News Xbox 360 "Zephyr" gets HDMI, 65nm and 120GB HDD

[Bindibadgi]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/01...360_hdmi_65nm/

[alastor]

Looking good, although I can see many an annoyed 360 owner if they bring this in at the same price point, or cheaper even.

Xeons GPU

Xenos?
-- Fixed, thanks! - Da Dego

[Bursar]

That's assuming it's even real. How do you get your 5.1 sound out of the console when using an HDMI lead? You'll still need your optical cable to do that, and there's no optical out on the console. So you'll have to keep that component/VGA cable around for awhile longer.

MS have flatly denied the HD-DVD being included on many occaisions because it bumps up the price for everyone, even if only a few find it useful. The larger hard drive would likely be released as a seperate item as well, leaving the only real benefit of the v2 console it's 65nm CPU.

I think I'll stick with my v1.

[M4RTIN]

seeing as itd make my "normal" one worthless when its released, id rather get the bigger hdd and just watercool the one i have. quieter dvd drive would be nice tho

[Bindibadgi]

HDMI can provide S/PDIF afaik, or, use the VGA lead with optical out.

There's no ruling out that HD-DVD might be included as another option, above the current "premium" console. Yes, they have denied it REPLACING the DVD drive. Since they are releasing a v2 anyway, it makes sense to offer something that competes with Sony directly.

The benefit of a v2 would be HDMI as a single cable option, offering neater use as well as DIGITAL input into your HDTV. Can't beat that quality.

It'll hardly make the v1 worthless since the v2 adds HDMI as well as the standard A/V output.

[DougEdey]

Good thing I waited on it.

[SeBbY_007]

Urgh, just got a 360 for Chirstmas...

I held off and held off in hope of news of the newer version, but with no leaks before Christmas I thought, it wouldn't happen for a long time. Looks like I bought at the wrong time.

Saying that, I wouldn't use HDMI, but I bet the newer version will be a lot quieter and smaller...

[samkiller42]

Hum, this would be a nice addition, sell my current V1 and buy a V2, good plan i think

Sam

[Tim S]

hmmm, looks like there might be a new hybrid cable in the works too (for both the MS connector and the HDMI port), because the current cable covers the area where the HDMI port is located.

[BioSniper]

/me sighs. I'm another one of those that waited, couldn't see it on the horizon, and bought one around Christmas. This WILL annoy a hell of a lot of 360 owners, myself included. It's half tempting to just take this one back and say that I don't want it any more.
Really though, why in the hell do manufacturers do this? Specifically in the console market. Is it just to screw early adopters?

[Brooxy]

Wonder if it'll come out before Halo 3...I've been waiting for an excuse to get a 360, and might aswell get HD integrated for poops and giggles.

[phat-ant]

sounds good to me. but PC is the way to go :P
My HD-DVD drive arrived yesterday and I have it working fine on my pc. but its about time they added in a HDMI port for the xbox as it has been said above it makes things alot neater.

also for those of you wondering what about your sound, well there are whole new ranges of amps out there which can take in the HDMI decode the audio and pass it back out to your tv.

[EQC]

I like the point about Microsoft trying to "keep up with the Jones' [Sony]"...

Personally, I was thinking it was Sony's mistake to wait a year after Microsoft...but it's now looking like Sony did the right thing. They waited until they could produce their console how they wanted to. Microsoft came out early, with features that even Microsoft apparently thinks weren't quite good enough. It's one thing to upgrade a processor for lower heat, etc...Sony will probably do that eventually too. But when you start including extra ports, bigger PROPRIETARY hard drives, etc. on a new version, you start to alienate those who bought their console early.

Another point is the question of the built-in HD-DVD drive...maybe they will make it built in one day, but if they ever make it capable of playing games off HD-DVD's, that is going to piss off tons of people who would then be forced to buy an upgrade just to play new games.

Consoles are supposed to be relatively fixed hardware so you can just buy one and play it for 5 or 6 years.

[K]

Originally Posted by BioSniper

Really though, why in the hell do manufacturers do this? Specifically in the console market. Is it just to screw early adopters?

Early adopters? It's been out for well over a year now.

Looks good to me! I've been holding out for one in case of a price drop or upgrade so I'm in business. Nice.

Would you be able to use HDMI with a DVI input? How would you get the sound?

[mikeuk2004]

Built in HD DVD, HDMI and a 120GB HD. is this going to boost the price on par with sony?????

Sounds expensive and will deff push the core pack out.

[Bindibadgi]

Originally Posted by EQC

but if they ever make it capable of playing games off HD-DVD's, that is going to piss off tons of people who would then be forced to buy an upgrade just to play new games.

It'll never, ever happen. If they integrate it then it'll be for movies only, for those digital purists who want the single cable and no external drive (or will end up using the external drive on their PC anyway).

Or, it might:

We accept that games can out on floppy, then floppies and CD. You could buy either, depending on what your PC had. Then CD and DVD and now virtually DVD only. It doesn't stop developers releasing games on HD-DVD (faster load times) or multiple DVD if they so wish. I can't see this happening though as Microsoft makes money out of media not consoles and they wont want people rebuying consoles again to get a HD-DVD integrated, even if they can by the same game on multiple DVD.

You got loads of games from plenty of consoles (PS1, DC, GC I know of) on multiple disk.

K: Im sure you can get HDMI to DVI adapters, not sure what they do with the sound though, but if you can plug in the analouge A/V connector you may be able to just use the optical out from a VGA connector.

[EQC]

As I understand it, HDMI is just DVI wiring (rearranged) plus Coaxial Digital Audio (5.1, wiring rearranged into pins). So I'd imagine if you have an HDMI port, your HDMI-DVI adapter should be cheap (no processing required, just redirect some wires) and should easily also supply a Coaxial digital audio output.

[Tyinsar]

Originally Posted by BioSniper

...
Really though, why in the hell do manufacturers do this? Specifically in the console market. Is it just to screw early adopters?

Early adopters practically always pay more and get less than those who wait - That's why they now call it "the bleeding edge". I understand your frustration with consoles and why you think they should be different but look at the later models of the PS1 and PS2. I suspect MS feels they have to add stuff to fend off Sony - But they won't add it until Sony becomes a threat. It's what MS, and many others, have done for years in other areas.

[sui_winbolo]

If it's like $600-700, I'll sell my current 360 for that.

[EQC]

Originally Posted by Tyinsar

Early adopters practically always pay more and get less than those who wait ... look at the later models of the PS1 and PS2.

I don't remember the specifics of the upgrades between early/late models of PS1 and PS2....but I was under the impression that they were mostly related to size and power consumption.

If the "Zephyr" 360 is real, I have no problem with the 65nm upgrade to the processor or the addition of the HDMI port. The problem I do have is with the upgrade to the hard drive. Here's why (apologies for the bold font...but I feel it highlights main points):

Basically, Microsoft made a proprietary hard drive at a measly 20GB and sold it for a whopping $100. That drive is completely useless except when attached to a 360, and 360's are generally a 1-per household thing (unlike other electronics/computers). Based on the idea that consoles don't usually get upgrades that significantly change functionality, a bunch of people paid the exorbitant price. A year or so later, Microsoft realizes their mistake offering only the tiny hard drive size, since a small hard drive limits certain capabilities of the console (in terms of how much media you can store on it). Additionally, Microsoft is now selling the media that makes that 20GB hard drive feel so tight...which is again a choice Microsoft made that probably was not clear at the time many people paid for the 20GB drive (most assumed it would be fore game saves, emulation files to play XBox 1 games, and perhaps an MP3 collection). If Microsoft starts selling a larger hard drive, people are left having to replace their 20GB drive if they want the larger model. The nature of a "console" (along with Microsofts choice for a proprietary hard drive) make this so terrible:

(A) If a console was like other electronics equipment, the "old" 360 would be moved to a different room in the house (you know, like the lesser TV/DVD Player in the bedroom, and the super theater setup in the living room). But folks don't really do that with consoles as far as I know.

(B) If this was an upgrade similar to a hard drive upgrade for a computer/laptop, owners of the 20GB drive could:

1. keep using it as an extra hard drive on the same machine
2. install it in a different computer
3. convert it to an external hard drive and keep using it
4. sell it at a decent fraction of what they paid for it

But, because of Microsoft's choices, somebody can unwittingly buy a 20GB 360 HD now for $100, and then when the 120GB model comes out in a few months (probably at a similar price...maybe $150 at the most), the poor guy who wants to upgrade will be stuck with an otherwise useless 20GB drive that can't even be resold at a decent price because the 120GB drive is a much better price/GB ratio.

In my opinion, the existence of the 120GB drive means Microsoft has bamboozled everybody who bought the $100 20GB proprietary paperweight (not just early adopters...but people all the way up until Microsoft officially announces the new HD) . The least Microsoft should do is offer some sort of trade-in/upgrade path at reduced cost...