Microsoft officially adds HDMI to Xbox 360 Premium
By Ryan Block 
posted Aug 8th 2007 7:33PM
posted Aug 8th 2007 7:33PM
Sorry early adoptors (both of the Xbox 360 Premiums and Elites), Microsoft finally made official what we've long since known: it's no fluke, and Redmond will be ("gradually") adding HDMI out to the 360 Premium models moving forward. Here's Microsoft's official statement:"Yes, we are offering an HDMI port for Xbox 360 simply as another choice in Xbox 360 owners' games and entertainment experience. Retailers are gradually introducing HDMI-enabled Xbox 360s into the channel to meet demand."
How do you know if your new $350 Xbox 360 will have HDMI out? Simple enough: according to Microsoft PR, the applicable systems will now sport an HDMI logo, so keep an eye out for that and you'll be all set.
Update: We also asked if these new systems would ship with cooler 65nm chips and quieter DVD drives, but all we got back was the usual song and dance about "not commenting on details of specific components or manufacturing processes." In other words, if you want to see if Microsoft switched out their chips, you'll likely have to run to the store, buy another Xbox, and tear it down for yourself, because Xbox isn't engaging consumers otherwise.
So, can someone confirm that these new HDMI equipped 360 Premiums have the 65nm chipset and/or the new, quieter DVD drive?
As soon as I can get my hands on an HDMI Premium, I will be opening it up to confirm that 65nm chips that I have been saying were started in July.
Now if only I could get paid for my current Premium that I just sold...
Now if they would add the other piece of equipment they should have from the start, a gigabit ethernet port, and lower the price another $50, I'll buy.
Why in the world would you need gigabit Ethernet? Windows Media runs just fine with the existing Ethernet.
The 360 needs gigabit ethernet for faster, more reliable intranet streaming from upcoming homeservers and existing Media Center PCs. Wireless isn't always reliable, and you can only stream Media Center to one wireless device at a time.
Who said anything about wireless?
Don't worry Microsoft, it will catch up to the PS3 someday...
:)
Don't worry, the PS3 will have a game lineup someday.
Yep, once they bundle it with the HD-DVD drive and sell it for the same price. Until then it's PS3 1, XBox 0.
Shouldn't that be: XBox 11+ million, PS3 6 million?
Yes, I must have missed the part where PS3 sold 10m consoles, was cheaper, and had an amazing line-up of games...
Oh dear.....you really think the end is near for the PS3? We'll see a year from now. And I predict that the Playstation brand will get stronger and stronger.
We shall see.......you do realise that the 360 has shipped 11 million units, not 110 million right? Don't get too comfortable. And don't forget, it was the only 'next-gen' console on the market for some time.
Furthermore, the extremely bad press Microsoft has had recently will hurt them. Probably already is.
PS - why is it that posts in favour of Playstation 3 get 'lowest ranked' on here?
Hmmmmm I wonder why that is......
@Rob
The PS3's library is better than the Xbox 360's was after one year. The PS3's library after two years will easily be better than the Xbox 360's after two years.
@Dragod
The Xbox 360 is at 10 million because it had one year without competition. Since the other consoles have launched, Xbox 360 sales have plummeted. That's why Peter Moore left.
For the first six months of 2007, the Xbox 360 has shipped only 1.3 million worldwide (down 60% from 2006). The PS3 has shipped over 4 million. The Wii has shipped over 6 million.
http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=126688
The reason the Xbox 360 seems so popular on the geeky sites is because Xbox 360 owners are losers and resent anything cool or popular like Sony. The Xbox 360 is not a mainstream system and when the far cooler PS3 drops to $399 within less than a year it's going to stomp the Xbox 360 into the ground.
Maybe it is just me, but Sony could have released the PS3 at the same time as the Xbox 360 if they knew what they were doing. Using, "Oh, but the Xbox has been out for a year longer" is an awful excuse.
@ AdvWar ^^
Erm, do you honestly think Sony dos'nt know what it's doing when it comes to game consoles? Erm....yeh, good joke.
And you say Sony should/could have released the PS3 at the same time as the XBox360? Maybe Sony did'nt want to have chronic hardware problems and took their time to ensure the consumer got a high quality and dependable piece of hardware.....
Yeah, cause it's a solid system with an awesome lineup. It's so good they haven't even sold 5 million yet, the Wii just broke 10 million and is only a few hundred thousand behind Xbox. Nintendo haven't even released any of their big games yet, this Christmas should be fun!
@ boo ^ ^
And your point is?
PS3 games for 2007 release : http://www.psu.com/PS3-2007-Upcoming-Releases--a878-p0.php
Possibility of Sony buying Rockstar Games : http://www.psu.com/Rumor-Control--Sony-To-Buy-Rockstar-News--a928-p0.php
Bioshock now coming to PS3 : http://www.psu.com/Rumor-Control--Bioshock-For-PS3-(Spring-2008)-News--a927-p0.php
My point is that Playstation 3 will sell many consoles when Sony floods the market with games. That much is obvious, why do you not see that? Or do you choose not to?
Phil
Am I right in thinking that Sony somehow believed that they would be able to use the Cell processor for graphics, but decided after years of time wasting that it was never going to work and shoved a GPU in at the last moment. Apart from this, the only other thing which held it back was the inclusion of Blu-Ray, and the shortage of diodes. As I said, if Sony knew what they were doing they would never have made these juvenile mistakes, and wouldn't have to use that excuse.
I LOVE how half the crap Phil posted is RUMORS.
I am no fanboy, but come on.
@ AdvWar
If you think RSX was simply slapped inside the box at the last minute you're living in dreamland. RSX was designed and optimised to work in sync with the Cell processor. Do you honestly think something like that just dropped out of thin air at the last minute? Those things take years to develop from conception to integration within a complex system such as Playstation 3. That goes for all electronic hardware.
The blu-diode was an issue to begin with but those are hurdles that you face when dealing with new technology. It certainly dos'nt mean a company dos'nt know what it's doing!
Sony was perceived to look bad by some people due to the fact that Microsoft got the jump on them by releasing their product to market too early. An early release that they are now, quite literally, paying for. Furthermore, it is only in recent months that Microsoft has gone back and added ommissions such as HDMI, etc. Honestly, you've got the wrong company if you say Sony have no clue, you really have.
@ Drew
1. The games set for release in 2007. How is that a rumour?
2. Sony possibly buying Rockstar. Yep i'll agree with you on that one. Probably won't happen.
3. Bioshock on PS3. It's in production. Only a timed exclusive for Microsoft.
So that makes only a third of my post being rumour.
Who cares? It is HDMI 1.2, not 1.3 on the PS3. So you can't get 1080p or 7.1 surround.
@ dfjet ^ ^
Wrong.....completely.......next.
@Phil
"The RSX was designed to work in parallel with the Cell processor"
I love it when people argue about the PS3's GPU. For one thing, PC graphics are improved at least once a month, meaning that NVIDIA and ATI are constantly coming out with new and better products, products that are better than the RSX. If you own a PC, you can upgrade the graphics card yourself, simple. If you own a PS3 however, you're stuck with the soon-to-be-outdated RSX. Same thing for CPUs as well. They may clame the PS3 to be "the future", but it will soon be outdated, that's when PS4 comes in
Does this mean they fixed the old issues and now they'll introduce a new colored ring of death when the HDMI connector seperates from the motherboard?
whoa, how did I, the elite adopter, get the shaft?
you're another Microsoft sucka, that's how!
re: Dan
ps3 20gb (120gb mod, out for repairs to HDMI port [audio issues])
Xbox360 Elite
Wii
sucka that
Oh? I own all three next-gen platforms. Sucka that.
I think all 360 buyers got the shaft - while adding features is definitely nice for new customers, why didn't they just do things right the first time? And, yeah, I know you could say thats what they are trying to do now - and maybe your right, or maybe they'll add HDDVD in a year and you'll be pissed you spent the money you did.
It's terrible, two years after a product has released they are making improvements! How dare they, I feel so ripped off. Thank goodness Apple hasn't released a new Ipod in a while, when they do it better not be better than my two year old model. Why can't they just make technology perfect from the beginning. You guys are a bunch of idiots by the way.
@Ryan Smith:
If Microsoft didn't improve it's products, then people will complain.
Of course, if Microsoft does improve it's products, it makes the first adopters feel bad.
No matter, what, there's always going to be progress. You can't stop there, or we wouldn't have products.
Like Microsoft didn't release a new OS for like 5 years. People complained.
IE wasn't updated for a long time, people complain.
Now the the Xbox 360 got updated, people are angry? Seems a bit unfair to always get mad and blame all the time, if you ask me. Just be happy that they did.
My opinion...people didn't put enough pressure on M$ and dove into the console...thus, shafting themselves. I held out, initial reason was price. Then, who would buy a first version of anything M$ (or any version)? Then, 90nm was what year's (2005?) technology with them refusing to update it until now? I think it comes down to lack of innovation and passion in the product by management (I'll use the unveil of the Halo box as an example...at least show it in some case 'stead of picking it up by hand like some baby or something...Steve Jobs didn't pull an AppleTV or iMac out of his ass, it was showcased). Then rrod...I mean it just goes on. Waiting sucks, but I think it was well worth it. Sorry, I like to have confidence in the products I buy.
Side question? Anyone know if the power cinder-block is any smaller!?
@Ryan Smith - point taken - however I'm not complaining about improvements, those are always good. I'm complaining about obvious features that MS didn't add to start with and then start adding now. Was Sony just lucky by guessing features like built-in WiFi and HDMI were good to include from the start? maybe.
Well they getting pretty close to my sweet spot. 65nm chipset, hdmi, and premium for $300. then I will take the plunge. Until then, I'll enjoy my Wii (which to be honest, the novelty is starting to wear off, the game selection is h@rsesh1t!
I wonder if ou send in a console with the RRoD if you'll get a box with HDMI on it?
Only if they replaced the console instead of repairing it... and they're not really doing that anymore. When I had to send mine in a few months ago, they repaired it.
I sent mine in a couple weeks ago, and just got it back Monday (they replaced it instead of repairing). It has the new heatsink......but no HDMI.
I am sending my Xbox 360 in for repair 2-3 days from now.....What are the chances of my getting a new HDMI Xbox 360 if I asked for the newest one possible and the supervisor made sure they put it on the form for the repair center?
I imagine MS introduce these 65nm Xbox 360 to people with broken Xbox 360's in order to stop problem.
What if I called the tech support and asked.....Will they add " Please give HDMI Xbox 360"?
I wonder if these same units will also have the new 65nm chips and/or the additional heatsinks.
"Yep, once they bundle it with the HD-DVD drive and sell it for the same price. Until then it's PS3 1, XBox 0"
Let me know when PS3 has a library of games worth playing. Until then PS3 < 0.
This is sounding allot more appetizing...
Is there a confirmation that this new "HDMI" box will sport the 65nm CPU and quieter DVD drive?
You've got the get the deets on this, pleeeez!
The comments that PS3 has no games as well as the PSP are utter garbage and hold no merit, your pathetic fanboys, you just need something to hate to grow your little e-penis. That is all.
I've yet to find a good game for my PSP. I have 2 games (which sucked so much, I never finished them) and I've had the PSP since it came out.
I've had my DS for just over a year and I have 10 games for it and I've finished all of them.
All I use my PSP for now is homebrew.
Well something is wrong with the PS3, I've bought nearly every console made for the last 15 years, usually on release date, and I haven't even wanted a PS3. I don't know what it is that turning me away, it has such great games right now.
@ Ryan Smith
Maybe these PS3 server clusters for Warhawk will change your mind... ;-)
Can't wait for this one!
http://blog.us.playstation.com/
@ Vage
You mean you haven't discovered LocoRoco? Or Daxter? Or Ratchet and Clank? What about Lumines? Murcury?
Some of the people who replied here need to realize something. Both the PS3 AND 360 are good consoles but neither of them did anything innovative, just better graphics/hardware. The reason the Wii is so successful is because it is expanding the market and reaching age groups/demographics that MS and Sony can't reach. People do not play a console for it's graphics or for what the tech specs are, people want new experiences. So no matter how much you argue about it, Nintendo will probably have the most sales this gen.
Before you call me a blatant Nintendo fanboy, I'll say that I love the 360(Halo 3) and *like* the PS3(Home) but I sort of agree with Nintendo when MS vs. Sony is like strong and powerful dinosaurs fighting each other, but eventually forcing their own extinction.
Calm down Bobby. Your PS3 and PSP are super cool.
Okay, so now the inevitable price comparison.
$350 Xbox 360 w/ HDMI and 20 GB
$15 Play 'n Charge kit
$180 HD-DVD Player + Remote
$545
$500 PS3 w/ HDMI and 60 GB
$25 Remote
$15 Headset
$540
Now they are equivalently priced.
PS3 has Wi-Fi, 360 doesn't at your price.
Also, the PS3 has no HD output cable still, although you can get one for as little as $10.