Hmmm, reading all that, it seems it would make more sense to plug the HD DVD into the display and plug the X Box into an analog input on the HD DVD, doesn't it?
Or maybe I'm just confused. MS does have a way of doing things the opposite way I think they should.
Why should they have waited to put it in the 360 or not do it at all?
Because the HD DVD drive can't do anything for games that the optional hard drive, already shipping, can't do. All it does is force users and developers to choose hard drive vs. HD DVD for large games, or have both available. Simply more expensive for everyone involved (but maybe MS makes more money).
OTOH good penetration of the HD in the market means HD DVD becomes unnecessary for games.
If I'm a game developer with a game that won't fit on a dual-layer DVD, I'm going to look at wether my consumers are more likely to have a hard drive or an HD DVD drive to handle the extra content. So I don't see games as a driving force for HD DVD. Wether video content will be enough to gain the HD DVD drive the penetration necessary to make it a better target for large games...
or having to get a remote controlled HDMI switch so you can switch between devices.
Or even just a manually controlled HDMI switch.
OK maybe not. Most of us would spend 20 minutes hunting for a remote before changing something manually. Sad to say I've missed the beginning of a show or two while hunting for the remote, and I grew up in the day when you had to walk to the TV and turn a knob to change stations.
And developers (the bean counters anyway) will still be looking at hitting the widest possible audience. Which means not using HD DVD unless absolutely necessary.
1) True, but MS says that initially it won't be for games. Wether that means for another 6 months or 6 years... 2) But I'm guessing a switchbox is cheaper than an X Box.
Bottom line for me is that MS hasn't really come up with a good reason for consumers to be excited about this product. It will play movies, if the studios support the format and you don't mind connecting through your X Box (how does it connect?). It will support bigger games.... if and when MS and developers get around to supporting them...
And you left out a very important factor that puts today's ABS systems ahead in my book - each wheel is regulated independently. You can't do that manually -if one wheel locks, you have to back off all 4. This allows each individual tire to operate at near its maximum stopping power instead of operating near the maximun stopping power of the tire with the least traction.
an unintended consequence of ABS - people have a car with ABS, therefore feel safer, therefore drive faster or drive more recklessly because they think they can violate the laws of physics because they have ABS.
I see you've met my wife!
I wish I was only joking. Yes, I had to explain that even with ABS, you still can't stop on icy roads like you can on dry pavement.
So for the untrained driver who simply hits the brakes and waits for impact, ABS can result in higher impact velocities.
No, that's only true for the trained driver who doesn't lock up the tires. The untrained driver will lock the wheels and hit with even more velocity than the driver with ABS. Once you lock the wheels, your coefficient of friction goes out the window.
Trained Driver without ABS > Untrained driver with ABS > Untrained driver without ABS.
How's that?
Then cosider how many "trained" drivers there really are who won't push the brake pedal to the floor... We all know everyone reading here is a fantastically trained driver.
it's very unlikely that someone who just got hired at Microsoft Research would have a significant, if any, impact on Vista and Office 12 which are already in Beta.
That's what I was thinking. Who hires the designer when you're in Beta? It would however be the right time to hire someone for the next version of the OS or Office suite.
Then again, maybe they have something else in mind, like something in the dgital hub arena.
1) Because we don't have a satellite orbiting the moon at a similar distance. 2) If the pictures are as pixelated as the ones this story is built on, it isn't going to change a skeptic's mind.
I'm just guessing, but it could take the closest one a couple decades to get there. Considering that they supposedly weren't even meant to last this long....
Slashdot Mirror
Hmmm, reading all that, it seems it would make more sense to plug the HD DVD into the display and plug the X Box into an analog input on the HD DVD, doesn't it?
Or maybe I'm just confused. MS does have a way of doing things the opposite way I think they should.
Are you referring to the law requiring a special tax stamp required for the sale of pot (and other drugs) in Iowa and many other states?
Caught selling pot = pot penalty.
Caught selling pot and not paying tax = pot penalty + tax evasion penalty.
Tax evasion penalty > pot penalty, but both are within federal guidelines for the given offenses (IIRC).
Why should they have waited to put it in the 360 or not do it at all?
Because the HD DVD drive can't do anything for games that the optional hard drive, already shipping, can't do. All it does is force users and developers to choose hard drive vs. HD DVD for large games, or have both available. Simply more expensive for everyone involved (but maybe MS makes more money).
OTOH good penetration of the HD in the market means HD DVD becomes unnecessary for games.
If I'm a game developer with a game that won't fit on a dual-layer DVD, I'm going to look at wether my consumers are more likely to have a hard drive or an HD DVD drive to handle the extra content. So I don't see games as a driving force for HD DVD. Wether video content will be enough to gain the HD DVD drive the penetration necessary to make it a better target for large games...
or having to get a remote controlled HDMI switch so you can switch between devices.
Or even just a manually controlled HDMI switch.
OK maybe not. Most of us would spend 20 minutes hunting for a remote before changing something manually. Sad to say I've missed the beginning of a show or two while hunting for the remote, and I grew up in the day when you had to walk to the TV and turn a knob to change stations.
And developers (the bean counters anyway) will still be looking at hitting the widest possible audience. Which means not using HD DVD unless absolutely necessary.
OTOH consumers also value competition and choice.
Its just tough to make all 3 happen.
The only thing that I wish these consoles had is user replaceable Internal Drives.
Agree 100%. I sometimes wonder if I could hack a different DVD drive to work in an old PS2 that's been acting up.
IMO, that's what hard drives are for -all those extra textures, cutscenes...
Of couse I'm of the opinion it should have a 120-250 GB hard drive too.
1) True, but MS says that initially it won't be for games. Wether that means for another 6 months or 6 years...
2) But I'm guessing a switchbox is cheaper than an X Box.
Bottom line for me is that MS hasn't really come up with a good reason for consumers to be excited about this product. It will play movies, if the studios support the format and you don't mind connecting through your X Box (how does it connect?).
It will support bigger games.... if and when MS and developers get around to supporting them...
IMO its a product in search of a market.
And you left out a very important factor that puts today's ABS systems ahead in my book - each wheel is regulated independently. You can't do that manually -if one wheel locks, you have to back off all 4. This allows each individual tire to operate at near its maximum stopping power instead of operating near the maximun stopping power of the tire with the least traction.
but how often does the extra couple of feet you can get from a *really* good driver on dry pavement really make the difference?
If I ever actually see said driver, I hope I still don't find out.
an unintended consequence of ABS - people have a car with ABS, therefore feel safer, therefore drive faster or drive more recklessly because they think they can violate the laws of physics because they have ABS.
I see you've met my wife!
I wish I was only joking. Yes, I had to explain that even with ABS, you still can't stop on icy roads like you can on dry pavement.
So for the untrained driver who simply hits the brakes and waits for impact, ABS can result in higher impact velocities.
No, that's only true for the trained driver who doesn't lock up the tires. The untrained driver will lock the wheels and hit with even more velocity than the driver with ABS. Once you lock the wheels, your coefficient of friction goes out the window.
Trained Driver without ABS > Untrained driver with ABS > Untrained driver without ABS.
How's that?
Then cosider how many "trained" drivers there really are who won't push the brake pedal to the floor... We all know everyone reading here is a fantastically trained driver.
Obviously, it depends on the age of your passengers.
Yeah, I figured you were talking about older kids, but I couldn't help myself.
I know someone was working on a magnetic version
Too bad nobody's come up with the equivalent of Velcro hooks that would attach to the microfibers of paper.
They're then able to put pins through the pieces
"Honey, I have a great idea. Let's arm the kids with sharp objects before we put them in the back seat for the trip this year!"
One word : Dramamine
There's a whole new meaning to vaporware in there somewhere.
And I don't even want to think about a beta-release.
Naah. If you RTFA you'll find he's a designer, not an engineer.
IOW the design is flawless, its the implementation that sucks.
Thank you, Carnac the Magnificent!
Exactly what does this mean?
The Designer figures out what needs to be done (design specifications), the Engineer figures out how to make it happen.
At least that's how I see the distinction.
it's very unlikely that someone who just got hired at Microsoft Research would have a significant, if any, impact on Vista and Office 12 which are already in Beta.
That's what I was thinking. Who hires the designer when you're in Beta? It would however be the right time to hire someone for the next version of the OS or Office suite.
Then again, maybe they have something else in mind, like something in the dgital hub arena.
1) Because we don't have a satellite orbiting the moon at a similar distance.
2) If the pictures are as pixelated as the ones this story is built on, it isn't going to change a skeptic's mind.
I'm just guessing, but it could take the closest one a couple decades to get there. Considering that they supposedly weren't even meant to last this long....
Slim Whitman.
My best friend in college had a roomate who listened to Slim Whitman. He could sympathize with the martians.
Don't know about that. Looks more like a Paris Hilton nipple than a crash site to me.
After all, aren't we more interested in searching for Paris, than life on Mars?