[TraderGordo]

The suspense is killing me. I know someone on here has one right now hooked up to their high definition television, and I want details!


This is weird, don't know if others here are like me. I never play video games, I don't own any video game system, I have no kids, and yet I am very excited about this thing strictly for the whole "home theater"ness of it (HD + Dolby Digital 5.1). I hope to have one before all the family (26 relatives are coming!) is over for Thanksgiving. In the very least, it will create a diversion for the kids...


But also I'd like to note that I think a lot of people are underestimating what Microsoft's intentions are with the XBox. It has high speed internet capabilities (ethernet port) and it is "secure". Couple this with the fact that it does HD output and DD sound. This is more than a video game system. Soon, I believe, you will be downloading movies with this thing, and in the next version, when the hard drive exceeds 20 gigs, you will be able to download HIGH DEFINITION movies though this thing (yes, at current average broadband xfer rates, and average size of HD movies at 17 gigs, it may take a day or two to actually download an HD movie, but we are talking about the future here). Think about it, cheaper and much easier than a video store, better selection, no returns. Hollywood finally jumps on board with the whole digital transfer of movies...

 

[TraderGordo]

This info is from a friend who just emailed me. Don't ask me questions about it because I don't have mine yet:


I got in line at WalMart at 8:00 pm last night and was number 16! I got an

Xbox! They didn't have the Hi-Def connectors but it still looks great on

the composite inputs. In the system set-up there is an 16:9 option so no

need for FULL or EXPAND formats on the Mits. The Surround sound (DD 5.1) is

very good. Im gonna try and track down the component cables on my lunch

hour.


I have Dead or Alive 3 and Oddworld, I guess they are both 16:9 games? On

the first start up of xbox you have to enter the date, time and set a few

options. Under video there are three options: normal(4:3) letterbox(black

bars top and bottom) and widescreen. So I guess the Xbox will stretch 4:3

games to 16:9 and not the TV? In DoA3 there is an Intro. for the software

development group who made the game that is 4:3 but is only lasts for about

5 to 10 seconds, other than that the entire game is 16:9 (so far). Oddworld

seems to be 100% 16:9


Xbox comes with power cable, composite video with Left and Right Stereo (all

RCA connectors), one controller and documentation. For the home theater nut, you must get the HD adapter kit or a 3rd party solution. Apparently Microsoft's AV packs are not shielded! Monster Cable, of course is capitalizing on this:


While these boxes offer users a good bit of flexibility, Monster saw it differently. "We felt that the current designs available left lots of room for improvement. The biggest problem was the big black box and the potential for all types of noise to get in your system," said Rusty Everett, who heads up X Link product development. And it's true: The A/V Packs are not shielded, which leaves them open to interference.


You can get thier cables for XBox for about $100 (component + optical for audio). Fully shilded and no ugly black boxes.


Here is a link to cables I want to get for HD/DD5.1
http://gear.ign.com/articles/315938p1.html