Sony and Microsoft Discuss Blu-ray for Xbox 360

[malware]

The Financial Times citing an unnamed senior executive reports that rivals Sony and Microsoft are discussing the possibility of offering a Blu-ray drive for the Xbox 360. Sony Electronics US president Stan Glasgow also noted that the company was holding discussions with both Microsoft and Apple over Blu-Ray. The report even claims that there is also the possibility of an internal Blu-ray drive being incorporated into a new, more expensive Xbox 360 model, as it is already done in the PlayStation 3. Currently all Xbox 360 consoles support the HD-DVD format only, but since Toshiba abandoned production last month, Microsoft has no choice but to reconsider Blu-ray as vital step forward. Microsoft refused to comment on the story.

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[Wile E]

Lol. Then Sony would make money off of 360s as well. Now that's a winning business strategy. lol.

 

[DanishDevil]

Totally saw this coming. What would be nice is when the price drop comes in a month or so, to add in an internal Blue-Ray drive into the Elite.

 

[Exceededgoku]

The shroud of the dark side has fallen. Begun the Clone War has.

 

[cjoyce1980]

not even sure why sony are involved as its panasonic that owners the parent rights to blu-ray

 

[15th Warlock]

not even sure why sony are involved as its panasonic that owners the parent rights to blu-ray

As of this moment 18 companies that form the Blu-ray Disc Association own the patents to the technology:

MPEG LA announced today that the fourth meeting of essential Blu-ray Disc patent owners, currently consisting of 18 companies, was held in New York on February 6-7 for the purpose of creating a joint license providing fair, reasonable, non-discriminatory access to essential patents, as an alternative to negotiating separate licenses. Significant progress has been made in identifying licensing terms for Blu-ray Disc products such as players, recorders, drives, software, recordable discs and prerecorded discs. Participating companies include CyberLink Corporation; Dell Inc.; Hewlett-Packard Company; Hitachi Ltd.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.; LG Electronics Inc.; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic); Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Pioneer Corporation; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.; Sharp Corporation; Sonic Solutions; Sony Corporation; TDK Corporation; Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.; and Warner Home Video Inc.

Significant progress made toward creation of joint Blu-ray Disc patent license

Sony was the first company to release consumer electronics based on the Blu-Ray specification, and has been one of the strongest backers of that format.

 

[Snake05]

I figured it was coming, but I still really like the idea. I've recently purchased the parents a blue-ray player for christmas, and was wanting one for myself as well, and this will really be handy having it in the 360. I need to sell my current 360 (shotty refurb sent from MS after mine died RROD) and get an elite.

 

[mdm-adph]

Yeah, I know it's petty, but I'm sure enjoying watching Microsoft eat crow for making a blunder.

 

[cincybengal]

MS didn't blunder. If anything, they shortened the format wars by not including HDDVD in the 360. Had they done that, the install base of HDDVD would have been much higher than BD. The great thing about the 360 is MS gave customers a choice to add HD movies. This will just be another option MS may offer customers. Nothing wrong with that!

However, the next generation XBOX is almost guaranteed to include BD in the box for the storage advantages. Anyways, I think MS is more interested in developing digital delivery of movies rather than a disc format.

 

[WarEagleAU]

Dont think it would be worth it to include BD in future xbox 360s, maybe the next iteration. Im glad to see this finally happening though. MS truly wanted to pit BD vs HDDVD to make it so stagnant that folks would swoop in with digital downloads and the like.

 

[mdm-adph]

MS didn't blunder. If anything, they shortened the format wars by not including HDDVD in the 360. Had they done that, the install base of HDDVD would have been much higher than BD. The great thing about the 360 is MS gave customers a choice to add HD movies. This will just be another option MS may offer customers. Nothing wrong with that!

However, the next generation XBOX is almost guaranteed to include BD in the box for the storage advantages. Anyways, I think MS is more interested in developing digital delivery of movies rather than a disc format.

Buddy, you can make lemonade out of lemons all you want, but "another option?" This will the the only option MS may offer now, unless they want to look ridiculous.

 

[Saakki]

when shall Sony and Microsoft unite? "rolleyes" that would be bad for business tough..btw i was on blurays side since it launched and foresaw that hd-dvd will drop out =)

 

[hacker111]

No offence but how is Microsoft going to benifit from this? Sony will. So why are they even thinking about it?

 

[Ravenas]

People with the old HD-DVD add ons should be able to trade them in to get this external blu ray player for a reduced price.

 

[xylomn]

People with the old HD-DVD add ons should be able to trade them in to get this external blu ray player for a reduced price.

admittedly that would be great but you can also see the point that its the own fault of the people who bought the hd-dvd player before the format war was decided

 

[effmaster]

Lol. Then Sony would make money off of 360s as well. Now that's a winning business strategy. lol.

Doesnt Toshiba get money for every PS3 sold since they helped to develop the CELL processor??

This is what has been Microsofts strategy all along which was to offer both digital downloads and High Definition Movies on High Definition discs (note that i said HD discs and not HD DVD discs) to consumers so that they could always have a choice.
Of course Sony is going to receive money off of every Blu Ray drive for the 360 heck the Blu Ray Disc Association charges $40 in royalty fees per Blu Ray player.

It wouldnt surprise me still if the Microsoft Blu Ray add on for the 360 whenever it comes out will be the same price or more as the original HD DVD add on, Since the royalty fee is higher. But then again... this is all speculation noone really knows whats going to happen right now since Microsoft is denying all of this anyways.

 

[effmaster]

Buddy, you can make lemonade out of lemons all you want, but "another option?" This will the the only option MS may offer now, unless they want to look ridiculous.

The fact that Microsoft offers HD movie downloads will always be another option

 

[Dangle]

Yea, the HD movie downloads are pretty badass. As long as you have a decent connection, you can start watching the HD movie 5-10 minutes after you start downloading it.

 

[Dr. Spankenstein]

And might we add "Blu-ray exclusive" titles for DL on XBL!!1!

Now if I could just get my Talismoon MiniSpy I would be on track for an awsome movie collection to stream to my display...

 

[Easy Rhino]

considering the blu-ray player in the PS3 is top tier and highly upgradable through firmware, im certain xbox360 owners will be more than pleased with the add-on. HOWEVER, is it true that the blu-ray player in the PS3 runs more on software than hardware? that might mean that the blu-ray drive for the xbox360 wont be as "powerful."

 

[OrbitzXT]

Currently all Xbox 360 consoles support the HD-DVD format only, but since Toshiba abandoned production last month,

Not to nitpick, but isn't that a tad inaccurate? I'm sure 99% of us know you need to buy the external addon for HD-DVD support, but just incase a random person out there thinks their Xbox 360 naturally supports HD-DVDs..it doesn't.

 

[Easy Rhino]

unless the add-on drive will be under $200 i dont see a real reason to buy one. by the time the add-on drives are available a lot of high end blu-ray players will be around $250-300. imo, pay the extra cash for a stand alone.

 

[hacker111]

unless the add-on drive will be under $200 i dont see a real reason to buy one. by the time the add-on drives are available a lot of high end blu-ray players will be around $250-300. imo, pay the extra cash for a stand alone.

Its still worth it either way since toshiba abandoned HD DVDS