Xbox360 to have integrated HD-DVD?

Caustic · 2 Jan 2008 at 20:40

The thing is, if they did integrate an HD-DVD drive into the 360, the games would still be on DVD's. I still don't think that space is going to cramp the games on the 360. It may not be ideal, but it not like thats the number 1 problem, and as a result holding games back.

The only way the rumour would matter was if the all in one 360 was released at a better price. Then I would care, but seriously, there would still be no actual benefits otherthan than neatness to having the hd-dvd add-on drive and a normal 360.

wedgie · 2 Jan 2008 at 20:41

It's going to be a long road for both formats really, the barrier for entry is far bigger than it ever was for DVD.

mmj_uk · 2 Jan 2008 at 20:44

If it's quieter and more reliable then I am all for it, there are also rumours of a new 360 controller with Six-Axis.

Metalface Mark · 2 Jan 2008 at 20:45

I have both blu-ray and HD-dvd players (ps3 and standalone Hd-dvd), i dont care who wins, both though are a bit underwhelming.

JBeck · 2 Jan 2008 at 20:49

Didn't Microsoft say that they would never build a HD-DVD drive into the 360?

Kreeeee · 2 Jan 2008 at 20:50

rp2000 said:
Off the top of my head, I would estimate that sales worldwide would be something like 5000:3:1, DVD:BD:HD just based on rough sales estimates over the last year or so.

rp2000

Hmm... I'd like to get a HD player but it still looks like it could be anyone's game.

rp2000 · 2 Jan 2008 at 20:52

Kreeeee said:
Hmm... I'd like to get a HD player but it still looks like it could be anyone's game.

I have no doubt in my mind that Blu-Ray has won this war. (Unless Spielberg and Lucas jump towards HD-DVD). I would not have invested in the PS3 if I did not think Blu-Ray was worthwhile for movies too, and every bit of empirical data to date states there are more Blu-Ray Players, Movies sold too date, worldwide.

JBeck said:
Didn't Microsoft say that they would never build a HD-DVD drive into the 360?

Maybe not that exact quote, but they also said that HDMI was not needed this generation, and that 360 failure rates were only marginally above industry standard rates.

I think they have officially said somewhere that it is possible to build a Blu-Ray add-on, if the market needs it. TBH both consoles will be on their last legs by the time the HD market is designed, so I don't think MS need to build in a HD-DVD or a Blu-Ray drive this gen, if it was done it should have been done at release time.

rp2000

Margaret · 2 Jan 2008 at 20:52

I'll just buy a 360 Premium in a few months and then the HD-DVD player seperate, it'll probably work out cheaper.

wedgie · 2 Jan 2008 at 20:55

Metalface Mark said:
I have both blu-ray and HD-dvd players (ps3 and standalone Hd-dvd), i dont care who wins, both though are a bit underwhelming.

Pretty much the same boat I'm in. Have both so the format war makes no difference to me. I'm also at the point now where the 'wow' factor of HD has very much worn off. I will try and watch HD where possible, but in no way do I need it, I'd be very comfortable only ever watching standard DVD's.

JBeck · 2 Jan 2008 at 21:05

rp2000 said:
Maybe not that exact quote, but they also said that HDMI was not needed this generation, and that 360 failure rates were only marginally above industry standard rates.

I think they have officially said somewhere that it is possible to build a Blu-Ray add-on, if the market needs it. TBH both consoles will be on their last legs by the time the HD market is designed, so I don't think MS need to build in a HD-DVD or a Blu-Ray drive this gen, if it was done it should have been done at release time.

rp2000

I'm sure they said around the time of the PS3 launch (probably to try and discredit it) that a built in HD drive would never be fitted, as it would never be utilsed properly this generation. And yes you're right, they also said HDMI wasn't needed either. Anyway, doesn't the HD-DVD addon get really hot (so someone said, not sure if it's true) and makes the 360 work extra hard as it is? More heat from the HD Drive built in + more heat from the console itself getting stressed and running hotter = even more broken 360's? They want £300 for a elite so how much for a elite with a built in HD Drive... £379 - £399?? and people say the PS3 is a rip off! Irony, oh yes.

Soulja · 2 Jan 2008 at 21:12

This PS3-killer [Xbox360 Ultimate - autumn 2008] will benefit from almost three years of Xbox development, featuring 1080p HDMI output, built-in Wi-Fi, hi-def audio output, cooler 65nm hardware architecture and a near-silent fan.

It'll also have the ability to make the most of the by-then established Xbox IPTV service, which will mean recording TV shows to its vast 320GB hard disk and watching live TV shows via your broadband provider.
But the piece de resistance? It'll have a built-in HD DVD drive.

wedgie · 2 Jan 2008 at 21:28

We don't even know if those three years of development have even put the 360 within line of the normal failure rate yet.

JBeck · 2 Jan 2008 at 22:05

Soulja said:
This PS3-killer [Xbox360 Ultimate - autumn 2008] will benefit from almost three years of Xbox development, featuring 1080p HDMI output, built-in Wi-Fi, hi-def audio output, cooler 65nm hardware architecture and a near-silent fan.

It'll also have the ability to make the most of the by-then established Xbox IPTV service, which will mean recording TV shows to its vast 320GB hard disk and watching live TV shows via your broadband provider.
But the piece de resistance? It'll have a built-in HD DVD drive.

So it will have everything the PS3 has which everyone moaned at because it was too expensive and they didn't want to pay through the nose for it... If it is silent, if it is quiet, if it doesn't blow up, if it isn't £400 and if it isn't a total fake story then it might be worth a look.

mmj_uk · 2 Jan 2008 at 22:37

Hopefully if true it will look like a serious set top box and not the current 360 which looks right at home in the Argos toy section.

the_dead_parrot · 2 Jan 2008 at 22:51

I doubt there is any truth in this new super duper 360, sounds like someone has just drawn a list of everything wrong with the 360 or what it doesnt have and then made a statement... Suprised they havent been inventive enough to add a 360 motion sensor controller to the list. Apparently the 65nm graphics chipset comes out in autumn 2008 but all this other stuff just doesnt sound right. I mean surely they cater for every gamer out there at the minute with the three consoles and external hd-dvd drive. How many times has this rumour been bought up, will ever stop...

McDaniel · 2 Jan 2008 at 23:44

the_dead_parrot said:
I doubt there is any truth in this new super duper 360, sounds like someone has just drawn a list of everything wrong with the 360 or what it doesnt have and then made a statement... Suprised they havent been inventive enough to add a 360 motion sensor controller to the list. Apparently the 65nm graphics chipset comes out in autumn 2008 but all this other stuff just doesnt sound right. I mean surely they cater for every gamer out there at the minute with the three consoles and external hd-dvd drive. How many times has this rumour been bought up, will ever stop...

looks like a quote from Stuff Magazine, it was part of there 08 prediction, they rates it as a "60% Likelyhood"

msmalls74 · 3 Jan 2008 at 00:07

One thing that would concern me is read speed of the HD Drive. I guess it wont be using HD DVD disks for games but wont this suffer from being a slow DVD9 drive? Just like the PS3 BD drive wouldnt a HD DVD drive running at 2-3X still read a DVD slower than say a 12X DVD player? Nothing to do with the differences between HD DVD and DVD but surely the drive wont read DVDs as fast ie the 2X BD drive in a PS3 reads DVDs at 8X, so wouldnt this cause a problem with 360 games?

JBeck · 3 Jan 2008 at 00:15

You may be right, would this also mean it would spin up slower making things quieter?

wannabedamned · 3 Jan 2008 at 00:21

haha, PS3 "Killer"

Without sounding like a loon, It sounds more like an Xbox 360 "PS3 Edition"

If it comes out, nice one, But to be honest, Once I've got a PS3, I can't see the need to buy it.

As I'll have the gaming side of the 360 already, and the PS3's Multimedia capabilities/Gaming and PSP intergration.

I guess it would be nice for people who have neither console yet. But it just looks like a HUGE gimmick to me

JBeck · 3 Jan 2008 at 00:23

Got to agree with you there, the PS3 is really growing on me all the time now, the multimedia side of things is fantastic and the games are coming. Haven't turned the 360 on for weeks