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Toshiba Denies 360 With Built-in HD DVD

Posted by Zonk on from the there-is-usually-fire-where-there-is-smoke dept.

A few days ago we discussed the possibility of Toshiba working on an Xbox 360 with a built-in HD DVD component and HD tuners. Today, GamesIndustry.biz has word from Toshiba denying that they're working on that unit. "'It's got nothing to do with us,' said a spokesperson to gadget site Stuff. 'But we know Microsoft doesn't want to include the HD DVD so as not to limit the user's experience.' Microsoft currently sells the HD DVD player as a separate peripheral for the Xbox 360, and offers various deals for users who want to upgrade their console to a hi-definition movie player."

9 of 50 comments (clear)

  1. Corporate doublespeak by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    'But we know Microsoft doesn't want to include the HD DVD so as not to limit the user's experience' What?
    1. Re:Corporate doublespeak by davester666 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's very limiting to be able to purchase one device with all the features you want. You don't get the "you also need this add-on" experience... You don't get to experience as much time with the salesman in the store [when they bother spending time with customers]. You miss the "I forgot to buy that part, so I have to go back to the store" experience.

      The article doesn't say anything about them being positive experiences...

      And even if MS didn't have to digitally sign games for them to work with the XBOX 360, I'm sure they would at least have a software block on running games from an HD DVD.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
    2. Re:Corporate doublespeak by donaldm · · Score: 2, Informative

      Including the HD-DVD drive would also drive the cost of the 360 up, driving up the retail price, and turning off potential purchasers with the new, higher, price tag. They'd rather keep it separate, so the price of the HD-DVD drive doesn't overshadow these potential purchases. That's likely what was meant by limiting the user's experience. To someone who would be buying a 360 either way, it wouldn't limit something. But for someone who didn't have that extra $150 or whatever to spend, having no choice to not get HD-DVD limits their choices.
      You are right about the increased cost but I can't believe Microsoft would be so stupid to make the new Xbox360HD to replace the original Xbox360 so if this was true it would be a optional all-in-one purchase most likely cheaper than an Xbox360 plus a HD-DVD player. In principle this sounds great for the potential Xbox360 purchaser since you don't need a HD-DVD add-on but you have to pay up-front for the privilege.

      I think the main question to ask if something like this happens and it has been denied by both parties is "Will games come out on HD-DVD"? If so then I would assume there are going to be over 11 million pissed off Xbox360 owners since games on HD-DVD will discriminate against them because to play HD-DVD games will require an existing Xbox360 owner to purchase a HD-DVD add-on plus (if they don't have one) a hard disk because the read rate of the HD-DVD drive is not going to be as quick as the original DVD drive.

      For people interested here is a side by side table comparing Bluray, HD-DVD and DVD http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc#Blu-ray_Disc_.2F_HD_DVD_comparison and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_DVD#HD_DVD_.2F_Blu-ray_disc_comparison. The comparison tables are identical but I don't want to be accused of favoritism. I leave the reader to draw their own conclusions although in all cases DVD sucks (see video resolution, audio codex, max bit-rates and capacity) in comparison to both HD-DVD and Bluray, still if you have not got a HDTV (at least 26" and up) then DVD is fine.
      --
      There ain't no such thing as proprietary standards only proprietary formats. Standards are by definition open.
  2. Good by ADRA · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I hope this brain child never hits the light of day, at least not for a long time.

    Why "Built-in HD-DVD" is dumb
    Having built in HD-DVD drive will allow MS to push HD-DVD storage enabled games that utilize the extra capacity. This will piss off all the existing users from playing those games and force them to upgrade their systems. The only saving grace on MS side would be to make it ABSOLUTELY clear that the upgraded HD drive will NEVER be used for game content.

    Why "HD tuner" aka QAM is dumb
    The HiDef TV market is currently locked into Encrypted QAM in North America and the only way to bypass the "rent/buy box from provider" is to use a cablecard decoder which is very broken and restricted to 'certified' hardware. There may be some channels broadcasted over the air unencrypted but you can be damn sure that all cable companies will switch to encrypted sooner or later, and at their whim. I'll put hd-cable to the same place in my heart as Hidef cable. In the cold. Call me back when there are open(non-private-key-encumbered) pervasive standards to

    --
    Bye!
    1. Re:Good by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 3, Informative

      I really don't see how any developer would make HD-DVD 360 games because of that very reason. Why cut most of your market out like that? Just take a look at how long it took for a lot of game distributors to standardize on DVD even if the drives were only $10 and you couldn't buy a computer without a DVD drive for years now.

      I can't find anything that said that the XBox tuner would be QAM-only. Over the air works just fine and can't legally be encrypted.

      "I'll put hd-cable to the same place in my heart as Hidef cable."

      I wasn't aware that "hd-cable" was something different from "Hidef cable".

  3. Out Q1 2008 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Actually the rumor I heard is that the new "XBox HD" is due out during the first quarter of 2008.

    The only reason they are denying the rumors right now, is to help unload existing inventory during the Holiday Season.

    If I was looking at an XBox 360 though, I'd wait till after the Holiday Season for the new unit to be released.

  4. PVR, not HD-DVD by rtechie · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The rumor is that there will be a new bundle priced higher than the Elite (probably around $600) that will include a larger hard drive (I'm told 200 GB), a Cablecard-ready TV tuner, bundled Media Remote, and possibly a DVD recorder (don't hold your breath for that last one). No HD-DVD, though it's supposed to be an HD-capable PVR that records up to 720p.

  5. QAM not as limited as you think by SuperKendall · · Score: 3, Informative

    The HiDef TV market is currently locked into Encrypted QAM in North America and the only way to bypass the "rent/buy box from provider" is to use a cablecard decoder....

    Actually, this is not entirely the case - on Comcast I get all basic digital channels, including local HD channels, on clearQAM. It's true more advanced channels or premium HD content require encrypted QAM support.

    Also of course, there is over the air HD in a number of markets now...

    A built in HD-TV tuner is of more use than you think.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  6. Kick'em [Sony] while they're down... by WoTG · · Score: 2

    I think this'll happen. Sony has placed a very large bet on the PS3 and BluRay, IMHO, they've bet the company by tying both products together. It would be in Microsoft's best interests to do as much damage to Sony as possible so that in the next round of the console wars, Microsoft will have more of an advantage.

    So far in this console generation, MS was able to come out a year earlier, partly because waiting for BluRay delayed the PS3. Then, for a long time, the XBox external HD-DVD drive was the cheapest hi-def DVD player around, although, you need to attach it to something, i.e. a PC or a 360.

    Now that HD-DVD drives are relatively cheap, MS can produce an XBox360+ with HD+DVD. It might be just enough to make HD-DVD the winner, and BluRay the looser. And knock a couple billion dollars of BluRay and PS3 revenues out of Sony's pockets.

    If MS is willing to spend $240 million to win the advertising gig on Facebook so that Google doesn't get that contract, then MS including an HD DVD drive to give Sony a kick in the shins is definitely in the cards.

    That's my CAD 0.02, anyway.