HD-DVD for 360 drops to $129

[Groundbeef]

News just rolling in that ToysRUs and Amazon are listing the HD-DVD add-on for the Xbox 360 has now fallen to $129.

This is just a couple of months after prices fell to $179.

Not a bad deal if you have a 360. Keep in mind this unit comes with 1 movie, and you are elgible for 5 free disks via mail in offer.

Heres a link:

http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/04/xbox-360-hd-dvd-player-stoops-to-129/

[kexodusc]

Yeah, saw this coming. Think MS is going to have to drop the MSRP on this baby with Toshiba giving away the more functional stand-alones these days for less than $199.

Still, $129 for HD-DVD playing ability ain't too shabby...

[Groundbeef]

Yeah, saw this coming. Think MS is going to have to drop the MSRP on this baby with Toshiba giving away the more functional stand-alones these days for less than $199.

Still, $129 for HD-DVD playing ability ain't too shabby...

No, not bad at all. I doubt that there is a loss on the unit either. Its really only a slave drive, as all the decoding and processing is done by the console.

Despite the naysayers here on the board, the 360 does a great job with the HD-DVD. If you have a 360, and want HD-DVD, this is a great way to get into it.

As an added bonus, this drive DOES function with Vista, so its pretty easy to add it to a computer and play it that way also.

[kexodusc]

No, not bad at all. I doubt that there is a loss on the unit either. Its really only a slave drive, as all the decoding and processing is done by the console.

Despite the naysayers here on the board, the 360 does a great job with the HD-DVD. If you have a 360, and want HD-DVD, this is a great way to get into it.

As an added bonus, this drive DOES function with Vista, so its pretty easy to add it to a computer and play it that way also.
I think for a lot of people this is a good alternative. I don't really care one way or another if MS makes money or loses money on each unit - well, I'd probably like it more if MS was losing a bit :)

The only downside I can think of is the audio processing, or lack thereof. If I'm not mistaken, these things are limited to good ol Dolby Digital on the audio front, aren't they?

[Groundbeef]

I think for a lot of people this is a good alternative. I don't really care one way or another if MS makes money or loses money on each unit - well, I'd probably like it more if MS was losing a bit :)

The only downside I can think of is the audio processing, or lack thereof. If I'm not mistaken, these things are limited to good ol Dolby Digital on the audio front, aren't they?

To be honest, I am not sure exactly. I'll look it up. It looks like your correct on that.

If you need those other audio formats, you will need a regular HD-DVD player.

[kexodusc]

To be honest, I am not sure exactly. I'll look it up. It looks like your correct on that.

If you need those other audio formats, you will need a regular HD-DVD player.
Been awhile since I looked it up, but IIRC, the HD-DVD's can be encoded with Dolby Digital at a higher 640 kb/s bit-rate than the standard 448 kb/s which supposedly is a huge improvement. Not sure if it puts up into DTS territory or better? Haven't tested it myself.

Gotta wonder though, the Xbox 360's all have HDMI now, surely they could change that limitation?

[Groundbeef]

Been awhile since I looked it up, but IIRC, the HD-DVD's can be encoded with Dolby Digital at a higher 640 kb/s bit-rate than the standard 448 kb/s which supposedly is a huge improvement. Not sure if it puts up into DTS territory or better? Haven't tested it myself.

Gotta wonder though, the Xbox 360's all have HDMI now, surely they could change that limitation?

I'm no botnist, but would there be any bandwidth issues with the USB from the reader to the console?

[Woochifer]

Been awhile since I looked it up, but IIRC, the HD-DVD's can be encoded with Dolby Digital at a higher 640 kb/s bit-rate than the standard 448 kb/s which supposedly is a huge improvement. Not sure if it puts up into DTS territory or better? Haven't tested it myself.

Gotta wonder though, the Xbox 360's all have HDMI now, surely they could change that limitation?

It's actually Blu-ray that encodes Dolby Digital at 640k, which is nice because all DD processors have always been capable of processing up to 640k resolution. However, I've read that Warner in particular has gone back to 448k DD on its Blu-ray discs because some receivers have trouble accepting a 640k bitstream. The 640k resolution was originally used with Laserdiscs, which is why a lot of the DD tracks on Laserdiscs purportedly sound better than their DVD counterparts.

My understanding is that HD-DVD is stuck at 448k resolution, unless the track uses Dolby Digital Plus, in which case it can use higher resolution, albeit only with newer processors. Problem is that it seems that very few HD-DVD releases use any of the newer audio formats.


I'm no botnist, but would there be any bandwidth issues with the USB from the reader to the console?

Doubtful, since a USB 2.0 interface is capable of 480 Mbps throughput, which is way above the data rate for either HD-DVD or Blu-ray.

[Groundbeef]

It's actually Blu-ray that encodes Dolby Digital at 640k, which is nice because all DD processors have always been capable of processing up to 640k resolution. However, I've read that Warner in particular has gone back to 448k DD on its Blu-ray discs because some receivers have trouble accepting a 640k bitstream. The 640k resolution was originally used with Laserdiscs, which is why a lot of the DD tracks on Laserdiscs purportedly sound better than their DVD counterparts.

My understanding is that HD-DVD is stuck at 448k resolution, unless the track uses Dolby Digital Plus, in which case it can use higher resolution, albeit only with newer processors. Problem is that it seems that very few HD-DVD releases use any of the newer audio formats.

Doubtful, since a USB 2.0 interface is capable of 480 Mbps throughput, which is way above the data rate for either HD-DVD or Blu-ray.

Well if there are no bandwidth restrictions from the reader to the 360 console, I don't know what would stop MS from offering other audio formats. Unless they require a firmware, or hardware change.

If its a software issue, I think they would be on it.

[kexodusc]

Well if there are no bandwidth restrictions from the reader to the 360 console, I don't know what would stop MS from offering other audio formats. Unless they require a firmware, or hardware change.

If its a software issue, I think they would be on it.
Could just be licensing - maybe they cheaped out and didn't want to pay for DTS and all the other formats...maybe there's no internal decoder, or maybe there's some issue of passing the uncompressed audio over USB rather than HDMI or component cables? DRM maybe?

All I know is I haven't been able to find evidence that these things can support the higher resolution formats. If anyone has any evidence let me know and I'll buy one tomorrow (serious).

[pixelthis]

Could just be licensing - maybe they cheaped out and didn't want to pay for DTS and all the other formats...maybe there's no internal decoder, or maybe there's some issue of passing the uncompressed audio over USB rather than HDMI or component cables? DRM maybe?

All I know is I haven't been able to find evidence that these things can support the higher resolution formats. If anyone has any evidence let me know and I'll buy one tomorrow (serious).
Its a question of cost, thats all.
This is a computer drive in a box, an effort to increase HD movie sales.
But since it only affects xbox, it wont be that much of a factor.
And 129 bucks for something that wont be around long and has limited functionality?
WHAT A BARGAIN
Its just another example of how the HDDVD group is trying to reinvent the VCR
(A CHEAP, BAREBONES WAY OF VIEWING VIDEO):1: