Microsoft shows off HD DVD drive for Xbox

[markymark1]

I agree with gimpyjr, it shud only be a firmware upgrade to use it, but he also made a point saying to wait until the winning format comes out and then set about developing it into the 360.

either way i really do think microsoft are gona come out on top on this 1! cos sony are just completely relying on the blu ray player succeding and that is the main reason it is so much more expensive!
microsoft in the mean time will have made so many mods and extras that they will have made enuf money to invest in the winning format and not have to increase the price of it so much that ppl start complaining about it(like the ps3 situation)

[J sims]

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.

I think the Hd dvd player flips on its side just like Xbox 360.

Also if you have ever taken apart any stand alone DVD video burners(not regular players),and External computer DVD burners. You would notice that most of them contain a drive that can actually be installed into 5.25 drive rail on a computer. I am willing to bet money that you would also be able to do the same after a little bit of firmware minipulation and the right hacked drivers. If you are lucky it might just plug in and work. I am also willing to bet that Xbox 360's drive plugs into the USB port in the back and, could possible be plugged into a USB port on a computer.
If you look up Hd DVD in the wikipedia down were it says first releases player, it mentions the toshiba Hd-A1 and HD-XA1 which both have ide HD-DVD drive.
I am also guessing that Microsoft has contracts with a companies to manufacture that drive.If they decide to make it internal in xbox that can also lead to possible modifications.It would probably be cheaper for microsoft to just have the manufacturers who they have contracts with to tool thier machines to manufactures a slighty modified drive that would fit inside the XBOX 360.Since the xbox would have to drivers for it installed you could probabaly use an exploit or chip to install your own Hd-DVD burner kind of like the way they did with the original XBOX(assuming that the homebrew scene is up to par).