Universal to go multiformat confirmed?

[Shpeshal Ed]

Their contract is pretty much up. I think that's what the article is stating.

But they've said they're not quitting the format. Why would they? It's basically THEIR format and they technically stand to make more money from selling HD DVD than Blu-ray.

[PirateThom]

Originally Posted by downphoenix

Although that's somewhat true, I think that if the 360 would have kept a smaller price point than PS3 but with having an HD DVD drive in it, the format wars could be very different, HD DVD could be on top. If Microsoft manned up and took some initial sluggish sales like Sony did with PS3, it could have paid off in the long run, but they were either too worried or didn't think Toshiba had what it took, even though they won the last format war with DVD, well, technically (Since DVD was created by a collaboration of companies, but those companies largely used Toshiba's specifications).

Was HD-DVD even ready when the 360 was released?

[Icemage]

Originally Posted by PirateThom

Was HD-DVD even ready when the 360 was released?

No. Microsoft would have had to delay the launch of the Xbox 360 from November 22, 2007 until at least April of 2007 - probably much longer, considering that the initial quantities of HD DVD drives were very small. I think the first run of first generation Toshiba units was something like 30,000 units. For Toshiba to produce multi-million HDDVD drives, it would have taken far longer - probably as long as Sony took to get the PS3 to market.

Do you think the 360 would have stood a chance with a similar price point to the PS3 and launching simultaneously, while taking a huge hit in drive speed? I don't think so. And one can only imagine the disaster that would be the RRoD in that scenario.

[Shpeshal Ed]

Originally Posted by PirateThom

Was HD-DVD even ready when the 360 was released?

yes it was my friend. but it wasn't mass production ready.

[dz06lt]

Originally Posted by Icemage

No. Microsoft would have had to delay the launch of the Xbox 360 from November 22, 2007 until at least April of 2007 - probably much longer, considering that the initial quantities of HD DVD drives were very small. I think the first run of first generation Toshiba units was something like 30,000 units. For Toshiba to produce multi-million HDDVD drives, it would have taken far longer - probably as long as Sony took to get the PS3 to market.

Do you think the 360 would have stood a chance with a similar price point to the PS3 and launching simultaneously, while taking a huge hit in drive speed? I don't think so. And one can only imagine the disaster that would be the RRoD in that scenario.

Delaying something backwards in time is scientifically impossible

[PirateThom]

Originally Posted by dz06lt

Delaying something backwards in time is scientifically impossible

You dare doubt the power of TIME TRAVEL!

[Azt3k]

Its not kind sir.

But i wont go deeper int he subject.

[Icemage]

Sorry, typos am fail.

Xbox 360 launched November 22, 2005.

Toshiba HD-A1 launched in the USA on April 18, 2006.

So minimum delay of 5 months for the Xbox 360 under this scenario - and as I said, to produce multiple millions of units, they'd require months, if not a year of production.

[Yoshi-5up]

Bubububububububu t3h c3ll can control time


But still, if this is true, this is the rubber cement locking the coffin into place.

[downphoenix]

Well I was speaking in Hypothetical terms. Assuming that the 360 launch date was the same, but the system was 500 and 600$ at launch like PS3 was, because of an inclusion of an HD DVD drive, and assume price dropped at least 100$ each model when PS3 came out.