XBOX 360 predicted to get an internal HD DVD drive
06-30-06 | 11:23 AM
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XBOX 360 predicted to get an internal HD DVD drive
http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/4816/53/
A Toshiba senior executive has predicted that Microsoft will release an Xbox 360 model with an internal HD DVD drive before the end of the year.
According to the general manager of Toshiba Information Systems Division in Australia, Mark Whittard, the high definition video war between Toshiba’s HD DVD and Sony’s Blu-ray formats will spill over into the games console market within months.
“One looming potential war extending from this is the Xbox versus PlayStation,” says Whittard. “The Xbox is coming out with an HD DVD player towards the end of this year. With Microsoft’s marketing engine behind HD DVD, who knows what will happen.”
The Xbox 360 is coming out with a HD DVD player? This is news to us. We were under the impression that there would just be a HD DVD plug-in available.
“I would imagine that there are plans in place to put an HD DVD drive internally in future revisions of the product,” says Whittard. “They’re not speaking about it publicly at the moment but I would expect them to do that and fairly soon.”
Whittard repeated his expectation that an Xbox 360 with an internal HD DVD drive will be available soon during an interview where he refuted claims that Toshiba is selling its HD DVD player at a loss.
According to the general manager of Toshiba Information Systems Division in Australia, Mark Whittard, the high definition video war between Toshiba’s HD DVD and Sony’s Blu-ray formats will spill over into the games console market within months.
“One looming potential war extending from this is the Xbox versus PlayStation,” says Whittard. “The Xbox is coming out with an HD DVD player towards the end of this year. With Microsoft’s marketing engine behind HD DVD, who knows what will happen.”
The Xbox 360 is coming out with a HD DVD player? This is news to us. We were under the impression that there would just be a HD DVD plug-in available.
“I would imagine that there are plans in place to put an HD DVD drive internally in future revisions of the product,” says Whittard. “They’re not speaking about it publicly at the moment but I would expect them to do that and fairly soon.”
Whittard repeated his expectation that an Xbox 360 with an internal HD DVD drive will be available soon during an interview where he refuted claims that Toshiba is selling its HD DVD player at a loss.
06-30-06 | 08:28 PM
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Microsoft just denied this rumor. I don't know why Toshiba even said this. In theory it could slow current sales of the 360 AND the HD-A1.
Some people are rumoring that come Christmas they will bundle the add-on with the system for the same price as a premium now.
Some people are rumoring that come Christmas they will bundle the add-on with the system for the same price as a premium now.
07-01-06 | 06:48 AM
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I think MS is denying all rumors about XB360 so that sales don't slow. They don't want people holding off for a price drop or better package deal, they want them to buy now, and perhaps, buy again later. Sneaky, but par for the course.
07-01-06 | 01:42 PM
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I think it's really too soon for MS to be including an HD-DVD drive internally in their players. It would require an HDMI output in the system, and I don't think they would want to make those kind of changes to the system yet. Not only that, it's way too soon to be upgrading the system in that manner, and it would piss a hell of a lot of people off.
07-01-06 | 01:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
It would require an HDMI output in the system,
07-01-06 | 01:55 PM
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Even if it doesn't include HDMI, MS would be a spreading a lot of ill-will for all the people who bought it up to this point.
Sony brought out the slimline PS2 a long time into the overall life of the system, so early adopters had years of use on their systems and probably needed to replace them, anyway. It would be a dangerous precedent if Microsoft upgraded the system only one year after launch. And with Sony execs talking about releasing memory upgrades for the PS3, it seems like console gaming is moving closer to PC gaming in a bad way.
Sony brought out the slimline PS2 a long time into the overall life of the system, so early adopters had years of use on their systems and probably needed to replace them, anyway. It would be a dangerous precedent if Microsoft upgraded the system only one year after launch. And with Sony execs talking about releasing memory upgrades for the PS3, it seems like console gaming is moving closer to PC gaming in a bad way.
07-01-06 | 05:14 PM
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But if they plan to use the HD DVD drive for software, then no matter what they do there will be ill will, since anyone who has already purchased a 360 will be unable to use that software without purchasing an upgrade.
I'm sure that Microsoft is thinking out all of the possible scenarios, but I am guessing that they have a pretty strong desire to incorporate the new drive into the base unit.
I'm sure that Microsoft is thinking out all of the possible scenarios, but I am guessing that they have a pretty strong desire to incorporate the new drive into the base unit.
07-02-06 | 12:53 AM
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If they make HD-DVDs required for games, they will be in serious trouble. It will cost more money to make 360's with HD-DVD drives, so the actual price of the system will go up. That is not good. Then you force people to rebuy the system, at a higher price. Even worse. The only way this would work is if MS take a bigger loss on each system by not raising the price, and also replacing every single current system purchased, at a loss to themselves as well. Otherwise the 360 will be finished. Microsoft execs have said in every interview I've read that they purposely kept out the HD-DVD drive and are more than happy to offer the add-on. In fact, for them it's a selling point. They're saying that the PS3 is forcing you to buy media that a lot of customers can't play if they don't have HDTVs. The 360 can play on any TV and if you want the add-on, you have the choice, but they're not going to force you and charge more for it.
Now, this could all be BS. If they decide to make the drive built-in, though, they had better be prepared to lose a lot of money.
Now, this could all be BS. If they decide to make the drive built-in, though, they had better be prepared to lose a lot of money.
07-03-06 | 04:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
Microsoft just denied this rumor. I don't know why Toshiba even said this. In theory it could slow current sales of the 360 AND the HD-A1.
Some people are rumoring that come Christmas they will bundle the add-on with the system for the same price as a premium now.
Some people are rumoring that come Christmas they will bundle the add-on with the system for the same price as a premium now.
07-03-06 | 09:18 AM
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Originally Posted by HiFiLux
Could you link us to the denial?
MS Shoots Down X360 Internal HD DVD Drive Rumor
GameDaily BIZ took these claims straight to Microsoft to see what kind of official response the company would provide. Interestingly, Microsoft chose not to issue a standard "we do not comment on rumor or speculation" answer. Instead, the company flat-out denied that any such plan for internal HD DVD is in the works.
"At E3 we showcased our Xbox 360 HD DVD player that is an external drive. Since launching Xbox we have retained a games first emphasis, but we also offer consumers the ability to build on our powerful platform, such as in combination with a Windows Media Center Edition PC," a Microsoft spokesperson told GameDaily BIZ. "We feel that offering the drive externally is the best way to give consumers the ultimate choice to create their own high definition experiences. We have no plans to release the Xbox 360 with an internal HD DVD drive."
Although it's certainly possible that Microsoft is covering its tracks, we tend to believe them on this one. After all, if they actually did decide to include HD DVD internally, what would happen to the 10 million or so Xbox 360 owners that are already out there? What if this drive also played HD DVD games? Microsoft would be wise not to split its own user base that way.
Furthermore, people in the last few years have finally gotten very accustomed to traditional DVD, and the uptake for both HD DVD and Blu-ray is likely to be quite slow. Releasing an external HD DVD drive as a cheaper alternative to standalone HD DVD players seems like a smart move in this editor's opinion.
"At E3 we showcased our Xbox 360 HD DVD player that is an external drive. Since launching Xbox we have retained a games first emphasis, but we also offer consumers the ability to build on our powerful platform, such as in combination with a Windows Media Center Edition PC," a Microsoft spokesperson told GameDaily BIZ. "We feel that offering the drive externally is the best way to give consumers the ultimate choice to create their own high definition experiences. We have no plans to release the Xbox 360 with an internal HD DVD drive."
Although it's certainly possible that Microsoft is covering its tracks, we tend to believe them on this one. After all, if they actually did decide to include HD DVD internally, what would happen to the 10 million or so Xbox 360 owners that are already out there? What if this drive also played HD DVD games? Microsoft would be wise not to split its own user base that way.
Furthermore, people in the last few years have finally gotten very accustomed to traditional DVD, and the uptake for both HD DVD and Blu-ray is likely to be quite slow. Releasing an external HD DVD drive as a cheaper alternative to standalone HD DVD players seems like a smart move in this editor's opinion.
07-03-06 | 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Grubert
07-03-06 | 06:18 PM
#18
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
Even if it doesn't include HDMI, MS would be a spreading a lot of ill-will for all the people who bought it up to this point.
07-03-06 | 06:57 PM
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Yeah, I thought about that as well. I like to give them the benefit of the doubt and say they won't do something as monumentally stupid as bringing out a 360 with an internal HD-DVD drive this holiday season, but as you said, this IS Microsoft.
I think, in the end, the big hit to their pocketbooks is going to keep them away. It would simply be more expensive to make a 360 with an internal HD-DVD drive.
I think, in the end, the big hit to their pocketbooks is going to keep them away. It would simply be more expensive to make a 360 with an internal HD-DVD drive.
07-05-06 | 11:43 AM
#20
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Originally Posted by Suprmallet
I think, in the end, the big hit to their pocketbooks is going to keep them away. It would simply be more expensive to make a 360 with an internal HD-DVD drive.
