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MLB.tv Premium for Xbox 360 now live in 18 more countries, CinemaNow adds rentals in the US

Edgar Alvarez — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:40:00 EST

Feels like it was only yesterday that the MLB.tv app was landing on Xbox consoles in North America, and starting today, the application will be available to more baseball lovers around the globe. As Major Nelson notes (again), the Major League Baseball service is now live in Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, South Africa, Spain and the UK, among a few other nations. Naturally, if you're hoping to catch any ball games via MLB's Premium goods, you'll have to shell out a subscription fee along with having a fancy Xbox Live Gold account. In other 360 news, CinemaNow has made the switch from being a locker-only application to now offering TV show and movie rentals to folks in the US. You can check out what other countries made the MLB.tv cut at the Major Nelson site, link is down below.

MLB.tv Premium for Xbox 360 now live in 18 more countries, CinemaNow adds rentals in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spike TV airing Microsoft's 'Xbox: Entertainment Evolved' from E3, also coming to Xbox Live

Edgar Alvarez — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:24:00 EST

Similar to last year's airing of Microsoft's E3 keynote, Spike TV's once again offering gamers who won't be making the trip to Los Angeles a quick way to enjoy a little bit of the show. The famed Major Nelson revealed the news that Spike TV will be showing the entire 90-minute Xbox: Entertainment Evolved event live on its network, which takes place on June 4th at 12:30PM Eastern time -- of course, we'll be there covering it. Unlike in 2011, though, now you'll also be able to check out whatever Redmond has in store for us as it airs on TV straight from your console via Xbox Live. Sadly, we know that won't be some new Xbox hardware...

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Spike TV airing Microsoft's 'Xbox: Entertainment Evolved' from E3, also coming to Xbox Live originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 apps now live for Comcast Xfinity TV, HBO Go and MLB.tv

Billy Steele — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:07:00 EST

Anxiously awaiting the arrival of those brand spanking new apps for your Xbox 360 console? Well, the wait is over. Video apps for Comcast Xfinity TV, HBO Go and MLB.tv have arrived on a number of consoles here at Engadget HQ. Major Nelson dropped the official word a little while ago, leaving you mere moments away from live and on demand television and baseball just in time for the start of the season. Keep in mind all three of these high profile applications feature Kinect integration -- but don't worry, you won't be forced to swing any bats in your living room. If you're looking for more info, details on the HBO Go and MLB.tv offerings await in the PR below.

Continue reading Xbox 360 apps now live for Comcast Xfinity TV, HBO Go and MLB.tv

Xbox 360 apps now live for Comcast Xfinity TV, HBO Go and MLB.tv originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 system update gets its colors in order, makes it mandatory

Mat Smith — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:55:00 EST

Remember those color problems experienced by some Xbox 360 users after last year's dashboard update? Microsoft appears to have fixed the issue in its latest system update, although it will take time for the fix to roll out across the associated apps -- we've been told this will happen over the next few months. Its Sony rival also rolled out its own (optional) update for the PS3 yesterday, improving "certain aspects" of the UI. The Xbox team promise that their update will also increase performance, but don't take their word for it; the update is rolling out now -- let us know how it goes.

Xbox 360 system update gets its colors in order, makes it mandatory originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Star Wars Xbox 360 bundle coming to a galaxy close to here, April 3rd

Brian Heater — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:37:00 EST

Come spring you'll finally be able to get your grubby paws on that droid-based console you've been looking for. Microsoft's Major Nelson let slip in a series of tweets that the Star Wars Xbox 360 Kinect bundle will land on April 3rd. The set, which was first unveiled, fittingly, at Comic Con, is dressed up like R2-D2 and ships with a C-3P0-themed controller, a white Kinect sensor and the games Star Wars Kinect and Kinect Adventures. The 320GB system will run you $449, so start saving up those Galactic Credits now.

Microsoft Star Wars Xbox 360 bundle coming to a galaxy close to here, April 3rd originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft acknowledges Xbox 360 color space problem in last update, is working on a fix

Richard Lawler — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:10:00 EST

While we found a lot of things to like in the last Xbox 360 dashboard upgrade, not everyone was happy after it finally rolled out in early December. We've received word from multiple owners who saw and reported color output problems since the beta began, and today Director of Programming Larry Hryb aka Major Nelson tweeted that the company is "aware of the color space issue w/ some Xbox video apps & are working on a fix". While that should take care of some issues, more recent reports also indicate problems with the HDMI output having HDCP authentication problems with certain TVs or receivers that blocks video output, as well as reports confirmed by Eurogamer that 1080p output appears to be downscaled to 720p internally. We're waiting for a response from Microsoft about these or any other issues and will let you know when we hear more. Let us know if you've noticed anything else in the new Xbox 360 update that needs tweaking in the comments below.

[Thanks, Vinny P, Brad R. and everyone else who sent this in]

Microsoft acknowledges Xbox 360 color space problem in last update, is working on a fix originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 fall dashboard update 'slightly' delayed (update: it's live!)

Richard Lawler — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:53:00 EST

Still haven't received that fresh new Xbox 360 dashboard update? Don't worry, no one else has either. Major Nelson tweeted "The timing for Xbox 360 update has been slightly delayed" from the planned 10AM ET launch, and promised a status update later today, but for the time being there's no other word on why, or when it will arrive. In the meantime, feel free to read our review again, make sure your Kinect sensor is tuned, or maybe take a swing Geometry Wars for old times sake. We'll let you know when there's more information available.

Update: Looks like it's rolled out for a bunch of you. A screenshot from a tipster awaits after the break and let us know how you fared in comments! Major Nelson just tweeted it's rolling out to all users now, so go ahead and log in and you should have an upgrade waiting.

Update 2: Well, getting the update may be tricky, with Xbox Live inaccessible for many right now. Some have suggested signing in on Xbox.com and accepting the new TOS as a way to make it work on your console, but until tings are back to normal we'd suggest keeping an eye on the XBL status page.

[Thanks Andy]

Continue reading Xbox 360 fall dashboard update 'slightly' delayed (update: it's live!)

Xbox 360 fall dashboard update 'slightly' delayed (update: it's live!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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320GB HDD available this month for Xbox 360, $130 ups your storage game

Joe Pollicino — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:44:00 EST

Since its introduction, Microsoft's second generation Xbox 360 has had nary a stand-alone HDD option aside from the company's proprietary 250GB drive, priced at a spendy $130 -- this despite those occasional limited edition consoles packing a massive 320GBs of space. That's soon to change, however, as Major Nelson's announced a new 320GB HDD for the 360, set to be available this month. Possibly in an attempt to sweeten the deal, this platter maintains the 250GB's $130 cost of adoption, and comes pre-loaded with Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (sadly though, no Lego love for Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Slovakia or Japan, where the game won't be available). Notably, rather than dropping the 250GB drive's price, it's now curiously absent from the Xbox website (and we won't hold our breath waiting for it to pop up again either). Nothing like a good ol' fashioned pricing premium for official Xbox storage, right?

320GB HDD available this month for Xbox 360, $130 ups your storage game originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 to go forever matte as glossy is discontinued, fingerprints look for a new home

Joe Pollicino — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:39:00 EST

Say it ain't so! Within the next few weeks Microsoft will be phasing out its 250GB Xbox 360's glossy finish in favor of the murdered-out matte currently found on its 4GB models. Major Nelson recently took to his blog announcing the news amid apparent speculation that the pricier variant would actually be offered in both flavors. If you're a fan of shiny things -- and a lover of fingerprints -- Major says you'll still have time to pick one up as stock is shuffled, and also noted there'll probably be glossy limited editions in the future. Rest in peace dear glossy friend, our microfiber cloths won't know what to do with them themselves.

Continue reading Xbox 360 to go forever matte as glossy is discontinued, fingerprints look for a new home

Xbox 360 to go forever matte as glossy is discontinued, fingerprints look for a new home originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Xbox 360 Bluetooth headset unlocks business casual achievement (video)

Brian Heater — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:38:00 EST

The new Xbox 360 wireless headset has a form factor that ought prove familiar to anyone who has ever watched a businessman chew out his secretary while ordering at latte at Starbucks. The peripheral connects wirelessly to the console via its standard radio frequencies -- its similarities to a non-gaming Bluetooth headset are more than just skin deep, however, with the earpiece doubling as just that, making it compatible with Bluetooth-ready phones and PCs. This one says "Xbox 360" on it, however, to help you avoid accidentally being mistaken for a stock trader. The headset will go on sale in November for $60. Also newly announced is the Xbox 360 Media Remote, which controls streaming content, CD / DVD playback, and live TV viewed through the console. The remote will be available for $20 around the same time as the headset.

[Thanks, Jason]

Continue reading New Xbox 360 Bluetooth headset unlocks business casual achievement (video)

New Xbox 360 Bluetooth headset unlocks business casual achievement (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hulu Plus on Xbox 360 launches tomorrow, all members get a free week thanks to beef jerky

Richard Lawler — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:39:00 EST

It's true, per Major Nelson Hulu Plus will launch on Xbox 360 tomorrow amid a slew of promotions, the first of which will provide free access to the service for all US-based Xbox Live members (free or paid) through May 6th courtesy of Jack Link's Beef Jerky. We should be able to get some hands on time with the app in a few. Until then you can imagine what it will be like to watch 24 The Confession in HD or every episode of Spaced through your console in between rounds of messin' with Sasquatch (explanation after the break).

After spending some time with the app, it seems to work about as expected, mirroring the experience of Microsoft's Zune video on-demand without the need to pay-per-video. The Kinect implementation is similarly (and unfortunately) limited just like it was for Netflix, giving users the ability to browse only a list of preselected "popular" videos by gesture or voice. As seen in the video after the break, in-video commands work the same as well, so if talking to the TV is more convenient than grabbing the remote, you're in luck. We did find a slight issue with the picture quality, on many of the TV shows motion appeared jerkier and less smooth than other video apps on the 360, while it didn't have any of the pausing or dropping users have cited recently on the PS3, it was noticeable. The best news however, is that you don't even need a credit card to get in on the weeklong trial, so give the app a download and try it out yourself.

Update: Now with screens plus details on the giveaways and a demo of Hulu Plus w/ Kinect after the break!

Gallery: Hulu Plus on Xbox 360

Continue reading Hulu Plus on Xbox 360 launches tomorrow, all members get a free week thanks to beef jerky

Hulu Plus on Xbox 360 launches tomorrow, all members get a free week thanks to beef jerky originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 Dashboard update is out!

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 05:55:00 EST

It's out, right on schedule and it's a biggie. The new Fall 2010 Xbox Live Dashboad update is being rolled out right now in preparation for Kinect to hit shelves on November 4th (or November 10th in Europe). The update includes Netflix search, Zune music, an ESPN entertainment hub, and much much more. Since you probably overslept anyway and don't have time to do the update before heading into the coal mines, why not check out our in depth preview of the update from a few weeks ago. Go ahead, don't cost nothin'. Otherwise, Major Nelson has the full breakdown in the link below.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Xbox 360 Dashboard update is out! originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 05:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Xbox 360 controller with improved D-pad confirmed, $65 on November 9

Nilay Patel — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:05:00 EST

Hey, what's this? We just started hearing rumors this morning that Microsoft was planning a new Xbox 360 controller with an improved D-pad, and bang -- Major Nelson just went live with a YouTube video detailing the new piece. The new D-pad is a trick new patented design that's just as we heard from Joystiq: it's a disc in the normal configuration, but a quick twist raises the crossbars about a quarter-inch, making it eminently more usable. (That sound you hear is joyous weeping.) The analog sticks have also been tweaked to be slightly more concave, and -- wonder of wonders -- the ABXY buttons are now translucent monochrome instead of colored. Wild. The new matte silver controller will only come bundled with the Play and Charge kit for $64.99 when it launches on November 9 in the States and replaces the existing wireless controller -- it'll hit Europe around February. Yep, it definitely seems like a major upgrade, but we've got a couple questions: when will it replace the packed-in controller? What about all the people who just bought new Stealthboxes and got the older controller? And, most importantly, when can we have one to try out? We're pressing for answers and we'll let you know -- check the video after the break in the meantime.

Gallery: New Xbox 360 controller with improved D-pad confirmed, $65 on November 9

[Thanks, Bill]

Continue reading New Xbox 360 controller with improved D-pad confirmed, $65 on November 9

New Xbox 360 controller with improved D-pad confirmed, $65 on November 9 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live Gold price increasing November 1 in US, UK, Canada, and Mexico

Nilay Patel — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:41:00 EST

Well, this is sad and unexpected: Microsoft's Major Nelson just announced that Xbox Live Gold will be getting more expensive in the US, UK, Canada, and Mexico starting November 1. A single month will go from $7.99 to $9.99, three months will go from $19.99 to $24.99, and the yearly sub will now be $59.99, up from $49.99. Yes, it's super lame, but to make up for it Microsoft's running a quickie "lock in" promo for a discounted $40 one-year Gold sub starting November 1 -- a nice deal if your subscription is set to expire around then, we suppose. We're definitely wondering why Microsoft is jacking Live prices right before launching Kinect and the gaming-focused Windows Phone 7, though -- we've heard theories ranging from an attempt to increase Entertainment and Devices revenue to a simple inflation adjustment. We'll poke around -- and we're guessing there's about to be a run on Gold upgrade cards.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Xbox Live Gold price increasing November 1 in US, UK, Canada, and Mexico originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft: 'We have no plans for Blu-ray on Xbox 360'

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:03:00 EST

A recent Gizmodo sit down with Steve Ballmer led with a headline exclaiming a Blu-ray add-on for Xbox was coming. See, when Ballmer was asked about making the Xbox a home theater companion of choice and where Blu-ray might fit in, the Windows 7 wild man said, "Well I don't know if we need to put Blu-ray in there -- you'll be able to get Blu-ray drives as accessories." He then added that on-demand is the future of movies, not physical media. Now our bud Major Nelson, Director of Programming for Xbox Live, has stepped up to lay the conflation to rest. The Major says that Ballmer was referring to Blu-ray accessories for the PC and reiterated Microsoft's focus of bringing instant-on 1080p streaming movies to the Xbox 360. So... that should end speculation of Blu-ray on Xbox right? Not if history serves, nope.

Filed under: Blu-ray

Microsoft: 'We have no plans for Blu-ray on Xbox 360' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft: 'We have no plans for Blu-ray on Xbox 360'

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:49:00 EST

Filed under: Gaming, HDTV, Home Entertainment

Microsoft: 'We have no plans for Blu-ray on Xbox 360' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live dashboard update preview invites begin rolling out

Ross Miller — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:28:00 EST

You've already read our thoughts on the new Xbox Live dashboard update, and now it's time for those who put in their name for the preview program to join the fun. Microsoft today began sending invites that'll get you set up for the download, so that you can enjoy Avatar marketplace and a slew of new Netflix options (and irksome restrictions for Starz Play titles). Registration is still open if you still want a shot at nabbing it before August 11th. Didn't get an email? A second wave of invites is going out tomorrow, but also be sure to check the Connect site you registered at anyway, as Microsoft notes those who opted out of receiving emails will have no other way of confirming.

[Via Joystiq]

Filed under: Gaming

Xbox Live dashboard update preview invites begin rolling out originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 TV Calibration app pops up on Community Games

Richard Lawler — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:13:00 EST

For most of this month, one of the top 10 ranked Community Games on Major Nelson's list hasn't been a game at all, the TV Calibration app is a 200 point ($2.50) tool loaded with plenty of test patterns to make sure your video setup is configured perfectly. There's also a free trial, so we loaded it up and can say it does exactly what it says it does. Most games have at least some PQ optimization helpers, but it's unlikely you'll be able to get this detailed information about pixel mapping and test color patterns with a Gears of War disc, and hey, you gotta make sure those Netflix streams look their best on your HDTV. Other calibration tools may have a few more tests and work on more than one device, but for the price it seems to be a good value. Check out the gallery to see a few of the patterns included, or download it from the marketplace and give it a try.

Gallery: TV Calibration for Xbox 360

Filed under: Misc, Displays, Other hardware

Xbox 360 TV Calibration app pops up on Community Games originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Xbox 360 Resident Evil Limited Edition "unboxed" by Major Nelson

Nilay Patel — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:42:00 EST

Curious what's in that hot new red Xbox 360 Resident Evil Limited Edition box? Well, Major Nelson's got you covered -- he just posted up this quick video going over the contents. You're getting the red 360 with 120GB drive, a red controller, black headset, HDMI, component, and Ethernet cables, a download code for Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, RE 5, and... the standard Xbox power supply. Yeah! We'll hit you with a real unboxing when it all goes on sale -- which just happens to be Friday the 13th, our favorite day in March.

Filed under: Gaming

Red Xbox 360 Resident Evil Limited Edition "unboxed" by Major Nelson originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Experience now available to all who signed up, Netflix HD streams too

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:10:00 EST

Microsoft's new Xbox Experience dashboard doesn't officially launch until Wednesday the 19th. But if you signed up for the preview (and who didn't?) with a valid console ID then it's available now according to Major Nelson. What's more, Netflix has confirmed its Xbox 360 launch details: more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes and 300 streaming HD titles. Remember, streaming is free for Netflix members who are also Xbox Live Gold members. The HD video streams will be limited to SD audio, however -- multi-channel audio is in the works as are additional HD titles. Now get outta here kid, NXE awaits.

[Via Joystiq]

Read -- Major Nelson
Read -- Netflix

Filed under: Industry, Media streamers, Others, Internet

Xbox Experience now available to all who signed up, Netflix HD streams too originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Experience now available to all who signed up, Netflix HD streams too

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:10:00 EST

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment

Xbox Experience now available to all who signed up, Netflix HD streams too originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Podcast 111 (the Xbox 360 episode) - 01.09.2008

Trent Wolbe — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 13:34:00 EST

We've wanted a long time to get our old pal Major Nelson on the Engadget podcast, and what better occasion than CES? Ok, maybe E3 -- but there's been no dearth of 360 news at and prior to the show, and no shortage of questions we've been dying to have answered on the air. If you're not down with the Xbox, you'll probably want to wait for a little bit until our next podcast, because in this one we're talking about the recent Live outages, how the console's been doing in the market, the persistence of the integrated HD DVD player rumor, the announcement of the 360's first IPTV rollout, and even waxing nerd about our favorite titles of late.

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Hosts: Peter Rojas and Ryan Block
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Guest: Larry Hryb, aka Major Nelson
Music: Solvent - Instructograph (Ghostly International)

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Contact the podcast: 1-888-ENGADGET, Engadget (Gizmo Project) or podcast at engadget dawt com

Filed under: Gaming, Podcasts

Engadget Podcast 111 (the Xbox 360 episode) - 01.09.2008 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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False alarm: Target's not giving up on HD DVD

Paul Miller — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 17:21:00 EST

As noted on Engadget HD the other day, and further clarified by Major Nelson this morning, that story about Target going exclusively Blu-ray was false. Turns out they're just installing Blu-ray aisle end caps, thanks to a new promotional deal with Sony, but HD DVD isn't going anywhere. Hopefully you haven't chucked out your HD DVD collection just yet in a concession to defeat at Thursday's "news," but if you have it's always good to know you can score replacements at your local Target, just like always.

Filed under: HDTV

False alarm: Target's not giving up on HD DVD originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jul 2007 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Superman Returns now on Xbox Live Video Marketplace

Richard Lawler — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 16:10:00 EST

We were wondering how long it would take to get a high definition blockbuster movie onto Xbox Live Video Marketplace, and it looks like Microsoft and Major Nelson just got in under the wire for 2006, adding Superman Returns yesterday. Weighing in at 7 GB for the 720p HD version (2 GB in 480p SD... for the masochists out there) for the 154 minute movie, it's finally time to clear off some of the Xbox 360 demos we downloaded and see if digital distribution works better in 2007 than it did last year. We'll be back with our impressions of the service, now that they've posted something we want to watch on our HDTVs.

Filed under: Players, Set-top boxes, Internet

Superman Returns now on Xbox Live Video Marketplace originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Jan 2007 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live Video Marketplace downloads stalled by glitches

Richard Lawler — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 14:24:00 EST

The two biggest questions since Microsoft announced its Xbox Live Video Marketplace have been: 1. does anyone still has enough space on their Xbox 360's 20GB hard drive for movie downloads in high definition? and 2. does anyone -- even the guys at Redmond -- have enough bandwidth to feed the HDTVs of millions of Xbox Live subscribers? Since launching two days ago those questions have been answered with a yes and resounding no, respectively. Users have complained of slow downloads that time out, receiving different files than the ones they requested and being charged twice when trying to complete timed-out rental downloads. Major Nelson has chimed in on the issue, letting us know that the company is aware of the problem and will refund Microsoft Points to all those who call 1-800-4MYXBOX for assistance. Good luck with that, though, as at least one person was told there aren't any managers available to refund customers until after the holiday weekend. So while network engineers and management sleep off yesterday's turkey and camp out for cheap plasmas, you may want to hold off trying to download Clash of the Titans in 720p 'till things get straightened out.

[Thanks, WiFiSpy]

Read - My Xbox 360 video rental nightmare
Read - Video Marketplace Status

Filed under: Other hardware, Internet

Xbox Live Video Marketplace downloads stalled by glitches originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Nov 2006 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Major Nelson: Fix on the way for Xbox 360 1080p problems

Richard Lawler — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 11:41:00 EST

Microsoft just rolled out the much awaited update to the Xbox 360 dashboard including -- among other things -- support for 1080p over VGA and component but for some gamers and error screen was all they got. The company still hasn't said exactly what it believe is causing the issue, although some have said it may be due to either frequency supported by the VGA cable or the way it syncs with monitors, but Major Nelson confirmed on his podcast this morning that engineers are aware of the issue and are working on a fix. The TVs that suffer the problem appear to be some Sony (most notably LCD XBRs) and Samsung models that should be able to accept the 1080p input but as of yet, don't. Affected owners should hopefully have their mere 720p experience rectified soon, but will it be in time for the HD DVD player launch?

Filed under: Other hardware, Samsung, Sony

Major Nelson: Fix on the way for Xbox 360 1080p problems originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Nov 2006 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Major Nelson's podcast on the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on

Richard Lawler — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 09:22:00 EST

Once again, Xbox Live's Major Nelson has hosted some high definition experts from Microsoft on his weekly podcast, this time three members of the team behind the upcoming HD DVD add-on for the console. Unfortunately, there wasn't much new or interesting information about the upgrade beyond what is already available. The Toshiba-manufactured drive connects via USB 2.0 and outputs video through the Xbox 360's AV connectors, it will support the various interactive menus and iHD features, including the ability to download additional content from the internet. No price still, although they did state it would be the cheapest HD DVD player available. Whether they were referring to its price by itself, combined with an Xbox 360 Core System (>$200), or a Premium System (>$100) remains to be seen. Much like the previous podcast with Amir M., they were noticeably bolstered by the positive reviews HD DVD has received in comparison to Blu-ray and are very confident about its viability.

Given an opportunity to comment on any potential issues due to not having HDMI or DVI outputs they totally ignored potential problems with ICT and only chose to comment on the issue as pertaining to video quality. While we can certainly appreciate analog HDTV connectors as much as anyone and the budget Playstation 3 shares the same restrictions, we'd like to hear more on how this player won't be rendered useless by copyright protection before we buy.

Filed under: Industry, Toshiba

Major Nelson's podcast on the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Aug 2006 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live Vision cam coming on 9/19

Evan Blass — Tue, 30 May 2006 10:55:00 EST

Xbox 360 owners eagerly waiting to see if "HotGamerBabe" really lives up to her handle now have a solid date for that first exciting face-to-face meeting over Xbox Live: September 19th. That's the day that Europe and the US will see a simultaneous release of the Xbox Live Vision camera, according to well-known gamer-cum-Microsoft employee Major Nelson. The Major did not reveal, however, what pricing will look like for the cam, which is meant for video-conferencing, video emails, and profile customization.

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Gaming

Xbox Live Vision cam coming on 9/19 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 May 2006 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Major Nelson asks what's best for gaming? 720p, 1080i or 1080p

Richard Lawler — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:17:00 EST

On this edition of Major Nelson's weekly podcast he has a special guest, Tyler the HDTV expert. Among the things they discussed were what HD means, a few of the reasons Microsoft chose HD-DVD to support, why the Olympic broadcast isn't the best it could be, and the many different formats of HD. It's a pretty long conversation that I'll try to summarize here, but I suggest you give it a listen to get all the details on why 720p may be better for gaming than 1080i or even 1080p (which the PS3 will apparently have and the Xbox 360 doesn't).

We will leave the breakdown of spatial and temporal resolution to Tyler, but there are several elements here to consider.

Continue reading Major Nelson asks what's best for gaming? 720p, 1080i or 1080p

Major Nelson asks what's best for gaming? 720p, 1080i or 1080p originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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