RUMOR: Toshiba Working With Microsoft On New Entertainment Xbox (360)

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Gaming/...4G5C3U2?page=1

Toshiba Working With Microsoft On New Entertainment Xbox

By David Richards | Friday | 19/10/2007

Microsoft, according to insiders at Toshiba owner of the HD DVD
patents, claim that Microsoft is working on a brand new Xbox that will
incorporate not only a new HD DVD drive but a large hard drive and new
entertainment software that is a spin off from its struggling media
centre offering.

The device is being developed in response to the PS3 driving sales of
games software and Blu-ray content in several countries. A recent Sony
Brand Wave study conducted in five countries including the UK,
Australia, France Germany and Spain revealed that a key reason that
consumers are buying a PS3 is because it includes a Blu-ray player.

Recent GFK research reveals that the recently launched Xbox 360 HD DVD
attach player is not selling well. Another factor that impacted early
sales of the Xbox 360 was that Microsoft failed to include a HDMI port
- omitted because Microsoft wanted to cut down the costs of the
console in an effort to compete up against the PS3.

The new Xbox device, while allowing for extensive gaming capability,
will be positioned as an entertainment hub that includes gaming and
extensive wireless networking capability as well as 1080p playback.
There is also talk of it including a dual HD TV tuner and EPG
capability and a docking port for an MP3 player. For Toshiba, the
device is critical if it is to be successful in beating Sony and the
Blu-ray promoters.

Also being discussed is the development of an open standard docking
port similar to the 17 pin iPod port. This would allow all
manufacturers to use the same port for docking.

A senior Toshiba executive in Singapore told SmartHouse that "An Xbox
with a built in HD DVD drive is critical. They and we are working on
it. It also has to be more than a gaming machine. Microsoft recognise
this. A version of the device may also be sold under the Toshiba brand
name".

Scott Browning, the Marketing Director of JB HiFi Australia's second
largest consumer electronics retailer said, "The device is a lay down
mis`ere and essential for the HD DVD camp. We are told that one is
coming. The PS3 has been extremely successful for Sony in getting Blu-
ray off the ground and for Microsoft, the omission of a built in HD
DVD player is set to hurt sales going forward as consumers are aware
that the PS3 comes with a Blu-ray player."

Both Toshiba and Microsoft have also explored the possibility of a new
open standard chassis system that allows an Xbox to be slotted into a
HD TV screen over 40-inch. The open standard bays will allow hard
drives to be upgraded and expanded similar to the way that users can
upgrade the hard drive on a PC.

Another big problem for Microsoft according to insiders is getting the
heat and noise output from the current Xbox 360 under control so that
the new device can run silently while a movie is being played. It is
known that Toshiba has been working with Microsoft on this issue as it
has extensive experience in notebooks and "quiet" drives. Currently
most iPods incorporate a Toshiba drive.

Another benefit for Microsoft in moving to a new Xbox platform is that
it can introduce new components that are less likely to fail.
Currently the PS3 has a failure rate of under two percent. Recently
Microsoft was forced to allow for a $1.3 billion charge against
warranty claims following reports of up to a 30 percent failure rate
of the original Xbox 360.

The new device is expected to be released late in 2008 or at the 2009
CES show in Las Vegas.

beaten by 12 hours.

you should hang your head in shame.
--

gamertag: Chrisflynnuk
http://live.xbox.com/member/Chrisflynnuk
Current eBay auctions: http://tinyurl.com/hutcb
360, DS, PS2 and Saturn Games For Auction.

Because of Halo Microsoft outsold the Wii last month, I imagine the HD-DVD
backers would have loved to see those 360's with HD-DVD already included.

In alt.games.video.xbox Rene Garcia wrote:
Because of Halo Microsoft outsold the Wii last month, I imagine the HD-DVD
backers would have loved to see those 360's with HD-DVD already included.

There's no reason to put a HD-DVD drive into the 360. It would only drive
the price of the 360 up, while providing no value-add UNLESS you want to
watch HD-DVD movies - which most 360 owners have shown no interest in if
you go by the number of HD-DVD add-on drives that have sold since being
introduced last year.

Even this rumor indicates that such a device wouldn't even be released
until late 2008, or even 2009. By that time, the video market may have
settled enough to where HD-DVD is the winner, or at least would make sense
to release a 360 with a built-in HD-DVD drive. From a gamer's point of
view, HD-DVD does nothing for games because there will never be any 360
games on HD-DVD, if you truly believe what Microsoft has been saying
repeatedly since they first announced the HD-DVD drive as an add-on.

The other stuff about adding in a HDTV tuner and possible DVR software is
also pretty stupid. Sony tried the same thing with their PSX (no, not the
PS1) which was a DVR, DVD burner and PS2 squished into 1 box. Didn't sell
well. For one thing, this one device cost more than a DVD-Burner + PS2...

Since it is becoming increasingly impossible for Microsoft to ever release
any games on HD-DVD, the whole idea of including a HD-DVD drive in the 360
for the sole purpose of watching movies will never happen UNLESS HD-DVD
truely wins the HD video market. But right now, it's a dead heat with
Blu-Ray, and most consumers just don't care about EITHER HD format right
now.


--
It's not broken. It's...advanced.

"Doug Jacobs" wrote in message
...
snip

Since it is becoming increasingly impossible for Microsoft to ever release
any games on HD-DVD, the whole idea of including a HD-DVD drive in the 360
for the sole purpose of watching movies will never happen UNLESS HD-DVD
truely wins the HD video market. But right now, it's a dead heat with
Blu-Ray, and most consumers just don't care about EITHER HD format right
now.

nods

Either give me a dual format player, or I'll wait until the pricks in each
camp stop bitching and holding up HD technology by years.

I suspect by the time they're done slagging each other off, we'll be using
solid state / flash media anyway :-)


--
Dan White
)
Perform an exorcism when replying.

Crosspost killed..

Rene Garcia wrote:
Because of Halo Microsoft outsold the Wii last month, I imagine the HD-DVD
backers would have loved to see those 360's with HD-DVD already included.


Having been 'suckered' into Microsoft's media center architecture, I'm
finished paying a second heed to hype from Redmond. Better to look to
what Microsoft promises not to do -- the inverse of those statements
frequently comes true.

--
pete#2

On Oct 19, 3:08 pm, AirRaid wrote:

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Gaming/...4G5C3U2?page=1

Toshiba Working With Microsoft On New Entertainment Xbox

It's the same thing they were talking about years ago with the
original Xbox. Remember the "Homestation"?

In the end I think cooler heads will prevail and this will never see
the light of day. There has never been an all-in-one set top box that
has worked. The closest was probably the PSX from Sony which was so
horrifically expensive it never made it out of Japan.

- Jordan

"Doug Jacobs" wrote in message
...
From a gamer's point of
view, HD-DVD does nothing for games because there will never be any 360
games on HD-DVD, if you truly believe what Microsoft has been saying
repeatedly since they first announced the HD-DVD drive as an add-on.


Actually there's an HD-DVD version of Dragon's Lair coming out on the 360.
Yes, that one. It's the exact same game from 1983, but you can bet it won't
be the 1983 price.

Nod

--
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/galle...p?username=Nod

http://www.who3d.co.uk/

On Oct 19, 9:03 pm, Jordan wrote:
On Oct 19, 3:08 pm, AirRaid wrote:

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Gaming/...4G5C3U2?page=1

Toshiba Working With Microsoft On New Entertainment Xbox

It's the same thing they were talking about years ago with the
original Xbox. Remember the "Homestation"?

In the end I think cooler heads will prevail and this will never see
the light of day. There has never been an all-in-one set top box that
has worked. The closest was probably the PSX from Sony which was so
horrifically expensive it never made it out of Japan.

- Jordan

yup.

HomeStation (Xbox1 based)
Freon (Xbox1 based)
Xbox Next PC (Xbox 360 based)

none of them came to market.

"Nod" wrote in message
o.uk...
"Doug Jacobs" wrote in message
...
From a gamer's point of
view, HD-DVD does nothing for games because there will never be any 360
games on HD-DVD, if you truly believe what Microsoft has been saying
repeatedly since they first announced the HD-DVD drive as an add-on.


Actually there's an HD-DVD version of Dragon's Lair coming out on the 360.
Yes, that one. It's the exact same game from 1983, but you can bet it
won't be the 1983 price.

There's is a HD DVD version of Dragon's Lair ALREADY out just like the
Blu-Ray version, and NO Xbox 360 is Required! Just like there was a DVD
version also. With HD DVD's capabilities it just even better on HD DVD. If
you want a Copy, buy it. Pop it into ANY HD DVD player you want.

Here's the HD DVD version released months ago.
http://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Lair-H...3191293&sr=8-3