Well, at least the Halo 3 Edition will. I have to imagine they would pass it on to regular 20 gig 360's.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/events/e32007/articles/halo3console.htm


http://www.xbox.com/NR/rdonlyres/C042EE34-E560-458B-8358-91C8E0460185/0/ilmhalo3console.jpg


Look for this new console in September. This new Special Edition contains these components:

Halo 3 Special Edition Console
Halo 3 Special Edition Wireless Controller
Halo 3 Special Edition 20GB Hard Drive
Halo 3 Special Edition Wired Headset
Halo 3 Special Edition Gamer Pics and Theme (Exclusive download via Xbox LIVE)
Component HD AV Cable
Ethernet Cable
HDMI Port
Play & Charge Kit
Xbox LIVE Silver Membership
One-month Lbox LIVE Gold Membership
Halo 3 game not included—sold separately

My god...that is ugly.

Shouldn't the Halo special edition include a copy of the freakin game?

My god...that is ugly.

Shouldn't the Halo special edition include a copy of the freakin game

lol, exactly what I was thinking. The OG xbox halo edition was much better in comparison to the standard xbox (granted ugly console design in general but still they did good with the clear green).

Yeah, why no game?

20gb, hdmi, no hd dvd, ugly duckling for $600..MS is smokin man!

20gb, hdmi, no hd dvd, ugly duckling for $600..MS is smokin man!

Are you serious? I haven't seen a price yet. I hope your joking, they want people to essentially pay 200 bux for HDMI and a new paint job. Wow.

Are you serious? I haven't seen a price yet. I hope your joking, they want people to essentially pay 200 bux for HDMI and a new paint job. Wow.

I think I saw on engadget!

It doesn't include the game? Huh?

I'd like to see a link on the price. I honestly think this will retail for exactly the same as a regular premium, it's just they will be much more difficult to get. Most will end up on Ebay for a nice little premium.

I remember ghrumbkings about the original Halo Edition... then it sold out. I'm not buying this but I am sure it will sell out as well.

Makes sense for them all to have HDMI at some point. Can't be economical to produce two versions of the motherboard indefinitely, especially as you're revising it.

This is pretty obviously an attempt to sell out all the older consoles. Looks like they are doing it with the Zune as well. Take old hardware sitting around, color it, tack on some quickie features, then sell it as a special edition. Then clear out your inventory and start pushing the newly redesigned stuff.

This is so mine! good bye launch Xbox 360 (no problems at all for 2 years!)

I paid $250 for the OG xbox halo edition on ebay in 2004 and that is still under my tv.

I also have the H3 zune.

This is pretty obviously an attempt to sell out all the older consoles. Looks like they are doing it with the Zune as well. Take old hardware sitting around, color it, tack on some quickie features, then sell it as a special edition. Then clear out your inventory and start pushing the newly redesigned stuff.

If it has an HDMI output it is hardly old.

I don't understand who would buy this. Is a "special edition" 360 going to ever be worth any more than when you buy it? Is it a collectible? I think not, and if I had one the first thing I'd do is get a white faceplate so my friends wouldn't think I'm a loser :)

I don't understand who would buy this. Is a "special edition" 360 going to ever be worth any more than when you buy it? Is it a collectible? I think not, and if I had one the first thing I'd do is get a white faceplate so my friends wouldn't think I'm a loser :)

Halo fans. And boy, they are Legion.
Plus its a limited edition. Probably a few hundred thousand if that many.
Remember, Halo 3 is running something like 5 million pre-orders and can be expected to sell around 8 million copies. So, eve if only 5% of the Halo fans go for it there will be a shortage.
As pointed out, a lot of 'em will go right up on ebay...

Shouldn't the Halo special edition include a copy of the freakin game?


MS probably figures that anyone planning on buying this thing already has one of the three different versions of the game pre-ordered.

This is so mine! good bye launch Xbox 360 (no problems at all for 2 years!)

I paid $250 for the OG xbox halo edition on ebay in 2004 and that is still under my tv.

I also have the H3 zune.

uhh... ok

If it has an HDMI output it is hardly old.

Do we really know that? Can they just cut a hole in the console and retrofit the HDMI port (or more realistically, take 95% of the guts of a core, add the HDMI port in a new case, slap a 120 gig HD and call it an Elite)? All these limited editions of things which are really just new skins reeks of clearing inventory. Not a bad thing, necessarily, if it keeps consoles moving and gives fanboys something special, but I just don't see any physical improvements to these systems to require them to be "limited" editions.

Moot point, I guess. I have my 360 and am not going to upgrade anytime soon.

Do we really know that? Can they just cut a hole in the console and retrofit the HDMI port (or more realistically, take 95% of the guts of a core, add the HDMI port in a new case, slap a 120 gig HD and call it an Elite)?.


IMO, a new motherboard (used for the elite), new heat sinks, a new plastic external case, and a new 120gb HD is 95% NEW parts if you ask me. what is re-used? cpu/gpu/dvd..... that's about it, except the other accessories in the box.

should be renamed....XBOX 360 Fugly Edition

HDMI Port
but still no lossless audio support...

but still no lossless audio support...

For games, who gives a damn?

but still no lossless audio support...

Who cares it's a friggen video game system...

No one wanting to watch HD-DVD movies would buy this version. At least no one in their right mind. :)

Originally posted by pernar
For games, who gives a damn?
I do... hence the reason I posted... Not to mention why bother with having a HDMI port, if lossless audio is not supported. Although it does help out those who have a display that won't accept 1080P over component. So thats a plus.

who have a display that won't accept 1080P over component.

Heh, I have the opposite problem. My display will accept 1080P over component and VGA but not HDMI. At least, that's what the reviews say. I haven't tried myself yet.

Agreed that this thing is fugly. Idiotic that it doesn't include the game as part of the package.

For games, who gives a damn?


Anyone with a 7.1 audio setup that can handle lossless sound. We aren't going to get many Blu Ray or HD-DVD movies with "true" 7.1 lossless sound, but the PS3 already has 3 games with 7.1 lossless sound (Resistance, Warhawk and Lair). I still don't have a receiver capable of lossless sound yet (will be buying very soon), but I've heard that Resistance sounds amazing with the lossless sound. I wish the Xbox 360 games could do lossless sound too. I wonder if it's a design limitation of the Xbox 360, and lossless sound in games simply isn't possible, or if it's just a matter of a complete reworking of the onboard sound processing, like Amir talked about when everybody originally complained about the Elites HDMI output not passing out lossless sound when used with the HD-DVD add on.

Amir explained that for the HDMI output to be able to output the lossless sound, it would have required a major overhaul to how the sound is processed on the motherboard, and that it just wasn't worth the effort, for the fraction of the user base that has audio equipment that could even take advantage of it. I think he was primarily talking about it from a HD-DVD standpoint, and I wonder if 360 games could use lossless sound anyways? Obviously, the storage of a 9 gig DVD, doesn't give you alot of space for lossless sound.

Well complaining about it is like wining about why doesn't the 360 support Direct X 10 completely because I want Crysis for the 360. Seems really pointless too me.

Maybe for HD-DVD owners, but even then just buy a dedicated player if you have the expensive 7.1 sound system and want to use it to it's fullest. The 360s HD-DVD solution isn't the greatest out there by far.

Enjoy the great sound you get now. Next generation you'll get your 7.1 lossless. Get over it!

Anyone with a 7.1 audio setup that can handle lossless sound. We aren't going to get many Blu Ray or HD-DVD movies with "true" 7.1 lossless sound, but the PS3 already has 3 games with 7.1 lossless sound (Resistance, Warhawk and Lair). I still don't have a receiver capable of lossless sound yet (will be buying very soon), but I've heard that Resistance sounds amazing with the lossless sound. I wish the Xbox 360 games could do lossless sound too. I wonder if it's a design limitation of the Xbox 360, and lossless sound in games simply isn't possible, or if it's just a matter of a complete reworking of the onboard sound processing, like Amir talked about when everybody originally complained about the Elites HDMI output not passing out lossless sound when used with the HD-DVD add on.

Amir explained that for the HDMI output to be able to output the lossless sound, it would have required a major overhaul to how the sound is processed on the motherboard, and that it just wasn't worth the effort, for the fraction of the user base that has audio equipment that could even take advantage of it. I think he was primarily talking about it from a HD-DVD standpoint, and I wonder if 360 games could use lossless sound anyways? Obviously, the storage of a 9 gig DVD, doesn't give you alot of space for lossless sound.

High quality sound takes up a lot more space than lower quality sound. I'm not one of these people that says you need bluray this generation to have great games, but you definitely need more storage than a DVD if you want great games and high quality sound.

It wouldn't fit in with a regular family room or theater room, but it would be really cool in a media/gaming room. Gaming rooms are supposed to look like fun, and this would certainly add to that.

[QUOTE=Jeff Flowerday]Well complaining about it is like wining about why doesn't the 360 support Direct X 10 completely because I want Crysis for the 360. Seems really pointless too me.
QUOTE]

"The third act sounds like it'll be kept a surprise for now, but the first two acts both look and sound incredible, from what we saw. Crysis will support both DirectX 9 and DirectX 10, which means that you can run it on a Windows XP PC, as well as an upcoming Windows Vista PC. You'll get the absolute best graphics with a Vista machine, but DirectX 9 still will look good. The version of the game we saw was using a DirectX 9 machine "simulating" DirectX10 by brute force, and it looked amazing. The battle against the Hunter is incredibly realized, and the lighting and particle effects are unmatched in any game that we've seen. There's also a very cool object-based motion blur effect that Letts told has only previously been seen in CGI animated movies, but now it's in a game. "
http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/crysis/news.html?sid=6150139

just FYI that a 360 version is possible

I actually can see how this special edition 360 will appeal to some people (it is different, it is THE Halo edition), but MS clearly could have done a better job. For me it just doesn't have enough style... It will sell out still of course.

Also, the 20GB tells me that they are after people still sitting on the fence. If you have an Elite or even a Premium there is absolutely no reason to switch or buy this one too...

It was kinda obvious that this was coming but the execution is poor. In my case it means no buyer's remorse for having the Elite instead... (Did I say "thanks MS"?)

Enjoy the great sound you get now. Next generation you'll get your 7.1 lossless. Get over it!

When's that!? I want to get my Xbox 360 on....but the PS3 is looking like a better deal for now.

When do you think most of the issues will be worked out on the 360? Does the 360 have 5.1 sound?

When's that!? I want to get my Xbox 360 on....but the PS3 is looking like a better deal for now.

When do you think most of the issues will be worked out on the 360? Does the 360 have 5.1 sound?
Yes, 360 has 5.1 dolby digital (or optionally WMA if you have a receiver that can handle it).

The sound is excellent, however it does depend on the game of course. I believe the 360 outputs 640kb/s DD which is better bitrate than standard DVD (typically 480kb/s).

Also, the component and VGA connections on 360 are both capable of 1080p video (for games that have that resolution). The only reason for HDMI is as a connectivity solution (audio and video in one cable).

MS believes they have now sorted out the main issues that were causing the 3 red rings failure. They have put their money where their mouth is by offering up a 3yr warranty (covering the 3 red rings problem, all other issues is still 1yr warranty I believe). They don't expect newly purchased 360's to have problems, but none the less you get a 3yr warranty anyway. Clearly MS believes they have resolved the issues and is backing up their product 100% (but yes, they did screw up initially and they finally admit that).

As to which console is a better deal, it all depends on what you want. They each have different feature sets that are thoroughly discussed in these forums and every other video game forum.

I don't expect MS to do a price cut at least for another few months. Peter Moore has stated they are going to carefully watch the sales of PS3 before deciding on a price cut. I think MS would rely on NPD numbers and not anecdotal evidence form Amazon sales rankings or similar things - So I think a price cut is at least 1 or 2 months away. But what do I know.

You also have the option for DTS output when you playback an HD DVD with the Add On.

It's so fugly! Might as well take an olive green spray can and paint a 360. I think this will bomb. I think it'll be such a small run (maybe 10000 units) so they can claim it sold out, but who is going to buy this thing? This is looking like a Sonystyle mistake.

They should've hired one of those vinyl skin makers. Or something! Include a couple face plates (vertical and horizontal!). Maybe have the topside be Master Chief in an epic pose and the bottom side be Covenant.

You also have the option for DTS output when you playback an HD DVD with the Add On.

Well at least you can play DVD's the way they were intended, lol

sure would like that black dpad and sticks on my elite controller.

When's that!? I want to get my Xbox 360 on....but the PS3 is looking like a better deal for now.

When do you think most of the issues will be worked out on the 360? Does the 360 have 5.1 sound?

What issues?