HDMI Xbox 360 Resurfaces


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Before the rumors of the new 360 came around, MS had been saying that the current 360s were capable of outputting a digital video signal and would come out with an HDMI cable "when enough people want it".

They never said that. They never said anything either way, so some people guessed it could happen, and some guessed it couldn't.

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:blink:, but the 360 is already a lot cheaper than the PS3 (over ?100 cheaper), so I can't see why MS would need to cut prices.

Yeah, I was going to mention that, but I had to do something and just hit submit. It's just that sales in Europe still don't seem to be all that great as people would want to make it out to be. I admit I forgot that the price difference between the two is even worse over there than here, however.:))

I'm curious how HDMI will look on the 360 compared to VGA.

And I'm also wondering if they've figured out some type of HDMI solution for older consoles. The biggest issue though would be HDCP, and how to implement that into the console. That's the big issue, not whether or not the console can do a digital signal.

I was wondering about that, too. But then anyone that's currently using the HD-DVD drive over component or VGA right now would be screwed anyway if movie studios started using ICT, wouldn't they? Might as well let them have HDMI without HDCP if its possible. At least this would allow some users to get 1080p out of the 360 who previously couldn't.

Besides, if the movie studios keep their word, ICT won't be used until 2010 or 2011 if I remember correctly. I'm sure the next wave of consoles would be out by about that time.

The only iffy thing is if IPTV providers will require HDCP. The only thing is that would be going against what MS said about current 360 owners being able to use it - unless they mean that well be able to use IPTV, but only with 540p...

Brandon Live>: I'm pretty sure I saw that in an interview, but it might take a minute for me to find the source. I believe someone even posted it here in the MS Gaming forum sometime late last year.

Edit: Found one.

All those connections (composite, component, s-video and VGA) have one thing in common: they carry the video signal in an analog format. What about digital connections such DVI or HDMI? Will there be A/V packs with DVI and/or HDMI connections? If not, will you consider offering that in the future?>

Todd Holmdahl>: Xbox 360 will support HD component video output, which is compatible with nearly every HD-ready TV on the market today. We’re poised to hit the sweet spot of the HD market at launch and as the market matures, and we will provide an HDMI for our customers when it makes sense. The reality is, you don’t need HDMI for HD gaming.

Source

Edited by dnast
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Typical really, Microsoft making as much money as possible. It's the same as Nintendo, releasing handhelds with inferior displays then releasing them again with better displays.

This is just another way of getting more custom, nothing else to it - people with money will buy ANOTHER xbox360 just to get the latest one, people that haven't yet bought one will be persuaded to, and those without money to throw around will be stuck with the old version.

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This issue has already been debated to death in previous threads.

I think the previous consensus that I got from reading pages upon pages of users opinions is:

If MS releases an updated console with HDMI outputs then those who bought the original XBox 360 will lose their confidence in MS.

I am with MadFerIt2006 on the subject. I would like to see how much the quality difference is between VGA and HDMI before I decide if I'm mad at MS for doing this.

At the end of the day most people don't own 1080p sets and I think that it will only affect those who have 1080p sets. By the time the percentage of owners of 1080p sets is a significant number we will likely be looking at new consoles all together. People who can afford nice 1080p sets these days can probably afford to buy an xbox360 again :/

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You cant be mad at buying a previous console that was everything it was advertised, now if they released a game that would only work on the new xbox, then i would be uber ****ed...also if they make an hdmi cable for the current 360's then i think we will all be happy. I am certain that there will be a black x360, its one thing when you hear rumors one time then they die, but we have heard about and seen an hdmi port on a x360, several reports of a new black x360 with hdmi...its only a matter of time

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Lots of people want just 3 things, bigger hdd, quieter dvd drive, and the 65nm shrink which cuts down on heat.

Well, newer and quieter DVD drivers are already in 360's being made/sold since last month iirc, they're using BenQ drives now. If anyone just got a 360 with a new drive, it'd be very interesting if they could let us know of the noise difference over the old ones. I beleave most of the noise is from the DVD drive and not the fans inside.

Now, a bigger hdd is easy to do, since they're external and you can just replace them, so MS can release a new, bigger hdd anytime they want to, original 360 owns don't lose out on that at all. The trick is moving your saves over, but I figure they could add in a option that lets you upload your saves to a Live server, then move them over to your new HDD the first time you connect it and get on Live.

The 65nm shrink is coming, it's been said already, they will start using it in April from what I remember reading. The cutting down on shippents for the first part of 07 is probably to get rid of the older 90nm units and move the manufactoring to 65nm fully, this shift could bring a price cut if the makro deal is a indication.

Basically the only thing a new sku would have is the built in hdmi connection, but, that's not to say they can't get it to work on current 360s, so again, owners won't miss out. I really beleve that MS isn't stupid enough to only offer HDMI on a new, more expensive sku and leave out the millions of users they have already. That's a sony move, when you think about it. heh j/k =P

So in the end, a newer sku would win out on less noise and heat, but that's the case with every hardware revision made to a console, each time Sony redid their PS2 they shrunk things, reduced costs and made it quieter and cooler.

So in the end, it's just the same old cycle over and over again in the console business.

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I'm curious how HDMI will look on the 360 compared to VGA.

And I'm also wondering if they've figured out some type of HDMI solution for older consoles. The biggest issue though would be HDCP, and how to implement that into the console. That's the big issue, not whether or not the console can do a digital signal.

But what's the point of HDCP if Hi-Def Movie Disks have already been cracked ??

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But what's the point of HDCP if Hi-Def Movie Disks have already been cracked ??

Your right...

All this "protection" on all fronts to have it cracked... Seems pretty pointless.

None the less, my hdtv can do hdcp over hdmi. I wouldnt mind selling my launch console and adding a few more $$$ to get an hdmi port.

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But what's the point of HDCP if Hi-Def Movie Disks have already been cracked ??

As a protection against piracy it is useless. But that doesn't change the laws. Aside from VGA which has the exception, only HDMI + HDCP is allowed to do DVD upscaling 720p and beyond, and HD-DVD at 1080p.

So without HDCP, all you'll be getting is a digital version of what Component gives you on the 360.

Edited by MadFerIt2006
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As a protection against piracy it is useless. But that doesn't change the laws. Aside from VGA which has the exception, only HDMI + HDCP is allowed to do DVD upscaling 720p and beyond, and HD-DVD at 1080p.

So without HDCP, all you'll be getting is a digital version of what Component gives you on the 360.

Right, but I'm saying, what's the point of this law if the copy protection has already been cracked on the software side (before it even has to go through any sort of hardware HDCP)?

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Right, but I'm saying, what's the point of this law if the copy protection has already been cracked on the software side (before it even has to go through any sort of hardware HDCP)?

Well, all hdcp dose is creates a secure connection between the set top box via hdmi cable to the television.

It would be pretty pointless to turn it on now. A lot of people without hdcp tv's would be screwed, along with alot of people with the hd-dvd addon for the 360 would be screwed.

Doesn't it downscale to 480p if it doesn't get a hdcp connection? Ouch...

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Right, but I'm saying, what's the point of this law if the copy protection has already been cracked on the software side (before it even has to go through any sort of hardware HDCP)?

I see your point, but just because one link in the chain is broken, they won't abandon the whole chain.

As it stands, bruray still has BD+ protection which hasn't been cracked, so it still has a way to maintain the chain if I'm not mistaken.

Who knows, HDDVD MIGHT have something like BD+ up their sleeve. Since both HDDVD and Bruray have programmable language in their specification, they can program new protections (I think...).

Also, the biggest breakthrough in the HDDVD crack came when the hacker, along with poorly written playback software, used a USB port sniffer with the MS's 360 HDDVD drive.

If USB had HDCP like HDMI, this would not have happened (or would have taken longer) :laugh:

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The one big advantage of HDMI is that it is a fully digital signal, so, there is no digital --> analog --> digital conversion, so, the picture on an LCD or plasma should look better.

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Right, but I'm saying, what's the point of this law if the copy protection has already been cracked on the software side (before it even has to go through any sort of hardware HDCP)?

There is no point. As with most of the things the movie executives do. But there's still those stupid rules despite that. And unfortunately, Canadians have to put up with it since the U.S. and Canadian versions are the same..

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And what features are they going to miss out? HDMI? You knew when you bought the console it wouldn't come with HDMI, so why complain?

I'd be upset not because I didnt get what I paid for but because if this is released then MS has to have had it in their schedule for a very long time and people like me would have waited had they been upfront with consumers rather than dodging the question time and time again. Sure we got what we were told we were getting but if MS had this knowledge and didnt disclose it so they could ship extra consoles a few months earlier then I think consumers have every right to be ****ed off at MS.

That and the fact for some VGA is a technical limitation in that their TV sets wont even support 1080p over VGA, only HDMI. These consumers especially could be pretty ****ed off if they bought one at xmas.

If the HDMI was merely implemented as an addon cable or they ship one in addition to the new console I'd be perfectly happy. But I will be annoyed with MS having got my xbox in late October if I am pernamently barred from using HDMI. Like others I may well have waited for the new release.

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Microsoft is just doing business like all companies, if this is true, they want to tell everyone at the last minute, or they loose sales. Common business practice. Same with Xbox Live Arcade, if they give a proper schedule, then the smaller releases would not sell, cause an excellent game comes out the week after.

This happens in most big companys, I can also think of the revisions for Ipods, as soon as its announced it is released.

Thats just the way it is, for me, I have an SDTV, and no choice to upgrade for a while, too pricey here in UK for now.

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I think we can ignore the makro thing anyway, since I've now read that the ?200 price does not include VAT, so with VAT its around ?235. Still a bit of saving, but at ?235, it just looks like a way for makro to get more customers.

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A new Xbox 360 with HDMI and 120GB...for $479? :drool: Smack Sony up, Microsoft! :p

I'll probably buy one if they come around, just for the quieter optical drive and cooler 65nm chip. The 120GB HD and HDMI are just a bonus. :p

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A new Xbox 360 with HDMI and 120GB...for $479? :drool: Smack Sony up, Microsoft! :p

I'll probably buy one if they come around, just for the quieter optical drive and cooler 65nm chip. The 120GB HD and HDMI are just a bonus. :p

I still think that's a little expensive considering it still doesn't have any next-gen optical drive or wireless adapter, if this is true. I don't think it makes too much sense to release a more expensive console when one of the main advantages they have is the actual price. And adding a third SKU on the market is going to confuse some customers even more, making some people think that the current Premium console is not good enough and lacking in features.

And if the rumours are correct in that it will have an April/May release, then I doubt they're going to have 65nm CPUs, since apparently they don't go into production until the middle of 2007.

I would actually like to see a 360 with these extras though, but who knows if or when we will. There's always a chance that these rumours are correct, so we'll see. It would be nice if this came out at the current Premium price, with that model replacing the Core.

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I still think that's a little expensive considering it still doesn't have any next-gen optical drive or wireless adapter, if this is true. I don't think it makes too much sense to release a more expensive console when one of the main advantages they have is the actual price. And adding a third SKU on the market is going to confuse some customers even more, making some people think that the current Premium console is not good enough and lacking in features.

And if the rumours are correct in that it will have an April/May release, then I doubt they're going to have 65nm CPUs, since apparently they don't go into production until the middle of 2007.

I would actually like to see a 360 with these extras though, but who knows if or when we will. There's always a chance that these rumours are correct, so we'll see. It would be nice if this came out at the current Premium price, with that model replacing the Core.

If the 'Zephyr' were to be released, I'd imagine MS would take the Core system of the market and reduce the Premium bundle to a similar price.

It's hardly like the Core is value for money or selling very well.

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If the 'Zephyr' were to be released, I'd imagine MS would take the Core system of the market and reduce the Premium bundle to a similar price.

It's hardly like the Core is value for money or selling very well.

doubt they would do that, when they could just reduce the price of the core even further. plus if they remove the core from the market it would just lead to a push to make all the games require a harddrive since the lowest tier system would now have a harddrive. that would upset some of the people who own a core and who may not have gotten a harddrive yet. I think if anything they should slightly reduce the price of the premium and core. a core system at $249 or $199 would be a pretty hot seller.

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