The Mystery of the Xbox 360 Hardware Revision
Disappearing links as new drive sneaks in.
It looks like a new version of the Xbox 360 might well be on the cards, with Microsoft seemingly spilling plans for a revised hardware model, and then backing out, seeing several major news sources pull stories.
This morning sees a somewhat dazed technology sector. News from Japan, with sources including Bloomberg and Yahoo News, ran pieces claiming that a revised model of the Xbox 360 was on the cards. The revision mentioned was the addition of a HD-DVD drive, something some analysts thought lacking from the core 360 offering.
Yahoo initially claimed a revision could be seen next year, though that, and every other link on the topic, is now dead. At this stage, we are not at all sure what actually happened. From what we can gather, Microsoft frantically tried to have the news/announcement/quote pulled and has succeeded, though not before it was picked up in various forums.
Of course, the addition of HD-DVD, or even Blu-Ray for that matter, is something Microsoft has been quite open about to date, with Edward Bland, global marketing general manager of Microsoft's home and entertainment division stating earlier this year that “...no decision has been made as yet for a blue-laser format. Either Blu-ray or HD DVD would be acceptable,” and that the next-generation Xbox would be “extendable” in that area.
So what could this all mean? What we only assume is that the chain of information snapped somewhere in Japan and someone mentioned an uprated hardware model. Of course, revealing a new unit just days after a lukewarm launch of the original would be a total disaster, so whatever escaped into the public domain was quickly riddled with tranquiliser darts and re-caged before it could cause too much damage.
SPOnG expects that an announcement regarding an upgraded drive for Xbox 360 will be made in the coming year or so – and we think it near certain said announcement will detail the addition of HD-DVD. As to how any 'upgrade' will be implemented remains to be seen. It seems unlikely that Microsoft will encourage end users to dismantle their hardware, though any other solution, such as issuing a postal 'recall' or setting up service centres would be expensive to say the least. It's also worth remembering that the 360 has no pure digital output capability. No HDMI and no DVI. The GPU outputs only analogue...
There's certainly something on the cards. Stay tuned for further updates in the coming days should any more light be shed on the issue.
This morning sees a somewhat dazed technology sector. News from Japan, with sources including Bloomberg and Yahoo News, ran pieces claiming that a revised model of the Xbox 360 was on the cards. The revision mentioned was the addition of a HD-DVD drive, something some analysts thought lacking from the core 360 offering.
Yahoo initially claimed a revision could be seen next year, though that, and every other link on the topic, is now dead. At this stage, we are not at all sure what actually happened. From what we can gather, Microsoft frantically tried to have the news/announcement/quote pulled and has succeeded, though not before it was picked up in various forums.
Of course, the addition of HD-DVD, or even Blu-Ray for that matter, is something Microsoft has been quite open about to date, with Edward Bland, global marketing general manager of Microsoft's home and entertainment division stating earlier this year that “...no decision has been made as yet for a blue-laser format. Either Blu-ray or HD DVD would be acceptable,” and that the next-generation Xbox would be “extendable” in that area.
So what could this all mean? What we only assume is that the chain of information snapped somewhere in Japan and someone mentioned an uprated hardware model. Of course, revealing a new unit just days after a lukewarm launch of the original would be a total disaster, so whatever escaped into the public domain was quickly riddled with tranquiliser darts and re-caged before it could cause too much damage.
SPOnG expects that an announcement regarding an upgraded drive for Xbox 360 will be made in the coming year or so – and we think it near certain said announcement will detail the addition of HD-DVD. As to how any 'upgrade' will be implemented remains to be seen. It seems unlikely that Microsoft will encourage end users to dismantle their hardware, though any other solution, such as issuing a postal 'recall' or setting up service centres would be expensive to say the least. It's also worth remembering that the 360 has no pure digital output capability. No HDMI and no DVI. The GPU outputs only analogue...
There's certainly something on the cards. Stay tuned for further updates in the coming days should any more light be shed on the issue.
Companies:
Microsoft
Read More Like This
Comments
emperorsamoth 15 Dec 2005 18:26
1/9
Damn, the 360 has no pure digital signal, huh?
Guess the PS3 doesn't look that bad now, does it?
Guess the PS3 doesn't look that bad now, does it?
warrp3d 16 Dec 2005 16:04
2/9
maybe those usb 2.0 ports would come in handy for such an upgrade
more comments below our sponsor's message
saurian 17 Dec 2005 09:04
3/9
Emperor Samoth wrote:
Damn, the 360 has no pure digital signal, huh?
Guess the PS3 doesn't look that bad now, does it?
Guess the PS3 doesn't look that bad now, does it?
Actually, my 360 does look really good right now.
You will have to wait until next year at the earliest to see if PS3 is what you think it will be.
cmotd 4 Jan 2006 00:05
4/9
I find it hard to believe that Small'N'Soft will put a HD-DVD drive in the 360 when it is as dead as the dodo. There is no way a format which won't even fit a full length HD film + extras on a single disc was ever going to win the war with Blu-Ray and the idiots proposing it should have given up years ago. If they put any new drive in the 360 it will be Blu-Ray, they just don't want to admit it because it's a Sony technology :)
Deadmans Theory 6 Jan 2006 18:24
5/9
I figured this was going to happen and Microsoft already gave hints to it as well. As for Blu-Ray, lets not jump the gun people. The technology still isn't even out let either and people want to jump on PS3 bandwagon. Wait and see how all this plays out, there's no rush and you never know who will end up in the end with best system, hell Nintendo could even do it....well maybe.
DoctorDee 6 Jan 2006 18:37
6/9
saurian wrote:
You will have to wait until next year at the earliest to see if PS3 is what you think it will be.
That statement seems fine until you actually think about it. What you are saying is that there is NO CHANCE whatsoever of the PS3 coming out in 2006.
And that next year is the earliest we could possibly see it.
Meaning that you are implying it is actually more likely to be 2008 before it is released. That is, quite literally incredible. They may mis the April-June time slot, but there will be PS3s on sale before the end of 2006.
DoctorDee 6 Jan 2006 18:40
7/9
cmotd wrote:
There is no way a format which won't even fit a full length HD film + extras on a single disc was ever going to win the war with Blu-Ray
But you can fit a full length HD movie, and extras on a single layer DVD if you use the correct compression.
The fact is, they don't WANT to do that, because then they can't force you to spend more money, and force DRM on you.
kid_77 6 Jan 2006 18:43
8/9
DoctorDee wrote:
saurian wrote:
You will have to wait until next year at the earliest to see if PS3 is what you think it will be.
That statement seems fine until you actually think about it. What you are saying is that there is NO CHANCE whatsoever of the PS3 coming out in 2006.
And that next year is the earliest we could possibly see it.
Meaning that you are implying it is actually more likely to be 2008 before it is released. That is, quite literally incredible. They may mis the April-June time slot, but there will be PS3s on sale before the end of 2006.
Are you on drugs, Doc?* Saurian made that statement in 2005 :)
*If so, I could do with some right now... I'm still at work, and probably will be until 20:00
:((((
DoctorDee 6 Jan 2006 18:55
9/9
kid_77 wrote:
Are you on drugs, Doc?* Saurian made that statement in 2005 :)
I AM on drugs, but not the kind that you would be interested in. Lemsip Max, Boots Nirolex etc etc.
And my brain really really hurts.
That's no excuse, of course. I'm an idiot. But it's what I'm relying on.