XBox 360 HD DVD $199.99

[patrickpiteo]

HD-DVD Dolby isn't the same as DVD Dolby. The bitrate is 3x higher.

Is that why the HD Dolby sounds crisper, or am I hearing things?

 

[luke9349]

Is that why the HD Dolby sounds crisper, or am I hearing things?

Yes, lossless audio (HD audio) basically means that your surround speakers are getting the information they are supposed to. In the theater, sound is uncompressed, but when it was transferred to DVD the surround channels had to be compressed so the audio track could fit on a SD DVD disc. So basically you are getting up the three times more info to each channel (Dolby Digital Plus). I'm waiting to hear DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD with even higher bit rates!

 

[patrickpiteo]

Yes, lossless audio (HD audio) basically means that your surround speakers are getting the information they are supposed to. In the theater, sound is uncompressed, but when it was transferred to DVD the surround channels had to be compressed so the audio track could fit on a SD DVD disc. So basically you are getting up the three times more info to each channel (Dolby Digital Plus). I'm waiting to hear DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD with even higher bit rates!

luke, welcome to the forum and thanks for the info.. I never new that.

 

[jbcheshire]

I know when I run my 360 through my receiver and play those HD demos, the surround sound is awesome!!

 

[BobMurdoch]

King Kong sounded AMAZING on my HD DVD drive. Much more use of the discrete back and side surround channels. Cue it up for the Brontosaurus charging scene as well as the TRex battle scene and bask in how great it sounds....

I have an optical connection from my XBox 360 to my Integra 9.1 receiver which has 7.1 channels at 130 watts per channel ( http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_8_4/integra-dtr-9-1-receiver-11-2001.html ).

Now I have to get to a store and pick up MI:III and see what else is available.... Superman 2: The Donner Cut and Superman Returns hit next week as well.....

 

[JonUrban]

I just bagged one of these at Circuit City (no coupon - damn! )

Since it looks just like the internal player, does anyone know if you can just install the player itself INSIDE the current XBOX 360, or does it need "other things" that are in the housing?

(I think I know the answer already, but you never know!)

 

[BobMurdoch]

no dice....

extra circuit boards used..... Hackers said no go.....

Also, coding used for the USB connection as well as dozens of other reasons why it won't work....

Although they HAVE found a way to make it work on PCs through the USB connection. Google it if you want more info...

 

[JonUrban]

Thanks Bob. I thought so, but it looked so tempting!

I'll just keep it the way it is. For $200, it's a great deal, with the remote and King Kong - how can anyone complain?

 

[T2k]

Smart thing would be for MS if they would price down the 360 Core so you could get a decent HD-DVD setup around $300-350... that would sell a lot but I guess that doesn't really help MS to make money...

IS there a way to install other codecs - ie Xvid - on 360?

 

[vinnyv07]

I have an old Sony stereo receiver and it is capable of 5.1 and DTS. It's a disappointment that the XBOX 360 is not capable of DTS-HD. But for the price you really can't beat it.