Microsoft: No Internal HD-DVD Planned

Cesar Menedez says that rumors of an internal HD-DVD for the Xbox 360 are not true.

"Saw a few stories online about an Xbox 360 with a built-in HD DVD drive: not true. We have no plans to release an Xbox 360 with an internal HD DVD. What we showcased at E3 was an external HD DVD drive, and we're sticking with that. We've always had a games-first emphasis with the Xbox, but some consumers can build on the platform - like by adding a Windows Media Center Edition PC. By keeping the drive external, we're offering consumers a choice in creating their own hi-def experiences. So: no plans for an internal HD DVD."

[OutLaw]

I felt giving us the choice to add-on the external HD DVD drive would be the best thing for the 360. That way it doesn't look like Sony was correct and MS was following in their footsteps.

[Marriot VP]

good news, I'd have to strangle peter moore and rip off his tatoos if they were gonna cheat us 360 owners. Also to note most people don't want High Def movies, and not for years.

That's why it's OPTIONAL, that's the beauty of it. Making an internal one would soil their vision, lol.

[shotty]

By the time HD movies catch on we will be going into the next xbox. That would obviously include the HD drive.

[The Real Deal]

Will it be 1080 p output for movies
WIll it have hdmi as an option
And what is the release date. I want one.

p.s. i don't want everyone guessing what Microsoft will do or not due. lol...I just stated what I want to know from Microsoft.

[PS360PCROCKS]

this is a damn good thing

[Moostache]

It will be a lot sooner than most people think.

I have had a chance to have an extended viewing time with both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD this weekend and I have to be honest and say that HD movies will catch on in a big way for anyone who has an HDTV to take advantage of it.

The best images on either HD-DVD or BD look as good as the best broadcast HD signals I have seen. They can be stunning. Of course, they can also be underwhelming if the source material or the tranfer to HD was not done particularly well.

Sony is banking hard on this strategy with the PS3 to dominate the HD-DVD format and they just may be on to something. Even though the BD format is no better visually (and in some cases it is distinctly worse) than HD-DVD, and even though the stand-alone players are ridiculously over-priced at 2X the entry level of HD-DVD and nearly 4X when the Pioneer player hits at $1600 this fall, the BD has a very good chance to EVENTUALLY convert PS3 users into BD backers WHEN thoe people all have an HDTV to watch it on.

Bottom line, if you have an HDTV you WILL own one of the two formats before the end of 2007. The question becomes whether or not HD-DVD's lower stand-alone price, and sometimes better quality can trump the cheap-as-hell BD player in the PS3.

The key here is the much larger market with no HDTV yet. In those cases, the PS3, BD and HD-DVD all have virtually no advantages over existing formats. On a small screen, thigns look much the same - DVD looks almost as good as HD-DVD or BD on anything less than a 50-in screen. The question then becomes more interesting - will the mass market pony up an extra $200 for a PS3 that offers them no descernible advantages? I think not, but that is my view.

If nothing else, I remain impressed to this day at the size of Sony's balls to go "all-in" on their bet with BD...

[heihoosilver]

after all i´m going to stay with my x360.
it´s good to know that MS isn´t lying about the strategie they tell in the begining.
the x360 is for games (excellent games) and not for movies at least is why i bought mine.it´s a damn fantastic machine and it will get better,halo 3,gow,mass efect,too human.