AfterDawn: News

Microsoft to continue marketing HD DVD drive as a niche product

Although more than 200,000 Xbox 360 HD DVD drives had been sold through the end of September, Microsoft doesn't have any plans to integrate it as a core component of the console.

Microsoft Director of Marketing Albert Penello indicated that, although the company is focusing on the drive as an add-on for gamers, which stands in stark contrast to Sony's positioning of the PS3 as a home entertainment center. “You need to get the Xbox system, and software, and then the drive, and titles. It’s not a mass-market proposition,” he said. “It’s a multi-hundred dollar proposition.”



Ironically, unlike Sony, Microsoft has still managed to create a niche market for video downloads with their Xbox Live internet portal. They've also been successful promoting the HD DVD add-on with high profile movie and television releases. What's even more interesting is their selective targetting. For example, in October they teamed up with Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Best Buy to give away copies of the first season of Heroes on HD DVD with the add-on.

“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.”

It doesn't seem like a concidence that the PS3 has had such a slow sales start, while also trying to be nearly all things to all people in the living room. Meanwhile the lower priced and gamer focused Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii (especially the Wii) have seen stronger sales. It's too early to discount Sony's plans for the PS3 though, especially with the HD DVD/Blu-ray format war expected to finally shift at least into low gear this Christmas season.

Source: Video Business

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 3 Nov 2007 18:12

• Previous article

• Samsung regains top spot in flat panel TV sales

• Next article

• Mininova hits 3 billionth download

• 21 comments

• vinny13

  I have never actually seen this add-on in real life...

  4.11.2007 01:07 #1

• djkrishna

  is this add on work as hd dvd rom
  is it possible
  whatelse we need it inorder to work as hddvd rom

  4.11.2007 07:57 #2

• Riotard

  You can use this a a driver for your pc aswell, as it is connected via USB! so u can rip HD DVD's with it aswell!!

  4.11.2007 08:15 #3

• ZippyDSM

  its a verstiale lil drive MS should be supporting it and dropping HDDless 360s, games in the coming years years need space and theres only 2 ways to bring it to them HDD and HDVD unless of coarse they want to bring out a new system and drop the 360 like the Xbox.......

  4.11.2007 08:36 #4

• Riotard

  I disagree, developers are finding it hard enough to fill the space on the DVD9 discs being used! I look at the torrent file sizes for games, not seen one over 7GB yet.
  
  If there is more space atm and in the coming years, i will only go to waste just liek it is now for BR. It costs way too much to fill a full disc for developers, so they don't put the money into it!

  4.11.2007 11:46 #5

• evz

  Originally posted by Riotard: I disagree, developers are finding it hard enough to fill the space on the DVD9 discs being used! I look at the torrent file sizes for games, not seen one over 7GB yet.
  
  If there is more space atm and in the coming years, i will only go to waste just liek it is now for BR. It costs way too much to fill a full disc for developers, so they don't put the money into it!Actually that's because a DVD9 disk is actually around 7 gigs. Howeveer the newest PS3 game Uncharted is already taking up 23gigs.

  4.11.2007 12:02 #6

• elfman12

  Quote:Originally posted by Riotard: Actually that's because a DVD9 disk is actually around 7 gigs.
  Actually a DVD9 game discs is around 8.25GB, but most games tend to be under 3GB, as an average. Now a game like The Elder Scrolls Oblivion uses around 8GB, but that's about it. DVD9 should be a great fit for the next few years.
  
  The next gen of the 360 will probably incorporate a high-capacity drive, and it'll be super cheap by then. If they add one now it'll drive the cost of for no real benefit. (ie: PS3's forced BR drive)
  
  The higher capacity Hard Drive is a MUST, though! Especially as the download video service takes off.

  4.11.2007 12:28 #7

• ZippyDSM

  Quote:Originally posted by Riotard: I disagree, developers are finding it hard enough to fill the space on the DVD9 discs being used! I look at the torrent file sizes for games, not seen one over 7GB yet.
  
  If there is more space atm and in the coming years, i will only go to waste just liek it is now for BR. It costs way too much to fill a full disc for developers, so they don't put the money into it!Actually that's because a DVD9 disk is actually around 7 gigs. Howeveer the newest PS3 game Uncharted is already taking up 23gigs.the DVD9 disc is 8GB or 7.95, still you cant have MP online games on multi discs maybe SP games but not MP ones and this effects how games are made thus why MS needs a clear plan to expand avabile space for devs in the coming years.
  
  Most of the early PS3 games have had 5-10GB of filler but lil by lil data is expanding MS needs to made HDD a default on the 360 that will alone will add 5-10GB of space if done right, MS needs tog et away from the limited 20GB HDD as fast as it can and open up the HDD for newer gaming.
  
  MS can do this (drop the core then the 20GB) get the 120GB or 60GB unit in all preuims make upgrading the HDD cheap no more than 50-60 get the 360 ready larger games they also could switch to HDVD and probably do it more easily, in order to make it consuemr friendly drop the price of the HDVD unit to 79 and drop the 20GB HDD to 39, sell them in a upgrade pack for 100 do what it takes to get the 360 ready for more advanced gaming so it will have another 4-6 years life in it.

  4.11.2007 12:31 #8

• ZippyDSM

  Quote:Quote:Originally posted by Riotard: Actually that's because a DVD9 disk is actually around 7 gigs.
  Actually a DVD9 game discs is around 8.25GB, but most games tend to be under 3GB, as an average. Now a game like The Elder Scrolls Oblivion uses around 8GB, but that's about it. DVD9 should be a great fit for the next few years.
  
  The next gen of the 360 will probably incorporate a high-capacity drive, and it'll be super cheap by then. If they add one now it'll drive the cost of for no real benefit. (ie: PS3's forced BR drive)
  
  The higher capacity Hard Drive is a MUST, though! Especially as the download video service takes off.AS more games get lager MS needs to get with the program and offer more space to devs in the next 2ish years, if anyhtign they should drop the HDD locks they are without a doubt stupid,even unlocking the USB would be good enough..

  4.11.2007 12:35 #9

• Andrew691

  Originally posted by Riotard: I disagree, developers are finding it hard enough to fill the space on the DVD9 discs being used! I look at the torrent file sizes for games, not seen one over 7GB yet.
  
  If there is more space atm and in the coming years, i will only go to waste just liek it is now for BR. It costs way too much to fill a full disc for developers, so they don't put the money into it!
  The more space available, the more space will be used. If history repeats itself, the PS2 started with games at a few 100mb on CD's, now most games are at least 3gb and are more often than not in the 4gb area (out of a max of 4.35gb). Probably took a few years to get before they started maxing the space out, but they have.
  And I just forgot what else I was going to post so expect this to be edited later.

  4.11.2007 15:53 #10

• DXR88

  the external HD-DVD will play games and it not the usb thats locked its there FAT-X partitoner thats locked if you manage to format your harddrive in FAT-X a computer cannot view data from it.
  
  Back to the Hd-DVD sure the games would look gorgous but i think some people for get that the Xbox is nothing more than a Computer with Gaming only capablity. i think whats holding them back is the fact that there stuck on deadlock.
  
  they have no swap file, they have a cache. bigger games require a bigger swap file. GTA5 major's issue is exactly that They have no place to store lvl data.

  4.11.2007 16:46 #11

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by DXR88: the external HD-DVD will play games and it not the usb thats locked its there FAT-X partitoner thats locked if you manage to format your harddrive in FAT-X a computer cannot view data from it.
  
  Back to the Hd-DVD sure the games would look gorgous but i think some people for get that the Xbox is nothing more than a Computer with Gaming only capablity. i think whats holding them back is the fact that there stuck on deadlock.
  
  they have no swap file, they have a cache. bigger games require a bigger swap file. GTA5 major's issue is exactly that They have no place to store lvl data.I always forget the details ><
  but it comes down to making a kit for about 30$ you can put any stat HDD or laptop sata HDD into and then having it format the HDD, also couldn't they just "unlock" the USB or is it more than that?
  
  
  ya MS is waffing about on the "size" issue I see it as the only thing holding the 360 back other than pretty but short and lame games LOL
  
  the 360 needs to get ready for 2.0 next gen gaming or suffer from nerfed games, as a "high end" gaming system it has no other choice.

  4.11.2007 18:27 #12

• DXR88

  Well i dont know of any kit but i do know that fatx is the xbox360 defacto partition Fat x is like Fat32 ecept it has more; cough (Rootkit goblins)ahem ;security in it then regular fat32
  
  Size is an issue with xbox now it's ether do or die at this point.
  
  The external HD-DVD will work for games because the port on the back of the xbox is actualy an Usb v3.0 port it's clock in at a speed of 960 megabytes per second. USB v2.0 is on 480 megabytes per second

  4.11.2007 20:52 #13

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by DXR88: Well i dont know of any kit but i do know that fatx is the xbox360 defacto partition Fat x is like Fat32 ecept it has more; cough (Rootkit goblins)ahem ;security in it then regular fat32
  
  Size is an issue with xbox now it's ether do or die at this point.
  
  The external HD-DVD will work for games because the port on the back of the xbox is actualy an Usb v3.0 port it's clock in at a speed of 960 megabytes per second. USB v2.0 is on 480 megabytes per secondNice, well MS should make a kit you can put your own HDD in and then format it with a tool on a dsic hell for even 50$ it'd be worth it, can't they just add write support to fat32 in the OS and open up USB HDDs?
  
  I guess instead of fooling with the HDD they will just move to HDVD in acouple years.

  5.11.2007 05:30 #14

• evz

  My point was people there are already 23gig games out there!!! And any game that's 3 or 4 gigs is definately lame, cause my pc games are 5 gigs. And the ps3 game requires a small download to the harddrive to help in load times. 8.5 gigs is history! soon you will see developers maxing the potential of BR in 50 and 100gb forms.
  
  Peace ^

  5.11.2007 14:13 #15

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by evz: My point was people there are already 23gig games out there!!! And any game that's 3 or 4 gigs is definately lame, cause my pc games are 5 gigs. And the ps3 game requires a small download to the harddrive to help in load times. 8.5 gigs is history! soon you will see developers maxing the potential of BR in 50 and 100gb forms.
  
  Peace ^Soon? doubt it, PGR hit 20ish and thats pretty much the cap for content you forget devs can not make long game because they are ultimately cheap, you can stuff fluff into a game to fill out 20-30 easily and since most new games are half fluff I dont see them going over it without heavy padding of HD sound and other filler.
  
  BTW the 100GB disc is not out of the lab and wont be seen by eh consumer for another 5 years if that.

  5.11.2007 15:48 #16

• evz

  Quote:Originally posted by evz: My point was people there are already 23gig games out there!!! And any game that's 3 or 4 gigs is definately lame, cause my pc games are 5 gigs. And the ps3 game requires a small download to the harddrive to help in load times. 8.5 gigs is history! soon you will see developers maxing the potential of BR in 50 and 100gb forms.
  
  Peace ^Soon? doubt it, PGR hit 20ish and thats pretty much the cap for content you forget devs can not make long game because they are ultimately cheap, you can stuff fluff into a game to fill out 20-30 easily and since most new games are half fluff I dont see them going over it without heavy padding of HD sound and other filler.
  
  BTW the 100GB disc is not out of the lab and wont be seen by eh consumer for another 5 years if that.Actually you have it confused with the 200gb concept disk. The 100gb is already done by hitachi and technically ready for production, just nobody needs it right now.

  6.11.2007 18:32 #17

• ZippyDSM

  Quote:Quote:Originally posted by evz: My point was people there are already 23gig games out there!!! And any game that's 3 or 4 gigs is definately lame, cause my pc games are 5 gigs. And the ps3 game requires a small download to the harddrive to help in load times. 8.5 gigs is history! soon you will see developers maxing the potential of BR in 50 and 100gb forms.
  
  Peace ^Soon? doubt it, PGR hit 20ish and thats pretty much the cap for content you forget devs can not make long game because they are ultimately cheap, you can stuff fluff into a game to fill out 20-30 easily and since most new games are half fluff I dont see them going over it without heavy padding of HD sound and other filler.
  
  BTW the 100GB disc is not out of the lab and wont be seen by eh consumer for another 5 years if that.Actually you have it confused with the 200gb concept disk. The 100gb is already done by hitachi and technically ready for production, just nobody needs it right now.Correction no one wants to pay the price for it....

  6.11.2007 18:36 #18

• DXR88

  Haha nice zippy. for your tech info its now $1.30 for a gig on new Blu-ray media And a About A $1.10 for hd-dvd.
  
  might not think 20 cents is a big deal but it is really

  6.11.2007 21:52 #19

• borhan9

  Well this sounds complicated however if there is a market then i would not see this as a bad idea.

  18.11.2007 16:16 #20

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by DXR88: Haha nice zippy. for your tech info its now $1.30 for a gig on new Blu-ray media And a About A $1.10 for hd-dvd.
  
  might not think 20 cents is a big deal but it is reallySo a 100GB disc is 130$?
  I thought it would be more liek 30-60% more since they are harder to make
  
  I'd hate to see how much the bigger ones are 0-o

  18.11.2007 16:30 #21