Microsoft Responds to Blu-Ray Comments

Next Generation reports that Microsoft's willingness to support Blu-Ray on the 360 was highly overrated. From the article: "The question of whether Xbox 360 has the flexibility to adapt to consumers' needs is a different issue entirely. Xbox 360 is a future-proofed system - one that allows us to add features as consumers demand them - as evidenced by our offering of the HD-DVD drive as an accessory. Current reports indicating that we have a back-up plan, which includes Blu-Ray support are incorrect. At this point, we're fully committed to HD-DVD and have absolutely no plans to support other optical formats." IE: They have the option of adding Blu-Ray if it turns out HD-DVD is a flop. We've reported on this claim earlier.

It all depends on the DRM

[Stachybotris]

If Sony decides to heavily DRM the PS3 and, by extension, the Blu-Ray discs, Microsoft won't have to worry. I'd rather pick up an Xbox 360 w/ HD-DVD than a heavily-DRM'd PS3 that I can't let friends borrow games for.

Re:It all depends on the DRM

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, but when your choice is between a PS3 with heavily DRMed Blu-Ray and an Xbox360 with heavily DRMed HD-DVD, which will you choose then?

Re:It all depends on the DRM

[Ayaress]

In my case, still the 360. Provided Sony does follow through with the one specific bit of DRM they've talked about in the past. Remember the article a while back, when Sony wanted to stop "abuses" like game rentals and used-game resale? Their plan was basically that when a game disk is first run, the console will mark it somehow so that the game will no longer run on any other PS3 hardware. If they do follow through with this - and I'm still moderately confident they won't - I'll go with the 360.

Re:It all depends on the DRM

[Stachybotris]

In that case, I'd have to go with the PS3 just to keep my old games around. But the porn industry will determine which format wins anyway.

Re:It all depends on the DRM

[dave1212]

A Revolution and a DS for the same price as a 360 or PS3. hopefully.

Re:It all depends on the DRM

[gabebear]

The specs are officially finished and Blu-Ray and HD-DVD have almost exactly identical DRM.

What really puzzles me is that both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD require an HDMI connection to output high-def content, the specs clearly state that any content going out over analog connections must be downconverted to standard definition... the XBox360 only has analog video connections(component, VGA, S-Video, and composite).

Unless MS hid an HDMI connector somewhere on the 360 and didn't tell anyone, then this is going t

I wish

[Song for the Deaf]

I know this is pure fantasy, but I wish someone could make a damn universal format player so we can all say "sorry, guys, we won't take part in VHS/BETA wars part deaux."

A format war- anyone old enough to remember VHS and BETA sections in the rental place (with different selections) will know what an utter pain in the arse awaits consumers. With Sony owning a movie studio this time around things will no doubt be interesting.

Re:I wish

[GigsVT]

It doesn't seem to happen as often with other computer hardware.

For "some reason" it always happens with removable media.

I don't think it's a coincidence: The people are organizing as one group and since they all speak the same language, nothing they imagine to do will be held back from them. Let us go down and confuse their language, so that they cannot understand each other's speech.

Someone at the MPAA/media conglomerates must be a fan of the Bible.

Re:I wish

[Ekarderif]

The difference is between this and Betamax/VHS is that both types of discs will be equal in size (same size as current CDs/DVDs) and relatively same hardware implementations (405 nm lasers). The only real difference is the format/density that the discs are in. There is no reason that two decoders cannot simultaneously exist on the same platform. Of course, judging by how Sony is behaving, they'll probably prevent licenses to anyone showing support to HD-DVD. After all, what use are DRMs if people simply swi

Re:I wish

[cgenman]

I wish someone could make a damn universal format

MPEG 2?

I mean, that's what VCD, DVD, and now HD-DVD are based on. I can't think of any consumer standard more universal.

Re:I wish

[Song for the Deaf]

Not that I don't appreciate you taking me completley out of context to make a cute little comment...but reread my comment and you'll see the problem is much simpler.

If you buy a blu-ray player you won't be able to play HD-DVD and vice versa. I think this sucks. Perhaps some intellegent person would make it possible to circumvent this in an easy, consumer friendly manner, i.e. a universal player. Myself and many other folks would reward their ingenuity with vast amounts of cash and adulation. Of course,

Will HD-DVD flop?

[aztektum]

On the whole, I can't say. I am fairly confident in saying that MS and their "accessory" drive for the 360 most likely will not sell and you will not see one next to every 360. Why? SegaCD, 32x, etc. Addons to console that create confusion for consumers and in the case of this HD-DVD drive, use up more entertainment center space, usually do poorly. Add to that that real audio/videophiles probably would consider it a sin to have an "accessory" to a game console as their HD-DVD player and there goes that segm

Exactly

[the computer guy nex]

"Add to that that real audio/videophiles probably would consider it a sin to have an "accessory" to a game console as their HD-DVD player and there goes that segment of potential buyers."

Which is the reason 360 will be so successful.

PS3 will have the Blu-Ray player by default. This will push the console price to 600+ and will not effectively reach any market. Pure gamers will take the cheaper 360 and home theater enthusiasts will buy a separate player.

Having a Blu-Ray player over a 9gb dual-l

Re:Exactly

[Turken]

Apparently you haven't read any of the numerous other slashdot articles that are following the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD debate. Considering that the first generation stand-alone players for BOTH formats will be over $1000, a $600 (or even$700) PS3 will be a real bargain for anybody who is looking to buy into one of the new formats. At that point, the fact that it also plays games is simply a bonus. This is the successful strategy Sony used with the PS2 (when DVD was new), and it is the strategy that it looks l

Re:Exactly

[Tim Browse]

Apparently you haven't read any of the numerous other slashdot articles that are following the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD debate. Considering that the first generation stand-alone players for BOTH formats will be over $1000, a $600 (or even$700) PS3 will be a real bargain for anybody who is looking to buy into one of the new formats.

Whereas, apparently, you are of course bang up to date? [amazon.com]

No Plans

[dbhankins]

"We have no plans" is corporate weasel wording for, "We're probably going to do that, but we don't want to announce it now and lose face or have to argue with someone about it."

"We have absolutely no plans" means, "Heck yeah, we're gonna do that as soon as you forget that we promised not to."

After all, not having a plan to do something is very far from having a plan to not do something. The proper journalistic response to such an announcement is, "So, you don't have any plans yet. When do you expect to have some? Or are you just going to wing it?"

Bad time to launch?

[PhoenixOne]

I'm starting to think pushing the NextGen of consoles out this soon was bad timing. Sure, video cards and chips have improved a lot since the XBox/PS2 days, but in general not enough people have the HDTVs to take advantage of this.

Also, with higher res and more power, developers are going to want to build bigger, more detailed worlds. It would be nice if they had more room to store all the assets needed (yes, 9GB is huge, but you can never be too rich or have too much memory). But, with the cost of the Nex

*if* it turns out to be a flop??

[ecryder]

It's almost guaranteed to be a flop. I've seen mega-bucks poured into BD infrastructure at the top DVD manufacturing facilities and almost none into HD-DVD production. We are going to see extremely few HD-DVD titles released. Oh, and the BD titles and players are coming to consumer markets by late spring.