Rumorang: Xbox 360 external Blu-ray drive ready, waiting

by James Ransom-Wiley on Oct 8th 2008 12:28PM

Aw, and we were just starting to miss our Blu-box graphic ... Sure enough, after several months of peaceful bliss, here we are again on the verge of an Xbox 360 Blu-ray announcement! Or not. Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology Corp. (not to be confused with plain old "Toshiba Corp.," which is apparently "strictly against Blu-ray") has allegedly been contracted to manufacture an external Blu-ray drive for Xbox 360, reports X-bit labs. The drives are rumored to retail at around $100 to $150 in an attempt to cut into PlayStation 3 sales (combine a $150 drive with the Xbox 360 Arcade, for example, and the total cost would be $350).

X-bit labs speculates Microsoft may launch the external drive this holiday, but with reportedly low sales, Blu-ray could likely wait until a proper CES unveiling. Still, we've got TGS popping off in mere hours and Blu-ray's clock ticking down every day. No time to waste then?

Source

Tags: blu-ray, breakingnews, microsoft, rumorang, samsung, toshiba, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (131)

I doubt this. It makes no sense - people aren't going to be buying 360s to watch Blu-Rays on when in 2-3 years you'll be able to have a player for about $50.

there are millions of current 360 owners who have neither a ps3 nor a stand alone player who would disagree with you. If they follow through on a $100 drive, it will sell plenty to existing customers and help make some new ones.

What JSN said. I also have a PS3, so this is teh borings.

If MS released a Blu-Ray drive for $100-150, I would buy one tomorrow.

I've been looking at buying a PS3 or standalone player, but I can't stomach the $300+ pricepoint right now.

I could give a rat's ass about Blu-Ray when I can stream movies this fall and if I want the HD version (like Speed Racer), I can download it from LIVE.

As for owning the PHYSICAL media, I'm NOT a collector. I could care less about owning a piece of plastic that takes up space in my living room AND I have to pop into a drive to use. Screw that, simplicity and ease.

Apparently I'm the minority but honestly, that's in a sample of gaming enthusiasts. In the mainstream though, it's you, the gaming enthusiasts who are the minority so like me, I'm sure a majority of people like the idea of NOT having to swap out discs OR load in individual discs to watch a movie.

To me, the benefits of Blu-Ray don't justify the cost and a majority of the world agrees with me, not the "vocal" gaming population.

@D dogg... Most of the "mainstream" movie viewers that I know actually care about video and sound quality and Blu-ray blows away anything you can stream/download at the moment. If anything, I would expect "gaming enthusiasts" accessing this stuff from a console to care less and be in favor of downloads but apparently that is also not the case according to you.

"'vocal' gaming population." - key phrase from my post.

As local TV and cable move to HD (no, not everything is shot in HD at the moment even if your station is transmitting in HD) then people will start to want that quality.

By then though I expect the streaming and downloading services to have tackled the issue of massive bandwidth. I'm sure that is why Samsung is estimating 5 years... we'll see though.

As for mainstream, I'm not referring to the ones I personally know. The people I personally know are movie buffs, nerds, gamers and generally those that would care. The mainstream I'm referring to are the people in which view the media I buy and place... and they're, millions of people, not caring too much about HD at the moment. Football, primetime shows... yeah, but it's not a big priority at the moment.

@D dogg when you download movies from LIVE you only own them for a limited amount of time. When you buy them on Blu-Ray you keep them forever.

Seems to me that many people who have advanced HD set-ups in their home have been buying PS3's as well as more expensive stand alone players for a while now. So it would be good for anyone with a large install base of visual electronics to add BR to their device in order to get some added money. MS would be able to turn a certain segment of current 360 owners into sales of such an add-on device, who would then not go out to buy something else to play BR. That would allow them to milk their base and to hurt some Sony sales of the PS3. So I don't see why it’s such a bad idea for them to do. It’s a business strategy.

@ Smurfy

That's true, with a Blu-Ray disc you own the rights to view that movie whenever you want... but at what cost?

Rarely do I ever watch a movie more than twice. Is that worth $20 to me? No, it's not to me. I'd rather spend $10 to watch it twice, not have to worry where to put the disc and spend the remaining $10 on something else.

I did start collecting HD DVD's but I stopped because it just wasn't worth it to me anymore.

D Dogg probably has a point. If more people cared about hd then the hd-dvd would still be around. The players were cheaper than blu-ray players and more available. A blu-ray add-on would be good for the xbox. There's no real harm other than having another peripheral inside of your media cabinet.

@mike

yeah but point is no-one cared about HD until it was forced on us. Then everyone was brainwashed with advertisements. manufactures lead and try to start a trend with massive amounts of money and hope the public pick it up.

See, there's an example of me not thinking; I read the "compete with the PS3's blu-ray capabilities" part and didn't think of the millions who already have 360s.

jsn- um microsoft managed to sell 100,000 HD drives to over 10 million xbox owners at that time.
that was a failure..
dont expect these to sell very well if they are ever released.

@sk8monroe81

Blu ray hadn't won at that time firstly and second no one was going to buy an add on drive then anyway.

eyeroll.gif

Intriguing for 360 owners like me, to be sure. Although, I'm sure it will be ridiculed by nearly everyone else.

However, it does make an interesting point that you can enjoy the 360 games lineup AND Blu-ray without having to have both a PS3 and 360. Interesting.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

so is this goign to be able to output at 1080p somehow?

Yes - magic.

Xboxes have had HDMI for awhile now... pay attention.

360 has been 1080p capable for as long as the PS3, however I wish my launch 360 had the ability to do it over HDMI like the current 360 (instead of component).

The 360 cannot output movies at 1080p over the component cable. Its not allowed.

Oh right, I forgot movies weren't. I haven't watched a HD-DVD on the 360 for about a year. :)

It's not the movies that there's a problem, its whether the tv accepts 1080p over component or not.

"The 360 cannot output movies at 1080p over the component cable. Its not allowed."

That's why you use VGA on a non-HDMI console.

The Xbox360 most certainly does transmit 1080p over component. I've been doing it with mine forever. It's just that only some TVs can accept a 1080p signal over component-- my Sharp Aquos work great. And the quality is the same, with some small differences in color mixing (look it up).

bluelightningflik:
The post says "cannot output movies at 1080p over component". And it cannot. It's an AACS restriction, not a technical one. Which is why it can output games at 1080p over component, but not movies. The PS3 suffers from the same limitation, although there are no PS3s that don't have HDMI outputs, whereas most 360s lack it.

BRILLIANT MOVE!!!

2 years ago.....

First sentences of the first two paragraphs:

"Unlike Toshiba Corp., which is still strictly against Blu-ray disc (BD) format, Microsoft Corp. has always said that it might..."

"Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology Corp., a joint venture between Samsung Electronics and Toshiba Corp., has been contracted to manufacture external Blu-ray disc drives for Microsoft Xbox 360 game console."

/boggle

Toshiba Corp. is partnered with Samsung Corp. and Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology Corp. is their partnership. Microsoft want's the partnership to manufacture an external drive. So where exactly are you confused? This is BUSINESS homeboy.

You think for one SECOND Toshiba has the right, in a PARTNERship, to say no to Samsung making money off this manufacturing because Toshiba got their feelings hurt because of the Blu-Ray / HD DVD battle?

You're confused because you don't think about it in dollars and cents. Whenever you read "Corporation", think about it from a DOLLARS AND CENTS point of view. You won't be confused much more.

And for those of you who BUMPED up his post rating, YOU don't understand it from a dollars and cents point of view either... so EDUCATE YOURSELVES.

The two comments are contradictory. The first states Toshiba is 'strictly against' BD technology, yet they are allegedly involved in a partnership.

Chill out 'homeboy'.

One more thing:
"You think for one SECOND Toshiba has the right, in a PARTNERship, to say no to Samsung making money off this manufacturing because Toshiba got their feelings hurt because of the Blu-Ray / HD DVD battle?"

Well, seeing as how Toshiba owns 51% of Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corporation stock, with Samsung owning the remaining 49%...my answer would be a resounding 'Yes'.

Educate yourself, bitch.

@ Mark C

Ok, you're going down this path now without putting forth much thought so I hope you're prepared to take the heat...

"The two comments are contradictory. The first states Toshiba is 'strictly against' BD technology, yet they are allegedly involved in a partnership."

Allegedly NOTHING, Toshiba and Samsung ARE ARE ARE in a partnership, since 2004: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshiba_Samsung_Storage_Technology_Corporation

Now, should Toshiba DISSOLVE this partnership because Samsung, an ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURER BY DEFINITION, makes electronic devices using Blu-Ray technology!? Of course not.

So, does Toshiba, in a partnership with another fellow electronic manufacturer, have the right to say, "No, we refuse the order to manufacture electronic devices because they were competition to us but not our partner"? Hell no they don't. If one says yes and the other adamantly no, then they'd probably dissolve the relationship which just isn't worth it. It's not like HD DVD is going to rise from the ashes.

So, from a business point of view, YES, Toshiba-Samsung are going to make Blu-Ray drives. Now, had this just said TOSHIBA CORP. will be manufacturing the drives, that would be a totally different ballgame...

homeboy.

Oh, I'm certainly prepared to 'take the heat', though I'm confused as to why you care so adamantly about this subject. Does Joystiq have its first Samsung Defense Force member?

"So, does Toshiba, in a partnership with another fellow electronic manufacturer, have the right to say, "No, we refuse the order to manufacture electronic devices because they were competition to us but not our partner"?"

51 > 49. But I agree, they'd probably try to figure out compromise rather than dissolve a business partnership. The *article* was the one claiming Toshiba would have nothing to do with ("strictly against") BD technology. Not me. I was simply pointing out that the two claims were contradictory.

But thanks for the business lesson. I can tell by your keyboard spasms that you're most certainly a high-level business executive making 6+ figures. Just drop it Ballmer, I don't give two shits either way.

@ D Dogg

Yes, this comming from a person who wigg'd out after i "berated" Saints Row 1 as being; "GTA's bastard cousin who dropped out of clown college...

You deserve a /boggle

Mah dude...

"Educate yourself, bitch."

@ Mark C, why are you calling me a "bitch"? Because I'm pointing out your inaccuracies and misinformation to teens and gamers on a blog?

"Well, seeing as how Toshiba owns 51% of Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corporation stock, with Samsung owning the remaining 49%...my answer would be a resounding 'Yes'."

It's a partnership, understand that. Would you partner with someone who could rule you with an iron fist and over rule everything you said, no matter what, because they have 2% difference over you? Anyone who joined in a partnership and allowed that (think domestic abuse and violence) is bat-shit crazy or fine with being "used". Samsung is not a roll-over type of company.

As for profitability, one reason you partner with someone, there is surely a clause in the contract (which probably isn't readily available for public eyes) that states one partner doesn't have controlling authority over the other one in terms of profitability. And then I'm sure there are subsections outlining the details with many letters and roman numerals.

I'm actually taking the time to educate you and I'm sure you'll reply with an ignorant response so I'll preempt you, "I'm done discussing this"

@ Mr. Nom Nom the Troll

You're attacking me based on credibility of a response of mine to a post of your? Ok, fine... here's the link you're referring to:

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/thq-worldwide-studio-exec-leaves-job-split-into-three-roles/

You're post is voted DOWN

My response is voted UP

This is a priceless comment Mark C:

"Oh, I'm certainly prepared to 'take the heat', though I'm confused as to why you care so adamantly about this subject. Does Joystiq have its first Samsung Defense Force member?
...
Just drop it Ballmer, I don't give two shits either way."

I think I know how Obama feels now after McCain and Palin started their smear tactics the past few weeks. Debate the issues and then RIGHT into name calling... wheeeeeeee!!!

"Whenever you read "Corporation", think about it from a DOLLARS AND CENTS point of view. You won't be confused much more."

I much prefer to read things in a Pounds and Pennies point of view - I then get a much *stronger* understanding...

/runs :)

While I enjoy my ps3 as a blu-ray player, it was just icing on the cake.

Guess Microsoft just wants another feather in its cap...or one less in sonys.

Funny, the Blu-Ray player in my PS3 IS the cake. I have no icing. :(

^^^^
The Cake is a LIE.

Sorry, I just had to do it.

I guess they couldnt ignore all the "but PS3 doubles as a bluray player" excuses forever. Not to mention offering a cheap bluray drive will lessen the amount of people buying a PS3 just for movies since it is arguably still the best deal for a bluray player.

of course they couldn't. The blu-ray functionality is responsible for a huge portion of the PS3's sales. While those sales may not be direct, game related competition for the 360, mindshare matters.

I love my PS3, but it still doubles as a game machine

I love my PS3, and mine double as a Time machine... off to a time when people actually played games instead crying and moaning about consoles...

I would have bought this and the HD-DVD add-on on the same day if they released both back then. :P I have already owned 2 HD-DVD player and 2 Blu-Ray players since then though. I'm not in the market for an add-on anymore. :(

Awesome, an unreliable game console and a blu-ray player that relies on said console to function. Who could ask for anything more?

I guess you could get a PS3 with the risk of drive failure problems. I did!

Go home troll.

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Rumorang: Xbox 360 external Blu-ray drive ready, waiting

Reader Comments (131)

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