Major Nelson Podcast about HD-DVD addon Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Major Nelson Podcast about HD-DVD addon Posted by XanTium | August 7 12:41 EST

Xbox Live's Major Nelson invited three members (Albert, Todd, Murph) of the team behind the upcoming HD-DVD add-on on his latest podcast. Some points they talk about: * Why Microsoft chose HD-DVD over Blu-Ray (you heard that story 1000s of time already though) and what people think about the 2 formats. * Addon will connect with Xbox 360 via the (back) USB port. The addon will have 2 extra USB outputs to compensate the one you lose connecting the HD-DVD addon (so you can still connect WIFI-adapter (mounting space will also be there) and the upcoming camera on the back of console). * USB-Concerns: USB2 has more than enough bandwidth for HD content. * Software challenges: -Neat UI to toggle between 2 drives (internal DVD and HD-DVD) for controlling eject/play and so. You can also control the HD-DVD player with the standard Xbox 360 remote control. See screenshots of the new tray-UI here[gamerscoreblog.com]. -Interactivity-layer: Make all HD-DVD interactivity (XML/jscript) added to discs by the content provider/publisher work. -data: 1gigbit/sec -Port all content protections and codecs over the Xbox 360 (which MS has for windows already, but due diff. CPU on Xbox 360 it took some time). * Major Nelson saw a demo of it - so it kinda works already, but it's still in development ;) * Xbox 360 guide will work when you watch HD-DVD movies too. * Plug&Play: Just plug it in to start using it. Only difference will be a small UI change to the DVD-tray area in the 4 blades of the Xbox 360 dashboard that will allow you to toggle between the internal DVD and HD-DVD player. * Major Nelson Question: "If I play PGR3, can I put an audio disc in my HD-DVD player and listen to soundtracks?". They answered this wasn't possible now, but they will be able to update the drive software over Xbox Live, so who knows ;) * HD-DVD drive is manufactured by Toshiba. Industrial design was all done by Microsoft. * Addon also have the "double concavity". Will match with Xbox 360 in both vertical and horizontal position. * HDMI/DVI-talk ... it starts well with "Here's the truth". But well, in typical MS PR-style ... we get anything but the truth: -They say it doesn't really matter what connection you use -HDMI is "just another port, it's another way to plug video in your TV", "instead of 3 cable there's just 1 square-rectangle cable" -They saw devices where component output was better than the HDMI, it all depends on quality of cable/signal/decoder/TV. -All (HD)TVs have component, not all of them have HDMI/DVI. -... so basically we still know nothing (if/when/how the Xbox 360 will or will not get HDMI) * For testing they go to big home-theater stores early in the morning and test the device will all systems available in the store. * Price of the addon? They don't want to tell yet ... but they said it'll be, without a doubt, the cheapest HD-DVD you can buy! (I'm guessing they are referring to TV HD-DVD players and not HD-DVD PC drives here ... so that means it'll be below the 500usd Toshiba player) * Addon will be "very affordable option to opt-in, check it out with not a lot of risk and we're not betting our whole console on an unproven media format" (PS3 Slam) * Early HD-DVD players take a long time to boot-up. What about the Xbox 360 HD-DVD Addon? "We're doing a lot better" (background laughing) Download the whole podcast on majornelson.com

[ehelvig]

Does anyone know if its somehow possible to make a component-->dvi/hdmi cable..? With all this talk about HDCP encryption to get HighDef in the future - im really conserned about this addon. But me wants..

[edwinmcdunlap]

All TVs have component

Mine doesn't.

Of course, I don't have an HDTV

But really, I don't see what the whole fuss over no HDMI is.

[africamagical]

with no hdmi, no hdcp

[twistedsymphony]

HDMI is a true digital interface, Component video is analog...

saying there is no difference between component and HDMI is like saying there is no difference between casette tapes and CDs or that there is no difference between VHS and DVD...

there is a distinct difference especially for those HDTVs that make full use of it.

with HDMI it basically says pixel 1 is red, pixel 2 is this other shade of red... pixel 3 is ... etc.

with Component video isn't as precise, it's more like there's a red blob at the top left... Not only that Component video is compressed while HDMi is uncompressed.

The fact that MS says they're no difference is insulting not just to video-philes but consumers in general, there's enough confusion about the formats as it is, the last thing we need is companies like MS spreading false data and adding to the FUD just because they didn't have the foresight to add the feature in from the get-go.

-----------------
On the topic of HD-DVD... forget being able to put the game in the console and play a CD in the HD-DVD drive... I'm more interested if I can just use the HD-DVD drive for everything. It'd make a nice alternative for people who have to listen to the jet-engine of a drive in the stock unit.

This post has been edited by twistedsymphony: Aug 7 2006, 05:15 PM

[bucko]

On the topic of HD-DVD... forget being able to put the game in the console and play a CD in the HD-DVD drive... I'm more interested if I can just use the HD-DVD drive for everything. It'd make a nice alternative for people who have to listen to the jet-engine of a drive in the stock unit.

Yes I was thinking that to, be great for all them people with broken DVD drives & out of warranty 360's. Well the ones that can startup at least. Maybe someone will hack the firmware, especially if m$ made the firmware, mWahaha.

[XanTium]

I'm pretty sure it'll never be able to read/launch any Xbox 360 game discs (with all data going over simple USB).

[The Zep Man]

with no hdmi, no hdcp

DVI-D can support HDCP...

[troyBORG]

My TV has component and DVI input. I'd rather use DVI but they only have a VGA adapter.

[The Zep Man]

My TV has component and DVI input. I'd rather use DVI but they only have a VGA adapter.

Use a DVI-A to VGA adapter and a VGA cable to the Xbox 360 VGA pack.

[edit]
Or just use component.

This post has been edited by The Zep Man: Aug 7 2006, 06:17 PM

[twistedsymphony]

DVI-D is esseitnally the same thing as HDMI... just a different shaped connector + digital audio

so if your device (console/dvd player/etc) supports one, it also supports the other.

I'm pretty sure it'll never be able to read/launch any Xbox 360 game discs (with all data going over simple USB).

You think so? what about all those external PC drives people use, I know USB 2.0 is slower then SATA but I would think it's still good enough for gaming.

DVDs have a transfer rate of 10.24Mbps per 1X so a 12X is capable of 122.88Mbps or 14.648MB/s

USB2.0 has a transfer rate of 480Mbps or 57.22MB/s (http://www.everythingusb.com/usb2/faq.htm)

12x DVD = 14.648MB/s
USB 2.0 = 57.22MB/s

While SATA is faster then USB2.0 the bottle neck is the disc drive itself, so long as the external HD-DVD drive can read DVDs at 12X like the regular drive it should be enough.

This post has been edited by twistedsymphony: Aug 7 2006, 07:35 PM

[mksoftware]

but they will be able to update the drive software over Xbox Live

Do we get a free firmware blocker with that or is that a special surpise?

[skarekr0]

This topic is getting old. Instead of continually announcing the add on, why not give a price and some of the benefits of the product as opposed to comparing it to the ps3. If theyre wanting to make it so that you can have it at them same price as the ps3 (which theyve stated) then I would imagine it will be $100-$200. Im really hoping for that considering alot of people are going to be very disappointed if they have to pay another $300 for an add on. So thats where I think the price will be. Im a blu-ray supporter, dont get me wrong... but more than likely, ill be buying the add on for my ps3 or computer. Its been proven that Sony is taking alot of bad steps with their format and though I hate to say it, it looks like theyre going to be losing alot of support for their format due to the bad descions. I just found out recently that "Slither" will be out on Dvd and Hd-Dvd and alot of my favorite movies look to be heading that way.
Thank god for game consoles and competitions, By the beggining of 2007, ill have a blu-ray player and a Hd-DVD player for under $1000.

[Silverwolf38401]

Me personally I don't care! I buy a gaming console to do just that, GAME. A so called "true" video phile would get a stand-alone player anyways instead of a watered down Blu-Ray player (PS3) or HD-DVD (360).

[Elemino]

Me personally I don't care! I buy a gaming console to do just that, GAME. A so called "true" video phile would get a stand-alone player anyways instead of a watered down Blu-Ray player (PS3) or HD-DVD (360).

That's true. But what about all those people who want the new format so they can just watch the new movies and not get left behind in technology?

Anyway, did anyone notice it said USB has enough bandwidth (480Mbps) and then immediately followed with the data rate is 1Gbps (1000Mbps) ?