MS Confirms 360 *can* output a digital signal

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Abooie

Abooie

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http://uk.gear.ign.com/articles/735/5860p1.html

IGN: Could Microsoft theoretically release an HDMI dongle-cable like the various other cables already available for the console? Is the current 360 hardware able to output a digital signal, or is it restricted to analog?

Microsoft: Xbox 360 supports HD Component video output, which is compatible with nearly every HD ready TV on the market today. That's not yet true for HDMI. We are watching the market closely and will continue to evaluate our solution, in the face of consumer demand.

***Updated 9/28, 2:15 PM PST***

IGN: Can the X360 send out a digital signal now, or ever?

Microsoft Xbox 360 currently doesn't include a digital out connection for video. Our platform is flexible enough to allow support of a digital connection in the future should we choose to do so.
Click to expand...

Still sounds a little cagey to me and I can't understand why they'd hold back a HDMI cable with the release of the HD-DVD drive. But it sounds promising.

There was also this bit...

IGN : Does the Xbox 360 have the internal bandwidth between CPUs and graphics processors necessary to move a full 1080p image? There's a big difference between 1080i and the 3GB/s of 1080p.

Microsoft: *updated* Yes, the Xbox 360 has the necessary internal bandwidth between CPUs and graphics processors to move a full 1080p image.
Click to expand...

All good.
 
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Like you i honestly do not understand why they would hold back on HDMI? It make no sense at all to me, i thought the demand would be more than great enough now, and they haven't even announced an HDMI cable neither which is strange with the HD-DVD release only weeks away
 
JUMPURS said:
Like you i honestly do not understand why they would hold back on HDMI? It make no sense at all to me, i thought the demand would be more than great enough now, and they haven't even announced an HDMI cable neither which is strange with the HD-DVD release only weeks away
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It's very annoying that they have not made one yet, but I think I can see where they would get their reasoning for not selling a HDMI cable. This, though based on some educated guesswork, will be down to the US having HD content for quite a while now, and a lot of TV sets out there will only have component input, and no form of analogue input I would imagine. That's one way I see it, plus it could stop a lot of confusion, and aren't decent HDMI cables reasonably expensive also? I dunno.

Here's hoping they pull their finger out sooner rather than later with the HDMI and 1080p capabilities.
 
DaveyD said:
It's very annoying that they have not made one yet, but I think I can see where they would get their reasoning for not selling a HDMI cable. This, though based on some educated guesswork, will be down to the US having HD content for quite a while now, and a lot of TV sets out there will only have component input, and no form of analogue input I would imagine. That's one way I see it, plus it could stop a lot of confusion, and aren't decent HDMI cables reasonably expensive also? I dunno.

Here's hoping they pull their finger out sooner rather than later with the HDMI and 1080p capabilities.
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Well that is true, but at the same time they are wanting to break into Japan, which will want HDMI. Europe is a major player now and they want HDMI.
The cynic in me thinks its to get everyone to buy a VGA cable in the first 18 months or so then when the PS3 is out, if the HDMI is popular release another cable. :D lol

The only other problem i can forsee is related to the coment about HDMI cables being expensive, maybe they know a lot of people who like their kit wont be happy with a 3-/40 quid MS cable when they have £100+ monster cables in use already, so they could be trying to figure out if they should make a full blown cable which goes from 360 to TV or that they just make a converter to change the bespoke 360 output to an HDMI output so you can use your own cable
 
I was told HDMI cables are cheap because digital signals do not need to be insulated like analogue. The convertor part might be the expensive bit
 
Energize said:
Not amazing though if it doesn't support hdcp...
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Why does that make a difference? That's just a form of DRM isn't it?

Edit: I don't know a lot about this so I guess I could be missing something.
 
Energize said:
Not amazing though if it doesn't support hdcp...
Click to expand...
It's not just for HD-DVDs the HDMI cable though, and should give a better picture for games. Plus we don't know if HDCP is definately on or off the 360. May be getting my info wrong, but isn't HDCP only a worry towards the end of the decade anyway?
 
DaveyD said:
It's not just for HD-DVDs the HDMI cable though, and should give a better picture for games. Plus we don't know if HDCP is definately on or off the 360. May be getting my info wrong, but isn't HDCP only a worry towards the end of the decade anyway?
Click to expand...

That depends on wether or not the publishers use ict or not, theres no guarantee they will stick to the agreement, espically when aacs is cracked.
 
Energize said:
That depends on wether or not the publishers use ict or not, theres no guarantee they will stick to the agreement, espically when aacs is cracked.
Click to expand...

Ah, well from the looks of details on HDMI, it seems it's almost a standard that if a device can do HDMI, it has to do HDCP. Will have to wait and see when the final details of the HD-DVD drive emerge.
 
DaveyD said:
It's not just for HD-DVDs the HDMI cable though, and should give a better picture for games. Plus we don't know if HDCP is definately on or off the 360. May be getting my info wrong, but isn't HDCP only a worry towards the end of the decade anyway?
Click to expand...

Aye, 2011 afaik.

One thing I've read (on a forum though so take it with the proverbial pinch of salt) which may be causing the MS HDMI head-ache is the DVD-association stipulated that all HDMI ports have to be the same; with the same 'hole' so that any 'HDMI' cable can be used. MS would need a bespoke cable and thus a 'waiver' from the association before they could release something.

My guess is, if this is the case, the launch of the HD-DVD drive and the support MS is now putting into pushing the format will get them this 'waiver' and we'll see a cable release before too long.
 
DaveyD said:
Ah, well from the looks of details on HDMI, it seems it's almost a standard that if a device can do HDMI, it has to do HDCP. Will have to wait and see when the final details of the HD-DVD drive emerge.
Click to expand...

Lots of devices that have hdmi do not have hdcp, the gpu has to have had hdcp built in from the start to use it because it needs a chip, the 360 doesn't have one.
 
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Energize said:
Lots of devices that have hdmi do not have hdcp, the gpu has to have had hdcp built in from the start to use it because it needs a chip, the 360 doesn't have one.
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Ah, that definate, regarding the 360 having no capability? (I don't know myself).
 
From what i remember its not that the cable is expensive its hte connector and the wiring up of it that is the costly part i belive

Kimbie
 
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