Xbox 360 as HD DVD Player: One and Only thread Here

[AuroraProject]

Got mine today, I just walked into my local Game Crazy and asked for one! For those asking about regular dvd upconversion, I tried a regular dvd in both drives over component and both output 480p, so it looks like no upconversion over component. I'm off to pick up a vga cable tomorrow.

[vanilla rice]

i really hope it's true about the HDMI, primarily because i don't have an upconverting DVD player and it'd be nice if the 360 could do it for me. plus, i recently got Monster components, and while it was an upgrade from the stock, i can return them to switch to HDMI (i got them less than a month ago).

[Blippy2005]

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post8872426

I have an 8800GTX . And I now have, I believe, a hybrid BD/HD DVD player. I'm going to do some more testing and make sure everything is still working correctly, and then I'll document the entire creation process and how it all works together. It's not exactly the most intuitive system but I think it works! I'm not trying to be a tease, it will likely be Monday evening before I can have everything up. So if you want to try it yourself, then here's what you need:

The Japanese WinDVD release with patches
Altiris' Software Virtualization Personal Edition (free)
XBox HD DVD drive
Blu Ray drive
HDCP compliant video card
Fairly beefy system or a card that can handle the decoding

Use the Altiris software to create virtualization layers of both the HD and BD versions of WinDVD. Activate whichever layer you require for the disk you want to play. It worked for me with the HD DVD drive, and based on that it should work fine with BD. I'll be able to tell you for sure on Monday evening. Is it cheap? Nope. But having a hybrid player feels pretty good.

Here's a link to a post describing how to order Intervideo WinDVD 8 with HD-DVD/Blu-Ray support.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post8871286

And another discussion on TheGreenButton (WINMCE forums)

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/per...ad.aspx#148368




Thanks Microsoft & Toshiba!

So in theory assuming one had all the compliant parts already the HD-DVD addon drive for Xbox 360 is the drive to buy for PC as well! WOOHOO!

[Robert D]

Originally Posted by vanilla rice

i really hope it's true about the HDMI, primarily because i don't have an upconverting DVD player and it'd be nice if the 360 could do it for me. plus, i recently got Monster components, and while it was an upgrade from the stock, i can return them to switch to HDMI (i got them less than a month ago).

I believe the xBox will up-scale standard DVD's via the vga output.

[jgasp]

does anyone have their set with a mitsubishi wd-52631?
if so do you use a regular VGA to DVI adapter to display 1080p?

[pospower]

Anyone willling to part with there coupon for CC. Or where can I get one.

[purduealum91]

Hey Gang,

THe link to that CC coupon came from I believe fat wallet. I downloaded, printed it out and took it to the only CC that had it in stock. Yes, it says no phorocopies are accepted. Mine took it with no questions asked.

[bass4040]

From the xbox scene forums, seems to be a driver released for the xbox hd drive for the pc. With it you can view the file structure and dump your bought movies to the hard drive, but it won't play the movie without the right software player. King Kong read as 30 gigs and Batman 24.8 gigs.

[gotspeed6]

How do I get hd dvd to play from dashboard? I know its something very simple

[purduealum91]

Gotspeed,

You need to go to the media tab on the dashboard I believe. Look towards the bottom for a spere on the left hand side. The sphere is bisected. Move your cursor over the upper-hals, and you eject the 360 drive. The lower half of the sphere ejects the add-ons tray.

[Rhegaana]

Hi everyone! Can someone let me know if the HD-DVD playback has small black bars on the left and right side via vga on lcd's, with the settings on the 360 at 1360x768. Preferably recent 768p samsungs.
I notice this during regular dvd playback with the 360. A small minor annoyance but the picture was still great.

[Spooksta]

Originally Posted by mboojigga

I am here to say HDMI not needed at this point in time.

So your saying my 12m $150 HDMI cable i use for my Denon DVD player should sit there and do nothing...?

I would say its best to have "The Best Of Both Worlds" to please everyone. If its possible then why not?
So stop with the not needed. It is needed!!!!

[Spooksta]

Originally Posted by Spooksta

Can someone please let me know if the Ghosting problem over component on the Xbox360/DVD playback (as seen on Pany AE500/700/900 projectors) is a problem with this Add on over component.

Realy need to know...Thanks

Sorry to quote myself but while my HDMI cable sits idle waiting for the Microsoft HDMI cable to to come out id really like to know if my component cable will work with the AE700. Someone has already pointed out that it should be fine as the HD-DVD add on will output 720p not 576p but id love to have proof.

[lovswr]

Originally Posted by Uptown193

here is my pic of my set up, wat u think? excuse the PQ, its form my analog camera phone.

Nice Yptonw193. I especially like the Sony RX as I have the very same one downstairs!

[gotspeed6]

Originally Posted by purduealum91

Gotspeed,

You need to go to the media tab on the dashboard I believe. Look towards the bottom for a spere on the left hand side. The sphere is bisected. Move your cursor over the upper-hals, and you eject the 360 drive. The lower half of the sphere ejects the add-ons tray.

thanks like I said VERY SIMPLE

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by BioSehnsucht

It's been said before but I'll say it again. If your 360 is loud while playing DVDs/HD-DVDs you need to ventilate the system better.

During games, well the disc is spinning 12X constantly then and its quite loud. It's not the fans that make all the racket.

If someone has a "loud" player (louder than their DVD playback w/ internal drive) then I'd presume they got a bum drive.

There's more to it than that.....the launch units had two different drives, one of the drives was really loud, the other wasn't so bad....they've since replaced the really loud drive entirely. I read this on one of the xbox sites. If you've got the loud drive you've just got a loud system. My hand falls there for my launch day unit........the xbox 360 is loud enough to not want to be used as a dvd drive.

[Damnationdoormat]

Has this been posted yet?

From another forum:

As discussed earlier, I was quite excited to discover a little package from Microsoft when I got back from Montreal. A brand new Xbox 360 HD DVD drive. After installing the hardware and associated updates I was I horrified to discover that when I hit the eject button for the first time the unit decided to rip out its HD DVD laser diode.

When the tray ejected it stopped about one third of the way out, did a little back and forward movement and then fully ejected. Of course sitting happily on the tray was the laser. Unit completely broken.

[cnickersonjr]

What The *#$%

[persiannight]

I've found both Charlie & Chocolate Family and V for Vendetta to be on the softer side as far as image quality goes. King Kong though looks razor sharp. I'm using a Westy 37" 1080p set via VGA cable. Just my observations. I returned my initial HD-DVD drive because it was REALLY loud and exchanged it and the new one is mega-quiet.

[lowenbotten]

Originally Posted by Spooksta

So your saying my 12m $150 HDMI cable i use for my Denon DVD player should sit there and do nothing...?

I would say its best to have "The Best Of Both Worlds" to please everyone. If its possible then why not?
So stop with the not needed. It is needed!!!!

Um, did you think you were impressing us by letting us know you have a $150 HDMI cable? I hope you realize that most people here will think you are quite foolish for spending that much on an HDMI cable.

[persiannight]

Well because it's $150, won't my 0's and 1's be transferred at a higher quality???

[nharmon91]

Originally Posted by purduealum91

Heres the link to the coupon. My Amazon add-on will be going back.

http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cc40200zk2.jpg

Does this work?, If so does anyone know if EB Games does returns?, Cause $40 is definatly worth the hassle.

[unimatrixzer0]

Why do you need the Japanese version of WinDVD? Doesn't WinDVD 8 offer HD support already? So I'm going to assume the menu's and options are all in Japanese as well?

[mlb5000]

Originally Posted by Damnationdoormat

Has this been posted yet?

From another forum:

That's f-ed up...glad mine didn't do that.

[cnickersonjr]

Originally Posted by nharmon91

Does this work?, If so does anyone know if EB Games does returns?, Cause $40 is definatly worth the hassle.

I inquired about returns when I did my preorder at the local EB. I was told once it was opened, it couldn't be returned. You could trade it in towards another purchase(but the credit is BS, as always). So I canceled my preorder. Try it and see, but I dought it.

[Uptown193]

Originally Posted by lovswr

Nice Yptonw193. I especially like the Sony RX as I have the very same one downstairs!

thanks a lot bro, it works great right and give out nice sound in DTS. Cheers to you.

[Uptown193]

Wow i cant believe that happened to you, definately defective. oh well go back and get a new one.

[racerx77]

Originally Posted by persiannight

I've found both Charlie & Chocolate Family and V for Vendetta to be on the softer side as far as image quality goes. King Kong though looks razor sharp. I'm using a Westy 37" 1080p set via VGA cable.

Thats really odd. Charlie and the chocolate factory is beyond amazing on my set. Not soft at all. (Mitsubishi 65731) not sure if it has anything to do with VGA or not. Or perhaps even the player (Toshiba HD-A1).

[Karnis]

I picked one up this morning, the various Electronics Boutique stores and their variants seem to be the way to go. Installation is a snap. The drive also has 2 USB ports which can be used as a hub. The drive tray seems pretty flimsy. The overall audio volume seems a bit low as reported, at least on Batman Begins. The remote is back lit and responsive...remember to remove the plastic film from the remote. Picture quality is excellent, I'm using 720p component out to a Samsung 50" 720p DLP HDTV. BB is nice and sharp with deep blacks. Havent tried King Kong yet, and I also have MI:3 as well. First impressions are impressive, excellent value for the money, especially when you throw in the remote & the KK disc. One nice feature of HD DVD is you can access all the disc menus without interrupting the movie.

[Spooksta]

Originally Posted by lowenbotten

Um, did you think you were impressing us by letting us know you have a $150 HDMI cable? I hope you realize that most people here will think you are quite foolish for spending that much on an HDMI cable.

No i didn't. Your point is, apart from being pointless?


http://www2.dvigear.com/hffiopcaff10.html

http://www2.dvigear.com/hdmi12metershr.html

Mine looks cheap now.. happy