360 HD-DVD drops to $129, still bad deal next to PS3’s Blu-Ray
If you’ve been hoping and praying that the HD-DVD drive add-on for the Xbox 360 would eventually drop to a realistic price point, this could be as close as it will ever get to a reasonable price; the drive has officially been dropped to just $129 dollars. However, that’s $129 dollars you could put towards a PS3, and $129 dollars you don’t have to waste on what is now considered to be a nearly dead disc format.
There is one caveat that does make the HD-DVD drive price drop a big deal; Xbox360Fanboy reports that Microsoft is offering 5 free HD-DVDs with your 360 external drive purchase, which essentially means you buy 5 HD-DVD discs and you get your player for free. Why am I not behind this seemingly awesome deal?
Well, for those of you who don’t know, nearly every production studio has dropped the HD-DVD format in favor of Blu-Ray; this is probably because the Blu-Ray disc can handle larger capacities of information. Either way, you will be seeing a lot of forthcoming movies in Blu-Ray, not HD-DVD…nearly all of them, actually.
Microsoft is lowering the price of the drive in hopes that somehow 360 HD-DVD disc drive sales can breathe new life into a dying format; liken it to Best Buy employees who tried to sell monitors and televisions that weren’t HDCP-compliant when everyone knew the TVs would essentially be worthless for HD content. Microsoft is the largest backer of HD-DVD, and it doesn’t want the drive it has pushed so hard to become a worthless add-on.
That being said, if you have plenty of expendable income and already have a 360, it isn’t a horribly bad idea to purchase the drive and receive your free discs; just know that the drive will become a pointless add-on after a while.
Though I’m a 360 owner exclusively, I would still recommend investing that money towards a PS3. Even the most devout 360 fanboys have to admit that the built-in Blu-Ray drive really is a nice addition to the PS3, and if you’re looking for an HD player, the PS3 is the best bang for your buck. Please don’t fling your almost-worthless HD-DVD add-ons at me for saying so.
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27 Responses to “360 HD-DVD drops to $129, still bad deal next to PS3’s Blu-Ray”
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February 6th, 2008
I wonder if the HD-DVD drive can still be used (for gaming).
If games are starting to take up the larger #’s of gigs that require Blu Ray drive over a traditional DVD drive, I’d imagine those same games can be put to a HD DVD disc, and used in the same way Blu Ray games will be used. (I know HD DVD is smaller), but I’m sure work arounds can be figured out for the 360.
Time will tell.
February 6th, 2008
I’d rather wait until the Blu-Ray add on gets created for 360(we all know it’s going to happen eventually). But still, it’s a pretty good deal, and there are quite a few good HD-DVD movies that aren’t currently available on Blu-Ray, i.e Transformers, Knocked Up, Shrek, The Kingdom etc. $129 is less than the price of 5 movies, so you are basically getting a discount on the movies and getting the player for free. Not too bad at all.
February 6th, 2008
I want to know how much money Sony is paying sites like yours and others to keep bashing HD DVD?
It is the superior format and will eventually win once people start buying up the cheap players, purchsing movies and cause a studio to come back over.
BRD is still in flux. Players bought now will be need to be tossed in October when Profile 2.0 players and movies come out, plus they cost too much.
So for a tech site you should be reporting tech facts not propaganda from Sony.
The only reason Warners went blue was because they prostituted themselves and took a $500 million payout not because it was a better system!
Thanks.
February 6th, 2008
I have a couple things I have to say to defend HD-DVD here goes first of all …. well then you have the …. the players are so.. ummm never mind abandon ship!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 6th, 2008
RE: G.
The hd-dvd on the 360 can’t be used for gaming.
February 6th, 2008
@spencer, lol, that’s the funniest shit i’ve read all day
February 6th, 2008
I’m reading rumors that it will actually drop even lower to $79. I disagree with this article. The player works on both 360 and PC and even if HD-DVD dies out completely it still makes for an excellent upscaling DVD player. Then there are several HD-DVD movies that are not on Blu-ray. And of course if you listen to a PS3 fanboy they will say just wait we will get them (they love to wait and are sheep to waiting). I’d say enjoy the HD downloadable content on the Xbox 360 and not waste your money on a PS3. I did and if it wasn’t for my son the thing would of went back to the store.
How can you say this is a bad deal if you already own the 360? The libraries have about the same amount of movie’s available. Yes, the future is not as secure for HD-DVD but telling people to buy a PS3 is just plain bad advice.
February 6th, 2008
MS1: Hey guys we have 100,000 hd dvd add on players and no one wants one.
MS2: Well what should we do?
MS1: hmmm toshiba is in the same boat they even say that there is still a war between blu-ray and hd-dvd.
MS2: true but do people belive them?
MS1: as long as 100,000 of them do I dont give a rats.
MS2: lets jump on the toshiba bandwagon and slash prices and give away more disks.
MS1: Ohhh my god thats why you get payed a million dollars a day good job MS2.
MS2: lets do lunch… bites an apple shows MS1 and laughs out loud.
February 6th, 2008
You forgot to mention that when you purchase a BD player (PS3 included), you are also offered 5 free Blu-ray movies by the Blu-ray group.
http://bluraysavings.com/
February 7th, 2008
LMAO
February 7th, 2008
Greg…..uhhhhhh.
As Bill Nye the Science Guy says “Consider the Following”: HD-DVD is dead, the format sucked, MS screwed itself big time and you know it….
Superior format?! Get Real….When Michael Bay says that he wants he movie to be viewed in the best format….hes not talking about HD-DVD.
O and about the $500 Mill….I guess its ok for MS to do it…PWNED STF^…….You hypocrite
February 7th, 2008
*blink blink*
February 7th, 2008
Wow Greg C is in denial, u do realise that since WB, HBO and NL, joined blu-ray, hd-dvd is considered dead
February 7th, 2008
I was just reading up on the 2.0 profile. apparently the only current blu ray player that is compatible is the PS3, as it can update itself. Does that mean that all the people who bought stand alone players aren’t going to be able to watch any movies that get released after October? What about the millions of people who don’t use the internet with their PS3?
There are going to be a lot of angry people come October!
February 7th, 2008
There always has to be one fanboy who claims that an article was written because they were paid to write it that way…I’ll lookin at you Greg C. Is this even a big site? Is this writer well-known across the industry as a gaming/video expert? (no offense Triston) Go ahead an make your arguments…but stop claiming its some sort of a conspiracy just because someone is writing something you don’t want to hear. Here’s a thought…shut your freakin eyes then!
February 7th, 2008
“I was just reading up on the 2.0 profile. apparently the only current blu ray player that is compatible is the PS3, as it can update itself. Does that mean that all the people who bought stand alone players aren’t going to be able to watch any movies that get released after October? What about the millions of people who don’t use the internet with their PS3?”
bro that’s not what profile 2.0 does. i suggest you go back and read more about profile 2.0 is, it’s more of a firmware update.
February 7th, 2008
all bluray players will still play movies its just that the newer profiles will allow PIP and interactive features. Yes some people will say that these have been available on hddvd for ever but who cares all that most people want is to watch the movie not link to same website that wants to sell product linked to the movie. How often do people actualy watch the extra stuff on dvd i know how often i do, never. Bluray will probably win due to the movie studios backing that format and lets face it thats why vhs won, it had more films available for it.
February 7th, 2008
I was already to jump on the HD bandwagon and then the next day the wheels started to come off. Their not off yet but it seems they will be. You would have to hope they keep making HD players in a few years when the players start breaking or you would be left with a bunch of unusable HD movies.
February 7th, 2008
Sony had the better format with betamax and VHS still won the day. HDDVD screwed up bigtime and only have themselves to blame. Sony took a calculated risk and seem to have swayed the result their way. The 360 boys are just jealous because they chose the wrong long term system or were just too impatient to wait.
February 8th, 2008
LOL to big fella you can still look at blu-ray disk that are 2.0 if your player doesnt support bd 2.0 the extra’s will be out but in my mind a blu ray is a blu ray and on my 120hz 52″ 1080p tv ohhh damn they look so sexy
and most people have a ps3 anyway that have bd players.
February 8th, 2008
So Spencer, basically you’re saying that the early adopters (and people who don’t use their PS3 with the internet) are going to miss out on the extra features? I am glad I haven’t bought into the whole HD disc thing yet, as I would have been mightily pissed if I paid a premium amount of $$ only to get half the features. Anyway, I can wait, I’ll just wait for the blu-ray addon to be developed for the 360.
I am glad that you find your television sexy. Whatever floats your boat, girlfriend.
February 8th, 2008
Yes my tv is sexy but if you read it says “they” meaning blu-ray disk not my tv buddy and girlfriend what was that comment about ewww ur a freak lmao.
February 9th, 2008
Yeah, i called you girlfriend. I know you love the attention.
February 9th, 2008
But seriously, I still don’t get how Blu Ray is winning this thing. They’re more expensive, their copy protection has already been cracked and they haven’t even released a ‘fully functional’ player yet.
Early studios supporting the format must have received some sort of kickback, as it does not make sense why they would have backed Blu Ray otherwise.
February 11th, 2008
ps3 is a fully functional blu-ray player. and the only one that can be updated, and the cheapest ^^
February 11th, 2008
Microsoft sucks. 1970s technology. You should be ashamed of supporting the idiots. They hinder tech progress. And look at their attempts now at hardware. The 360 is a totally unreliable, clunky overheating piece of shit. Ford is not better than Ferrari, yet you still buy the old bangers…
Jesus, wake up blockheads…
February 12th, 2008
This is to answer big fella.
Let me try to simplify why blu-ray is winning. The copy protection of blu-ray can be updated by simply playing a movie in it. Even if it is cracked the movie itself is embedded with the ID of the original. HD DVD has not patched it’s initial crack yet which happened two weeks into release. The other reason is that BR has 75% of the European market and 95% of Japan. Why fight it out here when you can kill the fight and make money worldwide. The HiDef format is being adopted at a faster rate then DVD and it was in the interest of WB to switch to BR since it was the majority of the overseas market.
As far as Toshiba goes they don’t care. They are the sole supplier of cell processors for the PS3.