Microsoft shows off HD DVD drive for Xbox

[wraggster]

Kevin Collins, senior program manager at Microsoft, demonstrated the HD DVD drive, which he said is scheduled to hit store shelves for the upcoming holiday shopping season, to attendees of the DVD Forum here.

The device--about the size of a hardback book--played "The Phantom of the Opera" as Collins pulled up a menu bar to display a few of its navigation and interactive features that can be called up on screen while a movie is playing. Collins said Microsoft's HD DVD drive will be among the least expensive of the HD DVD players, but he declined to disclose the drive's retail price.

"All the audio and video processing is done inside the Xbox," said Collins, who noted that research has shown that a majority of Xbox owners already own high-definition displays. An Xbox drive provides them with all the other equipment they need to watch HD DVD movies, he said.

"This gives consumers choice and keeps their cost down," Collins said

Microsoft has chosen to back the HD DVD format over Blu-ray. Both technologies are vying to replace the DVD format and are represented by consortiums that include electronics makers and Hollywood studios.

Video game machines may prove to be a crucial battleground for the two formats, some observers predict.

In November, Sony's PlayStation 3 is expected to debut equipped with a Blu-ray drive. In contrast to Microsoft's strategy to go with an external drive, PlayStation's drive will be built in.

Screenshots Via Comments

[Video_freak]

Are you kidding me? This thing is almost as big as the XBox itself! They should have made it internal... Any price released?

[MasterChafed]

wow, that just added another 4 inches to the 360. Way to go microsoft, u should have made it atack to the side or sumtin.

[markymark1]

tbh why would you want to ruin your 360 like that?

i hate to say it but ps3 have done the right think and included the player inside.

The only other option i think microsoft could come on top with is if they bring out a new console but just use the hd dvd drive instead of the current one and make it play games as well....obviously this would be more expenisve......and...alot of ppl wud be annoyed as they havent got the better drive & want a new 1! but this is the only way that i think microsoft can absolutely rule sony out on this 1!

[SSaxdude]

I don't care if it does stick out because if I were to buy the add on, I would most likely move my 360 to the basement (with much more space.)

[tsurumaru]

Hmm its bigger than I thought, couldn't they have made it a bit more slimline? Surely HD-DVD's focal length isn't that big!

I also thought that both Blueray and HD-DVD were both backwards compatible with standard DVD's (Just not compatible with each other).

Will we get matching faceplates for the HD-DVD drive? LOL

[gimpyjr]

Are you kidding me? This thing is almost as big as the XBox itself! They should have made it internal... Any price released?

Listen man. They made the drive external so that if HD DVD fails to catch on they can release a Blu Ray drive. And then when the winning format is finally decided whether it be blu ray or HD DVD the users are covered. It's a brilliant strategey actually. And when one of the formats finally catches on they willl probably use it for games too. I know they say they wont but when devs start shying away because of insufficient storage space trust me they will change there tune. Plus microsoft said that the price of the premium console plus the HD DVD drive wouldn't exceed the PS3'S $600 price tag. That means an HD DVD player for $200. :-) I could give two $#@!s about it's size im just happy I made a sound investment in xbox 360.

[gimpyjr]

The whole thing microsoft was saying about not wanting users too feel forced into a new format was complete BS. HD DVD Is completely backwards compatable with DVD so it wouldn't matter if you had a HD or SD TV because either way you would be able too watch your movies. And if the HD DVD drive would have been internal they could have taken advantage of the 45 gigs of storage for games from the get go.

It isn't that they don't want users to feel forced into HD DVD, what's really going on is if HD DVD didn't win the format war microsoft would be caught with their pants down. if blu ray fails sony is screwed if HD DVD fails microsoft can just release a new blu ray drive.

Good old American foward thinking. It's so brilliant.
:-)

[gimpyjr]

what don't you people understand about firmware upgrades. It is so simple. If they want to use the addon for games all they have to do is upgrade the firmware. The addon drive is a great idea all though I would have gone about it differently.

I would have made it HD DVD internal for movies and games (storage capacity) and then I would have made a Blu ray addon drive. They ended up making a mistake not using a next gen DVD format for games but like I said all it takes is a firmware upgrade to fix that.

[stotheamuel]

It isn't that they don't want users to feel forced into HD DVD, what's really going on is if HD DVD didn't win the format war microsoft would be caught with their pants down. if blu ray fails sony is screwed if HD DVD fails microsoft can just release a new blu ray drive.

Good old American foward thinking. It's so brilliant.
:-)

Wow.. do you not think if blu-ray fails.. sony wont just release something....exactly like this?