Update: Microsoft again denies Blu-ray rumors

Update: Microsoft again denies Blu-ray rumors
Despite widespread rumors to the contrary, Microsoft has once again denied that they are bringing a new generation of Xbox 360s with Blu-ray internal drives.

The rumor began again after DigiTimes stated that Lite-On was working on a Blu-ray drive for Microsoft and that shipments were beginning later this year.

Microsoft has since denied the rumor. “Lite-On is not manufacturing Blu-ray drives for Xbox 360. As we have stated, games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster game available.”



The Microsoft representative added, “For our customers who want a premium movie experience we offer the largest library of on-demand HD content available and the ability to play back DVDs in High Definition.“

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Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 2 Apr 2008 18:29
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  • 25 comments

  • Mik3h

    Just a shame there isn't much choice (yet) in their movie marketplace.

    2.4.2008 18:33 #1

  • Hunt720

    so on top of limiting your "HD" content by disc space .... they'll do it with bandwidth and over priced HDD space....... and make sure you watch what they charge you to watch. As if the downloadable content will even be comparable to the 30 gig HD-DVD discs in terms of info alone.

    2.4.2008 19:58 #2

  • chubbyInc

    Wise choice in my opinion. And for those who don't agree go out and buy a Blu-Ray player. A game console isn't for movies anyways, there's a reason its called a game console.

    Being that xbox360 is an older system now, its nice to see the quality of graphics in the games is still better than other systems. And the library is quite large, just wish sequels would come out faster.

    2.4.2008 22:22 #3

  • Hunt720

    Originally posted by chubbyInc: Wise choice in my opinion. And for those who don't agree go out and buy a Blu-Ray player. A game console isn't for movies anyways, there's a reason its called a game console.

    ... so much for the "largest library of on-demand HD content available " ... you know ... seeing that its only a "game console" now. This is ironic considering Microsoft was the second largest backer of HD-DVD. But this article was about the 360 and its last gen choice of optical drive in relation to HD media afterall.

    Enjoy all 9.5 gigs of those "better graphics" while you can... or at least until Lost Oddesy prompts you to insert disc 2, 3, or 4.

    3.4.2008 00:33 #4

  • atomicxl

    Quote:Originally posted by chubbyInc: Enjoy all 9.5 gigs of those "better graphics" while you can... or at least until Lost Oddesy prompts you to insert disc 2, 3, or 4.Disc 2, 3, and 4 all have great graphics as well. Fission Mailed.

    3.4.2008 00:58 #5

  • H08

    Quote:Quote:Originally posted by chubbyInc: Enjoy all 9.5 gigs of those "better graphics" while you can... or at least until Lost Oddesy prompts you to insert disc 2, 3, or 4.

    Disc 2, 3, and 4 all have great graphics as well. Fission Mailed.

    Fission Mailed?

    Guess you mean Mission Failed, anyway its actually kind of funny seeing 360 fans start saying bad things about the ps3 when your console ends up going back to microsoft, your console only plays online when you buy points and your console can only still read dvd (Or if you want to buy a dead format best buy has the 360 hdDVD player for $50) imagine playing MGS4, A game that actually uses all the space on 50GB Blu-Ray Disk

    3.4.2008 01:14 #6

  • kishan73

    Hey, I'll be the first to admit that the current storage media for games on the Xbox360 is relatively too small. But, I do have a PS3 too and I hardly play it. Developers have yet to utilize the extra space on the PS3 AND the games that they do have aren't nearly as exciting as the one's playable for my Xbox360. Gears of War was wayy to short but the multi-player experience is awesome. Hopefully, Microsoft will find a way to increase their storage media. I don't see why they don't just go ahead and use the HD DVD for game media only and still have their HD Downloads for movies. Who said the games AND movies have to be on the same format anyway? Who the hell cares? Since Microsoft invested in HD DVD technology, they should go ahead and use it for games and games only.

    3.4.2008 02:51 #7

  • Hunt720

    Originally posted by kishan73: Hey, I'll be the first to admit that the current storage media for games on the Xbox360 is relatively too small. But, I do have a PS3 too and I hardly play it. Developers have yet to utilize the extra space on the PS3 AND the games that they do have aren't nearly as exciting as the one's playable for my Xbox360. Gears of War was wayy to short but the multi-player experience is awesome. Hopefully, Microsoft will find a way to increase their storage media. I don't see why they don't just go ahead and use the HD DVD for game media only and still have their HD Downloads for movies. Who said the games AND movies have to be on the same format anyway? Who the hell cares? Since Microsoft invested in HD DVD technology, they should go ahead and use it for games and games only.

    I think you have a good point. Microsoft really needed to do that from the beginning..... too many people have already spent thier $ on the 360 with a DVD drive. I cant imagine customer support has enough free time on thier hands to upgrade everyones console AGAIN.

    3.4.2008 08:43 #8

  • Vr0cK

    Is there such thing as a quad-layer DVD that maybe xbox can use? any possible way to expand DVD storage would help xbox360 alot. As for PS3 and devs utilizing the extra storage, MGS4 has definately set the standards in utilizing a 50gb Blu-ray disc. I see no advantage for xbox360 to have a blu-ray add-on. they wont use it for games and the sales of the HD-DVD add-on was minuscule. IMO. but im sure now that blu-ray won the format war that an add-on could sell more then the HD-DVD add-on but i highly dont think by much.

    3.4.2008 08:56 #9

  • glassd

    MS said that there will not be an Internal BD drive. Left it open for external.

    4.4.2008 09:46 #10

  • ZippyDSM

    A shame BR would be nice on the 360.

    sale it for 250 and use use a giga wifi stream to pipe it to the box :X

    4.4.2008 19:45 #11

  • wetsparks

    Originally posted by Vr0cK: Is there such thing as a quad-layer DVD that maybe xbox can use? any possible way to expand DVD storage would help xbox360 alot. As for PS3 and devs utilizing the extra storage, MGS4 has definately set the standards in utilizing a 50gb Blu-ray disc. I see no advantage for xbox360 to have a blu-ray add-on. they wont use it for games and the sales of the HD-DVD add-on was minuscule. IMO. but im sure now that blu-ray won the format war that an add-on could sell more then the HD-DVD add-on but i highly dont think by much.The 360 doesn't use a normal dual layer dvd, it uses a dvd 9 for slightly more space. I also think that a blu ray drive would sell better seeing as there is now more 360s on the market and with blu ray winning the HD "war" there might be more interest in something like that.

    5.4.2008 21:12 #12

  • ZippyDSM

    Quote:Originally posted by Vr0cK: Is there such thing as a quad-layer DVD that maybe xbox can use? any possible way to expand DVD storage would help xbox360 alot. As for PS3 and devs utilizing the extra storage, MGS4 has definately set the standards in utilizing a 50gb Blu-ray disc. I see no advantage for xbox360 to have a blu-ray add-on. they wont use it for games and the sales of the HD-DVD add-on was minuscule. IMO. but im sure now that blu-ray won the format war that an add-on could sell more then the HD-DVD add-on but i highly dont think by much.The 360 doesn't use a normal dual layer dvd, it uses a dvd 9 for slightly more space. I also think that a blu ray drive would sell better seeing as there is now more 360s on the market and with blu ray winning the HD "war" there might be more interest in something like that.DVD 10 perhaps?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD

    5.4.2008 21:25 #13

  • Gnawnivek

    Originally posted by chubbyInc: Wise choice in my opinion. And for those who don't agree go out and buy a Blu-Ray player. A game console isn't for movies anyways, there's a reason its called a game console.

    Being that xbox360 is an older system now, its nice to see the quality of graphics in the games is still better than other systems. And the library is quite large, just wish sequels would come out faster.    A game console CAN be a multi-media player. And, it can be better than the standalone players. I don't see any reason why a game console can't or shouldn't do anything else besides gaming.

    X360 is never a older system! Its graphic has always been better than the other consoles until the PS3 came out last year.

    7.4.2008 12:17 #14

  • ZippyDSM

    Quote:Originally posted by chubbyInc: Wise choice in my opinion. And for those who don't agree go out and buy a Blu-Ray player. A game console isn't for movies anyways, there's a reason its called a game console.

    Being that xbox360 is an older system now, its nice to see the quality of graphics in the games is still better than other systems. And the library is quite large, just wish sequels would come out faster.    A game console CAN be a multi-media player. And, it can be better than the standalone players. I don't see any reason why a game console can't or shouldn't do anything else besides gaming.

    X360 is never a older system! Its graphic has always been better than the other consoles until the PS3 came out last year.
    face it the 360 is "older" not because of graphics but because of the way they made it and their refusal to fix it.
    I'll take a medium game PC rig with 1GB of ramm and a 7600 over it any day.

    7.4.2008 12:20 #15

  • 6Ripper9

    Of course they're denying it. They deny everything. Just like when rumors surface last year about the 360 Elite. M$ said they weren't making a black console with HDMI connectivity and a larger 120GB HDD. Then what happened a few months later? A black 360 with a 120GB HDD and HDMI connectivity. I'm willing to bet that we'll see either a Blu-Ray add-on, or a 360 with a built in Blu-Ray drive by the end of September.

    7.4.2008 14:49 #16

  • robtwilk

    M$ and Sony are both trying to make their consoles an entertainment experience - with home theater PC's becoming more popular, I can see why they want the same advantage.

    They call them game consoles, but they are really entertainment consoles. They access the internet, play DVD's, play games, let you browse the internet (PS3), and will provide access to online content of Blu-Ray movies (BD 2.0 I think, now available on the PS3), Media Center Extender (X360), worldwide communities (Live and Home), e-mail messaging, downloadable content, and more.

    These consoles should support the playback of the current formats (DVD and now Blu-Ray). I think it's M$ loss if they don't move in that direction. Why have to buy an X360 and a stand-alone BD player?

    I don't play many games on my PS3, but I do watch my BD on it. If my X360 had BD, I would probably never turn the PS3 on. And since I have the HD-DVD add-on, my X360 would play everything.

    At this point I think M$ is just trying to save face. Can't admit they backed the wrong format.

    Had to edit a spelling error - whoops...

    7.4.2008 16:47 #17

  • Gnawnivek

    robtwik

    i'm cool with what you said... just one thing, even if MS decided to make a BD add-on, i don't think it's a good investment at $200. Yes, the $200 is cheaper than the standalone BD player or the PS3, but you're really putting all the eggs in one basket by doing so. Your X360 now supports hd-dvd and BD, get it? What if your X360 craps out? All of your add-ons will be useless (maybe still okay for the PC, but who knows about the BD add-on right?). If the X360 is a reliable piece of hardware, i'm all game....

    8.4.2008 09:20 #18

  • Mr-Movies

    Originally posted by robtwilk: M$ and Sony are both trying to make their consoles an entertainment experience - with home theater PC's becoming more popular, I can see why they want the same advantage.

    They call them game consoles, but they are really entertainment consoles. They access the internet, play DVD's, play games, let you browse the internet (PS3), and will provide access to online content of Blu-Ray movies (BD 2.0 I think, now available on the PS3), Media Center Extender (X360), worldwide communities (Live and Home), e-mail messaging, downloadable content, and more.

    These consoles should support the playback of the current formats (DVD and now Blu-Ray). I think it's M$ loss if they don't move in that direction. Why have to buy an X360 and a stand-alone BD player?

    I don't play many games on my PS3, but I do watch my BD on it. If my X360 had BD, I would probably never turn the PS3 on. And since I have the HD-DVD add-on, my X360 would play everything.

    At this point I think M$ is just trying to save face. Can't admit they backed the wrong format.

    Had to edit a spelling error - whoops...    Very well put unfortunately there are many short sited people out there.


    Originally posted by Gnawnivek:
    robtwik

    i'm cool with what you said... just one thing, even if MS decided to make a BD add-on, i don't think it's a good investment at $200. Yes, the $200 is cheaper than the standalone BD player or the PS3, but you're really putting all the eggs in one basket by doing so. Your X360 now supports hd-dvd and BD, get it? What if your X360 craps out? All of your add-ons will be useless (maybe still okay for the PC, but who knows about the BD add-on right?). If the X360 is a reliable piece of hardware, i'm all game....    Quite the opposite by having add-ons you open up your possibilities and your example of if your console craps out is poor since you'll be able to use the USB drive on your PC which make it even more versatile, people are doing that with the HD-DVD's now.

    1st - Now as some others have mentioned MS is not going to leak what they are doing until they are ready to.

    2nd - It makes sense that MS would be working with Lite-On for a new BD player for their console.

    3rd - They probably won't have an internal BD player it will be USB first before ever going internal. However they could go internal right off I just doubt it.

    4th - The consoles would most likely have to be updated to use the BD drives or they could give you a return voucher for a new console. This will be interesting to see how they handle this MS isn't the brightest bulb out there so who know.

    8.4.2008 09:42 #19

  • Gnawnivek

    Quote:
    Quite the opposite by having add-ons you open up your possibilities and your example of if your console craps out is poor since you'll be able to use the USB drive on your PC which make it even more versatile, people are doing that with the HD-DVD's now.
    Yes, that's what i said... only if the BD add-on can be somehow connected to the computer like the HD-DVD add-on does. Otherwise, it's a risky choice (i.e. you're better off with a standalone or a PS3). Besides, it's pointless to argue on validity of the BD add-ons can be connected to the computer via USB or not when there's no BD add-ons yet :)

    On the other note, even if you can use the add-on on the computer, so what? Most people don't connect computers to big screen TVs. I do believe that computers are on the way to become entertainment units as well... As of now, i still think any OS equipped computer is too cumbersome for home entertainment (unless the desktop or laptop is your entertainment center, lol).

    8.4.2008 11:19 #20

  • varnull

    That's an interesting point. Most people still see a PC as a media centre as a large box with heaps and heaps of fans and drives.

    Now then.. how about this. A basic high end mobo with a kicking graphics card, 5.1 sound and network hardware booting from a flash memory unit running a myth tv frontend silently in a slim black redundant vcr case or something like it..

    Your hd content arrives streamed from a large myth-tv server stashed under the stairs or somewhere else in the house where it's noise and heat doesn't matter (I use mine for keeping the chill off the bathroom)
    Now I only stream to an old xbox, but there is nothing stopping anybody from going down this road and building something really impressive.



    Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work....

    8.4.2008 11:35 #21

  • Gnawnivek

    Originally posted by varnull: That's an interesting point. Most people still see a PC as a media centre as a large box with heaps and heaps of fans and drives.

    Now then.. how about this. A basic high end mobo with a kicking graphics card, 5.1 sound and network hardware booting from a flash memory unit running a myth tv frontend silently in a slim black redundant vcr case or something like it..

    Your hd content arrives streamed from a large myth-tv server stashed under the stairs or somewhere else in the house where it's noise and heat doesn't matter (I use mine for keeping the chill off the bathroom)
    Now I only stream to an old xbox, but there is nothing stopping anybody from going down this road and building something really impressive.    Nice... i would get one for sure... one box plays all! with upgradeable sound perferences. I guess that's not gonna happen, monopoly?

    So many dvds, not enough times...

    8.4.2008 13:34 #22

  • Mr-Movies

    Quote:Quote:
    Quite the opposite by having add-ons you open up your possibilities and your example of if your console craps out is poor since you'll be able to use the USB drive on your PC which make it even more versatile, people are doing that with the HD-DVD's now.
    Yes, that's what i said... only if the BD add-on can be somehow connected to the computer like the HD-DVD add-on does. Otherwise, it's a risky choice (i.e. you're better off with a standalone or a PS3). Besides, it's pointless to argue on validity of the BD add-ons can be connected to the computer via USB or not when there's no BD add-ons yet :)

    On the other note, even if you can use the add-on on the computer, so what? Most people don't connect computers to big screen TVs. I do believe that computers are on the way to become entertainment units as well... As of now, i still think any OS equipped computer is too cumbersome for home entertainment (unless the desktop or laptop is your entertainment center, lol).    Indeed you could be running Media Center or equivalent which is becoming more common these days. But you could also use it to rip the movies if you wanted too and of course view it on your PC. Making a video server is more likely these days as Tera byte drives are becoming common place and JBOD can be used to span arrays of drives with out the complication of RAID, of course striping might be an advantage with streaming video. This make the add-on a big advantage over an internal drive where in your example the consol craps out you have lost the use of the BD drive as you would if it was internal.

    You brought up the argument and it was a little short sited in my opinion. Now if it isn't worth it for you so be it but others might see the possibilities that you might not see or embrace, however they are still there and it is a smart way to handle the BD induction.

    8.4.2008 13:48 #23

  • Oner

    Originally posted by chubbyInc: Wise choice in my opinion. And for those who don't agree go out and buy a Blu-Ray player. A game console isn't for movies anyways, there's a reason its called a game console
    I guess wanting to offer something more to the customer i.e. a better value is something that is wrong to you?...sad

    1) The PS1 offered CD based 3D gaming but also CD Audio AND in other countries the inclusion of VCD Movie playback.
    2) The PS2 offered CD & DVD gaming as well as Disc based audio/video (DVD Movies and such).
    3) The PS3 offers CD, DVD, BD, HDD & Internet based audio/video multimedia center capabilities.

    Sony has ALWAYS offered more with every incarnation of their hardware, and as a consumer I am thankful they did & do. Amazing isn't it? That people want more and are able to get it! But the companies that do so are ridiculed!?!? Whereas the ones that don't offer anything (other than crippled hardware) and a singular market agenda are held to be a saving grace of some sort or held to a different standard? pffft.



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    8.4.2008 14:26 #24

  • Gnawnivek

    Quote:Quote:Quote:
    Quite the opposite by having add-ons you open up your possibilities and your example of if your console craps out is poor since you'll be able to use the USB drive on your PC which make it even more versatile, people are doing that with the HD-DVD's now.
    Yes, that's what i said... only if the BD add-on can be somehow connected to the computer like the HD-DVD add-on does. Otherwise, it's a risky choice (i.e. you're better off with a standalone or a PS3). Besides, it's pointless to argue on validity of the BD add-ons can be connected to the computer via USB or not when there's no BD add-ons yet :)

    On the other note, even if you can use the add-on on the computer, so what? Most people don't connect computers to big screen TVs. I do believe that computers are on the way to become entertainment units as well... As of now, i still think any OS equipped computer is too cumbersome for home entertainment (unless the desktop or laptop is your entertainment center, lol).    Indeed you could be running Media Center or equivalent which is becoming more common these days. But you could also use it to rip the movies if you wanted too and of course view it on your PC. Making a video server is more likely these days as Tera byte drives are becoming common place and JBOD can be used to span arrays of drives with out the complication of RAID, of course striping might be an advantage with streaming video. This make the add-on a big advantage over an internal drive where in your example the consol craps out you have lost the use of the BD drive as you would if it was internal.

    You brought up the argument and it was a little short sited in my opinion. Now if it isn't worth it for you so be it but others might see the possibilities that you might not see or embrace, however they are still there and it is a smart way to handle the BD induction.    whatever... we don't know there will be a BD add-on and we don't know if the BD add-on will be compatible on the computer...

    Aside from that, the only reason why people jumping on the hd-dvd add-on right now is the price. Let's say the BD add-on does make it to the X360 community, i doubt it will do better than the hd-dvd add-on during the initial launch period. As a matter of fact, i don't think the X360 community welcome the BD add-on at all. The only thing that might add popularity to the BD add-on is that it can used on the computer. However, does that even matter by then? BD drives will be cheaper for the computer than the BD add-on...

    8.4.2008 16:29 #25

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