboy, prob getting a ps3 later on. just wondering how it all works. from the impression i get, the 360 uses normal DVDs but the console displays in High-Def. is that right?

meaning that the ps3 using BD will have a truer representation of high definition?

not to start a war, but does that factor alone make the ps3 better?

thanks guys

krojsy

It's all about the games.

In the end, if you think long term, the PS3's hardware is considerably more futureproof.

There will be a day that comes, albeit probably not for several years, where you will see PS3 games that really start to exploit the storage capacity and true power of the BR discs. When that starts to happen, that's when everyone will see differences between PS3 games and any other consoles' games.

But this is probably years away from now. 2-3 at minimum, if I had to guess.

marzetta7 · 05-11-2006, 07:12 PM

Some info...

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/sh...dd-On_Price/65

Quote:

Microsoft Hints at Xbox 360 HD-DVD Add-On Price?
Wed May 10, 2006 at 02:11 PM ET
Tags: High-Def DVD Gaming, Xbox 360, Microsoft (all tags)
Has Microsoft inadvertently revealed the price for its just-announced HD-DVD add-on drive for the Xbox 360?

Online game and technology sites are abuzz with news that the company posted the cost of the device on its official Xbox website for a brief time this morning, before the information was quickly pulled. According to reports from readers at various websites includingAVS Forum and The Digital Bits, a $199 price for the add-on device appeared as a part of this E3 report at Xbox.com, before disappearing.

Should the posted information turn out to be true, the combined cost of the $399 Xbox 360 and $199 HD-DVD add-on drive would place it in the same range as Sony's upcoming Blu-Ray-driven PlayStation 3, which Sony announced yesterday will arrive in two configurations, a $499 20 GB version and a more pricey $599 60 GB model.

Microsoft would only confirm that the pricing and availability details on the accessory will be announced at a later date, and would not confirm nor deny the $199 HD-DVD add-on cost rumor.

However, the company did release a picture of HD-DVD drive's design yesterday at E3 during a press conference. The add-on is about the size of a standard external 3.5'' drive, comes housed in a styled off-white case with perforated grey faceplate and appeared to be designed to stand vertically next to the Xbox 360 vertically.

At the conference, Microsoft spokesperson Peter Moore also promised that the add-on would be a "bargain" compared to other high-def options, and will be in stores by this holiday season.

phloyd · 05-11-2006, 10:38 PM

Yeah the lifetime of the console is possibly the key here.

We will be needing an 'XBox 720' well before PS4 it would seem.

And the huge prices on the PS3 will have a lot of room to move as the technology it has inside become commonplace... giving it quite a decent lifespan.

While it might seem risky to take such a large technology leap, I think in time it will be seen to have been the right decision for Sony...

partridge · 05-12-2006, 02:14 PM

Sony are definitely looking long term and I don't think they are worried about Xbox360 having the initial sales lead, MS are just looking to score points over Sony and want to have something positive to report to their shareholders about the Xbox project (what with it currently being a huge loss to the organisation).

No other piece of kit shifts numbers like a new console, so no standalone hd-dvd drive or add on for the xbox360 will sell in numbers that get anywhere near the PS3 sales.

Think about it, every PS3 sony make this year will sell, that means that literally millions of blu-ray players will be in homes by Christmas. Only half of their owners need to buy a movie or two to make blu-ray the clear winner for next gen movies!

MS are only supporting hd-dvd to niggle sony and try to disrupt their goal of making BD the next gen disc format.

zombie · 05-12-2006, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by partridge

MS are only supporting hd-dvd to niggle sony and try to disrupt their goal of making BD the next gen disc format.

I couldn't agree more!

JTK · 05-12-2006, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by partridge

MS are only supporting hd-dvd to niggle sony and try to disrupt their goal of making BD the next gen disc format.

Exactly right.

Again: The only reason HD-DVD is even here now is because of MS. They kind of have to see it through to the bitter end at this point.

I still think they missed an obvious oppurtunity when they rushed out the 360 by not having HD-DVD abilities built in, as it should have been.

Tombreaper · 05-19-2006, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTK

Exactly right.

Again: The only reason HD-DVD is even here now is because of MS. They kind of have to see it through to the bitter end at this point.

I still think they missed an obvious oppurtunity when they rushed out the 360 by not having HD-DVD abilities built in, as it should have been.

That's correct, MS makes a difference of around 40% in support for HD-DVD.
Without this support, Toshiba is going to face a big problem.

Blackraven · 06-05-2006, 04:53 AM

I'm not even willing to get that HD-DVD crap-on at all when I get my X360 PRO system next year. I'm just gonna play a few Asian version games (ie. Perfect Dark Zero, NBA 2k6 Chinese/English version and Ridge Racer for X360)

Sorry not for me (since I'll be probably using this console very lightly and instead focus more play time on the PS3 and Wii.)

TooTallTom · 06-26-2006, 06:26 PM

The simple fact that the 360 was shipped without any HD DVD capability seems to scream that they know BD is the stronger, more reliable, and more robust format. By rushing their console out simply to get a head start leaves them very much with their fannies hanging out the window later, Their really isn't any cost difference (provided the phantom post concerning the "crap-on's" price was correct) its simply been partitioned into two lump payments. Correct me if I'm wrong but an external drive isn't going to perform as well as one built in (or look as retarded)
I think MS know's its burned its bridges at this point and is trying to bail as much water out before it finally jumps ship.
I just really can't wait to see the PS3 flex its muscles and pop the 360's eyeballs out!!!!!!!

Psiweaver · 06-26-2006, 08:10 PM

The 360 reminds me a lot of the dreamcast in a lot of ways. I think that microsoft is going to have a huge problem on there hand when ps3 goes live. I felt that xbox 360 was rushed to market and delibrately very little was put on the market to create artificial demand. By limiting its disc size to a double layer dvd it also bows out int he graphics category when ps3 will be using 25 gig blu ray discs. We can see that problem already with games like madden where you ahve to pay to download most of the features that you found normally for free on xbox or ps2. The Wii and PS3 will be the winners in the next generatoin console market.

suprmallet · 06-26-2006, 10:02 PM

At $200 cheaper than the PS3, the 360 will NOT end up like the Dreamcast. They have a lot of support, so even if HD-DVD fails, the 360 console itself will survive.

partridge · 06-26-2006, 10:21 PM

The HD-DVD add on is there simply to irritate Sony. I don't think MS give a monkeys about HD movie playback, but the add on puts them on a level playing field as far as their console's abilities are concerned; the PS3 is not the only console that can play HD movies.

IF HD-DVD dies a death then MS can stop making the add on, I doubt if they really care either way. Add ons like this have a poor history. The fact is that every PS3 owner can try out a hi-def movie from day one. A 360 owner has to pay out extra cash, and if they do that and HD-DVD loses out, then they've got a pretty useless piece of plastic sitting next to their games console.

This is where Sony win either way, if blu-ray movies don't become the norm, so what - the PS3 can use blu-ray for games, something the 360 will never be able to do with HD-DVD. It will always have the edge, but of course I hope blu-ray movies become the new standard.

05-11-2006, 08:09 AM	#7
krojsy New Member Member since:May 2006	new to HD-DVD and BD hey everyone, just starting to read up on the debate. i own a 360 but am by no means a Fanboy, prob getting a ps3 later on. just wondering how it all works. from the impression i get, the 360 uses normal DVDs but the console displays in High-Def. is that right? meaning that the ps3 using BD will have a truer representation of high definition? not to start a war, but does that factor alone make the ps3 better? thanks guys krojsy

05-11-2006, 10:55 AM	#8
Rob Active Member Member since:Jun 2004	I think it's going to be interesting to see how they price this HD-DVD add on. With the PS3 to launch for around £340 in November, the HD-DVD add on would have to launch for £60 in order to match it and a 360 main pack. i.e. the 360 + 20GB HDD is £280, and £60 for the HD-DVD is £340 total. Anymore than that and surely people interested in next gen gaming and HD movies will go for the all in one PS3. Especially with the stregnth of the Playstation branding. You'll probably get home cinema enthusiasts buying the PS3 as a cheap Blu-Ray player what with the first BR from Samsung likely to cost £800+. Last edited by Rob; 05-11-2006 at 10:59 AM.

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05-08-2006, 09:11 PM	#2
JTK Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jan 2006 Location:www.blurayoasis.com	I think Penello is churning that MS/HD-DVD propoganda all too well. He hasn't seen what REAL momentum looks like yet...

05-09-2006, 12:13 PM	#3
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	The studios, MS refer to, won't make any firm decisions on which format to go with until PS3 has been launched. If that goes well then the studios will all support blu-ray. MS are only supporting HD-DVD to niggle Sony. They know full well that their HD-DVD add on won't sell in huge numbers, and is hardly likely to do for HD-DVD what PS3 will do for blu-ray. So eventually MS will drop the add on and stick to games. If it was 100% proven that blu-ray was the better technology, MS would still support HD-DVD. But of course we've yet to see a movie playing on a PS3, I'm hoping E3 will show us what that is like and it better be good! PS3 has to be a quality player or it's a pointless exercise!

05-10-2006, 11:20 AM	#4
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	More on the add on drive: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05...0_hddvd_drive/ it will only display up to 720p and there is no guarantee it will display all content, but, as the article points out, the basic PS3 doesn't have HDMI either...

05-10-2006, 03:29 PM	#5
thunderhawk Moderator Member since:Jul 2004 Location:Belgium	Sick.. That's just sick man... Won't have the success as BD with PS3. (the player I'm talking about)

05-10-2006, 05:53 PM	#6
marzetta7 Special Member Member since:Feb 2006	Ghetto man, absolutely ghetto. It better be "affordable" when it is only capable of 720P. I think it summarizes HD DVD in a nutshell,...cheap (as in cutting corners and giving consumers sub standard hardware cheap).

05-11-2006, 10:38 PM	#11
phloyd Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2003 Location:California Trading Score:5	Yeah the lifetime of the console is possibly the key here. We will be needing an 'XBox 720' well before PS4 it would seem. And the huge prices on the PS3 will have a lot of room to move as the technology it has inside become commonplace... giving it quite a decent lifespan. While it might seem risky to take such a large technology leap, I think in time it will be seen to have been the right decision for Sony...

05-12-2006, 02:14 PM	#12
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	Sony are definitely looking long term and I don't think they are worried about Xbox360 having the initial sales lead, MS are just looking to score points over Sony and want to have something positive to report to their shareholders about the Xbox project (what with it currently being a huge loss to the organisation). No other piece of kit shifts numbers like a new console, so no standalone hd-dvd drive or add on for the xbox360 will sell in numbers that get anywhere near the PS3 sales. Think about it, every PS3 sony make this year will sell, that means that literally millions of blu-ray players will be in homes by Christmas. Only half of their owners need to buy a movie or two to make blu-ray the clear winner for next gen movies! MS are only supporting hd-dvd to niggle sony and try to disrupt their goal of making BD the next gen disc format.

06-05-2006, 04:53 AM	#16
Blackraven Expert Member Member since:Jan 2005 Location:Makati, Philippines	I'm not even willing to get that HD-DVD crap-on at all when I get my X360 PRO system next year. I'm just gonna play a few Asian version games (ie. Perfect Dark Zero, NBA 2k6 Chinese/English version and Ridge Racer for X360) Sorry not for me (since I'll be probably using this console very lightly and instead focus more play time on the PS3 and Wii.)

06-26-2006, 06:26 PM	#17
TooTallTom Member Member since:Jun 2006 Location:Dallas, Tx	The simple fact that the 360 was shipped without any HD DVD capability seems to scream that they know BD is the stronger, more reliable, and more robust format. By rushing their console out simply to get a head start leaves them very much with their fannies hanging out the window later, Their really isn't any cost difference (provided the phantom post concerning the "crap-on's" price was correct) its simply been partitioned into two lump payments. Correct me if I'm wrong but an external drive isn't going to perform as well as one built in (or look as retarded) I think MS know's its burned its bridges at this point and is trying to bail as much water out before it finally jumps ship. I just really can't wait to see the PS3 flex its muscles and pop the 360's eyeballs out!!!!!!!

06-26-2006, 08:10 PM	#18
Psiweaver Special Member Member since:Jun 2006 Location:Los Angeles,CA	The 360 reminds me a lot of the dreamcast in a lot of ways. I think that microsoft is going to have a huge problem on there hand when ps3 goes live. I felt that xbox 360 was rushed to market and delibrately very little was put on the market to create artificial demand. By limiting its disc size to a double layer dvd it also bows out int he graphics category when ps3 will be using 25 gig blu ray discs. We can see that problem already with games like madden where you ahve to pay to download most of the features that you found normally for free on xbox or ps2. The Wii and PS3 will be the winners in the next generatoin console market.

06-26-2006, 10:02 PM	#19
suprmallet Active Member Member since:Jun 2006 Blu-ray collection:264	At $200 cheaper than the PS3, the 360 will NOT end up like the Dreamcast. They have a lot of support, so even if HD-DVD fails, the 360 console itself will survive.

06-26-2006, 10:21 PM	#20
partridge Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Oct 2005 Location:England	The HD-DVD add on is there simply to irritate Sony. I don't think MS give a monkeys about HD movie playback, but the add on puts them on a level playing field as far as their console's abilities are concerned; the PS3 is not the only console that can play HD movies. IF HD-DVD dies a death then MS can stop making the add on, I doubt if they really care either way. Add ons like this have a poor history. The fact is that every PS3 owner can try out a hi-def movie from day one. A 360 owner has to pay out extra cash, and if they do that and HD-DVD loses out, then they've got a pretty useless piece of plastic sitting next to their games console. This is where Sony win either way, if blu-ray movies don't become the norm, so what - the PS3 can use blu-ray for games, something the 360 will never be able to do with HD-DVD. It will always have the edge, but of course I hope blu-ray movies become the new standard.

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