 | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Product family | Xbox |
| Type | High-density optical disc player |
| Generation | Seventh generation |
| Release date |
|
| Lifespan | 2006-2008 |
| Introductory price | USD$199 |
| Discontinued | February 23, 2008 |
| Units sold | 316,000 in the US (as of December 31, 2007)[3] |
| Media | HD DVD, DVD |
| Display | 1080p (via Xbox 360) |
| Sound | Analog stereo, stereo LPCM, Dolby Digital, DTS |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 |
The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player is a discontinued accessory for the Xbox 360 console that enables the playback of movies on HD DVD discs. Microsoft offered the drive for sale between November 2006 and February 2008. It was initially sold for $199.
Bill Gates announced during his keynote speech at CES 2006 that an external HD DVD drive would be released for the Xbox 360 during 2006.[4] At E3 2006, Microsoft officially presented the external HD DVD drive. According to Japan's chief of Xbox operations, Yoshihiro Maruyama, Microsoft would not release Xbox 360 games in the new disc formats.
On February 23, 2008, the Xbox 360 HD DVD player was discontinued by Microsoft.[5] This decision came just days after Toshiba's announcement to discontinue all HD DVD players and effectively end the format war between Blu-ray and HD DVD. Two days later, the price of the HD DVD Player was reduced to a clearance price of $49.99. Peter Moore had stated that if HD DVD loses the format war, Microsoft may also release an external Blu-ray drive.[6] This was later denied by Microsoft. All future iterations of the Xbox 360 console and dashboard maintained compatibility with the HD DVD player.
Special black versions of the drive, along with black media remotes, were given to members of the Xbox 360 HD DVD development team. Unlike other black accessories which were created alongside the black Elite console, the black HD DVD drive was never made available to the general public.[7]
- ^ Xbox 360 adds 1080p, HD DVD drive is $170 US for November 22nd in Japan - Engadget
- ^ "Smarthouse - Accessories". Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved February 17, 2008.
- ^ Boyer, Brandon (January 18, 2008). "NPD: 2007 U.S. Game Industry Growth Up 43% To $17.9 Billion". Gamasutra. Think Services. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
- ^ "Gates Outlines Vision for the Digital Lifestyle and Showcases New Products and Technologies From Microsoft Archived July 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Microsoft, January 4, 2006
- ^ Format War Over: Microsoft Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Officially Discontinued
- ^ "Moore: Blu-ray Xbox 360 add-on possible" Archived October 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Gamespot, January 10, 2006
- ^ "Special Xbox 360 Elite black HD DVD drive up for auction". Joystiq. April 9, 2007. Retrieved April 4, 2011.