XBOX 360 HD DVD Player & DVD Upscaling FAQ

Has MS even announced an OFFICIAL date for this yet? I know some say the 7th, others say the 14th. I believe King Kong HD-DVD comes out the 14th. So, maybe 360 people will get the movie early (I'm hoping). I wonder what kind of supply there will be also.
 
[quote name='doubledown']Has MS even announced an OFFICIAL date for this yet? I know some say the 7th, others say the 14th. I believe King Kong HD-DVD comes out the 14th. So, maybe 360 people will get the movie early (I'm hoping). I wonder what kind of supply there will be also.[/QUOTE]

Wouldn't surprise me - the PS3's pack-in movie is being distributed with PS3s a month before it comes out in stores.
 
[quote name='doubledown']Has MS even announced an OFFICIAL date for this yet? I know some say the 7th, others say the 14th. I believe King Kong HD-DVD comes out the 14th. So, maybe 360 people will get the movie early (I'm hoping). I wonder what kind of supply there will be also.[/QUOTE]

They haven't released an official date. However, most stores say the 7th, and M. Nelson has hinted in his cast that it would be out before the official king kong release. (or I think it was said "probably" would)
 
So I downloaded the update last night and was all excited about finally being able to display more than 720p through my VGA cable. Problem is my TV has a max of 1080i so it would not take the 1920x1080 resolution. Is there a resolution for 1080i or is 720p (1280x720) still the best I can get through the VGA cable?
 
[quote name='JDMxB']Still debating on whether HD-DVD is worth the price of admission on a 32" HDTV...i'm afraid that the smaller real estate is going to yield little to no difference from upscaled DVDs.[/QUOTE]
As a former owner of a 30" CRT-based HDTV....you will definitely notice a difference.



Interesting poll results so far, almost an exact 3-way tie. The undecideds will wind up deciding the majority on this one.
 
[quote name='Trakan']It will upscale DVDs up to 720p/1080i/1080p with the new fall update only via the VGA cable.
[/QUOTE]

Hmm... so no chance of it upscaling my DVDs to 1080i via plain old component cables?

Oh, well. I'm pretty happy with the current quality anyway.
 
This is an interesting article discussing what it took to make the 360 an HD-DVD player, written by someone that worked on it.
http://blogs.msdn.com/xboxteam/archive/2006/11/03/emergence-day.aspx

One interesting tidbit:
All 6 of Xbox 360's hardware threads are hard at work while playing back an HD DVD. At the moment, the player software pushes Xbox 360 harder than any other (save, perhaps, Gears of War during some particularly busy parts of the game).
Click to expand...
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']This is an interesting article discussing what it took to make the 360 an HD-DVD player, written by someone that worked on it.
http://blogs.msdn.com/xboxteam/archive/2006/11/03/emergence-day.aspx

One interesting tidbit:[/QUOTE]

I guess that's my only worry.....will it work the 360 TOO hard over time and possibly reduce its lifespan?

I still plan on getting it, just need a SOLID release date. Bestbuy.com has them up, says 11/15 now....so, who knows. I will get it there with my RZ coupons.
 
[quote name='gizmogc']Any pictures on the new remote? Wondering if I should sell my current $30 MS one.[/QUOTE]

I think it's the same one....
 
[quote name='tenzor']you should sell your old remote, and invest in this one

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Logi...sem/rpsm/oid/142704/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

the logitech harmony 360 remote is real nice, I just picked it up last week, and I am loving it. Its only $99.99 now at Circuit City[/QUOTE]

Ive owned it before and hated it. I spent countless hours programming the damn thing and even when I thought it was 'ok' it would still not turn on everything correctly. I'm content with my current TV remote, DVR remote....just want to see if the one included with the HD addon will be any different (it was suppose to be).
 
I have the logitech remote and I like it....there are some flaws, but programming was quick and easy for me. I HOPE the HD-DVD does not have to add any functions.
 
Anyone know if its ok to stack this HD-DVD player ontop of my 360 since I currently have my 360 horizontal.




Taken from Teamxbox fourms / posted by dukmahsik



291262371_af3ade0134.jpg



Pic from xbox.com

pbhhddvdhero.jpg
 
So, anyone pick this up yet? I may put it vertical for space reasons....OR, put it on top of my regular DVD player horizontal (I like horizontal stuff)

I'm hoping Best Buy gets it this week.
 
[quote name='jughead']So.... the 360 can run HD DVD over component cables? Is this the only drive that can do this?[/quote]

Any HD-DVD player can. You just can't do 1080p over component most of the time. The TV itself has to accept 1080p over component.
 
[quote name='Trakan']Any HD-DVD player can. You just can't do 1080p over component most of the time. The TV itself has to accept 1080p over component.[/QUOTE]
Thanks! So, as the article explains, 1080i is often the same as 1080p? Anyword on HDMI for X360? I read the thing about how they would introduce technology as it was needed. Is that a good sign?
 
why is the vga cable necessary to upscale standard DVD on the 360? I don't understand that.

Also, go for the official MS cable or find any old generic one on play-asia or something similar?

Let me rephrase that question, if I use the VGA cable with only the 360 (no HD-DVD add on) will I get upscaled DVDs? Or to get upscaled DVDs do I need both VGA and HD-DVD add on?
 
[quote name='nasum']why is the vga cable necessary to upscale standard DVD on the 360? I don't understand that.

Also, go for the official MS cable or find any old generic one on play-asia or something similar?

Let me rephrase that question, if I use the VGA cable with only the 360 (no HD-DVD add on) will I get upscaled DVDs? Or to get upscaled DVDs do I need both VGA and HD-DVD add on?[/QUOTE]


You do not need the add-on to upscale, just the vga cable.

The reason why is because that's what the rulemakers of all things digital media want, and Microsoft placates them.
 
I had no questions in the first place, but your post simultaniously led to questions and then answered them. But, really I'm book marking this bad boy.
 
Thinking of getting this sometime soon. How does HD DVD Compare to HD cable? is hd dvd better looking than the HD movies they show on HBO HD? Thanks.
 
[quote name='doctorfaustus']Thinking of getting this sometime soon. How does HD DVD Compare to HD cable? is hd dvd better looking than the HD movies they show on HBO HD? Thanks.[/QUOTE]

Generally, yes.

Cable companies employ compression algorithims to make stuff fit, which leads to a little artifacting.
 
[quote name='doctorfaustus']Thinking of getting this sometime soon. How does HD DVD Compare to HD cable? is hd dvd better looking than the HD movies they show on HBO HD? Thanks.[/quote]

yes...my x360 hd dvd in 1080p looks MUCH better than the 1080i channels i get through dish network
 
So I walked into my local blockbuster tonight, swapping my hd-dvd's from the mail for some dvd's. I asked the clerk as I was checking out when they were planning to carry HD-DVD's. He responded "Oh we'll never have them, the formats already dying."
I said "Oh really? Because I know lots of people with HD-DVD drives". He responded "Oh. Well yeah just go look online, they are selling very poorly and so we will only be carrying bluray".

I have to wonder if Sony's bestbuy brainwashing has been employed at blockbuster now, or if I just happened to talk to a moron.

Oh and by the way, my blockbuster had a sign up saying they would take netflix tear of tags in exchange for a free movie in store until the 21st. Not sure if this is national.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']So I walked into my local blockbuster tonight, swapping my hd-dvd's from the mail for some dvd's. I asked the clerk as I was checking out when they were planning to carry HD-DVD's. He responded "Oh we'll never have them, the formats already dying."
I said "Oh really? Because I know lots of people with HD-DVD drives". He responded "Oh. Well yeah just go look online, they are selling very poorly and so we will only be carrying bluray".

I have to wonder if Sony's bestbuy brainwashing has been employed at blockbuster now, or if I just happened to talk to a moron.

Oh and by the way, my blockbuster had a sign up saying they would take netflix tear of tags in exchange for a free movie in store until the 21st. Not sure if this is national.[/quote]

i read an article today stating that HD-DVDs were in the front running to win the format war....

http://news.digitaltrends.com/talkback158.html
 
A question....if I get the HD-DVD add-on, will that upscale a conventional DVD? Or should I get a stand-alone upscaling DVD player? I don't want to replace my DVD library but would like to enjoy DVDs on my HD 1080i set.
 
[quote name='lurknomore']A question....if I get the HD-DVD add-on, will that upscale a conventional DVD? Or should I get a stand-alone upscaling DVD player? I don't want to replace my DVD library but would like to enjoy DVDs on my HD 1080i set.[/quote]

The 360 itself will upscale your current DVDs if it's hooked up via the VGA cable. That's the only way to do it. The HD-DVD player will upscale current DVDs via VGA as well.
 
[quote name='Trakan']The 360 itself will upscale your current DVDs if it's hooked up via the VGA cable. That's the only way to do it. The HD-DVD player will upscale current DVDs via VGA as well.[/quote]

And depending on the quality of your HDTV's video processing, you may want it to do the scaling instead of the 360.
 
More importantly........with all things equal, which drive should we use to watch our older dvd's we want upscaled, the regular drive or the hd drive? Ahhhh.
 
[quote name='THE DARK KNIGHT']More importantly........with all things equal, which drive should we use to watch our older dvd's we want upscaled, the regular drive or the hd drive? Ahhhh.[/QUOTE]

I would use the HD-DVD drive as much as possible, because it can easily be replaced if it breaks.
 
I got an HD DVD drive for christmas and was wondering if it is common for the drive's case to be ill-fitting. That is to say, is the grey part of the drive not clearly attached to the top white part? On my unit the seams are clearly not touching. I can probably slide a piece of paper in there if I wanted too.

The sad part is that I returned one already because of this same problem and the replacement looks the same.

Any one else notice this on your hd-dvd drives? I thought it was a manufacturing error, but 2 times in a row?
 
Ok, I have this TV and I would like to upscale the DVDs I watch. The Xbox 360 VGA HD/AV Cable is what I would need, correct?

EDIT: What I would need is an HDMI cable which Microsoft has yet to release. What other options do I have?
 
[quote name='CAG 79']Ok, I have this TV and I would like to upscale the DVDs I watch. The Xbox 360 VGA HD/AV Cable is what I would need, correct?

EDIT: What I would need is an HDMI cable which Microsoft has yet to release. What other options do I have?[/QUOTE]
Get a VGA---->HDMI converter
 
[quote name='anomynous']Get a VGA---->HDMI converter[/QUOTE]

Are those the ones that cost over $100? If they are then forget it. I'll wait until Microsoft releases an HDMI cable instead.
 
I wonder if the 360 will ever support DTS? I am not sure if this can be done through a patch, but it would be nice. To my knowledge the Xbox would play movies in DTS, but every time I select DTS on a DVD in the 360 it just sends the regular 5.1 Digital to my receiver.

Before it is asked my receiver decodes DTS, so I am not talking about the 360 decoding the audio. I just wish it would allow my receiver to. :(
 
[quote name='Big Papa']I wonder if the 360 will ever support DTS? I am not sure if this can be done through a patch, but it would be nice. To my knowledge the Xbox would play movies in DTS, but every time I select DTS on a DVD in the 360 it just sends the regular 5.1 Digital to my receiver.

Before it is asked my receiver decodes DTS, so I am not talking about the 360 decoding the audio. I just wish it would allow my receiver to. :([/quote]

Someone mentioned either in this thread, or the other one here, or I must have read on some site that MS is working on a patch to convert Dolby HD into DTS
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']Someone mentioned either in this thread, or the other one here, or I must have read on some site that MS is working on a patch to convert Dolby HD into DTS[/QUOTE]

That would rule! Hopefully it will happen. I tried searching, but I guess DTS is too short for the filter.
 
all this hdtv talk is starting to confuse me. i can out put hd games and dvd's into 1080i using just the component cables that came with my 360 right? i just ordered a lcd hdtv capable of 720p and 1080i that has no mention of hdmi only has component, a/v, and s-video.
 
[quote name='luisc']all this hdtv talk is starting to confuse me. i can out put hd games and dvd's into 1080i using just the component cables that came with my 360 right? i just ordered a lcd hdtv capable of 720p and 1080i that has no mention of hdmi only has component, a/v, and s-video.[/quote]

Yup, thats what I have on my TV. Basic X360 included component cables and I display games and HD-DVD movies in 1080i.
 
[quote name='CAG 79']Ok, I have this TV and I would like to upscale the DVDs I watch.[/QUOTE]

Unless your TV has a really poor scaler, upscaled DVDs are highly overrated. They shouldn't look any better than normal 480p progressive scan DVDs (in either case, they're being upscaled - it's just a question of which end). I had an upscaling samsung player (hd850, hdmi), and ebayed it when I realized I was getting better quality from my 360 at 480p.
 
I got the HD-DVD drive yesterday and noticed that after I installed it, my 360 switched from 1080i to 480p. Also, when I put in Kong I got the "there is an update for this game" message. Anyone else have this happen?
 
[quote name='PanzerNinja']I got the HD-DVD drive yesterday and noticed that after I installed it, my 360 switched from 1080i to 480p.[/QUOTE]

That didn't happen to me. You can just switch back, right?

[quote name='PanzerNinja']Also, when I put in Kong I got the "there is an update for this game" message. Anyone else have this happen?[/QUOTE]

Yes.
 
[quote name='luisc']all this hdtv talk is starting to confuse me. i can out put hd games and dvd's into 1080i using just the component cables that came with my 360 right? i just ordered a lcd hdtv capable of 720p and 1080i that has no mention of hdmi only has component, a/v, and s-video.[/quote]

You can onlly watch dvd's in 480p with the component cables...You need a vga cable if you want to upscale.

You can however watch hd dvd's in 720p or 1080i with the component cables
 
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