Worth getting the HDDVD addon?

Get it.

I purchased the add-on and have been using Netflix to get HD DVDs. Given you have a HDTV and want more HD content, it is a decent option for existing 360 owners. I would not buy a 360 + HD DVD add-on just for HD DVD support.

That said, the PQ is very good. I also think the audio quality is a noticeable step up. There is an obvious downside. In comparison to DVD, the selection is sparse for either HD DVD or BluRay. The add-on plays DVDs, close to silent, so that is something to consider. It is also nice to be able to leave the game I'm playing in the main drive while watching a movie in the add-on (vs exchanging discs).

From what I understand, there is a $99 deal happening with a vendor (search the forums here). If that's true, it is a near must-have for HDTV + 360 owners.

Why would the final format winner effect what movies you rent from Netflix now? I have the HD-DVD player and I pretty much only rent movies for it. Highly recommended.

Yep $99 bucks at certain stores or $159.99 via Circuit City...Great deal.

You already mentioned you watch a lot of movies so why not jump into the next-gen extremely cheap with higher quality...I picked it up and went through Blockbuster and I go through about 6 movies a week so it was a great investment for me actually...Although between games/movies I have to split my time and I would rather play games than watch movies...But you already stated you watched a lot so go for it. Some HD-DVDs are amazing compared to their SD-DVD counterparts but some are not a huge jump up...But well worth it if you are an avid movie viewer....

^^
I think the CC deal expired now.

it better have hehe... I just bought mine yesterday from CC and paid 199.99, I'd be pretty ticked if I was supposed to get it for $160.

Although if it is still going on, a link would be nice

Get it, I have a 360 w/HD DVD and a PS3 and I haven't purchased a movie for either yet. I use Netflix to get my HD movies, and they've done a very good job of embracing both new formats.

I love my hd-dvd addon. I paid full price @ launch and still feel it was a bargain.

Netflix has been great, I also rented a few from Hollywood Video and bought a few at Target.

The ironic thing is because I've enjoyed hd-dvd so much, I'm now thinking of picking up a PS3 for BR discs.

They have another coupon floating around that expires 01/21/2007. If I run across it again I'll post the link.

Here it goes! http://www.**************/forums/mess...=y&keyword1=cc

Yes it is definitely worth it. But like somebody mentioned before it isn't worth it if you don't already have an Xbox 360 and you decide to buy the 360+HD-DVD just for watching the movies.

Unless of course you purchase it with the intention of using it via a PC/HTPC once that capability becomes readily available as it's much cheaper than any other HD-DVD player on the market for a standalone

the HD-DVD is 1000% worth it

I'll agree 1000% with your 1000%. I got it with a 360 (all together) as the main "Santa" item for my boys. Love it... the 360 and the HD-DVD add-on. I got a unit that included the King Kong HD-DVD too... definite difference. I have the standard DVD version. Watched some scenes from the standard version (in the HD-DVD player), then watched the same scenes on the HD-DVD... definitely better! It does a great job of up-converting standard DVD's too... I'm using VGA by the way.

>>it isn't worth it if you don't already have an Xbox 360 and you decide to buy the 360+HD-DVD just for watching the movies.

i don't agree. even if you are going to watch movies 95% and play games 5%, get a 360 + addon. i think casual gamers would be very surprised how much fun xbla is + media downloads + photo viewing.

i guess the exception is the really high-end guys that want lossless audio.

Thanks.

Which stores? PM me if needed.

They pretty much have most of them I believe.

At Netflix, Go to browse, and they have a whole HD-DVD section. It's about 100 titles IIRC.

I also disagree that buying both xbox 360 and the add-on just to watch movies is a bad idea. The total cost isn't much more than a standalone, and if the format goes belly up, only a part of your investment becomes obsolete and virtually worthless.

+1

I got my addon for xmas this year and I like it so far. My first unit was DOA, but I exchanged it the next day and that unit is working great.

So far the picture quality is about the same as my d-vhs/d-theater setup. It is nice to have the option of extra movie titles available as well as a netflix type rental option for hd releases.

I would definitely recommend the unit. It is working really good and has a very attractive price point.

I also recommend picking up The Hulk on HDDVD after you get your player. I think this release actually looks better than King Kong. Very impressive!

The marginal cost isn't high for this add-on, so you can get the picture quality boost cheaply.

The bad side, of course, is that you can forget about much improvement in sound on titles that use higher bitrates and newer codecs than old Dolby Digital or DTS. All sound is downconverted into DD for output to your receiver, probably with a 640 kbps ceiling. A real standalone player would have an HDMI output or multiple analog outs that could carry 7.1 uncompressed multichannel sound to your receiver (even if your receiver doesn't have the newest codecs, you can let the player decode it), in addition to routing video through the receiver. But this costs significant money right now, and you can throw away or sell the Xbox HD-DVD add-on later when good standalone HD-DVD players become available for cheap (same goes for the receivers). If you don't have a receiver with HDMI or multiple analog inputs, then the inability to get high resolution sound is even less of a problem, because you'd have to spend $$ to get both a more expensive HD-DVD player and a new receiver.

I would say NO until (IF) there is some REAL confirmation on HDMI support.
No HDMI = the add-on is a brick when the movie studios turn on ICT. (and it IS when, not if).

I have to agree I have yet to see a better looking title from King Kong...I am still waiting for my copy of Hulk from Blockbuster but it hasnt shipped to me yet *argh*..But I walked into my local Hollywood and Blockbuster today and they both had HD-DVD available! So score for me!...King Kong is just amazing.


Thats absurd that wont ever happen...Despite being discussed it is highly unlikely to actually happen...I call BS not to you but for companies actually making people believe that type of propaganda to move more next-gen expensive players and cables....

well said.
MS will release a HDMI option for 360, my guess before holiday 07 .

A VGA connection fit into my projector, and it's perfect. If BD gets the format, I'll still have a viable gaming platform.

You're pretty naive if you think the movie studios WONT try to turn on ICT sometime in the (near?) future.

As to whether or not MS gets HDMI support out, i'm willing to bet it will be something on the lines of "only works with later revisions of the xbox 360".

And even then, you'd still say no.