External HD DVD drive due for Xbox 360 this year!
By Paul Miller 
posted January 4th 2006 11:16PM
posted January 4th 2006 11:16PM
Not a lot of detail on this yet,
but Peter Moore has just announced at Bill Gates' CES keynote that there will be an external HD DVD drive for the Xbox
360, and that it will be released this year. We've heard rumors on this every which way, so anything less than an Xbox exec saying it straight out wouldn't have convinced us.
So now the question is, HD DVD games or no HD DVD games? Moore says "the
new drive will offer millions of Xbox 360 owners the ability to easily enjoy HD DVD movies and will provide consumers
with even more choices for experiencing high-definition content, in either physical or digital form." But they've
been so tricksy on this one, it's hard to pin the drive to straight movie playback at this time.
i call bs never once has a hd video studdered on my 360 nor have i seen them stutter streaming hd over ethernet stfu
umm i'm not lying, i have a 50" panasonic 1080i lcd tv and a sharpvision projector running at 720p, and the xbox trailers stutter. Im trained in film production and post production, so i can see the difference between 24 fps, 29.97, 23.97 and 21 or 22 fps. I'll take pics of my xbox and send them to you if you think im some fanboy lying. You might not see the difference because you don't have a trained eye, but i can tell you if something was shot in HD, 35mm, 16mm, DV, what framerate, what lenses and what speed asa. It's part of my job. So it might be good enough for the average idiot, but not for someone who knows what true progressive looks like.
seth: Maybe you should put your 360 in a place where it's not overheating. Either that, or your 360 is broken, because my 360 plays 720p trailers fine, no stutters, looks great, high frame rate.
I'm inclined to lean toward HD-DVD simply because I've seen what happens to Sony-backed formats. Beta anyone? ATRAC? MiniDisc? Sony-BMG CDs? Sony's got a history of backing (or producing) the wrong pony.
As for add-on drives and comparing to the Sega CD, you're all conveniently ignoring the ones that were a smashing success. The TurboGrafx CD was a great device, and extended the life of the TG-16/PC Engine quite a bit, eventually leading to the TurboDuo being a highly-desired console. I'd also point out that the Sony Playstation (1) was basically a SNES CD system, and that was hardly what I'd call a failure.
BUT this is not going to be used for games. This is a movie add-on for people who just want the ability to play HD-DVD without paying for a stand-alone player. It's a good move.
All the idiots complaining about component being used for HD content are just that: Idiots. There's NO DIFFERENCE between HDMI, DVI, and Component when it comes to the actual visual output. The only difference is the delivery of the information, and the copy protection supported in the completely digital formats. Unless you're watching on a 60" plasma screen (and 99% of Americans won't be) you won't see a single pixel's worth of difference in HD-DVD between Component and DVI/HDMI.)
I swear, you're like those audiophiles who SWEAR they can hear sounds outside the human range. Get over it. HDMI and DVI would have been a waste on the 360, and they're going to be a waste on the PS3 because the content will look NO DIFFERENT than 720p or 1080i. Nobody's got a television that will display the ridiculously high resolutions Sony keeps claiming the PS3 will support, and no developer will spend the development hours to make a game supporting those resolutions when only 1% of the nation will have the ability to use it.
I do think HD-DVD support is a smart move. I do think MS should offer an external HD-DVD drive and also a new version of the Xbox 360 with integrated an HD-DVD drive. Let's hope that the big games will not be released only on 4 dvd's or so but also on 1 HD-DVD disc :)
Ask Sega, with the Mega-CD and the 32x, they have a lot of experience with add-ons for consoles...
"
All the idiots complaining about component being used for HD content are just that: Idiots. There's NO DIFFERENCE between HDMI, DVI, and Component when it comes to the actual visual output. The only difference is the delivery of the information, and the copy protection supported in the completely digital formats. Unless you're watching on a 60" plasma screen (and 99% of Americans won't be) you won't see a single pixel's worth of difference in HD-DVD between Component and DVI/HDMI.)"
You're right about the HDCP copy scheme, but there is a difference between using component and dvi (or hdmi, which is the same technology). With component, you're turning a digital signal analog, then transferring it to the tv to be encoded back into a digital signal. With DVI you're keeping the signal in a digital format and keeping all the color information. I see the difference on my sets.
Should have been Blu-Ray and HD-DVD combo with its massive size!!!
That's much better!
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Should have been Blu-Ray and HD-DVD combo with its massive size!!!
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i wonder if they bungie couldn't fit all of halo 3 onto a DVD5 or DVD9. That would be freaked out if you had to buy a 360 and a HDDVD drive to play halo 3, that would kill the 360. Just take a look in the past at the consoles and the extra perifials. This hole thing just smacks of failior and disapointment. M$ being the zillion dollar company they are should have put the hd dvd drive into the original xbox 360s even if it would have made them loose more money. 2years from now dvd9s arn't going to look so big especialy since ps3 is using blue ray. The hole add on thing is just stupid and so far this xbox 360 thing smacks of failior and especialy since this anouncement. so many of the xbox 360s are defective that it is already costing M$ a ton just to fix em all. the only reason i will be buying a xbox 360 is for halo 3 but if to play halo 3 they are going to require me to buy a xbox 360 and this HD DVD add on then that is just pushing it. if that was to happen i think i might just skip halo 3 all together and this is coming from a hard core halo fan that owns every form of halo that can be owned. this is just sad M$ just really really sad.
What I like about this is the fact that I'll be able to play HD-DVD consoles through my XBox 360.
I have a Media Center PC, so today I can watch TV, browse the TV guide, look at pictures on my network, play music, and watch DVDs all using one controller and without having to deal with switching inputs on the TV (etc). This is why I'd prefer to play HD-DVD's through the console instead of with an external player.
Plus my XBox Live contacts can message me while I'm watching a DVD if I like (or I can sign out of I don't want to be bugged). You wouldn't get that with a standalone player.
#50 I think HDDVD discs are able to have DVD on them only on the reverse side not on the same side (which would have been a killer blow for blue-ray)
You know what this means right? Yet another power supply to hide. Who the hell would want to have an external drive lying around? This failed with the Sega CD and TurboGrafx CD and will fail here. Why would you spend more money to buy an Xbox 360 + External HD-DVD drive when you can get a built in Blu-ray drive and PS3 for cheaper?
It reminds me old dreamcast selling tactics in Europe.
They Sold Dreamcast with Cheap DVD player with exact
same price of PS2, And That tactics doesn`t work well.
The question is, why buy the Xbox add on drive versus any other HD DVD drive if it is only for movies (let's assume equal cost, bear with me)?
Answer? The 360 is an integrated, online beast. I enjoy watching movies and switching to the dashboard at any time. I can chat with friends and/or send messages. My friends can invite me to join them in a game of PDZ. Point is, the Xbox add on drive will (presumably) be able to keep that same seemless 360 user interface.
I'm so in....
Don't make this overly complicated people:
External HD DVD Drive = movies only; optional; just an attempt by MS to boost the HD DVD format; does not have much to do with the actual 360.
Xbox 360 w/ DVD Drive = the system; the gaming machine.
Great move MS! Granted, this drive will not play games. But to have it as HD-DVD movie capable is a step in the right direction. And with Media Center operating alongside Vista, the possibilities for the drive triple! MS X360 business model is near perfect. Through this announcement, MS has filled a hole for the techie games out there. And its all optional...I do not have to purchase this add-on for my 360 at all. Given actual PS# games not reaching 30gb for 3+ years, the need for gargantuan storage is moribund in 2006.
Post #50 has a great point that MS has known for years
I dont see all what all the Hoopla is about. The games on the Xbox 360 are HD-Enough. And moveies? How Freaking clearer can they get? I think all this HD-DVD and Blue Ray Bull is just marketing Hype to get the consumer to spend more money. And, If games go to a Blue Ray format, Expect to pay about 100.00 per game. Game Titles are already ridiculously over priced at 60.00. I think I'll just stick to my regular xbox360 format and pass on the add on. And I'm not paying 30-50 dollars for a Fkn movie cause it's "HD".
This 5min photoshop is roughly what I see MSFT doing. Hard drive and hddvd drive conbined. Connects through hard disk socket
http://img322.imageshack.us/my.php?image=xboxhddvd9xo.gif
Will it need its own cooling device?
MAN, WHAT A CRUEL JOKE THIS IS! I dont understand why people dont get that the X360 is not a real next gen console. I wont go into a whole diatribe of comparison between X360 vs PS3 vs nRev because it has been done before adnauseum.
If youre an early adopter (x360 fanboy) with plenty of cash on hand then what I am about to say does not pertain to you (and wouldnt matter anyway). Now if you are a gamer with no particular allegiance and work hard for those dollars, then listen up!
Ill start of with a question. HOW DO YOU FIT A NEXT-GENERATION GAME TITLE WITH GOBS OF RICH CONTENT ON A LIMITED NOW-GENERATION FORMAT LIKE DVD? ANSWER: YOU DONT! You must also look and listen to the developers when choosing you next console. They want a format that fits gigs of storage on a single disc and todays DVD JUST WONT CUT IT! Unless you load this rich new gaming content/experience on multiple discs of course. See where Im going here?
To make the X360 closer to a true next gen console MS should have picked a format (HD-DVD, etc) and go with it instead of rushing to produce a gen console that you either have to spend more money on peripherals like what is suggested above, or load that 5 DVD disc pack of HALO 4 1 by 1 (depending on where you are in the game) because the developer had to work with a limited capacity format. (Hum, spend more money on new peripheral or load discs 1 by 1 for this awesome new game with these unbelievable graphics) BOTH OF THESE CHOICES SUCK. Either way the end sucker, er user looses...
#69 doesn't quite get it.
> HOW DO YOU FIT A NEXT-GENERATION GAME TITLE WITH
> GOBS OF RICH CONTENT ON A LIMITED NOW-GENERATION
> FORMAT LIKE DVD? ANSWER: YOU DONT!
You act like HD is a huge format; it's not! At 720p it is only 1280x720. PC games have been doing that resolution just fine without needing to go to multiple DVDs for the most part.
True, if they play cut-scenes in HD, and not in the game engine, they will have an issue. Of course they could store it a file encoded in WM9 on a DVD and get a lot more content that way.
I'm not saying it won't eventually be needed, especially for something like Elder Scrolls, but for the vast majority of games they should be fine without resorting to multiple DVD discs.
Personally, if this add-on enables HD-DVD output via component, I will be very happy since it will extend the life of my current front projector (1024x768 ~= 576p in 16x9). Besides, as most people who follow HD know, their are not many people out there with HDMI-compatible TV sets.
#50 - Actually, Blu-ray was the first to make the claim to be able to run both regular DVD and bluray HD content on one disc, the reason being is the DVD red laser level is the level directly in the center of the disc. The blu-ray level is closest to the laser. They could fit both on one disc.
However, HD-DVD holds the blue laser level in the middle, the same as the DVD level, therefore making this impossible to create.
Also, this is VERY experimental and there is no way any plan to release this anytime soon.
#50 - Actually, Blu-ray was the first to make the claim to be able to run both regular DVD and bluray HD content on one disc, the reason being is the DVD red laser level is the level directly in the center of the disc. The blu-ray level is closest to the laser. They could fit both on one disc.
However, HD-DVD holds the blue laser level in the middle, the same as the DVD level, therefore making this impossible to create.
Also, this is VERY experimental and there is no way any plan to release this anytime soon.
to #69
i work in the game industry for a company that i'm sure you've heard of so when you say listen to the developers, i can tell you what the developers want. they want a system that easy to develop for; they want excellent first party support.
as for wanting a format that holds gigs of information, sure, it would be nice but what you aren't taking into consideration is that to fill those gigs takes countless man hours of work. let's take halo 2 as an example. if it took them upwards of three years to develop that title to not even fill a 9 gig DVD-9, how long do you think it will take them to develop a title that would fill a 30 or 50 gig disc? how do you think that will affect the cost paid at retail for a game that took 6 years to develop?
as a GAME console, make no mistakes, the 360 is next gen. swapping discs? didn't seem to hurt the sales of final fantasy on ps1.
blu-ray vs. hd-dvd, here's my prediction of how that battle will go. the adoption rate of these new formats will not be as fast as dvd (which took about 3 years to really catch on) for one reason; to enjoy these new formats you need a hd tv. they are catchin on but it will be a few years before they become the standard. next x-mas sony introduces the ps3 in the U.S. and the 360 will by then be a year old. by the time the 360 runs it's course, 4 year life cycle, the blu-ray / hd-dvd format war will hopefully be done, just in time for MS to release a new console with whatever format has "won". by then though, you'll see players that are able to play both formats. so whatever format is used in the next round of consoles, my guess is that it'll play both blu-ray and hd-dvd, protecting any movie investment i've made on either format.
# 70, good point. pc games have been doing fine on hd on one dvd.
bottom line, this was a smart move on M$'s part. i'm playing next gen games now. when they release a cheap hd-dvd add on, i'll be watching movies in hd thru the 360 so as another poster mentioned, i can get messages thru live while watching a movie.
when the ps3 launches, i'll no doubt get one (along with the revolution). i'll buy whatever sony owned movies are strictly on blu-ray and watch them on my ps3. and when the next next gen battle happens, i'm confident that whatever format wins will play on those machines.
now go have fun, play games, on whatever platform you prefer.
if i buy a hd game e.g ridge racer for the 360 now will it work or would i have to wait for the add on?
#74
The 360 is HD out of the box for games, you only need the extra drive for movies
MHO on what's been said and what I think.
Hd-dvd add on: a good investment considering toshiba/microsoft will likely win the format war (sorry hc sony fans)
MHO on what's been said and what I think.
Hd-dvd add on: a good investment considering toshiba/microsoft will likely win the format war (sorry hc sony fans) Cost is a big factor on this one. Despite the decidedly higher amount of support in the studio industry for sony's format, Toshiba's bond with Microsoft may have put the nail in the coffin. *ahem* what company has control of ui in most all mainstream computers? This monopoly gives my gut a feeling that the ms backed format will prevail.
For those of you hoping to invest in both HD-DVD and blu-ray, my prediction is that there won't be dual format players. This isn't the same battle as DVD+-R DVD/R/W, where a simple optical drive can read and write in both formats easily, to my understanding, these formats vary mechanically production wise and dual format drives would have to take advantage of two different technologies (This would be expensive right?) I don't plan on investing any money into a dvd collection in either just yet. After Toshiba and Sony scrapped their talks about synergy, I knew this truly meant war.
As far as high resolutions, it's a shame that HDTV is taking so long to adopt. 1080 should be the standard today. However like everything else new, America is slow to adopt (look at japan, most people have HDtv's now)
As far as connectivity, Microsoft hasn't to my knowledge said anything about NOT supporting either HDMI or DVI. Just because MS hasn't released either connection yet, doesn't mean it won't be. For all we know, the upcoming HD-DVD addition may very well be bundled with an HDMI cable for the 360. This wouldn't cost MS an arm and a leg. (Although I'm by no means saying they'll do this)
BTW my toshiba cineseries (discontinued) that I bought nearly 2 years ago has dual HDMI inputs.
I am not a fanboy by the way, I don't own an XBOX, a PS2, OR a 360 (though it doesn't rule me out of buying a 360/PS3/reV
As of this writing, I'm leaning towards just buying a 360. It will be my first purchase since the n64 (i've since done 99% of my gaming on my PC's) But frankly, I'm sick of upgrading my computer everytime I want to play.. Quake3! no wait WolfETF, No now it's HL2!, hey what about Q4!
Enough talk from this newbie, what do I know?
I disagree with #34.
I hope that Blu-ray smashes HDDVD. Blue-ray is a technicaly superior format, with a much larger capacity. It also has more support in the movie industry as all studions aside from Universal are supporting them exclusivly or in addition to HDDVD.
Dell supports them, which means that people buying Dells PCs will have an optional BD drive.
It is possible that the Japanese game developers will not touch the 360 till it includes Blu-ray support as they have already said they are reluctant to develope games for the current system due to the size limitations on the current DVD standard and went on to point out that one of the games they were developing was closer to 30GB which was most likly due to the HD content.
You know what they should do with this hd-dvd drive, they should make games with 2 discs 1 for the normal internal dvd drive and another for the hd-dvd drive and they can store all the textures and landscapes you know what I mean. Then they would be getting 39 gbs and since it has 3 3.2ghz Im sure this would work out just fine and not lag and it would be sick. MS you better do this! or else....
high capacity floppy cd upgrade! who cares !
I want digital streaming HDTV and hard drive storage with my 360 and watch it on my Sony HD WXGA Projector the size of the wall and looks like i'm in the game please.