Xbox 360 HDMI Output is Possible

IGN Has just updated this article with Microsoft's Response:

Microsoft just got back to us to clarify the Xbox 360's ability to transmit a digital signal. In short, it can, which means that Microsoft could conceivably release an HDMI cable for the Xbox 360. This is good news, and relieves a great deal of our concern over the Xbox 360's ability to effectively work with 1080p. Microsoft's full response is marked in the Q & A portion of this feature.

With this new information in mind, consider us relatively mollified. A future HDMI cable for the 360 will resolve the problems we outline in our discussion of 1080p compatibility. Let's hope Microsoft decides the market demands it sooner rather than later.

[drewdrakes]

Microsoft burns naysayers again.

[Daewoodrow]

Glad they finally confirmed it. Right, what other fanboy arguments can they come up with?

[bilal]

and a total cost of 1500$ and 360 would have every feature the ps3 has, soon they are going to release a ps3 faceplate (with spider-man font) for 360.

[BIadestarX]

Ha! You fanboys are funny. You flame if it can't do 1080p or flame when they enable it (for free). Next you complain about hdmi, microsoft adapts and now you complain that the 360 is getting one. It does not matter how much you hate the xbox 360 but isn't cool how adaptive it is? Lets see how it works for the PS3, maybe they will release a patch that upgrade the internal HD (not removable) and increase the capacity.

[D R Fz]

The ps3 has a Detachable 2.5" HDD slot x 1 and is fully upgradeable to any size you want while right now xbox360 is restricted only to the 20gb microsoft offers. So until Microsoft makes them bigger, Ps's upgrade ability is better.

[uxo22]

daritefeacherz - can you please provide some techincal data/specifications that supports the information that you stated about the PS3 harddrive upgradability?

Also bilal - Here is a feature that the PS3 doesn't have that the XBOX360 does have...A CURRENT owner that's playing it daily!

Your only answer to this will be, that it coming, the same can be said about upcoming xbox360 features. Vicious circle huh?

[FeralPhoenix]

Just as I thought a Sonyfanboy that claimed 360 wasn't capable of 1080p would now say yeah BUT....and so now its about "add-ons." I'll resist the urge to tell the "Sonyfanboys", I told you so....still not a big deal, but I do feel very, very, sorry for the 5 people who have 50" 1080p HDTV's, 'cause they are going to have to suffer with 720p and 1080i like the rest of us, damm what a shame, hey guys just be patient, next year when there's 10 people with 1080p HDTV's M$ will release the HDMI cable and then maybe by then you can afford a few more bucks for this "add-on".....again for the 2% who care.

[Mallanaga]

IGN: Can the X360 send out a digital signal now, or ever?

Microsoft: Xbox 360 currently doesn't include a digital out connection for video... but [at this time we] have no announcements regarding additional cables or connections.

title of this "news" is a little misleading, no?

[Silverwolf]

"Microsoft: Xbox 360 currently doesn't include a digital out connection for video"

Connection, as in cable! The 360 can output a digital signal but it's all dependent on the HDMI cable (if released, besides it's THE only digital cable out besides DVI). I really don't see anything as misleading as you say.

[FeralPhoenix]

I take it you liked my "sophisticated" sarcasm, and you asked a good question; "who are the other 4?" I wish I knew, because I want to blame all 5 of you for this whole 1080p debate. Oh, and you better start saving for that HDMI cable "add on" its probably going to be twice as expensive as the 1080p HDTV that you were able to AFFORD.

[BIadestarX]

don't try to change things around. You Sony fanboys said the XBox 360 can't do 1080P now it can. Later say that it's not possible for it to have HDMI, now it can. Those are the facts. Next.

[jtdonnelly]

Wouldn't connection include the output spot to plug the hdmi cable into? The port they have now outputs an alog signal, would they need some kind of adaptor or could they get by with hdmi out of that port?

[eques judicii]

sure the end output is analog (ie vga or component) but the connection could be digital and the current cables are adaptors to analog rather than the other way around.

[Donkey Slayer]

and give is lossless audio as well. I'd love for MS to prove Amir (MS exec)wrong.

I'll happily give you more money MS in exchange for HDMI 1.3.

[richie007bond]

Finally the news ive been waiting for hdmi for the 360,lol just hurry up and release it already

[power of Green]

The 360 is very future proof as i was saying and companies like "Monster Cable" and "Mad Catz" are just itching to sell their over priced $60-$70 HDMI. Thats 15 out of 19 predictions. Im getting good at this. Sony fans missunderstand MS's exec's straight forwardness. The dude was asked something and he answered as things are right now.

[kewlkat007]

Yes, everything that was always possible has been kept a secret on MS's part. Flaming from sonyfanboys about the 360's capabilities will forever continue with the lame "addon" flame.

Hey it was possible all along, just another sweet surprise. What difference does it make. The fact is it's capable if you actually want or need it. My cheap HDTV happen to have an HDMI port so I'm all set. it's not that the 360 is becoming th e PS3 but more so the PS3 never knew the capabilities of the 360.

[power of Green]

What does an cable have to do with add-ons?, will you're PS3 come with an HDMI cable?.

[Donkey Slayer]

so far it isn't for my 360.. If MS says they can do it, make it happen then.. Otherwise it is just more talk no substance.

[Sidherich]

i'm more than willing to forget HDMI and just connect my xbox 360 via VGA cable for 1080p

the quality loss is neglectible in my eyes

[Siesser]

I'm not going to complain about the system doing 1080p through HDMI; that's great news for you guys. I'm happy you all are happy (even though I recall everyone saying that 1080p on PS3 through HDMI was pointless, useless, impossible, and marketless, etc., ad nauseum). The thing I don't understand is, if the system was capable of this from the beginning, why is it something that wasn't implemented from the get-go, and if Microsoft always knew they could do it, why did the come out and say that Sony couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't?

[0ldb0y]

...because, as he stated, the penetration rate is in the single digits. Sony does it because they want to declare what gamers "need." MSFT didn't do it from the get-go b/c they didn't think enough gamers even wanted it. And most developers all around don't want to develop in 1080p.

All this back and forth about capability/necessity is moot. At this point, it still won't affect enough people to make it profitable for MS (or Sony for that matter) to invest time/money in it. But Sony incessantly touts it as the future of gaming, and MS is merely following suit.

But as somebody said before, save up your money, kids. Sony will be recouping some of the PS3 system losses through the price-hefty HDMI cables.

[Siesser]

I can appreciate designing your system to what just about every consumer who buys it will use, but to intentionally hold back its abilitities seems pointless. Even IF you don't think gamers or developers want it, there is no logical reason to prevent it from being possible. Just because an output resolution CAN be done doesn't mean it WILL be, and if some developer had managed to do so successfuly (as they are now), then more power to them. Just because the game can run at 1080p, that doesn't mean that everyone with every resolution under the sun can't watch it as well. And it should be up to the developers to ensure that they don't take a hit to gameplay or quality as a result of such efforts, not the hardware manufacturer.

I, for one, agree that it's not too significant for gaming purposes. I really only cared about the HDMI because I intended to use the system for movies as well. But the option was always there for developers, if they could pull it off.

[Dusk]

but don't you have to buy the HDMI cable for the PS3, as well? I saw somewhere were the cable didn't come packaged for either PS3 sku.

[power of Green]

Most of us were saying it's not that important because no one has an 1080p HDTV. 1080p HDMI isn't a good tool to use to bash another company for not having and was quite stupid to try and sell PS3 and use HDMI and 1080p as an selling point. I think people(X-FANS) are just glad that rabid Sonyfanboys with SDTV's have two more reasons tookin away to attack them. 1080p is not needed like MS said.

[bilal]

i never complained or compared 360 to ps3 about not having these features....
it was always the 360 fanboys who said that every "extra" feature in ps3 as pointless and useless and so was microsoft. it is not possible and so on..
on every article TheMart, Real Deal/Top gamer post an essay of bullsh*t about how 99.99999999999% people dont need these features and on and on.....now why is microsoft trying to add such features maybe god spoke to bill gates to do this....
why are they so forced to put such "pointless" features in a half as*ed way as sony did with ps2 online service and probably would do with ps3 online service for quite a while?
i think these features do matter or atleast would matter alot soon enough and the respective companies dont realized it soon enough.

and when and if microsoft is able to provide you with all these features u should compare it cost with ps3........

[BIadestarX]

I didn't take you for a Sony Fanboy. Now we know.

[kewlkat007]

IS it me or am I seeing things "Zoidy" voted Cool on a 360 article...Anyhow yes X360-fans were saying it was pointless to add HDMI/1080p to a console and attempt to sell it at a high cost. Since there is not a Huge difference in the games, as you will loose quality with 1080p.

Since MS is capable, X360-fans wanna state that, while it still does not change its importance to them but it does, do a great shutting up sony about 1080p or what-not.

"see I tol you so"

[richie007bond]

Ive been watching a few of the ps3 games running in 1080p and there is a difference it just looks better running in 1080p,i for one will be snapping up one of theses hdmi cables as soon as they are available,i mean the 360 games look mindblowing running in 720p,gods knows how they will look in 1080p AWESOME

[power of Green]

You FULL-O-S, for the most part all they where saying is no one has 1080p HDTV's so whats the bid deal.

[sweeper]

I have a Samsung 1080p HDTV but I don't have a HDMI surround sound receiver, all I have is optical for sound, so if M$ sells an HDMI cable I hope it has optical like the HD cable, if not more money for a new HDMI surround receiver.LOL the money pit (JUST SH@@T ME)

[sweeper]

Also alot of people are getting 1080p HDTV's every day and some already have them,and most of the people that I know that have them are on xbox,it's the next step to nextgen if you are going to spend the money on a new HDTV then get it all, why would you spend your money on something that can't give you full potential for the future,so if a HDTV dosn't come with 1080p again why waste the money. HDTV's with 1080p are getting cheaper but they won't get that cheap. My HDTV cost me $4000 that IS alot of money to me i'm not some rich guy, I had to work for it for a long time,now it has been 8months since I got my Tv and the price has dropped almost $900 on sale.It makes me mad but as you see the prices will and are dropping.

[DJ]

If it's not HDMI 1.3 (which it won't be) the PS3 will still have a significant hardware advantage. It's funny how Microsoft keeps creating add-ons and upgrades in a sad attempt to keep up with the built-in features of the PS3. Sony futureproofs while Microsoft forces people to spend money on add-ons. They could've built the features in for a lower price, but decided to make us pay for these features separately and with profit margins to boot. They come from the PC market so I guess it should've been expected.

[Shadow Flare]

how can the 360 use a HDMI cable if the 360 doesnt have any HDMI sockets for its console?

[Sexius Maximus]

The ONE AND ONLY TV technology that that lets you see a digital picture is DLP. ALL OTHERS (plasma, CRT, LCD) can receive a digital signal, but it's converted to analog in the last step before viewing. HDMI is no better than VGA if you don't have a DLP. So all the Sony guys saying "you have to have it" won't even notice a difference unless they have a 1080p input capable DLP. Just a fun bit of info I thought I'd share.

[sweeper]

Thats what I have for my 360, and when ps3 is out, so i'm safe if thats the case.Bring on the HDMI.

[sweeper]

How many people have HDTV and if they have 1080p post your info would just like to know

[Sexius Maximus]

Samsung is AWSOME!!! It's a GREAT TV with 10000:1 contract ration. Mines a 50", that's sweet that you have a 61.

http://www.samsung.com/Prod...

[FeralPhoenix]

All the PS3 owners who want this add on.....ooops I mean HDMI cables will have to buy it seperately.

http://www.ps3land.com/arti...

[calderra]

The Xbox 360 outputs in digital, native 1080p, just like the PS3. And either way, you'll need an HDMI cable.

Next up: 360 reveals it plays PS3 titles, as well as Wii and PC games. Heh.

As usual: Big whoop. Virtually no one owns 1080p But still, it's fun to shove in Sony fans' faces.

[unleash bass]

I have a samsung HDTV only 26" but that's plenty big enough, it's purely for the 360. Cost around £800 around about a year ago. I'm sure they're even cheaper now, although it's still a fair amount of money. I've even seen them advertised (not sure what make etc..) for £400 in Woolworths. Anyway my point, I have the machine, I have the TV so, for the price of a cheap HDMI or VGA cable (£15/£20) then why not have the best possible picture? After all isn't that why we got HDTV's in the first place?

[FeralPhoenix]

I don't think you will see any noticeable difference between 1080i and 1080p on any HDTV smaller than 50", so unless you get a bigger HDTV, HDMI cables aren't going to show you a noticeable visual improvement, again Im not positive....but I believe thats the general theory of most of the tech guru's.

[Shadow Flare]

i read the article and this is what i drew from it

The xbox 360 and hd-dvd add on neither have hdmi sockets

microsoft is creating an update to view 1080p via component cables

but according to the article, very few 1080p TVs support component sockets since most are HDMI. And the 360 cant transmit via HDMI since it has no HDMI sockets

So basically, it is possible for the 360 to produce a 1080p image, but it has no actual means to do so since it has no HDMI sockets

way to go microsoft!

[sweeper]

The setup will or should be the same as the cable that you have plugged in the back of the 360,but instead of the HD component cable should be a HDMI connection and hopeffuly a optical connection for sound. If the sound will only come from the HDMI then alot of people are out of luck if there surround system doesn't support HDMI, then the HDMI cable will be useless.