We've just been given the skinny on the price Microsoft will charge for the looming HD-DVD drive for its Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive add-on. We have to say, with a lower than expected pricepoint emerging, it's a fairly compelling offer to any HD movie nut already in possession of the console and an HDTV.
Microsoft will ask €199 euros, £129 pounds and $199 dollars, not bad given the claim of a future upgrade to "full HD" 1080p output, an unexpected bonus to those awaiting the machine. Although far from an ideal solution, the offer will likely prove popular with anyone who's already shelled out for a 360 as it represents an affordable entry to the world of true high-def movies. Early adopters will also receive a universal media remote and a limited edition of Peter "Microsoft" Jackson's King Kong.
Looking at the HD-DVD market, the Xbox 360 with add-on still stands as a reasonable HD-DVD solution even if the console needs to be purchased too. Prices for stand-alone players are hovering around the $500 mark meaning that you could justify the purchase to your wife by explaining how you'd be basically getting a whole games console for a mere $100 extra and that's why you have to borrow money from her sister at the end of the month...
Microsoft will ask €199 euros, £129 pounds and $199 dollars, not bad given the claim of a future upgrade to "full HD" 1080p output, an unexpected bonus to those awaiting the machine. Although far from an ideal solution, the offer will likely prove popular with anyone who's already shelled out for a 360 as it represents an affordable entry to the world of true high-def movies. Early adopters will also receive a universal media remote and a limited edition of Peter "Microsoft" Jackson's King Kong.
Looking at the HD-DVD market, the Xbox 360 with add-on still stands as a reasonable HD-DVD solution even if the console needs to be purchased too. Prices for stand-alone players are hovering around the $500 mark meaning that you could justify the purchase to your wife by explaining how you'd be basically getting a whole games console for a mere $100 extra and that's why you have to borrow money from her sister at the end of the month...
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Microsoft
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Comments
SCiARA 28 Sep 2006 08:28
1/13
I gotta say I was expecting it to be more expensive but at £130.00 with remote and £18.00 film its gonna me a good Christmas..
hollywooda 28 Sep 2006 09:10
2/13
makes me wanna run home & cuddle my 360....god bless ya
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Jay 28 Sep 2006 09:14
3/13
We've just been given the skinny on the price Microsoft will charge for the looming HD-DVD drive for its Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive add-on.
Eh? The HD-DVD drive for the HD-DVD drive add-on?
tg0006 28 Sep 2006 12:03
4/13
theirs one problem, the 360 doesnt have an hdmi, so it cant really do 1080p. ign.com asked microsoft, and they never got a solid answer out of microsoft weather it could really do 1080p or if it was just 1080i upscaled.
SCiARA 28 Sep 2006 12:34
5/13
Ming specifically stated native 1080p in last night’s conference
LUPOS 28 Sep 2006 14:49
6/13
tg0006 wrote:
theirs one problem, the 360 doesnt have an hdmi, so it cant really do 1080p. ign.com asked microsoft, and they never got a solid answer out of microsoft weather it could really do 1080p or if it was just 1080i upscaled.
Also, i believe, component cables are capable of delivering 1080p. the reason for the "you need hdmi for true high def vid" nonsense is because of the hardware lock that may be put on some HD-DVD and BLU-RAY players that prevents them from displaying full res without a digital interface so they can verify they are outputing to a TV and not a recorder of some sort.
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SCiARA 28 Sep 2006 15:01
7/13
LUPOS wrote:
the reason for the "you need hdmi for true high def vid" nonsense is because of the hardware lock that may be put on some HD-DVD and BLU-RAY players that prevents them from displaying full res without a digital interface so they can verify they are outputing to a TV and not a recorder of some sort.
__________
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and i'm sure the movie studios have all agreed to put off the encyption untill 2009/10
hollywooda 28 Sep 2006 15:33
8/13
yer because the protection coding in HDMI signal is causing peoples panels to fry the slot
SCiARA 28 Sep 2006 15:38
9/13
hollywooda wrote:
yer because the protection coding in HDMI signal is causing peoples panels to fry the slot
mmmmmm fying the slot.....
Anyway, the encryption (ICT?) will never be used. There are far too many HDTVs in the world that simply do not have HDMI on them. If a company decided to start enforcing it, they would probably have a suit against them.
king skins 28 Sep 2006 16:51
10/13
LUPOS wrote:
tg0006 wrote:
theirs one problem, the 360 doesnt have an hdmi, so it cant really do 1080p. ign.com asked microsoft, and they never got a solid answer out of microsoft weather it could really do 1080p or if it was just 1080i upscaled.
Also, i believe, component cables are capable of delivering 1080p. the reason for the "you need hdmi for true high def vid" nonsense is because of the hardware lock that may be put on some HD-DVD and BLU-RAY players that prevents them from displaying full res without a digital interface so they can verify they are outputing to a TV and not a recorder of some sort.
__________
I think the problem (and the one IGN brought up) is the fact that most of the TV's that can accept a 1080p signal can only do so from their digital ports (HDMI, DVI) and not on the analogue ones (Component, VGA).
So you could have a 1080p TV and only be able to use your 360 in 720p or 1080i as the TV will only accept a 1080p signal from the HDMI or DVI ports.
All MS need to do is release a HDMI or DVI cable... that is, as long as the 360 can output a digital signal and this is where the crux of the problem lies and MS has never come out an said if the 360 actual output a digital signal or not.
LUPOS 28 Sep 2006 19:15
11/13
king skins wrote:
All MS need to do is release a HDMI or DVI cable... that is, as long as the 360 can output a digital signal and this is where the crux of the problem lies and MS has never come out an said if the 360 actual output a digital signal or not.
I'm betting on an adapter that goes in the video plug as well as the rear USB port. Combines the two together to output the propert digital info. Though i havent the fogiest how the inside of that thing is set up, a wire is a wire. course then theres the "how does the hd-dvd hook up" and what about the "where do i plug in that damn $100 wifi adapter". Sadly i'm invisionign a rather large white block stickign out the back of my 360 that plugs into all tis ports and cure all that ales ya.
Very curious to see hwo this all plays out.
P.S. will be damn funny when all those peopel who bought that clip on cooling thing are screwed... or sad... no... definetly funny.
alexh2o 29 Sep 2006 08:56
12/13
LUPOS wrote:
"where do i plug in that damn $100 wifi adapter".quote]
theres a usb and slot for it on the back of the hd-dvd drive...
theres a usb and slot for it on the back of the hd-dvd drive...
SCiARA 29 Sep 2006 12:55
13/13
SCiARA wrote:
Ming specifically stated native 1080p in last night’s conference
the only problem there might be is finding a TV that will accept 1080p through its component jack