Hands on with the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive @ Engadget

by Richard Lawler posted May 9th 2006 at 10:42PM

You heard right, these are shots of the expansion to Microsoft's Xbox 360 console, if not in the wild at least roaming about its padded enclosure. And enclosure is the right word, as it appears it will be little more than a standard 5.25-inch PC drive inside a 360-matching box. No HDMI output in sight, just USB and AC hookups, nothing direct to an HDTV. Has no one told Sony and Microsoft about ICT?

Still no word on price or specifics about the release date.

Filed under: Industry

Tags: hd dvd, hd-dvd, HdDvd, hdmi, hdtv, high definition, HighDefinition, ict, microsoft, xbox 360, Xbox360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

LA Dave @ May 10th 2006 2:12AM

Okay that is ultra-lame.

If you are going to get an HD DVD player to watch HD DVD movies, you will apparently have to watch movies via the component outs of the 360.

Since there is no mention of HDMI outputs on the drive, this drive is obsolete as soon as the ICTs are enforced by studios.

The drive looks like an external DVD burner.

I would be interested to see if it works on a regular Windows PC. At least I could use my HTPC to watch HD DVD movies via DVI.

Neutral

kryptonite kid @ May 10th 2006 8:46AM

Am I the only person excited about this?

Neutral

zombieflanders @ May 10th 2006 9:48AM

The Digital Bits is hearing rumors of a $199 price point, which is just enough to make it the SegaCD of the next-gen systems.

Neutral

Frankie Majowich @ May 10th 2006 10:24AM

I already have and Xbox360 and think this is great. I can get and HD-DVD player for $200 vs $499 to the Toshiba. If it came down to it I think MS can realase a differnt cable to replace the existing component cables. Considering Sony and Microsoft are backing the Formats I think they know about ICT. Also, worry about ICT when a studio actually says they will be using it.

Neutral

Big Sam @ May 10th 2006 10:24AM

Wouldn't the HDMI out need to be on the 360, not the drive? Its an add-on, not a standalone player. Its got to be coming, don't panic yet.

Neutral

EdwardA @ May 10th 2006 11:26AM

That's a good point. People are assuming that the outputs of the 360/PS3 can't support HDMI. You never know there might be new cables in the future. But besides, even if they don't support HDMI, that could be good for consumers.
Imagine this scenario, six months after you purchase your 360+HD-DVD/PS3 to play HD movies, studios start using Image Constraint. Who's going to get caught? MS or Sony? Not if you have some movies that work and some that don't. Studios will be less inclined to use that feature if it limits half the installed base of devices, which could happen with the PS3 and Blu-Ray. You want more Blu-Ray or HD-DVD devices without HDMI because it takes away the desire to use Image Constraint.

Neutral

Big Sam @ May 10th 2006 12:27PM

EdwardA, you assume the studios are intelligent. In a few years they won't care who has what and will enable ICT. In fact, since the devices will be online, I bet they will push down an update to the players that forces ICT to be enforced for all disks, ICT enabled or not. It will probably be a knee jerk reaction to their copy protection being cracked. Just watch...

Neutral

zombieflanders @ May 10th 2006 1:12PM

"You want more Blu-Ray or HD-DVD devices without HDMI because it takes away the desire to use Image Constraint."

Huh? Is it opposite day there? Non-HDMI devices are *specifically* what drives the IP owners to use ICT.

Neutral

DLastDragon @ Nov 14th 2006 11:43AM

Does anyone know the site, where you can download the drivers so I can hook it up to my PC? of Course MS won't tell you because it's "COVERT-OPS"

Thanks
DLastDragon

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