http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/ Engadget Comments for Xbox 360 HD DVD drive to cost just $200? http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 6:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 6:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 6:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
Xbox Pro $399 + HDDVD drive $200 = $599.

PS3 w/BluRay = $599

Things that make you go hmmmmmm.]]>Aug 14th 2006 6:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 6:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Xbox Pro $399 + HDDVD drive $200 = $599.
PS3 w/BluRay = $599
Things that make you go hmmmmmm."
The difference is M.S I'm not beeing forced to pay for the HD-dvd drive. So lets see spend 600 bucks for a ps3 and get a drive I could care less about or spend 399 on a xbox 360 and save 200 bucks.

]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
Of course, but I was just trying to compare if you want to play HD movies on your next-gen system. No doubt the Xbox is the cheaper game system, but if you want to play HD movies, it's a level playing field (if the rumor is true).]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 7:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
Don't you know there's actually a Pentium (4) processor and basically a computer motherboard w/ memory inside a heavy metal chassis of the Toshiba HD-DVD player? As for the HD-DVD addon for the 360, it will include no onboard video processing. Everything will be offloaded to the 360 to process. Please don't assume that the Toshiba HD-DVD player being $500 would make the cost of the 360 HD-DVD add-on $500 also. The Toshiba HD-DVD player includes many more components than the 360 HD-DVD addon.]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
Neglect buying an HD optical drive now, but you'll pay for it later, when a majority of movies are being released on HD DVD or BD. You're obviously getting a better deal spending a maximum of $200 extra for the PS3 drive (remember that there are more features other than BD that constitute that price difference).

It's going to be a long while for HD DVD and Blu-Ray players to drop to $200. And no, the 360 HD DVD player doesn't count because you need a 360 to play movies with it - and without HDMI all the same.]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 7:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 7:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 7:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
Xbox Premium.$399
HD DVD drive..$199
WiFi adapter......$99
card reader.......$19
-----------------
Total...............$716]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/blueray will sell like crazy and become the standard because of ps3's market penetration.

Anyone else see a problem with the above logic? I would stick with the xbox360 and not buy the HD DVD and just wait out the format wars.]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
"What's at the root of the costs? Inside the player are chips from companies like Intel (INTC), Broadcom (BRCM) and Analog Devices (ADI). The Intel chip is a Pentium 4, which goes for about $65. The Broadcom chip is used for high-definition video decoding, or presenting the data from the disk as video. ADI's digital signal processor chips (there are four) convert real-world analog data into digital information and vice-versa. The unit also contains memory chips from Hynix Semiconductor, Spansion (SPSN), the former memory units of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and M-Systems (FLSH)."

I would bet that almost all of these components, save for some onboard memory (for caching) will not be found in this accessory. That will lower the manufacturing cost quite a bit, possibly putting it in the sub-$200 range.]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 7:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
I hear you. But i don't think anyone will be buying a xbox 360 or a ps3 as a movie player first and a game system second. If past history has show us anything is that these game systems aren't the best as dvd players. If your looking for a good HD-DVD or blueray player spending 600 bucks is kind of expensive for a what could turn out to be a dummed down hd-dvd or blueray player.]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
M$ is providing this drive to compete with Sony and expand the usefulness of the platform. But when it comes to games, they are going to keep it simple and accessible to everyone.]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
Blu-Ray is NOT required for games. It'll merely drive the price of manufacturing them up with very little gain. If we're really lucky, we'll see more 'extras' like developer diaries and so on and so forth on the disc, but I doubt even that in all honesty.]]>Aug 14th 2006 7:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Dec 10th 2006 8:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 7:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 8:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 8:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 8:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 8:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
According to Wikipedia, the PS3's 2x Blu-Ray drive is significantly slower than the 360's 12x DVD drive. (9.0 MB/sec vs 16.0 MB/s)

And why would the PS3 be able to *use* better textures than the 360? Concensus says that the PS3 has a worse video architecture.]]>Aug 14th 2006 8:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
Granted, double rez textures would be nice but the 360 has limited texture memory anyway, and it would slow the frame rates and the load times to implement them.

I think the 2G and 3G games will focus on more polys, more effects, better AA, etc., which are relatively independent of storage space. It's more about using the 3 cores to their maximum potential.

However, there may be one benefit to loading your regular games through the HD-DVD drive... they may load much faster, as Rayonic alludes to.]]>Aug 14th 2006 8:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
Sure, it may be nice to be driving around with 24" rims on your Escalade, but for those that don't want the accessory and not want to pay for it, if the dealer selling the Escalades includes those 24's as part of the package, you really don't have that option to tell the dealer to remove those 24's and stick the stockers on and pay less for that new Escalade.

For those that are too dumb to understand analogies, it's the analogy of Sony forcing the consumer to have Blu-Ray without letting them have a choice in the matter.]]>Aug 14th 2006 9:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 9:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
It seems like a string of bad decisions on Microsoft's part: make money, so they need to ship first. To ship first, they need to cut future technologies (the ones that really allow for expansion options in the future), that means cutting HDDVD. That means that games developers won't be able to use the extra HDDVD space, because its not guaranteed that a 360 will have a HDDVD drive (and USB may slow things down). So consumers get an inferior gaming experience because Microsoft wanted to make more money.

Of course, prices for consumers have to be accounted for, but when Microsoft will charge $100 for a WiFi adaptor, it becomes clear that they see the 360 as a money cow. How much do USB WiFi dongles go for these days? How many USB ports does the 360 have? Seems like a no-brainer, except when you have Microsoft as a brain.]]>Aug 14th 2006 9:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
This way they can still have the price advantage over Sony (for those who will invariably do the comparison.) Even though they will be forgetting then, that this is not a Mandatory purchase from MS, as it is with Sony.

The ability for it to play games will be a nice feature... if down the road that becomes more prevelant.]]>Aug 14th 2006 9:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
What world are you living in???]]>Aug 14th 2006 9:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 9:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
I really hate it that PS3 owners will have to settle for scaled back versions of games. By that i'm refering to GTA. As much logic as some would love to give against that statement. You cant possibly say to yourself that having 50 gigs to play with vs. 9 gigs is actually a plus. Somewhere down the road we will either see a) XBOX 360 games on more than one disc or b) games that require installation to the hard drive that only some people have to play.

I just cant see games fitting comfortably on 9 gig disc in 2011. But of course you more likely to see another xbox before then anyway. Reason being I can still remember when a 4 gig hard drive was too much space. Now i own 4 gig memory sticks, it doesnt matter what format wins Blu Ray or HD DVD, releasing the 360 without a next gen drive was just stupid.]]>Aug 14th 2006 10:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
"According to Wikipedia, the PS3's 2x Blu-Ray drive is significantly slower than the 360's 12x DVD drive. (9.0 MB/sec vs 16.0 MB/s)"

There is a difference between CLV (PS3 Blu-ray) and CAV (360 DVD) drives you want to look up. You will not get a consistent 16MB/s off the 360's drive, that is an optimal throughput - about 15% of the outermost ring is where you can get that kind of throughput. Secondly, the 360's DVD drive reads *DVD9* discs at 8x, not 12x. That's right. Dual layer discs on a modern 12x DVD drive will read no faster than 8x (and for 16x DVD drives, the max throughput for dual layer discs is 12x).

End result? A DVD9 on a 360 will generally read slower than a 2x Blu-ray BD25 or BD50.

Drive caching renders this comparison moot anyway. (Well, not for core 360'ers unfortunately)
]]>Aug 14th 2006 10:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
According to this:
http://www.blu-ray.com/faq/#bluray_speed
its MUCH FASTER though.
You decide.]]>Aug 14th 2006 10:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 11:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 11:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 11:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
Yes, you're right, one day games will outgrow a DVD9. But not in the lifetime of these systems.]]>Aug 14th 2006 11:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/I have had my 360 since launch, and consider it a standalone machine. I actually use it as a media extender 90% of the time.

When the drive launches it will have been a year, and $200 dollars as a seperate purchase seems cheap. Point being I would have to make a seperate purchase for HD-DVD, I just consider it luck that I already have the 360 and can pay less that $500.]]>Aug 14th 2006 11:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
$100 is the sweet spot.

More than that and MS is being greedy.]]>Aug 14th 2006 11:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 11:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
yes it hooks up through USB]]>Aug 14th 2006 11:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 11:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 14th 2006 11:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/
So $600 for a HD-DVD 360 w/ 20GB HDD, and without HDMI.

20GB PS3 Blu-ray w/o HDMI is $500, plus you don't have to deal with an ugly external drive attached to the system. For $600 PS3 offers BD, 60GB, HDMI, and all that other extra crap you don't need.

MS should just forget about this whole HD-DVD thing.]]>Aug 15th 2006 12:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 15th 2006 12:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/14/xbox-360-hd-dvd-drive-to-cost-just-200/Aug 15th 2006 12:28AM