XBOX will NOT play DVD movies out of the box???????

[JayPatel]

wtf...............we have to buy software for this things to play movies????

This just plain sucks!!!

 

[xtreme2k]

you know what

xbox is made by m$
and M$ is not charity

 

[pg22]

hmmm...right now I'm hedging my bets on the fact that there was a "miscommunication" somewhere. I'd be really surprised if MS drummed the DVD thing for a while and then dropped it, unless they plan on aggressive pricing.

I bet we see a correction.

 

[LordSandMan]

Microsoft????? Agressive pricing???? HA,ya right..........

 

[Rigoletto]

I hear the PS2 is dying in Japan from lack of new software.
If microsoft present obstacles to the user, they will not win customers either...

 

[Celstar]

Ahhh so this makes my decision to get a playstation 2 easier. I was really comtemplating as to where I should wait for the xbox or get the ps2 now.

The choice is clear. Final Fantasy series and DVD capability. Get the PS2!

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Matsushita will be offering a DVD capable Gamecube next year as well, so don't count them out.

 

[JayPatel]

up until now M$ was doing everything right with their first venture in the console market...

 

[lordtenchi71]

I think this is actually a good thing for the X-Box. Look at the PS2... $299 retail (if you can find one) plus $30 (?) for the remote. By making the one thing that a true game console doesn't really need optional, they can sell the unit at a much more agressive price. Think of this... X-Box Core console at $200, DVD upgrade $100. Sounds good to me since I really don't need another DVD player in my home, why pay the extra money for it? I can see more people jumping on this that at a $300-$350 price point.

 

[Noriaki]

Celstar: Exactly

 

[SSP]

Mah! I have a DVD player, so I don't care. I'd stil' buy the X-box.

 

[JayPatel]

that makes no sense, its just a software option that enables dvd playback....the thing is already dvd ready..all the necessary hardware components for dvd playback is in the system....its not gonna make a difference in manufacturing costs by eliminating this feature....they simply need to build the playback ability into its operating system. its not like a proposed dvd addon the dreamcast was going to have before they canned the idea....

 

[lordtenchi71]

In a way it does. Someone has to pay for the Cinemaster license and the remote. Nintendo is doing the same exact thing to reduce costs. The N-Cube is capable of playing DVD's but they're not selling it that way to reduce costs by keeping their machine a true game console, not a multi-media set-top box.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

I think MS realized how expensive the Xbox is going to cost, and now they're trying to shave off some extra features to try and save money.

Yes, I know they sell consoles at a loss, but you can only lose so much money.

 

[RagingGuardian]

Actually the NCube still wouldn't be able to play DVDs since it uses a type of mini-disks which are of course smaller than DVDs. DVD just won't be able to physically fit into the drive unit. It's all proprietory or however you spell that word.

If Microsoft decides to not have DVD playback enabled in each unit they won't have to pay the DVD Forum for each drive manufactured. I think the price is around $10 per drive. Some pretty hefty stuff.

 

[Aquaman]

KnightBreed......... isn't Matsushita = Panasonic??? Are they licensing the Gamecube Technology or are they making the cubes for Nintendo??? As far as I know Nintendo makes there own gaming systems & does not license their stuf out. Any web links???

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[RagingGuardian]

Matsushita or Panasonic in America is manufacturing the drives for the NCube. They plan on releasing a DVD enabled GameCube in Japan only.

 

[SuperFreaky]

Microsoft is probably doing this to keep the cost of the console down. By including DVD playback out of the box they would have to pay a royalty to the MPAA (like $20 per console from what I've heard). Since not all people are interested in DVD playback they are letting the consumer decide if they want such an option, much like nintendo is doing with the masushita/panasonic DVD player.

 

[pg22]

I still think this is a mistake.

I guess we'll see tonight if the gaming sites mention this (as this would be very big news).

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

Nintendo is taking the best route here. All of us have dvd players already, be it on our computers or standalone players for our hometheaters. Why pay extra for something we already have?? Also, i move my consoles around a lot, so it would be a pain in the ass to have to reconnect my digital output and component outs to the back of the tv. With the nintendo not choosing to have dvd playback, i assume that it will use svideo connnections which i can plug into the FRONT of my tv. Also nintendo is using all proprietary stuff. NO possibility for game copying or anything of the sort.

 

[Demosthenes]

Never, ever ever, ever say never when it comes to piracy. You never know what those l337z0res p1r8es will come up with next..

 

[Dark4ng3l]

Actualy Matsuhita owns nintendo if I remeber corectly. The cuba can read full sized dvd's the unit is big enough to do it(read it in some preview) The mnini disks are to prevent pyracy/reduce costs.

 

[Sephiroth_IX]

Oh this is just horrible. SIC.


Look, lets say the Xbox was going to cost $299 out of the box.

Now, without the DVD playback enabled, you can buy it for $250.



How is this a bad deal? If you do not NEED DVD, don't pay the extra cash. If you do, you can either buy it outright or get a $50 upgrade later on. More options = more markets. This is marketing, and it will work, simply because Microsoft doesn't fail. They will get the word out that you have the OPTION, and things will roll on like butter.

 

[Dark4ng3l]

Yes they will be saving money but i highly doubt they will lower the price.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

<< Actualy Matsuhita owns nintendo if I remeber corectly. >>


That doesn't seem right at all. Nintendo is now and always has been their own company.