So what, they're going to make a 120 GB 360 with Blu ray for $499 to compete with the $499 PS3. This HAS to mean that the arcade 360 will finally be $199, the regular 360 will be $299, and the Elite will be $399. Talking about hitting the whole spectrum. Not only will this be great competition against the Wii, it will be great competition for the PS3.

I call BS, I don't think Blu-ray is goin to 360. The games will still need to be on DVD so there is no reason to put a blu-ray drive in there other than movies. Although this could mean cheap combo player if you add the HD-DVD drive (even with its limited use...)

Considering one of the early comments today about the relatively low adoption rate of Blu-Ray, proving only that even a monopoly can fail, maybe MS is in some way trying to goose the industry somehow. If this is real. Which it likely isn't. Man, I'm tired.

Not to mention Sony is one of the biggest companies in the the Blu-ray association and thus will not be giving up the rights without a tough fight.

I say that this is a crock of lies.

I've been considering purchasing a PS3 to use solely as a BD player (and perhaps a little gaming as well...and streaming video...and folding at home...and..)

But this is making me rethink things. I would also like to replace my current Xbox with an HDMI version, as I plan switching my entire home theater setup, projector and all, over to HDMI soon. The only things that appeal to me on the PS3 are use as a BD player and the potential that it streams video better than my Xbox. The Xbox consistently chokes on hi-def, and doesn't do very well with DVD resolution video either. Every once in a while you'll get an error when playing standard definition video saying that the Xbox has lost connection...and you'll have to restart. This is on a 100BaseT LAN with almost nothing on it besides a couple of PCs and the Xbox... And as I've said, it consistently chokes on high def video. You'll get to watch maybe 10 seconds before the connection drops and you have to restart.

Does anyone else share my experience with the Xbox? I've built a HTPC to overcome this...but I'd really like to start using the Xbox or a PS3 to stream video again.

I say, that Hulk will smash and destroy this rumor.

Cool.

I think if they make one for it, it'll be costly enough to make PS3 still a good deal, but still be good for those who already have a 360.

I hope it happens. I'm actually an XBOX360 user in the market for a PS3 now because I want a Blu-Ray player to play high def DVDs burned from my AVCHD camcorder.

@jamesuschrist: I do not share your experience. HD streaming works perfectly on mine. I have not had a connection drop or stuttering streaming anything so far.

Problem is, most serious gamers already have the 360 and possibly PS3. Plus, it's highly unlikely games will ever be on Blu-Ray. Kinda silly to purchase this solely for watching BDs. Thanks to the Marketplace who really even needs BD anyway, assuming you have a fast connection?

I think that a Blu-Ray drive for the 360 is not an issue of if, but rather, when?. Today's consoles are ever-increasingly trying to expand their roles to not just be gaming systems but home entertainment systems too. I don't think consumers really want the hassle (or expense) of having to dole out money for:

1. A games system
2. A home entertainment system
3. A blu-ray player

separately and so the appeal of an all-in-one gadget from reputable companies does spell good times ahead for both Microsoft and Sony.

I personally still think the PS3 is the best iteration of all the above three to date but if Microsoft can come up with something cheaper that's just as capable, I think they'll have a winner on their hands.

@Nintenboy01:
They're already making games on blu-ray

@jamesuschrist: I've got my 360 connected to a HTPC through 2 switches and it works perfectly with High-Def for me. I also stream TV through Windows Media Center with it and that works perfectly.

@Kyle_D:
he's refering to the 360
since M$ already went on the record to say that all 360 games will run off dvd since it would be bad for business to switch the format and alienate their early adopters@jamesuschrist:

im pretty sure thats your router choking and not your 360
ive streamed 1080p wmv content from my laptops wifi g,which is much slower than lan, and the xbox and never got a message of that sort

@Kyle_D:
he's refering to the 360
since M$ already went on the record to say that all 360 games will run off dvd since it would be bad for business to switch the format and alienate their early adopters

Yeaah right...

@Kyle_D: He means for 360, not in general.

@ps61318:

Considering one of the early comments today about the relatively low adoption rate of Blu-Ray, proving only that even a monopoly can fail

Fail? I hardly think that you can say they've failed at all. You have to take into account that there's already a relatively low adoption rate for HDTV's, and although that's growing every day, only a small percentage of 'that' group are going to get a BluRay player, not to mention everyone that was waiting for the format war to end (which it only recently ended).

I'm looking forward to this. I still haven't been able to convince myself to get a 360 yet (already own a PS3 and Wii), and I'm glad I've held off so far. Even though the PS3 plays BluRay fantastically, it couldn't hurt to have a player in the bedroom as well.

Bluray sales have been low despite HD folding. Microsoft is not going there, at least not anytime soon, maybe the next console, in 2012

isn't blu-ray owned by sony? if so... why would they let their competitor use it?

also if microsoft does go blu-ray, i hope they have a portable one, like the hd-dvd player. i dont want to go out and buy a new console just 'cause its got blu-ray. i wouldnt mind though droppin $100-$200 on a portable one.

@arcanedark: Blu-Ray was created by a consortium (the Blu-Ray Disc Association), and Sony was one of the founder members along with Matsushita, Pioneer, Philips, Thomson, LG, Hitachi, Sharp, and Samsung.

The thing is I've tried three different switches, including an awesometacularly expensive 24 port managed HP switch that I borrowed from work. Also, different ports on my PC and on my laptop. And different cables even.

Maybe my particular Xbox 360 is just a POS.

@arcanedark:

Blu-Ray is owned by the Blu-Ray Disc Association, who get licensing money from anybody who uses Blu-Ray, Sony is of course a big player in that organization.

Sony/BDA absolutely would not block any new adoption of Blu-Ray, even by MS, all that would do is undermine the legitimacy of the format, scaring off new licensees, making the existing ones uncomfortable and greatly helping the cause of any would-be competitor.

Sony has spent a great deal of time and money trying to get Blu-Ray established, MS adopting it would help that cause not hinder it, it's would be puerile and self-destructive to try and block MS on the grounds that: "ZOMG!!! WE HATE YOU!!".

I reckon MS decided months ago to go Blu-Ray with the 360, but is just trying to act nonchalant so that when they do switch they can do it without having to openly admit that Sony one-upped them.

@legacye: I agree, with the 360 Microsoft has almost accomplished it's decade(s) long crusade to get a Microsoft system in the living room and they would be foolish to allow Sony to continue such a radical lead. Also mad props for a well formatted comment.

@SpyderMS: I think what's been holding Blu-Ray back is the price of players and content. My father wants to get a player but can't justify the cost right now. I even did something I never do and told him if he wanted to get into BR the only way to go right now is the PS3. He, not being a gamer, has no interest in a gaming system.

@jamesuschrist: sounds like your Xbox ethernet port/controller is dead/dying

So just go buy a BD drive and install...it...(!)

Oh, yeah. Console.

If they do come out with a blu-ray 360, they should come out with a better remote. That white POS remote is absolutely sucky.

If Microsoft were to redo the 360 with an internal Blu-ray drive, they will create so much rage and fury that they can kiss Xbox 720 goodbye. I call BS on this.

I don't really trust a company named "pegatron"...sorry

I think this is an AWESOME idea, and I'm glad I've already decided to buy a PS3 40gb this weekend to try out GTA IV rather than the x360. In the end I'll have one in my bedroom with my 40 inch Sony Bravia and one in the TV den with my (soon to arrive YEAH BABY) Samsung 61A750 LED DLP.

Oh, the pain has finally begun to pay off, yes indeedy!

Cheers

They'd better, because otherwise why would I buy an xbox over a ps3... loyalty?! rofl!

@ab3: Because they won at this point for the media formats; they want their format being used by everyone.

If they started deciding who gets invited to the party, they'd risk forcing their competitors to create another format.

@arcanedark: Why do Sony's VAIO laptops come with Windows installed?

Imagine if Xbox didn't use DVD and kept using CD-ROM... they would not have a product.

Every optical / portable media will be BD. This is inevitable. The sooner Xbox assimilates, the better their product will perform.

I get a feeling MS is stalling - that there is asomething else coming - am I the only one?

'BD in a way that makes sense'

In other words- in a new machine.

@flyboy: Ya tru.

The fact that PS3 and 360 have software emulators make me want to give up consoles altogether and focus on my HTPC.

Eventually I will get a hold of their software emulators and have all the games as ROMs so what's the effin' point... to play them today? There are so many Xbox and PS2 games I am still going thru... and I haven't even installed my SNES-every-game rom collection.

Just a waste of money, like buying a brand new car and selling it after warranty, rinse, repeat.

@jamesuschrist:

Try running the cords, just as an experiment, straight into your router (if it has multiple ports and is > 10 Mbps), from the xbox and from the HTPC. Nothing else connected. Keep the cabling *way* away from anything else electronic and the three devices (as much as possible).

Then try it again and again with moving your router around, and your xbox and HTPC.

FWIW: One of my first customer network installs at the new company that I and my biz partner started almost took us under because of this first install-from-hell. It turned out to be a brand new shiny Lucent PBX that Lucent swore up and down would not interfere with CAT-5, and besides, "it was FCC approved". Luckily, on a whim I moved everythng away from the server room where the PBX was (switch and router and servers), and the network started behaving properly. We went from a black eye in the customer's eye to a customer on the phone screaming at Lucent. They sent a tech out with a magical wand, and sure 'nuff, it was bleeding like hell on a certain frequency.

In short, never take for granted where you equipment and network cables are. FCC approved doesnt mean (much) sh!t!

Also, I'd be interested in knowing what type of encoding the movies are in and what process you use to get them that way.

I don't buy it. I wish I did, but I don't.

This one will get smashed, it's just not financially beneficial for Microsoft to consider this right now.

@SpyderMS: I'm happy to admit to some sleep-deprivation-induced hyperbole. It's way to soon to say that the investment companies have made in this technology is a win or a lose. My personal opinion is that this stuff is just too darn expensive. I don't know the marketing plan for HDTV and Blu-ray, and the identified target market may be buying this stuff by the 50'-motor-sailor load. I just know that ain't me or people like me.

(As a side note, it cracks me up that on every home decorating show on HGTV and TLC there's always at least a 42" somewhere in the design.)

I think any opportunity to bring this stuff to more of the masses (read: make it cheaper) will only help matters. Until that happens, and the investments are recouped, I don't know that I would call Blu-Ray a success - inderterminate it is, then, as far as I'm concerned.

@Nintenboy01: Yeah? what do you think PS3 games are????

They are BlueRay

"I need a vector, Victor!"

even if they do put blu-ray in a 360, i wouldn't replace my 360 with a BD enabled one. It would still be too loud.

im planning on buying a ps3 for bluray. its much quieter, right?

Not to hate, but can we take bets on how the percentage of "blu-circles of death" the new 360s will have?

LOL, ok I guess I do mean to hate.

Why not just make an add-on like the HD-DVD player?

This rumour just won't die...

We'll see a standard hard drive across all models or free 2-4 GB memory cartridges before we'll see X360-Blu.

A blu-ray player box, and add-on for older models, would make perfect sense.

MS never hitched their wagon to HD-DVD, it was an add-on. It minized their loss when HD-DVD went belly up. They lost the players, but *not* the consoles. A shrewd move on their part.

And now each day that goes by, the cheaper the blue diode laser thingmagigs get.

But here is the catch to Sony. MS could come out with a blu-ray box way below the PS3 as a loss-leader, as they are already making money with the xbox. And then Sony would be stuck: if they were to lower their prices, they would have to wait even longer to recoup their investment. And it would piss of there already established PS3 base to an extent.

And as far as the commenter saying they would not screw over their developers, he is dead on. MS is pretty well regarded among their developers. So they would make it a DVD/Blu-Ray drive... there were no developers for HD-DVD as MS did not allow game development in that format. So life would go on...

The only question I have would be: do current owners of the HD-DVD add-on get a discount when the Blu-Ray add-on is released for the then "older" model Xbox's?