Microsoft Xbox 360 HD DVD player

November 13, 2006 06:08

4.5/5
I have been following the Xbox 360/Playstation 3 war and also the HD DVD/Blu-Ray war for a while, and it has been quite interesting. Im very happy with the Xbox 360 as a gaming console/multimedia center and I have also been leaning toward HD DVD format over Blu-Ray. I have noticed that Sony has lost their consumer market touch for quite a while now...As an example, when Blu-Ray was introduced it did sound very good as a project&on paper...maybe too good to be true...And now a couple of years later we notice the very shaky position that Sony is in: from the bad movie transfers and somewhat inferior picture quality, to expensive players and the PS3s constant and consistent delays...For now we only have words, words, words...
On the other hand Microsoft has been surgically precise with their marketing strategy. A year head start, great possibility of personalization (with the core system all add-ons are optional  you decide what to buy according to what you need), tons of games (I think there are at least a hundred of them now), amazing Xbox Live experience (well I think they have about 4 years head start to Sony on that), making the Xbox to be not only a gaming system but also a multimedia center, which as far as I know is the best and the easiest to use on the market right now. And a couple of weeks before the PS3's release date, Microsoft released their HD DVD add-on player for the Xbox 360.
This release had provoked a lot of forum battles - the cons, the pros, who's better - Xbox or PS, Microsoft or Sony - the usual stuff, just more fierce...
Now that I've had the player for a couple of days and watched a couple of movies on it I feel it's time for a first look at this product.
I want to first address the HDMI issue, which supposedly seems to be the biggest con for a lot of people.
To me the difference in the picture quality between HDMI and Component inputs is non-existent. There is no way that someone would guess what connection is used just by looking at the picture quality. Especially if you don't have two of the same sources, two of the same TVs, next to each other, one hooked through HDMI and the other through component for A/B comparison. I refuse to believe that without A/B comparison someone would really know the difference. And the same, for that matter, is with the HD resolutions (i.e. which one is sharper, which one has more detail, which one is better). For example watching a 26 TV at 720p from 15 feet will look actually better than any 1080p TV seen from two feet. Its just funny when you hear someone saying: I have a 1080p TV at home and, believe me, the difference over 1080i is huge. Yeah, and how so? They have the same amount of pixels. How did you notice it? You put a second TV like yours next to it, fed it with the same signal and then noticed less flickering on the p versus the i? Or maybe watching an action movie would cause a drastic blur at 1080i compared to the 1080p. Its all just talk; believe me. Not that its not cool to have it, dont get me wrong, but 1080p is still more of an ego booster with the friends than a huge picture quality leap. It is more like knowing its one of your TV features that really matters.
Lets get back to the review. The thought I had before buying the player was:
The player costs $200 ($208 w/tax) of which $50-$70 is going towards the King Kong movie and the remote control which are both included. The lack of HDMI could potentially be a problem if the movie studios decide to restrict (and downgrade) HD content over any non-HDCP compliant connection. But on second thought we know that that will not happen (if ever) at least for the next couple of years (I have read speculations about 2012). So if you do some math $200 - $50 (the movie and the remote would still be usable) / 24 months = $6.25 a month. Even if in two years I have to throw it away, with a cost of $6.25 per month during that time, it is fine w/me. Plus Id expect more 1080p capable and inexpensive TV sets to appear on the market (and a lot of them would be 1080p compatible through the component inputs) for the next 2 years. And its not like the player is $1000. So bottom line is that HDMI is great, but Im perfectly fine without it.
Now, to be honest, I didn't like the picture quality of the built-in DVD drive in the Xbox 360 and I have used it only once for movies, back when I bought the console, almost a year ago.
I also hadnt read any reviews (professional or consumer) on the new drive and I felt scared that it was going to be the same poor quality, just in HD. Last Friday, however, I spontaneously called Strawberries store in Downtown Boston, MA and they had it in stock. I quickly went to the store and bought it on my lunch break.
Set-up later on the same day went really smooth. USB cable connects the HD DVD player to the back of the console where the wireless is and a separate power cord goes in to your outlet. If you have a wireless on the back of the console, you detach it from there, mount it on to the player, which comes w/ two USB ports in the back, and you plug it in one of them. With the player you gain a USB port. There is an installation disc that you install - very easy and fast procedure. You just put it in the console, connect the player to it and it's all set. It is important to REBOOT THE CONSOLE AFTER THE INSTALLATION, as I've heard that it causes stability issues; its also recommended in the manual.
My TV at home is a 34" Sony, Model Number 34XBR960N. Its a great CRT HDTV with amazing black levels, great contrast, and wonderful picture quality. I would put it up against any plasma or LCD on the market in a heartbeat; I get true cinematic experience from it.
Until the moment I used it with two DVD players: my older player is Cambridge Audio Azur 520D, hooked up w/ component cable to the TV (never ended up selling this dvd player since my girlfriend loves its styling) and set-up to 480p. My newer player is a Denon 1920, hooked up through the only HDMI port I have and set up to up-convert to 720p.
For sound, due to space restrictions, I can't really have a full Home Theater solution set up, so I have a 5.1 set of active speakers-Logitech Z-5500, which can accommodate my 2 DVD players and the Xbox 360 through its analog output. It sounds pretty good for what it is and it was a great value.
After the installation I rebooted the console and popped in the King Kong movie. To compare the picture I have a number of 720p trailers from Xbox Live and my cable.
It's a feast for the eyes! Contrary to my fear, its definitely better than the built-in drive and its comparable to Toshiba's HD DVD players picture quality. It looks more vibrant than the trailers (I tried MI-III, Narnia, The Wicker Man, The X-Men etc) and had the same depth and crispness as ESPN (without the macro blocking), even though one is a sport channel and the other one is a movie. It definitely looks better than any of the cable movie channels that are at 720p or 1080i.
I have set up the player through the Xbox menu to 1080i, although, as we said above, it doesn't really matter that much, unless you sit really, really close and count the pixels.
The King Kong movie looks great - there are a couple of sunset shots with King Kong and the girl on the top of the mountain that are outstanding. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has great stylistics as a movie and the colors are great. It just comes out of the screen and it's alive!
Overall I don't miss the HDMI at all. The player is hooked up through the Xboxs component cable. I hear that a number of people used the VGA connection to obtain 1080p and had some stability issues. I also hear that Microsoft is aware of the issues and is preparing a fix. Cant talk about that since I dont have VGA and thus havent tried it.
I'd recommend sticking with component, even if your set doesn't support 1080p through component. The difference in the PQ is only on paper, unless you have a 65"+ TV and sit pretty close, seriously.
Sound wise I don't feel comfortable to judge, since my speaker set is not that great but it did sound more open and created better soundstage, sounding a little bit more 3D and a little bit clearer.
In conclusion I think this is a great product. Hopefully I wont have any hardware issues, and I would definitely recommend it to anybody who is an early adopter and is ready to choose one of the HD formats. Plus, since it's not that expensive, even a mistake is forgiven (not so much w/ a $1000 Blu-Ray player.
And if you still cant decide, wait until Microsoft puts HD and SD movies and TV shows on the Xbox live. If that suits you better, just stick with it, save $200 and take your girl out to a fancy restaurant.
I will try to update over time with any new info - good or bad. And maybe sometime next year when I buy PS3 I will be able to write a review of the built-in Blu-Ray player and even compare it with this one.
I apologize for the long review; I hope itll help some people to make a decision.

- haliotis_lamellosa

December 2, 2006 05:47
Excellent
2.0/5
It's tough not to be intrigued by the $200 price point of an HD-DVD player in today's market. Having never compared HD-DVD or Blu-Ray against the quality of a standard DVD I was set to return this unit if I wasn't impressed by the picture.

Well, needless to say, I returned 2 defective units hoping that my third Xbox 360 HD-DVD player lasts more than a couple of showing because there IS a difference especially with movies filmed in high definition.

The Xbox 360 HD-DVD player is easy to set-up, possesses a relatively small footprint when on its side and delivers an exceptional picture. Honestly, I am not schooled in the difference between 1080i vs. 1080p but comparing King Kong in DVD and HD-DVD - well, let's just say that my wife, who could care less about a high definition picture, noticed a significant difference in favor of HD-DVD.

However, as I stated in my 'con', this is my third player. The first player had an issue with the drive door opening and closing uncontrollably on only my second use. The second drive refused to read a disk, regardless of the format, again on its second use. A little more than a tap on the top of the unit got it started - but I should expect more from a $200 piece of hardware - so I returned it for a third. If that breaks - I am done with this unit - but SOLD on HD-DVD or Blu-Ray if I can get my hands on a PS3 at some point in the next few months.

Also, I feel obligated to point out a sound issue. Not of the hardware itself  in fact, it is whisper quiet, but one should know that the USB connection will cause you to crank up the volume of your TV or Surround Sound system. I have my Xbox 360 connected to my 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound system via an optical connection. The 360 ROCKS on a moderately low volume setting. I must crank it up to almost twice the volume to get the same volume of sound. The issue is, of course, going back to the Xbox 360 Main Menu which is now incredibly loud. Also, when you turn off the Xbox 360 or return to the Xbox Main Menu while watching a film you do not possess the ability to pick up where you left off.

Ill be sure to update all of you if I have another issue with the player.

- theSman

November 11, 2006 11:18

4.5/5
Just picked this up from GameStop. Watched King Kong...look great. Excellent picture quality. HD-DVD has many visual improvements besides resolution...Color saturation is far superior to DVD and Contrast gives you deep blacks and great hightlights. Everything looks clear and crisp...unlike upconverted DVD's that look grainy and desaturated in comparison.

A good buy.

- deitiphobia

December 17, 2006 12:26

4.5/5
Xbox360's HDDVD unit gets 10's across the board when it comes to style, ease of set up, picture quality, load speed, and price. I had to give it a 9 though, simply b/c it lacked an HDMI out. I know that MS & cnet have said that you still get 1080p from it via VGA (and via component pending firmware update), but in today's high tech world, HDMI would have made it just perfect. Still the best bang for the buck for trueHD playback, however. 9/10 Spectacular!

- techcrazy

December 6, 2006 11:12

3.0/5
I was very excited about this add-on and was not let down, for the most part. However, the sound output from this thing is terrible. I have to turn up my surround sound up to almost max just to hear anything when watching movies. Another annoying little thing about this device is the fact that if you turn it off in the middle of a movie then try playing the movie again later, it does not resume where you left off. All in all, this is a good product. Hopefully Microsoft will remedy these deficiencies with some kind of firmware/software update.

- mcrouch

December 8, 2006 06:53

4.0/5
MS says HDMI isn't necessary...but it's digital not analog and supports full 1080p res. The KINGKONG disc says 1080p right on it and it's frustrating to know that the 360 can't do it. As far as I know the 360 is fully capable of outputting digital 1080p but just lacks a DVI or HDMI connection. Currently I only have a 720p HDTV so I'm good for now but I'd like the 360 to be future-proof. I'm also a videophile and I want the BEST picture available for gaming and movies. If MS makes an true HDMI adapter that is HDCP compliant everyone will buy it...then the 360 is on equal footing with the PS3. Question: Why send digital audio through HDMI when anyone with a decent home theatre is going to need the digital audio going into the receiver? What good is digital audio coming out of your stock TV speakers?
OK, I'm done.

- Fluid Inferno

November 30, 2006 08:38

4.0/5
I purchased the HD-DVD stand alone unit after reading several reviews. I must say the reviews have been accurate. The picture quality is great and teh setup was a cinch. I hae compared King Kong on my Samsung upconverter DVD player to the HD-DVD player. The 360 player easily blows the Samsung away. You will not go wrong if you purchase this player. i have been a Playstation loyalist since the original PS; due to delays I decided to jump into the Next-Gen gaming market with the Xbox 360. The 360 has amazed me at every turn. I plan on buying the PS3 when it is readily available however I am much less inclined to rush and purchase it simply because Microsoft has put out a great product. I was previously sold on Blu-Ray format as supreme but after watching King Kong on my 61" DLP I am now torn between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray! It's a great time to be a consumer guys.

- derrickfr

November 11, 2006 08:52

5.0/5
I received my HD DVD unit from CC yesterday. The setup was quick and easy. King Kong was up and running within 10 minutes of opening the box.

My XBOX 360 is connected to my HDTV via component cables. The highest resolution on my HDTV is 1080i. My understanding is that 1080i is the highest resolution available via the component cable hookup. For 1080p, you need to hookup via VGA cables. No HDMI connection at this time.


I rented the regular DVD of King Kong and compared several scenes to the HD DVD version. I am not sure if the XBOX 360 upscales the regular DVD, but I have always been pleased with the picture quality of a regular DVD on my XBOX 360. Honestly, I expected the picture quality of the regular DVD and the HD DVD to be very similar and was planning to return the HD DVD player if the differences were not significant.

I rate the picture quality of a regular DVD on the XBOX 360 as a 7/8 out of 10. The picture quality of the HD DVD on the XBOX 360 is a 9/10 out of 10. The improvement in picture quality between the regular DVD and the HD DVD is more evolutionary than revolutionary. The difference is not as extreme as switching from a non-HD cable TV channel to a HD cable TV channel. However, the HD DVD picture is clearly better than the regular DVD picture. The HD DVD picture appears cleaner and crisper with more detail and clarity throughout the frame. The picture resolution with the HD DVD is clearly higher than the regular DVD and the difference shows. However, the biggest surprise to me was the difference in color. The HD DVD picture colors were much richer and deeper (more saturated and more contrast) than the colors on the regular DVD. I was impressed with the picture quality and will be keeping my HD DVD for the XBOX 360. The current package comes with King Kong (a $30 value) and the universal remote (a $30 valaue). Given the performance and the total package, the $199 price seems reasonable to me for entry into the next gen HD DVD world.

The HD DVD unit did not make any noise that I could hear; however, the noise/fan coming from the XBOX 360 is the same as it always is and may be covering it up.

I did not have my 5.1 stereo system hooked up to the HDTV, so I cannot address the sound quality.

At this point, I think the biggest con is the lack of movie titles available in HD DVD and the cost of the movies (generally ranging from $19.99 to $39.99). However, that is not the fault of the XBOX HD DVD player. I am looking forward to more movies being released on HD DVD (and to the ability to rent them from video rental stores). Any future movies that I purchase or rent will be on HD DVD.

- TAFB

January 13, 2008 11:36

5.0/5
this is a great hd dvd player one of the best i have seen. the sound is great the picture quality is great. sound is even better with the bose companion 5 speakers. the best part of this machine is the price low price for what your getting when i got mine i got 5 free hd dvd movies with it now i believe they come with 7 free movies which made me buy it even more cant go wrong with it hd blows out blue ray. who wants to pay 35.00 for a blue ray disc when u can only use it in blue ray players unlike hd where u can by the combo format which lets you play it in both standard and hd drives.

- sportcards555

May 4, 2007 10:25

4.5/5
I noticed lots of comments on "Hacking the HD DVD" for PC. There is NO hacking. I am using it on Windows Vista Ultimate x64 without any issues. My onlu additional purchase was Cyberlink PowerDVD Ultra $99.US. The Xbox 360 HD-DVD is selling in Canada for $159CAD. That's a great price!

- canuck7