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HD DVD add-on for Xbox 360 now only $50

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

February 26, 2008, 1:17 PM

After announcing it is being discontinued, Microsoft is offering the HD DVD add-on for the Xbox 360 for under $50 - an amazing deal or a waste of cash depending on where you stand.

While HD DVD will no longer continue as a format after Toshiba's withdrawal, and no new movies will be released, there are over 500 titles already available at discount prices. That could make the $50 investment very worthwhile, especially with Blu-ray players priced at least 6 times higher.

For the next two days, buyers of the $50 Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on will also be eligible to receive 5 free movies, making the purchase even more attractive. In addition, many HD DVD discs available to purchase are Combo discs, which means they also work in standard DVD players.

However, those customers will be buying into a format without a future, which means any investment could prove to be more hassle than it's worth years down the road when the Xbox 360 is replaced by a new console without HD DVD support.

Toshiba's standalone HD DVD players are also going for well under $100 now, although the company won't be manufacturing any new models. Support will be offered for the duration of the warranty, but eventually it may be difficult to find HD DVD players to replace one that fails.

Microsoft warns visitors to its Web site that it has stopped production of the add-on. Circuit City is currently the only retailer to be listing the HD DVD add-on for $49.99, which includes "King Kong," but others will likely follow suit.

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By DynamicLynk

edited Feb 28, 2008 - 1:34 PM

I bought one =P

WHY ?

#1 $50 for dvd upconversion

#2 6 HD Movies for $50

#3 Better Media Center Remote

Still many many HD movies under $15 who cares if it is dying/dead. $50 bucks for HD movies plus the player connects to PC ,with use of drivers.

FLAME ON!

Score: 0

By God Dammit

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:29 AM

Big deal. Unless it has a Silicon Optix (or equivalent) video processor it's not worth buying. The Xbox 360 is the worst high definition movie player on the market.

Score: 0

By rbrown84

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 8:01 PM

"While HD DVD will no longer continue as a format after Toshiba's withdrawal, and no new movies will be released, there are over 500 titles already available at discount prices. That could make the $50 investment very worthwhile, especially with Blu-ray players priced at least 6 times higher."

buying anything HD-DVD, no matter how cheap, is still a waste of money. Who in their right mind is going to throw away cash on a dead format? What is wrong with you people?

Score: 0

By pridewalker

edited Feb 27, 2008 - 6:05 AM

Who in their right mind is going to spend money on a format that isn't even finished yet? Even worse...it's by their own admission. The worst part yet...even the BDA's reps can't recommend anyone picking up a player that ISN'T a PS3, because of the formats short-comings.

I'd rather 'waste' my money on something that I know, for a fact, that I enjoy (even if the availability is limited), than piss it away multiple times waiting for the BDA to FINALLY get it right.

What does it really say for blu-ray, when people are willing to stock up on players and movies (even at the clearance prices) to prolong their enjoyment of the dead format?

Score: 0

By Galway

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 3:32 AM

"buying anything HD-DVD, no matter how cheap, is still a waste of money."

Believe it or not, there are people who just want to watch DVD's. A smaller percentage also want to play DVD's upscaled on a HDTV. There is an even smaller percentage who want to buy overpriced sony blu-ray.

"Who in their right mind is going to throw away cash on a dead format?"

Who is to say blu-ray wont pass by and go the way of HD-DVD ? Its still playing catchup on features, its got a crappy coating because its easily damaged by scrathes, takes forever to start the film and it is more expensive for the player and the disks. You try burning 50 gigs, once you recover from the media costs and realise how stable those things are im sure your going to be real pleased.

If this is the recipe for success then sony learned a great deal since beta.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:08 AM

I still "throw away cash on a dead format" with Laserdiscs and vinyl. Big deal.

Some people are more nostalgic than you and appreciate some of the "classic" formats that ushered in new eras in their respective markets.

HD DVD will be viewed the same way by many, I would expect.

Score: 0

By davidlerner

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 6:09 PM

"Right now is the best time to be looking at HD DVD players and discs. Since the announcement from Toshiba to cancel allfuture plans for HD DVD, prices of players have just been just skyrocketing down."

http://talkprice.net/2008/02/23/time-to-buy-hd-dvd/

Score: 0

By Viperz

edited Feb 26, 2008 - 3:25 PM

K-mart sold out of them at this price over the weekend, and I purchased one from Best Buy yesterday. I already have one connected to my Xbox 360 with a small library so this will serve as a backup that I'll connect to my Vista PC for now.

Score: 0

By MACpro

edited Feb 26, 2008 - 3:49 PM

a little bit too late... still a great deal but it will not revive the HDDVD
http://www.divinemoving.com

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:18 AM

Agreed, but I don't believe anyone suggested that it was an attempt to revive the format. It's official, and it's old news by now. HD DVD is dead, and most people realize that and have moved on. Still, there are plenty of people out there with a fairly large library of HD DVD discs that will need a player to view them with.

At this price, it's an extremely affordable solution to keep in the closet as a future replacement player when they are no longer able to be found. It doesn't just work with the Xbox 360 either. I wish I had the sense long ago to purchase an additional Laserdisc player to keep stored safely away in its box in case mine flew south on me one day.

Score: 0

By psycros

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 3:15 PM

I can't wait for the deluge of Chinese Blu-Ray knockoffs. That should bring the prices down handily.

Score: 0

By billweh

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 2:10 PM

This is a great deal. I would think that MS and companies will still release games in the HD format for the XBox360 - it's not like they have to worry about someone taking the game to an PS3 or anything like that.

So for $50 - it's a deal.

Score: 0

By Banquo

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 3:48 PM

They never released games on HD DVD and never intended to. The addon was simply for playing movies, nothing more.

Score: 0

By dlab21

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 2:15 PM

well thats where you would be completely wrong.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 3:50 PM

I don't necessarily disagree, but how is he wrong?

Score: 0

By Banquo

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 5:09 PM

"I would think that MS and companies will still release games in the HD format for the XBox360"

They never did, and they certainly aren't going to start now.

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 1:45 PM

Waste of cash. Not just for this but for any HD DVD players.

However, IF (and only IF) Sony can make miracles and make this USB-based HD DVD player to work on their PS3 by plugging in to one of the USB ports to play HD DVD movies, then I'm all for it.

Until then, save your money and wait for dual players.

Score: 0

By Niro

edited Feb 26, 2008 - 2:22 PM

Huh...so it's a complete waste of cash unless it works with the PS3...in which case it would be worth it.

Wow, sometimes, I STILL get surprised by fanboy comments...

I'm going to tell my company that the blackberry they gave me was a complete waste of money because it doesn't work with the PS3....they should take it back and wait for sony to release a PS3 compatible cell phone before giving me some crappy alternative.

Also I just realized the printer I have doesn't work with the PS3...damn I can't believe I wasted my money on that thing. :(

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 11:31 AM

Niro you are an idiot. It's possible that they can make a so called "pass thru" of the device to broadcast it out on the PS3. It's either a firmware or some hack or whatever. Remember, the PS3 will only need to process the signal and pass it thru the audio/vido output.

Unless this is proven, and that is why I gave it a big IF, then that would be a different story.

Your analogy sucks BTW.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 3:52 PM

Why is he even posting comments on betanews? It isn't compatible with the PS3, is it?

Score: 0

By labomba

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 11:33 AM

Because I can that's why. And to answer your question, no it is not compatible. Geesh people read the freakin comment. I said, IF, which means, it may or may not happen, most likely not. But hey, I am giving them a benefit of a doubt, you never know. You cannot believe on hacks these days so think outside the box for a change, you may surprise yourself.

Score: 0

By yountmj

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 1:20 AM

Extremely doubtful... but it is recognized by Mac OS X.

Score: 0

By alphatrigon

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 1:33 PM

you can use these on a pc with a simple "hack" if you could call it that. So these would be great affordable aux optical drives for any PC...mounted internally via sata or externally via usb. Great deal for anybody

Score: 0

By TofuTodd

edited Feb 26, 2008 - 2:56 PM

Totally. I bought an xbox 360 HD-DVD drive about a year ago and it works perfectly with my PC. If you run Vista, you don't even need the "hack". I plan on buying up some hd-dvds when the price really drops... They will still work for the life of the drive, and if you have the knowledge/hard drive space, you can always rip them and back them up for future use.

Score: 0

By stt4

edited Feb 26, 2008 - 2:51 PM

Internal DVD burners are going for $20-25. This is only a good deal at "deals" forums like FatWallet and SlickDeals.net, where the prevailing logic holds that because the retail price was $170, you can get an HD DVD drive for over 70% off, making this an OMGHOT!!1 bargain.

I can understand the argument -- maybe -- for stand-alone HD DVD players, in that they upconvert SD DVDs, but Xbox already plays SD discs. This is $50 for little more than nothing.

Score: 0

By alphatrigon

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 3:16 PM

sure nothing...you also get 6 movies...so you can still consider it nothing, but it's good, plain and simple

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 3:27 PM

No it's not!

Get an internal Bluray drive for $199. Still comes with 5 movies, and it won't be obsolete in a month.

Score: 0

By fish1552

edited Feb 26, 2008 - 3:48 PM

Yes - it is.

If you would look at it, you get a HD player for on $50, along with 5 movies that ran $39.95 a few months back (haven't bought once in a while). PLUS, it STILL up-converts your standard DVDs without having to buy a $400 Blu-ray player.
So it is a cheap way to get a higher resolution display on all your current SD DVDs. That alone is worth the $50 price even if there are no HD-DVD movies any more.
And that will suit me just fine until Blu-ray player come down to a reasonable range - which I don't expect to happen anytime soon!

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 4:38 PM

How do all the profiles work on that internal drive, oh yeah obsolete.

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 5:26 PM

Wrong.

A movie comes out next week, can still play on the drive. A movie comes out next month, can still play on the drive. A movie comes out next year, can still play on the drive.

An hddvd movie comes out next.... wait... that won't be happening anymore will it? OBSOLETE.

Score: 0

By fish1552

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 8:56 PM

Only the future HD movies portion is obsolete, not everything else about it. It will still play all the HD-DVD movies out there, which will now be a bargin and still upconvert. You will NEVER find a cheaper DVD player that up-converts - period.
Nuff said!

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 7:35 PM

There has been posts in the past that the heavy java in the soon to come disks may not play in the profiel 1 players guess you missed that.

Every movie that is made will play just fine in the add-on.

I know HD id dead already which is sad but that is life. One will prevail but not the best one in every situation.

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 8:01 PM

May not play or will not play? Please educate me SGD.

Provide a nonBetanews link to this fact.
Thanks.

Score: 0

By pridewalker

edited Feb 26, 2008 - 10:55 PM

Well, Home Theater Mag has expressed some concerns on this topic (in regards to stand-alone players)

http://www.hometheaterma...discplayers/1207panbd30/

December 2007: "There are three current BD-ROM Profiles as they are formally called. Profile 1.0 is found in every other BD player released to date. With 64K of local storage (persistent memory), these players are woefully unprepared for new BD-J features. Profile 1.1 requires a minimum of 256MB of local storage and secondary audio and decoders for streaming Picture-In-Picture features and the like.

Note also that while Profile 1.1 is called the "Final Standard [BD-ROM] Profile" in Panasonic's promotional materials, it's not the last word in BD hardware. That's Profile 2.0 (so-called BD-Live), which requires 1GB of local storage plus network capability (likely in the form of an Ethernet or LAN port). No player currently offers BD-ROM Profile 2, but again, the PS3 meets the hardware requirements and is likely to be upgradeable to meet this spec."

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 11:49 AM

3 things.

1. You forgot this line from the story...
The "local storage" does not need to be internal. A removable vehicle such as a flash drive or memory card can provide it.

The internal drive mention above has that.

2. Where in that review of a Panasonic BRD player does it say that the movie will not play in the $199 player mentioned above, or any other player?

3. Again, provide a link to a credible story that states that THE MOVIE WILL NOT PLAY. I'm not talking about PiP, or going online to buy stuff.

Until someone does, then this claim that the movie "may" not play is just FALSE speculations encouraged by you guys.

Score: 0

By pridewalker

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:52 PM

First: The issue is whether or not newer and more advanced BD-J will function in the older players. It stands to reason that if it does not, due to hardware constraints, that there MAY be issues with disc playback overall.

Second: Until it's actually tested, I agree...this is speculation at the moment. Given the problems that earlier players had with BD-J (load times in excess of 2 mins., the infamous 'Liar's Dice' video, etc.), it's fair to take a wait and see attitude on this. There's no way to call it FALSE, until it's been tested.

Score: 0

By SGD

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 9:11 PM

I guess you are ignorant as to what may not means. That means that the content might not be able to be played on the lower profile machines. The issue has been covered before but I don't have the time to hunt for it. Unlike many of the Sony trolls here I have a job and it is not Sony or MS.

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 10:31 PM

"but I don't have the time to hunt for it."

TRANSLATION
You are full of it and have absolutely no proof as what you are claiming. Nice try mate.

Score: 0

By SGD

edited Feb 27, 2008 - 8:28 AM

No it is just that I don't have the time. See the above post that proves my point. Unlike you I have a job and a family and searching for something that I saw some time ago is just not that important.

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

edited Feb 27, 2008 - 11:51 AM

See above.

Yup, still full of it. Don't copy someone else's homework because most likely its wrong.

Score: 0

By SGD

edited Feb 27, 2008 - 1:39 PM

You are the one full of it. I see that you can't find proff that they will.

http://www.digital-diges...29/blu-ray-buyer-beware/

Here it clearly says that they maynot be able to play.

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

posted Feb 27, 2008 - 8:15 PM

Really thats it? It took you 2 days to find that?

First of all, that "blog" was old. Before profile 1.1 was released. AND, if you would have finished reading it... The author had made an update to it at the bottom where he stated he since then purchased a PS3 and he included a "HDDVD/BLURAY buyers guide".

Here's a few lines from that...
"While neither 1.1 or 2.0 are essential if you only wish to enjoy your movies"
"And when 1.1 and 2.0 Blu-ray movies are released, they are to be compatible with 1.0 players"
"Do not buy 1.0 players, even if the price seem attractive, UNLESS YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT MOVIES"

Wow that really backfired on you didn't it?

Score: 0

By timatl

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 3:50 PM

it is obsolete today

Score: 0

By BrokenHALO

posted Feb 26, 2008 - 5:27 PM

Good point. I stand corrected.

Score: 0

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