I'm at least glad that MS didn't put integrate HD-DVD into all their latest Xbox 360 consoles, or that could have been a bigger problem.
I'm glad MS wasn't take a big risk into a format war, and coming out with a big loss. I could see the headlines today if that happened.
Giving the HD-DVD as an add-on was a far better option.
I have one myself, and I liked the quality. I also liked how HD-DVD didn't seem as expensive as the BluRay discs. To me, HD-DVD seemed perfectly fine, and people are even commenting on how it was more complete, and better than BluRay.
I'm thinking BluRay only won because people were looking for a way to quickly end the format war, and a lot of your media people just chose BluRay.
Oh well. At least it's the end, and my HD-DVD add-on can still play HD-DVD discs and upscale DVD's.
One thing I know that would have saved MS lots of money and the issue of scratched disks if they had included the HD-DVD drive instead of the current standard drives.
That is a very interesting thought. What would have happened if MS included the HD-DVD drive as the main drive, instead of providing it as an add-on? Would it have prolonged the format war and eventually have killed BD?
What are you saying? If 360s came out with built in HD-DVD drives that might have changed the outcome of what is happening now. Also, if nothing else, it would have given developers more space, which is desperately needed in this time of HD gaming.
Hey, I'm not saying that it was an entirely good idea not to include it also.
But taking risks, over something as dumb as physical discs that can be costly to MS and its users didn't seem like a good idea to me either. I mean really, everybody knows that HD-DVD vs. BluRay is just the middleman when HD downloads come in full force later.
Maybe, if MS had taken the route of including HD-DVD, things might have changed. HD-DVD could have won. But the possibility of playing a more costly risk, especially when some people don't even care about the format war (DVD's are still good enough for most people) doesn't seem right to me.
Making it an option for Xbox 360 users sounds more nicer to me. Though it would have been interesting to see both an HD-DVD add-on AND a BluRay add-on being sold. If HD-DVD were that better of a choice, people would have picked it. Chances are, it would.
I think that MS never released a 360 with the drive built-in showed their lack of commitment to the format. They weren't nearly as gung-ho about it as Sony was with the PS3. I think they sort of knew all along that HDDVD may not be the winner, and this was a good way to hedge their bet.
The irony of it all is that M$ did have an integrated HDDVD / XBox sku, but was a matter of too little too late. Yes, they played the non-committal strategy for quite a while and when they and Toshiba were ready to co-launch the new sku, Warner had already thrown their allegiance the other way.
Truly a lesson in how one decision can impact the outcome of an entire media format... and the future evolution of a gaming system for that matter.
Yes and if they had integrated the drive from the beginning it would have cost $200 more, came out a year later, and had slow loading speeds. It would have been perfect competition for the PS3. I kid, I own a PS3, but don't tell me it doesn't have bad load times.
"DT: I think they sort of knew all along that HDDVD may not be the winner, and this was a good way to hedge their bet."
Microsoft *did not care*. It's an external drive and the 360 games are not HD-DVD format. The HD-DVD add-on was there to support the HD-DVD because Microsoft thought it was the better format, but they always said that this can change, and if it did, no biggie: they just make another add-on. Microsoft's entire direction with the 360 platform is games and media content via the internet -- not via physical formats.
To think that the HD format war is an analogue to a PS3/Xbox 360 war is and always has been incorrect.
If the 360 had a HD-DVD drive built in I probably wouldn't of got one so early as the price would of been ridiculous. A bit like the price of the 60 and 80GB PS3.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
I'm at least glad that MS didn't put integrate HD-DVD into all their latest Xbox 360 consoles, or that could have been a bigger problem.
I'm glad MS wasn't take a big risk into a format war, and coming out with a big loss. I could see the headlines today if that happened.
Giving the HD-DVD as an add-on was a far better option.
I have one myself, and I liked the quality. I also liked how HD-DVD didn't seem as expensive as the BluRay discs. To me, HD-DVD seemed perfectly fine, and people are even commenting on how it was more complete, and better than BluRay.
I'm thinking BluRay only won because people were looking for a way to quickly end the format war, and a lot of your media people just chose BluRay.
Oh well. At least it's the end, and my HD-DVD add-on can still play HD-DVD discs and upscale DVD's.
One thing I know that would have saved MS lots of money and the issue of scratched disks if they had included the HD-DVD drive instead of the current standard drives.
That is a very interesting thought. What would have happened if MS included the HD-DVD drive as the main drive, instead of providing it as an add-on? Would it have prolonged the format war and eventually have killed BD?
What are you saying? If 360s came out with built in HD-DVD drives that might have changed the outcome of what is happening now. Also, if nothing else, it would have given developers more space, which is desperately needed in this time of HD gaming.
Actually if the Xbox 360 DID have integrated HD DVD, HD DVD would have won the format war by now.
Hey, I'm not saying that it was an entirely good idea not to include it also.
But taking risks, over something as dumb as physical discs that can be costly to MS and its users didn't seem like a good idea to me either. I mean really, everybody knows that HD-DVD vs. BluRay is just the middleman when HD downloads come in full force later.
Maybe, if MS had taken the route of including HD-DVD, things might have changed. HD-DVD could have won. But the possibility of playing a more costly risk, especially when some people don't even care about the format war (DVD's are still good enough for most people) doesn't seem right to me.
Making it an option for Xbox 360 users sounds more nicer to me. Though it would have been interesting to see both an HD-DVD add-on AND a BluRay add-on being sold. If HD-DVD were that better of a choice, people would have picked it. Chances are, it would.
I think that MS never released a 360 with the drive built-in showed their lack of commitment to the format. They weren't nearly as gung-ho about it as Sony was with the PS3. I think they sort of knew all along that HDDVD may not be the winner, and this was a good way to hedge their bet.
The irony of it all is that M$ did have an integrated HDDVD / XBox sku, but was a matter of too little too late. Yes, they played the non-committal strategy for quite a while and when they and Toshiba were ready to co-launch the new sku, Warner had already thrown their allegiance the other way.
Truly a lesson in how one decision can impact the outcome of an entire media format... and the future evolution of a gaming system for that matter.
Yes and if they had integrated the drive from the beginning it would have cost $200 more, came out a year later, and had slow loading speeds. It would have been perfect competition for the PS3. I kid, I own a PS3, but don't tell me it doesn't have bad load times.
"DT: I think they sort of knew all along that HDDVD may not be the winner, and this was a good way to hedge their bet."
Microsoft *did not care*. It's an external drive and the 360 games are not HD-DVD format. The HD-DVD add-on was there to support the HD-DVD because Microsoft thought it was the better format, but they always said that this can change, and if it did, no biggie: they just make another add-on. Microsoft's entire direction with the 360 platform is games and media content via the internet -- not via physical formats.
To think that the HD format war is an analogue to a PS3/Xbox 360 war is and always has been incorrect.
PS3 has bad load times? Sure it does, just like the 360 is quiet.
If the 360 had a HD-DVD drive built in I probably wouldn't of got one so early as the price would of been ridiculous. A bit like the price of the 60 and 80GB PS3.
@ michael
I don't think the HDDVD addon could upscale DVD's everything plays at 480p. See this article:
http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/21/xbox-360-hd-dvd-playback-maximum-1080i-via-component-1080p-vga/
@ Treats!
*cough* DMC4!!! *cough*
See Penny Arcade comic:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/02/06