Rumor: Xbox 360 getting an HDMI port

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jul 10th 2006 at 11:55AM }

It simply wouldn't be a normal weekend if a drenched rumor didn't wash up on the internet's binary beach, gasping for air and haphazardly telling you about anonymous sources and secretly snapped pictures. Still picking seaweed out of its hair, the latest washout professes to know all about another forthcoming Xbox 360 ~~SDK~~ SKU, one featuring a newfangled HDMI port. The picture on the right is meant to be confirmation, an Xbox 360 motherboard stripped naked and bearing the port that's considered by many to be the standard for true HD content. Note the positioning of the ports in relation to the heatsink in the background. Is it upside-down, and if so, why did the ethernet and USB ports switch places?

It's not that we don't trust things that have just recently been tossed out of the ocean, but signs point to this rumor in particular having been in a tussle with a remarkably violent manatee. In other, less ridiculously analogous words, previous comments from Microsoft don't quite support it. Just last month, Microsoft rubbished claims of an Xbox 360 with built-in HD-DVD drive and before that, they remarked that "you don't need HDMI for HD gaming."

With a seperate HD-DVD drive and the format's Image Constraint Token supposedly delayed until 2010, reasons for an HDMI-capable Xbox 360 (instead of first-party converter cable) become quite nebulous, at least if Microsoft doesn't plan on annoying early adopters of its spinning system. We've contacted Microsoft and, barring the usual "we don't comment on rumors or speculation" reply, we'll be sure to let you know whether or not you can believe some things spurned from the sea.

[Via Engadget, thanks to everyone who sent this in.]

See also:

Tags: 1080i, 1080p, 720p, Blu-Ray, HD, HD-DVD, HD-Ready, HDMI, High Definition, HighDefinition, ICP, MSFT

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

bassbeast @ Jul 10th 2006 12:13PM

I call BS on this one. Why would they make it part of the hardware? Considering every other A/V output on the system - including digital audio - is done via proprietary cable, wouldn't it be more likely that they'd make an adaptor to work with the nebulous output plug?

Before I'm flamed, I realise that PS3 has it right on the hardware. But history can show that the original PlayStation model had RCA outs on the back, and was quickly scrapped.

baberg @ Jul 10th 2006 12:31PM

Fake. There's so many things wrong I can't even begin to imagine how people would believe it. Swapped ports, no "overhead" view to prove that it's a 360 board, no evidence of even potentially leaning that way from Microsoft, the proprietary cable issue that Joystiq brings up...

Not a chance in Hades that this is real.

Adam @ Jul 10th 2006 12:32PM

I wondered that too about the HDMI output. Why can't MS just make another video out module for the 360 that ends in HDMI? I haven't seen anyone online dealing with this - is it technically impossible for some reason?

jc @ Jul 10th 2006 12:33PM

On my X360, the video connector is on the left and the USB/LAN port is on the right.

Given that MS sells numerous WiFi adaptors, and these adaptors have a fixed length cable... wouldn't it make sense for the updated motherboard to keep the USB in the original location?

I not necessarly saying this is a fake, but it does seem a little fishy.

apoc06 @ Jul 10th 2006 12:33PM

SDK or SKU?

KawF @ Jul 10th 2006 12:38PM

Since the current generation of 360 hardware does not even include the chipsets needed to output a digital picture, even less one with HDCP protection, it simply wont matter whatever "proprietary cable" they release.

I refer you to the free60-project for more info, they have detailed documentation of the hardware for everyone to read:
http://wiki.free60.org/Documentation

At least last I looked, I could find nothing that suggested, even remoteley, that there was any capability of digital video output in hardware.

Ludwig Kietzmann @ Jul 10th 2006 1:26PM

Thanks for spotting that, apoc06.

From the comments so far, it looks like it was fair to portray this rumor as ocean dreck. I'd be very surprised and confused if there's any truth to it at all.

Pedro @ Jul 10th 2006 1:29PM

Looks like early 360 buyers are going to get shafted.

MumbleyJoe @ Jul 10th 2006 2:15PM

Adam (no.3), from the link provided in the article to the Todd Holmdahl (Corporate VP of the Xbox Product Group)interview, his full quote is:

"We’re poised to hit the sweet spot of the HD market at launch and as the market matures, and we will provide an HDMI for our customers when it makes sense. The reality is, you don’t need HDMI for HD gaming."

This was after last year's E3, so potentially before all the hardware was finalized. But to me it illustrates that they've planned to be able to implement HDMI on the existing hardware all along.

Robotic House Plant @ Jul 10th 2006 2:18PM

Do we know for a fact the 360 cannot output HDMI even with unknown adapters/hardware yet to be announced?

Is there a technical specification published somewhere?

dsub @ Jul 10th 2006 5:16PM

While I will say this is fake, one must assume that sooner or later an HDMI output on the 360 is bound to happen. While it's not really necessary since the 360 cannot output 1080p, there will always be someone who longs for it. Consoles have changed there output configurations in the past.

The original PS1 had direct Audio/Video jacks right out of the back of the system, and they were later changed to a standard sony output later on. The Gamecube initially had a Digital A/V out jack on the back for use with there Progressive Scan Component Cables, but they later removed it as the cables were barely used by anyone.

While I wouldn't say this is true until an official announcement is made, I would still say it's possible. I'm an early adopter, and if this change does happen, I don't feel screwed at all. I have no use for an HDMI output on my 360, and even if it was there, I wouldn't use it. The picture quality gained with an HDMI cable is barely noticable anyways.