Despite selling 210,000 of its Xbox 360 HD DVD add-ons through September-more than any individual Blu-ray standalone player-Microsoft's strategy is to market the unit as a niche accessory. Read on for more.
more like a little insight that the xbox community does not really support hd-media, too concerned about price hence they cry that blu-ray is too expensive
its the xbox community that keep crying about how ps3 is too expensive how can you expect them to support expenisve discs that cost 3 times the cost of dvd's
Im not saying all xbox fan's have this view but a good portion bash the blu because its on the ps3 and its TOO expensive.
people are unsure if bluray or hd will win the war. why pay for something that there will not be anything to play on it? also microsoft has been very poor on support and adverticeing for it. the price is also not that great for what your buying. there are also other things but you get the idea.
Yes, please explain. Although I don't have the HD-DVD add-on I leave the console on all night almost daily..
The RRoD is getting really old.. You do know they have changed the mobo and heatsyncs to remedy the problem??
New material needed.
EDIT: Who in the funk disagree's with me?? Do you know what I do with my 360 better than me?? Is it not true that MS has been using 65nm and new heatsyncs(added a second and enlarged them). This agree/disagree crap is broken.
I'd love to hear your defination of what HD means.
Does the 360 not output at 720p and 1080p?? Last time I checked the 360 does both and therefore is an HD machine. The games are what matter for MS while the PS3 wants to be many things. Don't give me some crap that because it has a standard DVD drive that the console is not HD.
MS believes that people buy game consoles to play games and if they really want to play movies there is an optional add-on. If you really want to watch an HD movie you can go to the video marketplace and download an HD movie and watch it and skip the add-on all together. I'm glad they did this because I'm not buying BR or HD-DVD and am watching HD movies just fine streaming from my network, which imo is really where the future of this is going once broadband catches up.
We all know that reason why M$ didn't include a built in HD-DVD drive is because it would have up the cost of the 360...and it would have completely kill ne chance of the system becoming a success...if you really think M$ gives a crap about gaming in general think again do some reasearch about why they got involved in the gaming industry...!!
the comments so far have added nothing to the discussion or article, Let alone the fact Microsoft has never advertised the HD DVD player as nothing more then.
Oh and you can get this to play HD DVD its not suprizing.
The first comment has nothing to do with why an Game console ad-on isn't mainstream?.
I do however Agree that MSFT treats it as an accessory and markets it as such(like an Camera or controller)MSFT only cares about divices that support its software(HD-DVD applications) rather it be whats in HD-DVD players or digital distribution .
i`d be interested to know how many of you guys on here have the add on HD DVD. I enjoy watching blu ray on my ps3 and have been tempted to get one of these so i can watch transformers and the bourne films that are hd dvd only.
Yah if you wan't one for some of the movies that you might miss out on get it.
It has great picture quality but if you wan't some of the standalone feature's get the Toshiba's A3. It has a cool little Menue(U-control features) but is bare bones, beats wearing out your console drive though.
Order it online the free movies pay for it and then some(don't know if the movie deals are at retail yet).
EDIT: My Elite and Ad-on hold up enough to a standalone were I shouldn't be getting dissagree's.
what are you a trolling M$ / HD-DVD advertisement..??
EDIT: @Magera
If you have a PS3 and wan't to watch Transformers and the Borne Trilogy do urself a favor and buy the regular dvd's then watch it on ur PS3 upscaled...prob solved
dont by the add-on. for the same price get a standalone. Lets face it the 360 is loud. I have the add-on and I regret it. the combo together is distracting on quiet scenes and I have a killer sound system. I think HDDVD is awsome I love the quality of the video. When the war is sorted out I will buy the winning format player as a standalone. I bought the addon last year out of curiosity since I had an hdtv but it sits idle unless my daughter wants to watch Corpse Bride.
thanks for the advice. yes the 360 can be a little moisy and it is one of the things thta has stopped me from buying the add on so far, that and also i beleive it does not support 1080p ( my tv does). Ive seen 2nd hand ones going for about £60-£70 on ebay and its that cheapness that is so temting though. what standalone player would you recommend?
I think "Xboxer" might be a Sony fanboy not sure but I remember some of his posts.
The A3 is only $70 more go with it then if the "noise bothers you. The 360 is loudest while Discs in the 360 unit are running the Ad-on doesn't cause the 360 to get all loud as it would keeping the disc drive bay cool in the 360 console.
You should go with the standalone if you have to listen to volumes so quite the slight hum from the 360 with no disc in the main unit cancels out the volume from your 5'1 system? or TV speakers. lol
Its really not that bad....you can also get drivers too run it off your computer...couple of things I dont like myself are the dvd controls that come with it...it sucks...sort of slow...also it needs its own power supply...other then that I have it on my entertainment center on the side ..they give you enough wire so you dont have too stack them together with the 360...playing it in 1080P off my 19 inch monitor.
@7.3 why watch the regular dvd and watch it upscaled....he can do the same on the cheaper player and get the hd-dvd version of transformers.
@ju....dam thats a pretty good idea with that hd-dvd playing off your ps3..you now got a dual player for cheap.
The HD-A3 is a 1080i player. It's the 3rd generation model of the HD-A2. It's a good player but if you insist on 1080p you'll have to go to at least the HD-A30.
I have a PS3 but I got the Toshiba A2 for $98 today. Haven't used it yet. And, to who ever says, upconverted is sufficient, its not (I am repeating myself, it is not!). Everybody who has a PS3 and a >= 42" (720p is enough) TV, would agree to that. There is a pretty clear difference in native HD and upscaled content. I'm serious. Even though I believe the PS3 is one of the best upscaling DVD players on the market. (BTW: about that deal: Upscaling DVD players start at around $120, what I've seen so far). I haven't seen a lot of HD-DVD movies I can't get on BD, though. Transformers, yeah, and I saw "Next", on my list, too. Some SiFi's (Matrix, and some others) are HD-DVD, but not BD, but then, I've seen them all. The $179 for the Xbox add on is pretty steep compared to that. But that offer was a one time special, so, unless there is something else coming for around $100 bucks, should still be reasonable. You can rip DVDs on the PS3 with XBox's HD-DVD drive under Linux, BTW. And if you find the codec (I have no idea if they exist), you could theoretically watch HD-DVDs on the PS3 using Linux with that drive.
they are a niche accessory because despite what you might see from the posts here HD movies is still a niche market. DVD continues to beat all HD formats in sales and still the majority do not own an HDtv.
If Microsoft wants the HD-DVD to successfully go mass-market, they should start bundling it all the time with the arcade/multiplayer package in Europe and elsewhere.
I don't get the draw. I'm not BUYING a 360 after sending it to be repaired if all I'm going to do is watch HD-DVD movies.
I don't see anything there yet and most everybody here doesn't want a Blue Disc Player OR an HD-DVD Player yet at all.
They need to mass market it. PLAYSTATION 3s selling by the bucket load in Europe's ULTIMATE ELECTRONIC stores because they are used for being Blu Ray players and games secondary.
So, it can sell systems if marketed and advertised. But I don't get the draw.......and I could care less about format war either.
Neither is really going any place and everyone is satisfied with the DVD/laser discs for now and will be for a long time.
The draw isn't there because when it is I bet they will bundle Blu Ray Disc or HD-DVD with everything not just console.
DVD's continue to beat out the new formats because of their install base... What you're failing to view is the future. DVD's will not be viable forever, people. When that day comes "probably not for 3 years or maybe even more" A new format will be needed. That format is probably going to be Blu-ray... In a perfect world, it wouldn't even be that. It'd be HD-DVR-players with built in 1000gb HDD's to store your mvoies on in full 1080P. That's what I'd love. Direct movie downloads that you buy. Pork the format wars!
for big movie fans like me would probbaly need an even bigger HDD but it should definately be the way forward. The movie studios would have much lower distribution costs, they would not have retailers takin a large chunk of the proceeds and consumers would be able to get the product cheaper.
It's a gaming machine therefore yes it is a niche market. The only problem is that it has had many playback problem for a great number of discs. Now with the Toshiba A2 at such a low price, where is the market for the add-on now?
To me the HD-DVD player part is worth $50. I do see the difference between HD and SD, but to me it's something that I wouldn't pay for. However if it's included in the console then i can justify becuase the games are on HD discs and i see it as a bonus to watch HD movies which is why I got a PS3.
ms HD-DVD sold 210,000 unit in one month is still good. as for it being mainstream. i think this guy is reaching.and with the hd-dvd players coming down in price will only make more people interested in buying one. even if most movies come out on blu-ray you can still buy dvds and upscale them on the hd-dvd player just like blu-ray can. so in reality you really not missing anything.
who wants to buy a game system just to get an add-on,just to watch movies?nobody.
each and every add-on in history has never sold enough to gain any foothold.
the master system converter(bought it)for genesis.didn't sell big.
the 32x and the sega cd.yup.you guessed it:didn't sell in high numbers.
turbographics CD.i bought it.but you guessed it:failed.
the 64dd for n64.again:didn't sell enough.never hit america.failed.
the ps2 hard drive.it's fine to release ffxi for it.to even try to get digital downloads going.but again,another add-on that failed.
now microsoft wants to sell an add-on,play like they're not pushing a format,but so far,it's not selling in high numbers.it wasn't built in.not 1:1 ratio.remember,360 gamers love "games."that's what you tell us right?movies are number 2 in your eyes.instead of being equal as "entertainment."(mus ic,movies,games)
for every ps3 sold,is a potential bluray customer.but to play hd-dvds,you got to have a 360 or pc,then get the add-on to watch movies.supporting hd-dvd built in would have allowed microsoft to use the disc space without pushing movies.they could have disabled it just like nintendo and wii.and made you buy the code for playback later.
but without any killer apps,the triple "AAA" movies(as mart would say) that HD-dvd needs,it will not beat sony.i don't care what the price is for it.it wasn't built in.someone needs a miracle.......
"now microsoft wants to sell an add-on,play like they're not pushing a format,but so far,it's not selling in high numbers.it wasn't built in.not 1:1 ratio.remember,360 gamers love "games."that's what you tell us right?movies are number 2 in your eyes.instead of being equal as "entertainment."(mus ic,movies,games)"
It has sold more than any other stand-alone HD player. And 360 gamers do love "games" first, i'm glad microsoft gave me an option to buy the HD player and not have it included so i wasn't forced to pay so much money if i just wanted to play games. I also love the fact that i wasn't forced into a format, since when are options bad??
The original source is totally different. Instead of this blog nonsense, here is the orignal story. The Poster's submission and the blog's post changes the article totally.
Oh, Anego Montoya should have his submission privilage revoked -- as well as everyone who approved this garbage.
TITLE: Microsoft targets gamers with HD DVD promos
STORY: High-def adoption 'will roll', albeit slowly, say panelistsThis stands in contrast to Sony’s PlayStation 3 strategy, in which Blu-ray movie playback is an integral component in the company’s play for the mass market.
In fact, the attach rate of the HD DVD drive to the 6.8 million Xbox 360s in the U.S. is just 3%.
Microsoft is expressly targeting the drive to gamers through a variety of narrowly focused promotional bundling programs at Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com and others. “You need to get the Xbox system, and software, and then the drive, and titles. It’s not a mass-market proposition,” said director of marketing Albert Penello. “It’s a multi-hundred dollar proposition.”
Penello notes that because the 360 HD DVD drive is meant as an accessory for the gamer, and not a primary film-viewing unit, Microsoft has developed selective campaigns to promote the add-on.
In mid-October, Microsoft and promotional partner Universal Studios Home Entertainment were bundling a free first-season Heroes HD DVD within boxes of the 360 HD DVD drive at Best Buy. Universal and Microsoft also teamed up in October on an Amazon.com Xbox sweepstakes, in which people could win a Heroes-themed Xbox 360 console, Heroes HD DVD and HD DVD drive.
Also, as a subtle suggestion, Microsoft bundled the 300 HD DVD and DVD combo disc with Xbox 360 systems. Xbox users would need to own or purchase the add-on in order to playback the HD DVD side of the disc.
The Heroes bundles were offered the same week that Paramount Home Entertainment launched Transformers exclusively on HD DVD, considered the best-selling title in this format to date. Heroes also is one of the stronger HD DVD titles.
“We wanted to have a killer promotion at the time of the movie coming out,” said Penello. “We are trying to take advantage of the content that is coming out for HD DVD. You know that the [Transformers] movie hits to the core of your consumer that is interested in games and high-def movies.”
He promised upcoming 360 HD DVD drive promotional bundling around upcoming A-list HD DVD releases Shrek the Third and The Bourne Ultimatum.
“Every time we do one of these things, we do see a bump,” Penello said. “The Heroes [bundle] exceeded expectations. People are responding to these types of things.”
the sonyfanboys can try to spin this story if they want.but the truth is HD-DVD stand alones sell better then blu-ray stand alones.the BDA group has to count ps3 as stand alones because they are getting they @ss handed to them in unit sells. the only reason software sales fo blu-ray is good. is because while sonyfanboys wait for games. they just by movies. but the thing no one is getting is that people are buying HD-DVD players over blu-ray players.
#17 you got to be kidding me. I always hate when Sony fanboys post 360 news they can't be trusted, just picture what they have done this hole time trying to control the console war.
gamers feel when you or bloodmask or the Xbox brigade post all those anti-Sony threads. Most of us are sick of ALL of you, nasim and the idiotic SDF too. How many duplicates and blogs and unrelated stories need to get posted and reposted for the fanboys to realize this? You do realize that you're not only part of the problem, but also could be part of the solution too?
i guess with m$ selling 210,000 units in september is the reason why the BDA is crying that M$ is prolonging the format war. i wonder how many blu-ray stand alones sold since release ( not counting ps3) as oppose to HD-DVD.
i bought the 360 HD DVD player a couple of days ago and got to the opening titles of 300 and it died. my elite wouldnt even show it was hooked up to the player! so i took it back to wal mart and i was surprised to see they had a toshiba hd-dvd player for 98 bucks. i got it and i love it.i think the 360 hd dvd player is overpriced for what your getting.
Alittle insight on how many people will actually support HD movies with a game console(or able to do so or care for that matter).
Game console won't matter any how starting now and even more so in 2008.
EDIT below: I don't get it, are you saying I'm BloodMask?. Please Please report my account if you think so, have them check it out. Please!!!.
BloodMask isn't an idiot this is why you think what you think.
yeah sure I bet if it had sold hmm lets say 5 mill ala PS3 you wouldn't be saying that....
these drives stuck to your 360 will rrod death quicker the heat creative when the drive is attached is killzone
and ill get one, otherwise its just an LOLbox claiming to be "HD" with a non-HD drive... thats like saying "looks at my sports car Kia!!!"
the comments so far have added nothing to the discussion or article, Let alone the fact Microsoft has never advertised the HD DVD player as nothing more then.
Oh and you can get this to play HD DVD its not suprizing.