Xbox 360 to get a new HD DVD drive in 2008

Details are beyond sketchy at this point, but Personal Computer World is reporting that Mark Bennett, Microsoft's European HD DVD business director, announced that Microsoft would be shipping a revised 360 HD DVD drive in 2008 -- presumably one with improved support for HD DVD's HDi interactive features, which Microsoft is touting as being "nine months" ahead of Blu-ray. That's all the info we have for now, but you can bet we haven't heard the last of this one.

[Thanks, ChronoZaga]

[DJBro @ Sep 20th 2007 4:34PM]

there better be an exchange program

[Nate @ Sep 20th 2007 4:42PM]

I really hope that was a joke. It was right?

[Nando @ Sep 20th 2007 4:42PM]

Yeah!!

[Maestro @ Sep 20th 2007 4:50PM]

Why would there be an exchange program? When anti-lock breaks came out did everyone without them demand a FREE upgrade?

[stephenbratz2 @ Sep 20th 2007 5:01PM]

Just like there better be an exchange program for my PS3 controls thatdo not have rumble. Or my BDP-301 and my PS3 that will not support the newer BD1.2 spec, or...

[DJBro @ Sep 20th 2007 5:07PM]

lol, i should have put on tags huh?

[DJBro @ Sep 20th 2007 5:08PM]

^^ that was supposed to be "sarcasm tags" but i guess engadget strips tag syntax :p

[stephenbratz2 @ Sep 20th 2007 6:31PM]

If you were trying to be funny in there, then I missed it in my post. I have tried putting scarcasm tags in posts before, and yes, they do remove them.

[Larz @ Sep 20th 2007 8:29PM]

It just goes to show that people should probably just avoid HD-DVD for the time being.

[GrossGreg @ Sep 21st 2007 5:07AM]

@Maestro - Bad metaphor. Electronics companies such as MS, Apple, and others have adopted a business model which intentionally keeps the customers from making informed decisions about their purchases in order to attract press. Car companies do not. Customers can count on car models being upgraded every year. Also, most automobile manufacturers are not secretive about the upgrades that will become available. Information is made available to the customer as soon as decisions are made in order to allow the customer to make informed decisions about their purchases.

I do agree with the general consensus that electronics consumers need to come to terms with the fact that their purchases will invariably be somewhat outdated within a matter of time due to product upgrades. However, one can't help but feel betrayed when information is withheld intentionally in order to prevent the consumer from making the best decision possible.

[JCA @ Sep 21st 2007 5:46AM]

@Maestro - Bad metaphor. Electronics companies such as MS, Apple, and others have adopted a business model which intentionally keeps the customers from making informed decisions about their purchases in order to attract press. Car companies do not.

>>>You have no business commenting on Maestro's metaphor....bad or not. So when you bought that brand new 1986 Chevy Cavalier without ABS, General Motors told you that the 1988 model was going to have it? Because they thought you might really want ABS so they "informed" you ahead of time? Wow, those are nice dudes. They really care. I'm pretty sure when you bought that car, General Motors knew that the 88 Cav would have ABS. But even if they knew you wanted ABS, they wanted your money more....and they wanted it now....not 2 years from now.

>>>When you say "attract press" what you should be talking about is planned obsolescence. If a product is a high volume type of commodity, I don't care what it is, there is always some sort of obsolescence that is bound to occur.

Also, most automobile manufacturers are not secretive about the upgrades that will become available.


>>>"Wait 2 years to buy our car even though you have $20,000 to spend now. We don't want your money....just you wait, in 2 years the car you are looking at in our showroom right now is crap by comparison." Your argument is making less and less sense isn't it?


I do agree with the general consensus that electronics consumers need to come to terms with the fact that their purchases will invariably be somewhat outdated within a matter of time due to product upgrades.

>>>Just like automobiles. THere are 5 year old phones that make calls on Sprint, why don't we all just use those? My Ford Model T has 4 wheels and an engine and gets me to the supermarket. Why must I drive a Hummer H2?

However, one can't help but feel betrayed when information is withheld intentionally in order to prevent the consumer from making the best decision possible.

>>>If you still don't get it, let me restate the fact that you need to think before you write.

[The Truth Beacon @ Sep 20th 2007 4:35PM]

I would hope there is a reason beyond enabling HDi. I don't easily believe that you can't simply enable that with a firmware upgrade...

[DarkAardvark @ Sep 20th 2007 6:06PM]

oh damn, you threw me off with your double negative

what's HDi anyways? like.... HDMI? o?

[Larz @ Sep 20th 2007 8:29PM]

The major changes they have made to justify a whole new drive include adding some red lights in a ring formation...

[humpty @ Sep 20th 2007 4:37PM]

What does HDi have to do with the drive? The 360 has enough processing power.. maybe it doesnt have enough ram?

[MZx @ Sep 20th 2007 4:38PM]

Sigh, is this gonna be another case of the early adoptor getting shafted?

[Nate @ Sep 20th 2007 4:43PM]

THE HD DVD DRIVE CAME OUT A YEAR AGO

[Eric @ Sep 20th 2007 4:40PM]

I thought the current drives supported HDi. I thought Every HD-DVD branded drive supported it. I know I can use the U-Control on Heroes and thats HDi.

[Heath Stahl @ Sep 20th 2007 4:54PM]

The current drive does support HDi (as does ever other HD-DVD player). The Engadget poster misspoke saying it didn't.

[Ryan Worrell @ Sep 20th 2007 4:42PM]

Will it match my Elite now?

[John M @ Sep 20th 2007 4:56PM]

better....They need to just make an HD/DVD-Blu-Ray combo drive

[TrentD @ Sep 20th 2007 6:31PM]

A Microsoft VP has said they'll make an HD DVD/Blu-ray combo drive for the XBox 360...

As soon as Sony announces HD DVD playback for the PS3!

...which means never.

[Sly Raskal @ Sep 20th 2007 6:16PM]

Yea,

I hope it matches the elite. Aside from the technical benefits of buying the HD Drive. I really want it to match my Elite and that is one of the reasons why I'm holding out. Now there are two reasons.

[lothar @ Sep 21st 2007 10:29AM]

@ Trent

I though I read an article where they (Microsoft) said that if there was a clear cut winner in the new DVD format that they would offer a drive that supported it. It seemed like at the time they were using that as part of their you have the choice to get into the format wars marketing campaign.

Or they could be waiting for the newer HD DVD drives with the higher capacity?

[Eric @ Sep 20th 2007 4:43PM]

My guess is that it may have a video and audio decoder chip built into it to lessen the burden on the console.

[fischju @ Sep 20th 2007 4:43PM]

As long as it works with Vista and XP...

[Morgan Percy @ Sep 20th 2007 5:10PM]

The current HD-Dvd drive works Vista but not XP as far as I know.

[fischju @ Sep 21st 2007 3:30PM]

You need drivers for XP, plug and play with Vista

[nickbonanno @ Sep 20th 2007 4:44PM]

MZx,remember your buying into a format that is currently in a FORMAT WAR. Every consumer gets shafted in a format war.

[wei @ Sep 20th 2007 4:46PM]

ouch. i thought the current one supports HDi? maybe it'll improve the speed. mine is incredibly sluggish in terms of responding to remote/menu commands.. :T

uncool, bill

[Heath Stahl @ Sep 20th 2007 4:50PM]

The 360's HD-DVD drive already supports HDi. If you read the article they are just stating how HD-DVD's interactivity is already present and working whereas Blu-ray's is still not out yet (although I'm not sure where he gets the 8-9 months. Nov '07 is the month I've heard for Blu-ray Profile 1, which includes Picture in Picture). I imagine what they are coming out with is probably a quieter and/or slimmer HD-DVD drive.

[HineyWipe @ Sep 20th 2007 4:56PM]

They should just build it into the next gen 360, and leave the USB port option for BluRay as external if HD-DVD goes extinct. I hope quieter too.

[TheAma1 @ Sep 20th 2007 4:54PM]

I was gonna buy the X360 HD-DVD Drive for my computer...and then I read this news.

[MrKniceGuy @ Sep 20th 2007 5:16PM]

This isn't news. It's speculation on a vague "comment." He's stating that Blu-ray is behind the times.. and HD-DVD is not. So don't worry. He probably meant they were releasing a Blew-Ray player. They just have to wait until the specs are finalized........ ;)

[Keith @ Sep 20th 2007 4:56PM]

I bet it will be support for Dolby True HD and DTS HD.

[mlody11 @ Sep 20th 2007 5:07PM]

Exactly my thoughts... hopefully.

[JSM @ Sep 20th 2007 4:59PM]

does anyone honestly believe that the real reason is to limit/temporarily stop the hd-dvd ripping that folks are able to do with the current version? Otherwise the drive works fine and, as stated above, it will already do HDi.

[Blacksheep @ Sep 20th 2007 5:01PM]

Stuff like this makes me glad I'm broke all the time and can't afford anything when it's new. The longer I wait the more the prices come down and the more stuff they add to these systems.

Of course, I'm a PC gamer first and all these changes have done is make console gaming less appealing. I mean everyone who buys these things used to say "I only have to buy it once and it's good for 6 years. I don't have to add RAM and a graphics card every year, the games just work."

Well, now they change console components every 6 months anyway and instead of just adding RAM you have to buy a whole new system!

PC gaming will be back in force.

[MDB @ Sep 21st 2007 12:05AM]

That was sarcasm right? The HD DVD drive isn't used for games... and all games out right now still work pretty darn well out of the box... i hope you die

[steve @ Sep 20th 2007 8:25PM]

If the 360 starts requiring a hard drive like people want it to, and is successful, I wouldn't put that past MS.

[Ignatius @ Sep 21st 2007 12:06AM]

Holy crap, MDB, that was a bit harsh.

[Ian @ Sep 20th 2007 5:02PM]

Sigh. The drive has nothing to do with HDi. It's just a friggin drive. Seriously. It spins and data comes off it.

Probably just a refresh. Maybe a bit faster. Who knows? Does it matter?

[TrentD @ Sep 20th 2007 6:31PM]

Probably a black version to compliment the Xbox360 Elite.

[John @ Sep 20th 2007 5:53PM]

Since when did they make them spin?! Mine only spins the disc inside of it!!

GOD DAMMIT I HATE BEING AN EARLY ADOPTER!!

[Tai @ Sep 20th 2007 5:03PM]

BUILD IT INTO THE CONSOLE PPPPLLLLEEEAAASSSEEEE~

[Stephen @ Sep 20th 2007 5:03PM]

Mandatory Network Connection
Networking provides a limitless dimension for filmmakers and viewers to keep discs up-to-date with fresh content.
From http://www.thisishddvd.com

Also, means the firmware is upgradeable. From bink.nu:
“With Microsoft’s HDi technology, Toshiba is able to offer consumers a consistent movie- watching experience in a way that simply isn’t possible with today’s DVDs or available with any other format right now,” said Jodi Sally, vice president of marketing for Toshiba America Consumer Products. “Advanced navigation using Microsoft’s HDi technology has been offered on all of Toshiba’s HD DVD players — from the models introduced last spring to our third generation of models that are shipping today.”

[DJBro @ Sep 20th 2007 5:10PM]

that could also be added in a firmware update. the xbox 360 has an ethernet connection.

[nxtiak @ Sep 20th 2007 5:56PM]

The XBOX 360 HD-DVD Player is already upgradable! They released an upgrade earlier this year for better support for some movies and other stuff. It's not a required download. If you do not have the HD-DVD drive, the 360 will not automatically download the update. Only when you plug in the drive and stick a movie in it and try to play it, it will check and update the firmware/software/whatever to the latest version.

[Jeff_in_LA @ Sep 20th 2007 5:16PM]

Nice - early adopters (myself included) get the shaft. Fortunately I've played a total of 3 movies off it and don't really care.

[Ant @ Sep 20th 2007 5:37PM]

stop trying to be the first guy on your block with the latest and greatest and you wont ever feel shafted again.


to people who want a trade in:
get those dedicated hddvd/bluray players exchanged for the new models too.


i have a vcr i want exchanged for a dvd player for free because they didnt tell me technology would update!