So, if they do, will the HD DVD add-on read along the entire chain, or will it just check for a VGA link at the source and then quit? In other words, is this a viable cheat or not?

And I still want to know how they plan to get advanced audio from the 360.

I saw it just now on TV.It's on the Tokyo Game Show.
I will be going there on Sunday to have a hands on experince.

They are called transcoders (VGA to component), very common. And getting cheaper, maybe under $150 now. Not sure what you meant about "add-on read along the entire chain", but it should take any VGA signal (including from the 360) and make it work on component.

What I meant by reading along the entire chain was for defeating AACS. If you have a 1080p TV that accepts 1080p over component, then you could get 1080p for HD DVD over component by using a transcoder UNLESS somehow the system can read that you're using a transcoder and shuts off the 1080p.

My VGA cable has an optical out on it.

Optical will not pass DolbyTrueHD, DD+, or DTS-HD MA without downrezzing it.

Bummer. I currently don't have HD so I'm not really keeping up to date on it. What type of connections can pass it?

Analog and HDMI. HDMI 1.1/1.2 converts DD+ to DTS, but will pass DolbyTrueHD and DTS-HD MA as PCM. HDMI 1.3 will pass all the streams without any conversion.

Edit: I once asked if firewire could pass the streams, and someone said it has the capacity to, but no one has yet used it as a solution. This is why I thought the mini-USB port might have been a firewire port for audio.

HD-DVD Drive for Xbox less than 200$
 

Wow the Next Gen console race & HD DVD races are really starting to heat up with Sony's HDMI announcment & price drop and now this. The HD-DVD Drive will debut in Japan for only 170$ US on November 14th. That should be around 200 dollars, maybe less for the US launch. Talk about agressive, I never would have thought it would have sold for so little. Just goes to show you what these companies are willing to do to get ahead in both of these lines.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/20/x...17th-in-japan/

PS...

$200 is exactly what I thought they would sell it for in the US. Still waiting for an announcement on this side of the ocean, though.

Agreed ill wait for an announcment as well but this all but guarantees that it will come in at 200 or less which is a very nice price point for this item. Hell I might pick one up just so I can have another HD-DVD player in the house. Ill be able to hook it up to the bed room HDTV as I already have an Xbox 360 set up in there. I for one am lovin the price and I actually thought it would be more like 250-275. I love being wrong on prices :-)

PS..

I'm going to pick one up early next year. That way I can move the HD-A1 to my theater room for good and just keep my 360 in my bedroom. $200 not to lug the A1 around anymore is a hell of a deal.

Yep thats the way I have mine set up. My 360 is in the bedroom and i move it to the living room if I am in the mood for videogames on my bigger and nicer HDTV. The A1 stays in the main room tho as it is a pain to unhook everything, I just cant watch HD-DVD in the bedroom as of now but for a measly 200 ucks that will soon change. The one thingyou gotta love about this type of competition is the low prices. Imagine how much PS3 or even the 360 wouldbe if it was the only competing format. Ouch!!

By the way I just realized that a 170 HD-DVDplayer in Japan just might help sell the Xbox360. All 20 of them that are in Japan :-)

PS..

You could be more correct than you know. Only time will tell. :)

The only problem is that the 360 add on won't have an HDMI output, unless MSFT changed things in the last few days. (This was on IGN...too lazy to find the exact link.)

This was already posted a few days ago. Merge?

This was right on the front page, no need for another thread.

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?t=463233

Threads merged.

I had the same thing in mind, but convinced myself that for an extra $400, not only would I not have to move my HD-A1 from the living room, I would have exceptional upconversion for my 1000+ dvds, and I would never have to use the 360 for anything except gaming.

I will probably get an add-on as well just because of the price I can get it for...That way when I do get a new tv, Ill be set to go.

i will try to post the Game show Pictures by tomorrow.You can see the front and back.I asked the Xbox Booth girl to show me :)

More importantly, did you ask her if you can take pictures of her front and back for those of us who are buying an Xbox360 HD-DVD player and would rather look at something else?

I think you misframed this by about 6 inches to the right ;) Nice pics!

I got the other spicy pics which I rather now post here ;)

Post more pics...
and the add-on looks awesome! Go with the look of the 360 and does not look like a tacky add-on (see Sega CD/32X). I will gladly buy one of these on Day 1.