I am looking at getting a Playstation 3 or xbox 360, but i am not sure with one to go with. I like the fact that you can get the Blu Ray player for cheap, but also if you buy the xbox 360 you can get the HD DVD player for $199 to add to it. They are roughly the same cost. i just don't want to be stuck with a High def DVD player that would be useless after so long. Any Ideas

Do you play games? If yes then the 360 is the only real choice. With it you can also get LIVE. The regular LIVE subscription is free.

Plus since the HD DVD drive is a seperate unit, that will save you some wear and tear on the main drive. It also (HD DVD drive) comes with a very nice IR remote.

If you play games, you need to decide which system has the games you like. If you just want movies I would go with a standalone player. Go with the system that has the content you like the most. You'll always be able to play the movies even if your choice fails! They're both going to be around for a while.

It depends on how big of a gamer you are (360 has the best games right now, hands down). I would also suggest looking at the release list and studio support of HD DVD and Blu-ray and see which one appeals to your tastes.

If someone's interests lie more with gaming, I would suggest the 360 with the HD DVD add-on. You'll be able to purchase HD DVD movies, plus have access to 720p movies from Xbox Live. Plus if your TV supports VGA, the 360 will upconvert your standard DVDs. The PS3 isn't horrible for gaming (especially since you can play a number of PS2 games), but it's just getting off the ground and going through the typical launch period. Buying a PS3 for gaming means you're buying mostly for the future and potential. Buying a PS3 as a Blu-ray player means you're getting a very good player NOW for a decent price that also happens to play games.

Right now you're looking at a great next-gen gaming machine that's also a decent high def movie player versus a great high def movie player that's also a decent next-gen gaming machine. Take your pick.

I would definitely go with the Xbox 360. There's no denying that the PS3 is a fine piece of hardware, but that only means so much when you're talking about videogames. 360 has the software.

Even putting aside the huge Xbox-exclusive franchises like Halo, a lot of formerly exclusive PS3 games are coming to the 360 because publishers can't afford to solely support the PS3 anymore. Chalk it up to high development costs, poor sales, or some combination of both, but there's no reason to buy a PS3 when many of its best games are coming out on 360, as well. Grand Theft Auto is, Virtua Fighter is, Unreal Tournament 2007 is, and there are rumors about Metal Gear Solid 4 and others. And then there's the vastly superior online service...no competition, imo.

I bought the 360 as well as the HD DVD add-on and couldn't be happier. I highly suggest the same.

Currently the X360 lays the smackdown games wise and for 2007 (Halo 3, ME). I think the PS3 has a much better list of games for 2007+ (GT5, WKS, MGS4, FFXIII etc.) but none have solid release dates.

I like the fact online gaming is free on PS3 and that the arcade is much fairer priced, but the 360 has a slightly better implementation of online if you want to pay $50 a year for it.


As a gamer you should have both in the long run though.

Best value hardware is the PS3 20gb, but good luck finding one.

Of course the 360 has more games now, it came out a year ago.

I have both, but I'd put my money on Blu-ray for long turn. They are both going to have 75% the same games, just different exclusives. The PS3 plays almost all PS1 and PS2 games while the 360 plays about 35% of the Xbox1 games.

The 360 also looks ugly, it's bright white, the HD-DVD is an add-on and the power brink is huge. The PS3 supports PCM5.1 and HDMI. The 360's Live is more mature, but it's players are not.

Of course the 360 has more games now, it came out a year ago.

I have both, but I'd put my money on Blu-ray for long turn. They are both going to have 75% the same games, just different exclusives. The PS3 plays almost all PS1 and PS2 games while the 360 plays about 35% of the Xbox1 games.

The 360 also looks ugly, it's bright white, the HD-DVD is an add-on and the power brink is huge. The PS3 supports PCM5.1 and HDMI. The 360's Live is more mature, but it's players are not.

You might want to take a look at the compatibility list again. Its well over 85% now (and thats being conservative). Take a look for yourself, its a publicly available document viewable at xbox.com any time you want.

As for the look of the 360... I dunno. I don't find it ugly. I don't find it beautiful either. To be honest I don't spend much time looking at it. Its small enough that I don't have to.

EDIT: This thread is probably in the wrong forum. Should really be in xbox forum or something.


As for live, you get what you pay for. Its a rock solid service. As for the players... I guess that depends on your point of view. :) I play with my friends and nobody else. For my purposes, Live is incredible. I turn on the system, it tells me which of my friends are online and what they are doing. I want to invite them to chat with one, its drop-dead-easy. Same if I want to leave voice mail to setup a play time later in the evening. Or if I want to invite them to my game. Theres really no comparison between Live and the PS3 online experience. None.

The PS3 does have HDMI, though. I'll give you that. :)

You might want to take a look at the compatibility list again. Its well over 85% now (and thats being conservative). Take a look for yourself, its a publicly available document viewable at xbox.com any time you want.


No it's not. I just read in Game Informer it's about 1/3, that includes the latest update.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibilitygameslist.htm

Backwards compatibility is going to decide what next-gen console to buy for just about no one. 360 could have done a better job with it, but almost all of the must-have titles are playable anyway.

If you're getting it for its abilities as an HD player, get the PS3.

If you're getting it for any other reason, you're in the wrong forum. ;)

Oh, and there are strong rumours of a 100gb HDMI enabled 360 being available soon for $399. There are leaked pictures of the HDMI model but MS said it was just an experiment. Yeah right....some sites have been listing official X360 HDMI cables since last August for preorder.

Its probably worth waiting not just for HDMI, but for the HDD, because the price of the current HDD is pure rape ($100 for 20gb, unlike PS3 you can't swap out to a normal HDD of your choice). And if history and speculation says anything there will also be a 360 price drop soon (its being a long time without - and sales are average in U.S and bad elsewhere, so it needs one).

Picking up a 360 after a price drop is easily the best option IMO, if you can stand waiting.

Regarding backwards compatibility, Most people I know, including myself might play 1 or 2 "last gen" titles tops. That number drops dramatically each year you have the system, so it really is a non issue when it comes down to it and really is only a "good" marketing scheeme to get people to buy their hardware and to keep making money off the old system.

Back to the topic, both systems will cost you about the same in the end, after the hddvd add-on, etc. Both are good choices for your HD movie viewing for the following reason: By the time the format war is going to be done andover, if you make the wrong choice stand alone players should be down to a level that most would consider quite affordable. Case in point, I bought my first dvd player 6 or 7 years ago, it was one of the cheapest ones and it was $250 bucks. Conversly, my roommate just bought one from Sears for $25 and has killer features compared to the one I dumped cash down on years ago. Keep in mind you're getting into the HD video arena miles ahead of everyone else

So since format really shouldn't be an issue at this stage of the game, I think the 360 is easily the way to go with their line of 1st party titles, current games, online functionality (wich is very slick), expandability, and media center capabilities.

Also one other advantage the 360 has over the ps3 (although this doesnt directly affect hd-dvd or bluray playback) is the live marketplace..... they have quite a few tv shows in HD and its a nice offset to hd-dvd sometimes.

But the key is to look at the games.... right now the 360 has the best but thats to be expected since its been out longer. Sony will have some good games for their system as well eventually. If you do go ps3 I really think you would be best off waiting 6 months atleast to get one. When the games would hopefully have release dates and we see if MS gets their big hitters out on schedule. Long term though (and this is my preference) I like the list for the 360 more (stuff like halo wars, alan wake, mass effect, c&c3 (for now), halo 3).

I can't believe anyone that owns a PS3 can say the 360 is ugly. PS3 has redefined ugly in game consoles for me. I hate Chrome.

:rolleyes: So get the $499 model and no chrome needed. Or get the $599 and strip it off...

I have both and have enjoyed both, but don't let people fool you into thinking the 360 has an enormous good game title lead. There are maybe 10 good games worth owning on the 360 and half of them are the usual console fare (EA sports games and shooters). Most of these are not exclusive (see Oblivion, Lego SW2, GRAW, Rainbow 6 Vegas, etc) and are available on either PC or due out on the PS3, as well, so if you're new into it I am looking forward to the release of the Oblivion expansion for the 360, though.

The Burger King games are hilarious, though, if you have that sort of humor. Gears of War is a bit overrated IMO (single player I beat in one weekend, and though I was planning on doing it again in Insane, I never bothered). I used up my free XBL gold trial months ago, though, and never bothered buying the $100 wireless add-on anyways (I was running a 50' Ethernet cable out of my office to the HT room), but I hear the online version is where the game shines...

As is, my 360 has been mostly dead on game use these days and I'm only using it as an HD-DVD player. My PS3 is being used regularly for (free) 40-person Resistance team deathmatch and spurts of NBA'07 online and Gran Turismo: HD. I've also went back to some PS2 games I never finished (Battlestar: Galactica) and/or just enjoy (Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Vice City)... and of course, there is BD usage. The PS3 easily wins the ergonomics contest over the awkward aesthetic of the add-on. Further the 360 makes much more noise than the PS3, though this is usually only noticible during quiet dialog scenes.

The 360 looks more at home in my AV rack (with the silver face-plate) than the PS3 (I really Sony would release a silver PS3 already) since all my HT stuff is silver.

In summary, the 360 DOES have a good game title lead, and is definitely a price discount, but if you want HD-DVD you're looking at the same money and countered by by relatively noisy performance and two-piece aesthetic/ergonomics. Of course, being in a format war, decide if you value Universal and it's released and soon-to-be released titles more than Sony, Fox, Buena Vista, Disney, Lionsgate and their released and soon to-be-released titles.

I chose both and haven't looked back, though. :) Part of me still wants HD-XA1 for it's analog and HDMI connections (of which the HD audio formats are not possible from the 360), but the speed and responsiveness are far superior. If Toshiba does a silver HD-DVD 2G or 3G player, they may yet get a sale from me, though.

I think you should go with the PS3. I have both, and right now the 360 has the better games, but nearly all the good games on the xbox 360 right now are shooters... (I am not a big fan of shooters, so that's a big reason I think the PS3 is a better system gaming-wise for me at least)

PS3 has nothing gaming-wise right now, but it will have a great variety by the end of 2007 and beyond. MGS4, GT5, God of War 3 (likely to be developed), Final Fantasy XIII, Devil May Cry 4, Ratchet and Clank, and Shadow of the Colossus 2 are all currently PS3 exclusives.

Oh, and the Xbox 360 IS an ugly system... can't believe people even try to defend it's design. Absolutely horrible. I admit that the chrome on the PS3 looks bad, but it still looks much nicer than the 360.

No it's not. I just read in Game Informer it's about 1/3, that includes the latest update.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/backwardcompatibilitygameslist.htm

Hmm.. There are 297 titles on the list you linked.

Are you saying that there are ~900 games released for the XBOX 1? I was unaware of that. I guess I bought fewer games than most people.

Backwards compatibility is going to decide what next-gen console to buy for just about no one. 360 could have done a better job with it, but almost all of the must-have titles are playable anyway.

Sony could have done a better job. On 360 your backwards compatibile games are upscaled to high def resolutions, a big + in my book as an hdtv owner (aren't there a few of those in this forum?). :)

On PS3 you're going back to your low res PS2 games, getting no added value. Inexcusable to have no PS2/PS1 game upscaling on the PS3 as that and DVD upscaling are probably the 2 most desired features for a PS3 firmware update (not to mention they may never properly support 1080i HD sets).

You mean early gen (mostly DVI) HDTV sets?

Sony's backwards compatibility is an order of magnitude (at least) greater than that of the Xbox, based on titles alone. My PS2 games look fine. KOTOR and SW: Ep3 (the only games I kept when I sold my original Xbox) don't look upscaled to me... :confused:

You mean early gen (mostly DVI) HDTV sets?



I mean pretty much all CRT HDTV's and especially including early adopter sets. I bought my 1st HDTV in 1999 (70" $5000 Mitsu)and it still looks great.

Sony's backwards compatibility is an order of magnitude (at least) greater than that of the Xbox, based on titles alone. My PS2 games look fine. KOTOR and SW: Ep3 (the only games I kept when I sold my original Xbox) don't look upscaled to me... :confused:

That's true if you base it on "titles alone" but I don't. I still have 2 PS2's and frankly I don't need a PS3 to play PS2 games the same way I've already played them. I much more enjoy playing Halo, Halo2 and other Xbox games upscaled to 720p and 1080i on my various displays. I prefer the quality to the quantity of backward compatibility.

Now I'll grant that most modern sets upscale your old material for you anyway but generally TV scalers do a poor job, hence the upscaling of Xbox games on 360 is a nice benefit. And yes all the 360 backward compat games are upscaled, I know because on my older set the signal won't show up at all if material is not scaled up such as what the PS3 fails to do. :mad:

PS3 can't upscale PS2 because it uses actual PS2 hardware. With the 360 some of the games even on the list have framerate problems, wierd glitches, and early on AI was borked in a game or two so you couldn't even progress.

If someones (only) TV didn't accept 480i/p (PS3 does output progressive for all PSTwo titles since the update, also fixed BC 100%), why would they have had a PSTwo in the first place anyway? Wouldn't have been able to play it.


Edit; Although I should say I would've liked upscaling too, but my opinion is, get it done right, then worry about extras. Considering PS3 and Wii both do it right, 360 is a disgrace right now.

If you want the 360, you should wait for the HDMI version. That makes a big difference in the ability to handle lossless audio. It also solves the long term danger of the ICT (since there is always the danger of future disks turning that on).

As a movie player, the PS3 is better regarded than the 360-addon combo (especially when you consider the power brick).

As a game machine, the 360 has many more games.

I assume you already have a HDTV. If not, buy a HDTV first, otherwise, both devices are a waste of money.

PS3 can't upscale PS2 because it uses actual PS2 hardware. With the 360 some of the games even on the list have framerate problems, wierd glitches, and early on AI was borked in a game or two so you couldn't even progress.



True going the route of software emulation is a major effort from MS and they've done a huge job to get 1/3 of the Xbox library ported I'd say. At the same time hitting the major titles, fixing emulation issues with patches over time and making the older games actually look better on your HDTV earns a lot more points for my taste then simply giving me a PS2 in a PS3. I don't throw away the old machine anyway (not like it's worth a lot now) so why do I need it really?

PS3 could still scale from the PS2 hardware to the output, nothing would stop that. If indeed they have a scaler chip inside as rumored then perhaps later they will, here's hoping.

If someones (only) TV didn't accept 480i/p (PS3 does output progressive for all PSTwo titles since the update, also fixed BC 100%), why would they have had a PSTwo in the first place anyway? Wouldn't have been able to play it.

Well for a bit of a HDTV history lesson there were many HDTV's produced and sold that have a seperate input for the HD signal. So if you wanted to run 480p/i you would need to connect the device to a different input, Non HD. Now who wants to run their PS3 to an HDTV on a non HD input?

It has nothing to do with the only TV btw, I have 3 HDTV's and an HD projector and I'm not done buying yet. The point is that my 360 supports every HDTV in highdef on every game and form of content and my PS3 does not. I don't think Sony deserves a pass on this issue just because users with newer sets don't understand the issue.


Edit; Although I should say I would've liked upscaling too, but my opinion is, get it done right, then worry about extras. Considering PS3 and Wii both do it right, 360 is a disgrace right now.

I suppose if your goal is to be able to dump your old system then that's fair enough. I much prefer making my older game look better if I play them on the new system.

I would either buy a PS3 now or wait for the new XBox, with all the things it should have had at its launch.

If you get hooked on LIVE there is no going back. It is the system seller for me hands down. $50 a year for LIVE is about the best entertainment value I can think of for what you get in return.

Do you want to go the next level in audio as well as visual, if so the PS3 is the only way to go at this point.

HDMI? Audio? WTF? If the guy's asking which game console to buy, I'd point him to the one with the best library of games and the type of games he's most interested in.

For the time being, Xbox 360 is the runaway winner as a games console. Factor in the excellence of Xbox Live and there's no contest. (Not just for playing online, but for chat, messaging, friends lists, demos, everything.)

If the games are most important to you, look at the game libraries.

If the movies are most important to you, look at the movie libraries. And look at a standalone player in that case, too. Game consoles are an iffy deal when used as your primary movie player - that's why I prefer the fact that 360's HD add-on uses its own drive instead of the console's.

As for the mythical HDMI-enabled 360 - who knows when or if it will arrive? You wait for something like that, and you could be waiting a long time.

In short, do some research and make up your own mind. Due to the excess of fanboys, you're likely to get more bad information here than good.

Kolgar, is this a gaming thread or an HD playback thread?

You make it seem that HDMI and audio considerations are 'WTF' issues... consider where you are.

As an HD player, the PS3 is superior.

@Dahlsim: Once the software emulation is perfected (rumored later this year), the EE+GS will no longer be included in future PS3 revisions and I would imagine *all* PS3's will benefit from improved visuals on older titles (including upscaled output). But for what's it's worth, in the present day most PS3 owners are more interested in their old titles working than in the titles that work looking better.

Kolgar, is this a gaming thread or an HD playback thread?

You make it seem that HDMI and audio considerations are 'WTF' issues... consider where you are.

As an HD player, the PS3 is superior.



Looking at his post, I don't get the impression that the OP is exactly an audio/videophile - and he seems to be looking for a game player first and a movie player second.

I can appreciate that possibility; the OP would certainly do himself a favor in that regard by posting a second time at least and clarifying his situation/criteria.

If it should be moved to gaming, it should be moved to gaming. Only the OP knows for sure I suppose.

Looking at his post, I don't get the impression that the OP is exactly an audio/videophile - and he seems to be looking for a game player first and a movie player second.

huh :confused: He is posting in the HDTV Blu-ray and HD-DVD area. You don't come here unless you are somewhat of at least one of the other or both like many of us. But you could be right, he may nearly be lost and not care about HD movies, but that's not how I took his post.

The OP could just bite the bullet and get both. That way there is no loss on either end (well other than money, but who needs that ;))

Due to the excess of fanboys, you're likely to get more bad information here than good

Your post certainly proves that.

As of right now, the PS3 is a shiny black brick. If you want to play Blu Ray movies, you can't get a cheaper player.

If you want to play games, you need an XBox 360.

Your post certainly proves that.

THANKS, HTDUDE14! Great contribution, A+++ "would read again"

To the OP I would just add: If you're looking for a fail-safe in the HD format war, there is none. Just choose the movie format that has the movies you're most interested in and enjoy. Chances are, both will survive for a while anyway, and even if your choice 'fails,' you can always pick up the other format later.

Does anybody know how the format war is comming on? are they any where near closing it up?

who would be the better buy, Blu Ray or HD DVD?

i am trying to fingure out which player would be the best way to go? i don't care about the games i don't want to buy a ps3 with a blu ray and it be nothing in a year and vice versa. thats why i posted in the Blu ray HD DVD section and not the game section. i dont need help about the games it is the dvd player

Does anybody know how the format war is comming on? are they any where near closing it up?

who would be the better buy, Blu Ray or HD DVD?

I don't think either will be going away any time soon, just my thoughts. These company's have spent way too much money to merely drop the formats an their infancy stages.

edit: I definitely would go with a PS3 or a stand aone HD-DVD player and not the 360 HD-DVD add-on combo route for the reasons I mentioned earlier in regards to the audio. Both have sides have titles I want, your tastes of course are probably different.

i am trying to fingure out which player would be the best way to go? i don't care about the games i don't want to buy a ps3 with a blu ray and it be nothing in a year and vice versa. thats why i posted in the Blu ray HD DVD section and not the game section. i dont need help about the games it is the dvd player

Ok, then get the PS3; it's the superior playback device between those two.

If you are serious about watching hd dvd's on the add on, be warned that the audio is flawed. DD+ is muffled and dts gets downconverted to DD 5.1. The picture however, is on par with a standalone player. Right now there are more movies for hd dvd. Also, hd dvd's are coming out with the standard definition on one side and then the hd version on the other side. I would not be concerned over which format will win, I think both will be around for a long time. Certain studios are releasing movies on both formats such as superman returns. It has been mentioned already but yes you will never get dolby true hd audio via the addon because the lack of a hdmi cable or analog outputs. ALL we got to transfer audio is the optical cable and as of now can't even pass on dts on the hd dvd's. For this reason alone I would go for the ps3. And this is coming from someone who owns the addon. Don't forget though, for the ps3 to work so you get dolby true hd audio through your 5.1 or 7.1 setup you will need a receiver with hdmi, which can be costly.