Xbox 360 HD DVD Player Price Drop + HD DVD Giveaway

If you're an Xbox 360 owner - HD DVD just got even cheaper. And if you buy in August, Microsoft will even throw in five HD DVDs that probably aren't on your must-have list.

 

For Xbox 360 owners, it's already the least expensive option for an HD DVD player. Back in December, I did a head-to-head comparison between the Xbox 360 add-on and Toshiba's HD-A1 dedicated HD DVD player. The results showed Xbox 360's HD DVD player is no slouch in the A/V department and at the time only cost $200. If you have an HDTV at 720P the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on stands up to a dedicated player at twice the price.

 

And now, starting August 1st, Microsoft will drop the price of its HD DVD player add-on to Xbox 360. You'll be able to pick it up for $179 and until September 1st Microsoft will include five HD DVDs with your purchase. You'll get your pick of five HD DVDs from a short list of 15 older movies on HD DVD. A quick look over the list reveals nothing particularly earth-shaking. It's pretty much a re-hash of the Toshiba's list when it ran a similar offer last winter.

 

If five HD DVD movies isn't enough to convince you to shun the outdoors this August, Microsoft's Xbox Live will slay you with 300. August 14th Frank Miller's impressionistic take on the ancient battle of Thermopylae will be available for download on Microsoft's movie service on Xbox Live's Marketplace.

 

Format War is Alive

 

It's an obvious sign the next DVD format war is heating up. Many in the industry see the current generation of game consoles carrying the success of the next-gen optical disc on its back. Sony and its PS3 have firmly established itself in Blu-ray the Blu-ray camp. Blu-ray has been getting a lot of press lately for a flurry of new releases and the fact that it has greater studio support than HD DVD.

 

But HD DVD is not completely out of the running yet and ready to strike back. Microsoft is ready to take an even further loss on sales of its hardware to embed the HD DVD format in as many living rooms as possible.

 

But it seems like poor timing for Microsoft's budget considering the recent warranty extension Microsoft is offering Xbox 360 customers. In light of the unit's overheating issues Microsoft extended its Xbox 360 warranty to a full three years at great cost. If you're not afraid of the red circle of death, you can own an Xbox 360 and enjoy the most economical way to get HD DVD on your HDTV and enjoy some great movies.

12 comments
Posted by macdad on August 7,2007 at 12:46 PM

i have to poop

Posted by Villian247 on July 28,2007 at 10:37 AM

why does every one have to compare it with the elite and the HD Drive it will work with the primiume with is what most have or will get elite is created for the heavy downloaders that need space more space the ps3 might have and still costing less. but lets start

Current price

Xbox $400

HD Drive $200

Total $600

what Same Price but just have the option for thouse that dont have HD TVs Great Idea

OK Now after the HD Price Break

Xbox $400

HD Drive $180

Total $580

What you mean its going to be cheaper and still with the Option for the Non HD TV owners EVEN BETTER!!!

now lets look at the the XBox Price break in the Future

Xbox $300

HD Drive $180

Total $480

Wow Kicks the crap out of PS3 Price man even the Elite Beats the PS3 after both price cuts

Posted by Villian247 on July 28,2007 at 10:37 AM

why does every one have to compare it with the elite and the HD Drive it will work with the primiume with is what most have or will get elite is created for the heavy downloaders that need space more space the ps3 might have and still costing less. but lets start

Current price

Xbox $400

HD Drive $200

Total $600

what Same Price but just have the option for thouse that dont have HD TVs Great Idea

OK Now after the HD Price Break

Xbox $400

HD Drive $180

Total $580

What you mean its going to be cheaper and still with the Option for the Non HD TV owners EVEN BETTER!!!

now lets look at the the XBox Price break in the Future

Xbox $300

HD Drive $180

Total $480

Wow Kicks the crap out of PS3 Price man even the Elite Beats the PS3 after both price cuts

Posted by Nathan on July 27,2007 at 5:41 PM

The PS3 fanboys are only trying to justify their crap of $600.  Like 'Get Some' said you ps3 fanboys have nothing, but maybe a big black paper weight.  

Plus, site your sources when posting your reviews.  Guessing this one comes from your ass since there isn't a source.

Posted by JLCD on July 27,2007 at 5:32 PM

PS3?!!?? Please...

Posted by Getch on July 27,2007 at 4:41 PM

PS3 as i've come to buy and sell again one week later... ... ... .... made me sick. My 360 has been replaced because of error 79. You know. The red lights and all. Anyway I've been looking at HD format set top boxes and sony's blu-ray players are still SUPER OVERPRICED compared to the HD-DVD ones. How is it that a giant price gap will end up with the most expensive on top.... good for current owners of 360's that dont have the HD add on. Good for them (ME INCLUDED!)

Posted by Smaug on July 27,2007 at 3:47 PM

Does the HD DVD drive have little red lights on it that tell you when you have to send it back to Microsoft for repair or is that some thing that you need to get an 'elite' version to have.

I really need another product with a ring of red lights that tells me it's broken 3 months after I've bought it.

If this scratches the HD DVDs up as well so they are unusable as well as having little red lights that tell me it's bust then it truly is the perfect companion to the Xbox 360.

Let's not forget that it will be overcharged for in Europe to subsidise the US market! How can it get any better...

Posted by Colin on July 27,2007 at 9:25 AM

It's funny because nowhere in the article did Wayde compare the 360 to the PS3. In fact, mutliple times, the qualifer was 'if you already own a 360'. The first sentence said "If you're an Xbox 360 owner".

Talk about terrible reading comprehension.

Posted by dan on July 26,2007 at 11:03 PM

Nothing brings Sony fanboys out of the woodwork more than a story about HD formats, the poor fools are trying so hard to prop up Blu-ray, it must be costing them a fortune in crap films, still what else is there to do except maybe folding@home.

Posted by Wayde on July 26,2007 at 9:36 PM

Dear Crump

This is your soul, my words issue from whence I descended after you sold me to Sony.

I must ask, what did I do wrong for you to trade me in for a name with a second rate product line? Is belonging an ethic you hold in such high regard that you would forsake me?

My only hope is that your corporate favoritism provides you everything I couldn't. And btw, Crumb. Nowhere did the writer say anything was cheaper than PS3, you might want to work on that reading comprehension, Lord knows I won't be around to badger you about that shortcoming.

Posted by get some on July 26,2007 at 9:28 PM

i hope you're loving all the great games for the ps3... you know... motorstorm and.... motorstorm...? anyways

the price drop is the first on the list of microsofts cuts... which includes the elite to 400 pro to 350 and basic to 300 so if you want an HD option there you go

Posted by Crump on July 26,2007 at 4:19 PM

So wait, XBox 2 Elite is like $480, plus $180 for the HD-DVD add on (a format that will probably die out soon), HOW IS THAT CHEAPER THAN A PS3 (which comes out of the box as a Blue-ray player)? I guess if you already have a 360 and wan't to back a failing HD format, then . . . wait, even then it's a rip-off. Maybe those XBox fans really need to watch ET or Jurassic Park 3 in HD.

A little review of the elite FYI

 "The Elite fails to correct most of the annoyances of the original 360 version: the noisy DVD drive and cooling fan; a gigantic, oversize power supply; no built-in wireless networking; only three USB ports; a substandard DVD player; support for next-gen HD DVD movies requires a bulky external accessory; online gaming requires a paid subscription to Xbox Live; proprietary wireless format limits third-party accessories."