What is Digg?155 Comments
- BloodJunkie, on 10/12/2007, -10/+93The drive alone is bigger than the Wii.
- chris4404, on 10/12/2007, -0/+69With it being standard USB is it compatible with a PC/Mac?
- Dog_Paddle, on 10/12/2007, -2/+41If it's not, then someone will hack a way for it to work.
- redneckblues, on 10/12/2007, -2/+29Don't put it past them. The wireless adapter for 360 does not work for PC, and that is usb.
- Nezzari, on 10/12/2007, -3/+27Typical Microsoft move? Seriously, how old are you? 12? 14? It seems to me that most people who bash Microsoft are "leet 1337 haxor" wannabes under the age of 14.
- 2nickelstripper, on 10/12/2007, -14/+36Looks better then your average external disk drive. Not sure what else one could be expecting here.
- mDot, on 10/12/2007, -6/+22I'd call it innovative, and thank Microsoft for not forcing me to buy it (built in), and letting me choose when to purchase it... if at all.
- mrgreen4242, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16"I'm not sure if anyone else pointed out the fact that there is no HDMI Output (I.E. Deliver true high definition). This can be a bad thing if your TV has it but a good thing in that there will be no HDCP worries perhaps? (HDCP is high definition content protection and if your player and the TV don't support it, you cannot output in digital. Gateway's new 21 inch PC monitor supports it, etc.) I'm not buying one but I know way to many people that shelled out 400.00 for the console already. At least the high end PS3 will have HDMI out... (X-box 360 (400 version) + HD DVD Drive (Probably 200) = 600 bucks... Same as PS3 with built in High Def. drive (Although it's Blue Ray vs. HD-DVD). Thoughts anyone?"
The drive doesn't need any video outs. It's just a disc drive. All the actual decoding and video display is handled by the 360. We are all assuming (and MS has indicated) that they will release an HDMI cable for the 360 when or shortly before the HDDVD drive comes out.
The low end PS3 lacks an HDMI connection, so you're limited in choice if you want a BR movie player with your console. The 360 starts at $300, and the drive could very easily be less than $200. It could come in for as little at $99, but $149 is more likely. So for HDDVD playback, assuming the bundle the HDMI cable with the drive which it would be stupid not to, it COULD be as low as $399, more likely $449, possibly $499. You could drop up to $599, however, if you want "everything" and the drive is $199.
I think it's unlikely it will be $199, though, unless they lower the 360's price... MS is going to want to retain a solid price advantage, and if they keep the Premium bundle $399 and sell the HDDVD drive for $199 it'll be the same price as a PS3, as you mention. So, in all likelihood, I think we'll see a $149 HDDVD with bundled HDMI cabling, and possibly a small price drop to go along with it's launch. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+18Just wait like 2 years, Micrsoft will without a doubt release a platinum edition xboxHD with much fanfare with them both integrated. Now lets see some good hd movies.
- spartan018, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16unless theres some crazy DRM/USB connectivity encryption (which would be stupid on M$'s part), hacking wouldnt even be necessary, someone would just have to write some drivers for it
- Flooq, on 10/12/2007, -4/+15I thought they might have made it convex shaped (maybe just on one side) to sit in the 360s concave casing. It looks okay but I won't be getting it unless it's a much cheaper option and there's some sign of HD-DVD actually sticking.
- ModernTenshi, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14Yeah, because it must be a bad move to offer the system as a stand-alone game console, then allow the people who want the HD-DVD playback to buy an attatchment that lets them have it. It's still primarily a gaming device (though not as much as Wii), but it gives you the option to add HD-DVD playback later on.
Unlike Sony, who wants to cram it down your throat up front. - Sanchez, on 10/12/2007, -10/+20What is a typical microsoft move? That they're offering a cheap alternative?
- millixaw, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10The HD-DVD drive dor size looks similar to the 360's internal drive. Internally, it's a normal-sized 5.25" drive (as are all external drives). I wonder if you could take apart your 360 and just put the HD-DVD drive in yourself?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Did you check out the vid of the guy taking apart the Toshiba HD DVD player (about a week ago) and connecting its NEC HD drive to his PC?
The drive was recognised in the BIOS, but windows wouldn't use it. So, theres probably some stupid DRMish stuff there or perhaps just a lack of drivers, but one would think that if NEC are allready producing an IDE style HD drive, they'd have drivers for the damn thing too. - P8ntBal1551, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9how much $?
- redneckblues, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Probably 200.
@somunny
No you wont. Did you see the wireless adapter mounting bracket on the back of the drive? It also adds another port. - Flooq, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10Maybe just Windows Vista? :)
- dragulaaeop, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Remember, since HD-DVD and Blu-ray are new tech they are a bit bloated in size. Just look at the original DVD Recorders or the Toshiba HD-DVD, it's friggin huge. Here is an article (that was on digg) about the Toshiba HD-DVD player... I didn't agree with it but it does display the unit
http://tvs.consumerelectronicsnet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=42921-0
My point is that this drive is actually pretty small considering what it is... plus, the built in usb-hub is kinda nifty. I agree that it would have been nice to allow you the option to marry the two units together, but, if you get a decent length USB cable you should be able to put it somewhere in your cabinet that is somewhat convenient. Also, the power cable is a somewhat universal style (I believe the 'big' PS2 uses it, as well as a lot of printers and some small LCD tvs)
It would be awesome if in the X360 a couple of years from now they include it internally (once they can shrink it down and fit it inside) just to make things more convenient
-Aeop - reject, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7If you read other articles (from Engadget, Gizmodo), the two USB 2.0 ports on the rear of the HD-DVD player allow it to be used as a USB hub.
- JFetch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7The 360 supports almost all USB hubs available.
- suMMx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8way better option than forcing down peoples throats
- Tiak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6"USB 2.0 max transfer is spec'd to be 480 megabits (60 megabytes) a second."
Exactly how much data do you think they'll have?... 1 hour at 60 megabytes a second is 216 gigs... Somehow I doubt HD-DVD can hold that much, let alone enough to get clogged during a 2.5 hour movie (half a terabyte easy). The actual data sent to the TV of course may end up being larger than the ammount of data on the disk, but the USB cable only needs to send the data on the disk to the 360. - matts0344, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7What would have really been cool is if they made it so the the regular DVD drive could be swapped out and the HD-DVD drive be put in its place. I probably would have went for something like that.
- interiot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6@redneckblues: the wireless controller doesn't work because no data is ever transmitted over USB with it (the USB cable is only for charging). And it does work, MS is releasing a USB dongle to support wireless PC play.
http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/e3-2006/e3-2006-microsoft-usb-wireless-receiver-and-other-hardware-info-172902.php - JFetch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7"If it's $200 i would rather get a PS3 at least it's one unit.
I am pretty sure M$ will come up with a model that incorporates the HD player in the next few months.
Because this really looks crappy."
No they won't. Not for a year at least. If Blu-Ray wins the HD war, then Microsoft just stops selling the add on drive. If HD-Dvd wins, then everyone who bought a PS3 is stuck with a drive that you can't get movies for. Making the HD-Dvd drive optional is a good strategy when your product isn't the standard yet. - 15charmaxwtf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Surely the xbox will be decoding it, all the hddvd does is transfer the compressed data too the 360.
- xeniac1, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7My impression was that it would leverage the Xbox 360 hardware to decode the HD-DVD, hence the (expected) low pricetag. So my guess would be without some serious software being hacked for it, it won't be compatible with anything but the Xbox 360.
- P8ntBal1551, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5100$-200$ isnt too bad cus ive seen some hd dvd drives for like 850$ sooo....
- pontgtp, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6well i think it looks good its clean and I'm also hoping that i can plug it into my PC as well.
"I'd call it innovative, and thank Microsoft for not forcing me to buy it (built in), and letting me choose when to purchase it... if at all."
id like to say i agree with this statement. - Tiak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I suppose you want it to come with a magical unicorn that'll produce an infinite supply of cookies as well?... upconverting DVD on the fly without any new source data wouldn't be very practical. It'd either simply be in the format, but be the same resolution it was to begin with, or be a result of a pact with the devil sealed with 32,284 innocent children... In which case I support it completely.
- debian_, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6It could be seen as innovation... in marketing. Ship the 360 early without HD-DVD built in, make some money off early adopters, then make more money selling it as an addon once the PS3 release is finally on the horizon.
Smart move I suppose. If MS had bundled it the 360 would probably be at the same prince point as PS3, and suddenly Sony doesn't look "as" horrible. - JFetch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6All those are options. That's the point. If I don't want it, I save myself money. I don't need my gaming system to make me breakfast, but if I want it to, it should be an option. Not crammed down my throat.
- apoc06, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4thats a mini usb jack right there, not hdmi.
- dimsumx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5If Microsoft really wants to get this out there, they'd release this for $100 and make it so that it upconverts regular dvds to 720p.
- mattb19us, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"IGN got some new HD-DVD pics of what the device will looks like."
Those were in the press release during E3. I have yet to see any new pics of the unit since then. I'm still waiting to see the HDMI port, or whatever connection the decide to use... - somunny, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@ redneck
No, I didn't notice that! Thanks for pointing that out. I stand corrected. - YoHowdy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6Best thing for Sony would be for someone to hack the PS3 and plug this in as a peripheral on that...you know...in case Blu-Ray tanks.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4480mb/sec for USB2, but drop that down a bit to account for overhead and the fact that USB2 was never all that great at streaming data unlike firewire.
That still leaves say, 400mb/sec (about 40 megabytes a sec) and even the fastest hard drives (non raid) can't transfer that fast from the disk itself (cache yes, but theres never more than 16Mb of the stuff).
Uncompressed HD needs about 1.5Gb/sec, but compresed needs at best, 30mb/sec (megabits), so USB2 should have no difficulty with this at all! - commyostrich, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4You all talk about how Sony will lose the new DVD format war but with the way Microsoft is doing things, they will be the ones losing.
Look at it this way, although Sony is stuffing the whole BD-DVD thing down your throat with the PS3, this also means that everyone that DOES have a PS3 will also have a BD-DVD player therefore they will all be inclined to buy those movies instead of HD-DVD ones. Also since Sony owns many movie companies they will be able to put out many major motion pictures right off the bat.
But with Microsoft releasing it as an add-on, people won't be as inclined to go buy the separate peripheral for their system and THEN go buy the movies. Rather they will just leave it as it is. It would've been better for Microsoft to initially put the HD-DVD drive in the Xbox 360 so that people wouldn't have to buy a separate thing just to get Microsoft's format working.
Plus with all the white and sleek craze going around, people will not want a lot of stuff piled on another connected by USB. They would rather opt for one box that has it all built in a good looking sleek package. And for all the Microsoft advocates who were saying the PS3 at E3 was bigger than the Xbox360...well it isn't anymore with this thing. - 15charmaxwtf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Yes easily, mpeg2 1080i is usually less than 20mbit/s. (or something like that)
Remember it would be transferring the compressed video, not uncompressed hd. - blasphemer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I don't think you'll have to plug the usb wireless adapter in the front because the HD-DVD drive has 2 usb ports on the back...1 for the cable ... 1 for the usb wireless adapter.
- Klisk, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Debian -- You have to remember, 90% of consumers won't even want the drive.
- JFetch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I think the dvd on one side, and HD-DVD on the other is the best way to get normal people to get HD-DVDs. They might spend the money on a HDTV, but they can still watch the same movie on their normal SDTVs in another room without buying another copy.
- dbpigeon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'm not sure if it could use a hub for multiple ports or not. I plugged in my USB hub one day to try and get better WiFi reception (7 ft. USB cord), and it worked fine. I didn't try putting in more than one thing though, I guess I'll be experimenting with that later.
Ah, after posting a see that tacos4me (or whatever his name was) says a hub will work fine. (didn't reply directly to this post) - darthsnoopy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Crap, that guys right....I wasted my hard earned money....I think I'll go bury my misery in the Lost Planet Demo that I can go play RIGHT NOW cause the 360 launched and didnt have some stupid DRM problems with its Disk storage system to hold it up.
And then just to be spiteful I'm going to load up some Joust and try to unlock another achievement.
Glad I can hang out and download marketplace content to help keep me content while waiting for the Wii - tacos4me, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You can use any USB hub to give yourself a few more ports. That's what I've been doing, anyway. Works great. Oh, and this drive should add two more ports, unless that mini USB port isn't used for anything. I'm assuming that that's what connects the drive to the console.
- xeniac1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Its probably going to be delivering compressed data to the Xbox 360.
- Sababaaa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Not necessarily , as you can see there are two usb ports on the back of th HDdvd drive itself... just like some keyboards/monitors have. So you could hook the HDdvd Drive up to the Console, and the wireless adapter up to the drive. Problem solved!
- joltcola, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Does any one think that Microsoft will eventually make the original Xbox 360 dvd drive a HD-DVD drive in a newer model? Cause it would suck to drop $400 for a 360 only to have it come standard with the HD-DVD drive in a few months....
-
Show 51 - 100 of 155 discussions
Digg is coming to a city (and computer) near you! Check out all the details on our 
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is