Xbox360 Hd-dvd Drive Add-on

[Ata]

I think the HD-DVD drive add-on to Xbox360 is due out this month. I am yet to see a single ad or prices, unlike with the PS3 launch. Anyone have any reliable information on that? I am surprised it has not been discussed much.

-- Ata

[AndrewW]

I think the HD-DVD drive add-on to Xbox360 is due out this month. I am yet to see a single ad or prices, unlike with the PS3 launch. Anyone have any reliable information on that? I am surprised it has not been discussed much.

-- Ata

According to Microsoft it is due out on the 29th of March.

RRP is $249.

Andrew.

[Raja]

It is in the Harvey Norman catalogue for $238, so it is being advertised, but barely

[Tweet]

It is in the Harvey Norman catalogue for $238, so it is being advertised, but barely

Well that's generous of Harvey Norman .....a $11 discount !.......It usually goes the other way.

C.M

[Trigg]

Myer have it advertised at $249 to be released 29/03

[Hussla]

You'd be lucky to get it any better than $238, unless a store is willing to sell it under cost.....

[captaineos]

I've pre-ordered mine from EB Games in the ACT. $249.95. They have assured me I can pick it up 28th March, and not the 29th like I have seen at other places. Anyway I used my store credit for this one, so it worked out rather well! Wonder if I'll get a free HD DVD move with it?

[IanD1503559705]

I've pre-ordered mine from EB Games in the ACT. $249.95. They have assured me I can pick it up 28th March, and not the 29th like I have seen at other places. Anyway I used my store credit for this one, so it worked out rather well! Wonder if I'll get a free HD DVD move with it?

You're doing well: the last time I asked EB Games in Perth, they had a 1 May date on the release.

I think everyone is selling the bundle with drive, King Kong and remote.

[Ata]

For those of you obviously incapable of using an internet search engine

At 217 here http://www.quickgames.com.au/product.php?p...t=30&page=1

No point posting a link that gives you an "access denied" right away.

EDIT: I think the link is: http://www.quickgames.com.au/product.php?p...t=30&page=1

One of the better known price search engines provides 0 hits for "xbox drive", hence I started this thread.

-- Ata

[50mxe20]

No point posting a link that gives you an "access denied" right away.

EDIT: I think the link is: http://www.quickgames.com.au/product.php?p...t=30&page=1

One of the better known price search engines provides 0 hits for "xbox drive", hence I started this thread.

It's funny, that happened to me too. Yet if you go there manually, one can easily navigate to the relevant page.

try http://www.quickgames.com.au/

Click on Xbox 360 in the list on the left, then the accessories page and scroll down.

Edit: So the referral is a good one. Just takes a bit of minor computer skills to get there.

Edited March 18, 2007 by Lyle

[Raja]

Good find yorac, thanks. Haven't come across this site before!

cheers

[kamma]

i have purchased local hd-dvd titles from them and i can vouch for them. they send you an sms and email with tracking numbers etc. very proffesional and they also accept paypal.

i was at EB games at DFO today and they are saying they have a release date of 28th for the hd-dvd add on and quoted me $249 rrp but said they would do it for $225 if anyone asked.

pretty good i thought

[Ata]

Damned easy to criticise isn't it, when I went to the site the link worked that's why I posted it or I would not have posted, I especially apologise just to you for trying to help.

So how about you get off your high horse and contribute rather than look to pick at people who would look to assist you, mind you I won't make that mistake again.

Apologies mate, I thought posting the right link was a kind of contribution. No need to be touchy.

[Ata]

Thanks Ata, accept that I may have been somewhat pedantic and certainly didn't need to comeback with the attitude, I have heard as low as 208 but cannot find it anywhere, good luck.

Price is not all that important to me, given that any standalone player (including the consoles) start at $1000+, and the free HD-DVD included is a movie I want to have and worth $40+. I was keen to know the date of the debut.

I intend to upgrade my trusty HTPC with the drive, as a low-cost entry into the true HD that I have been waiting for more than a year.

Cheers,

Ata

[AndrewW]

I intend to upgrade my trusty HTPC with the drive, as a low-cost entry into the true HD that I have been waiting for more than a year.

Just remember that the only legal way that you are actually going to be able to playback on your HTPC is to purchase the Japanese version of Cyberlink PowerDVD (I have an evaluation copy :ph34r: ).

Also, to be honest, I don't think the picture quality from the software players is any near as good as the hardware players. I am sure this will improve in time, but for the time being hardware players kick the software player's butt (unless there is something very wrong with the setup on my PC).

Andrew.

[momaw]

Just remember that the only legal way that you are actually going to be able to playback on your HTPC is to purchase the Japanese version of Cyberlink PowerDVD (I have an evaluation copy :ph34r: ).

Also, to be honest, I don't think the picture quality from the software players is any near as good as the hardware players. I am sure this will improve in time, but for the time being hardware players kick the software player's butt (unless there is something very wrong with the setup on my PC).

Andrew.

I thought Vista had included all the relevant drivers to "legally" use the add-on with a PC.....

[AndrewW]

I thought Vista had included all the relevant drivers to "legally" use the add-on with a PC.....

That's a good point, you might be right there.

I'm still running XP.

Andrew.

[suspectno9]

Andrew

how does the hd-dvd look on the xbox360 v htpc? From what I have research, you have to have some decent cpu power to run hd movies on a pc?

cheers

[AndrewW]

Andrew

how does the hd-dvd look on the xbox360 v htpc? From what I have research, you have to have some decent cpu power to run hd movies on a pc?

cheers

Hi,

I posted a thread about this a while back, but it turned into a flame fest about my crappy gear and photo taking abilities, so I am loathe to drag the thread back up.

To summarise, the PQ from the 360 was almost as good as that from the HD-A1 standalone HD DVD player.

In my opinion, most people would have a hard time telling them apart in blind tests, although could tell when swapping instantly between the two.

The 360 was ever so slightly softer.

The 360 looks much better than the PC, well my PC anyway.

My PC is a 3 Ghz P4 with 2Gb ram, fast drives, Radeon x800Pro and it chugs a bit playing back from the HD DVD drive.

Andrew.

[suspectno9]

Thanks Andrew

No flame fest needed as I was looking for your opinion. Looks like I will have to upgrade the PC down the line (also I guess most of the HD-DVD software for the pc is in it early days)

Cheers

[Ata]

Just remember that the only legal way that you are actually going to be able to playback on your HTPC is to purchase the Japanese version of Cyberlink PowerDVD (I have an evaluation copy :ph34r: ).

Wasn't that the japanese version of WinDVD 8? I can buy the PDVD 7.x Ultra for USD99 no problems. I am still not sure which one is better, though, not even after reading the long thread on avsforum.com.

Also, to be honest, I don't think the picture quality from the software players is any near as good as the hardware players. I am sure this will improve in time, but for the time being hardware players kick the software player's butt (unless there is something very wrong with the setup on my PC).

I know, but hope this will change very quickly. There is no technical reason for the software playback not to be superior or at least on par with hardware players. All of the individual video decoders on the PC are of reference quality (MPEG2, AVC, WMV9).

-- Ata

To summarise, the PQ from the 360 was almost as good as that from the HD-A1 standalone HD DVD player.

In my opinion, most people would have a hard time telling them apart in blind tests, although could tell when swapping instantly between the two.

The 360 was ever so slightly softer.

Was the HD-A1 connected via HDMI or analog connection? If the connection was digital that could explain some of the sharpness difference. Xbox360 really needs DVI/HDMI output to be competitive.

My PC is a 3 Ghz P4 with 2Gb ram, fast drives, Radeon x800Pro and it chugs a bit playing back from the HD DVD drive.

From what I have read one needs a dual core CPU to be able to play back BD/HD-DVD without a hitch. My HTPC is also not up to scratch yet.

-- Ata

[IanD1503559705]

From what I have read one needs a dual core CPU to be able to play back BD/HD-DVD without a hitch. My HTPC is also not up to scratch yet.

Playback requirements are still confused, but for HD-DVD an Intel E4300 overclocked to 2.4GHz + ATI X300 + 512MB DDR2 + PowerDVD 6.5 "evaluation" software decode will comfortably playback at 50% CPU utilisation via VGA. BD requires more CPU (although I don't know how much more).

The sticking point seems to be graphics cards: only a limited range are approved to work with PDVD 7.x, yet even very simple graphics cards like the X300 will work with PDVD 6.5 in software decode mode.

Around April I understand Intel will be reducing CPU prices and this might be a good time to upgrade. Even now, an E4300 + Asrock mobo + generic DDR2 + simple graphics card is a relatively cheap combination for HD-DVD (even if limited in overclockability).

[nonny]

Anyone know is the Aussie HD-DVD pack comes with the extra remote?

I know it comes with King Kong but I dont need the remote so if I can source it for $225ish thats something to sell on and lower the cost.

Either way its a good price.

[Ata]

Playback requirements are still confused, but for HD-DVD an Intel E4300 overclocked to 2.4GHz + ATI X300 + 512MB DDR2 + PowerDVD 6.5 "evaluation" software decode will comfortably playback at 50% CPU utilisation via VGA. BD requires more CPU (although I don't know how much more).

The sticking point seems to be graphics cards: only a limited range are approved to work with PDVD 7.x, yet even very simple graphics cards like the X300 will work with PDVD 6.5 in software decode mode.

Have you noticed any quality issues with the playback? Can you play all disks you have tried to?

Thanks,

Ata

[bravia40x]

Hi.... Just curious, can you play normal DVD in the 360 HDDVD?? and if so does it upscale it?

Cheers