AVS Forum Archive 2 - Bill Gates Says All Xbox2 Games Support HDTV

Blkout

01-14-05, 12:28 PM

I see no reason why it wouldn't be possible, the Xbox is about 2 years old and even then it was using hardware that was not all that new, certainly nothing cutting edge. The next Xbox is using newer and more advanced hardware, quite a few generations ahead of the original Xbox hardware. All games in HDTV resolution should be possible.

BdoUK

01-14-05, 03:25 PM

I hope the majority of the games support 1080i in addition to 720p. My Mits is a great set (CRT), but doesn't support 720p. Here's hoping for 1080i also!

Low Roller

01-14-05, 03:38 PM

Here's what Gates recently told Cnet (http://news.com.com/Gates+taking+a+seat+in+your+den/2008-1041_3-5514121.html?tag=st.num) .
We didn't do Xbox just to do a video game; we did it to be part of our vision of the digital lifestyle, and with the next generation, we really get to go there. In the first generation, we had one simple goal, which was to establish credibility as a great video game platform. We've done that. Actually, the last few months in the United States, we outsold Sony with the PlayStation. So even though they have the biggest installed base, we are a very strong, credible No. 2 in that. As we go into this next generation, it's much broader.

Yes, great video gaming but videogaming for a broader set of people, more communications, more media, more connectivity. And at the same time, we move up to things like high-definition graphics and wireless that the chip breakthroughs allow us to get to.

So just for the games alone you'd go, wow, but the concept now of bringing in your music, your media, connecting to the PC, connecting Xbox Live to Messenger--that just makes it a very big deal.

If your interested in reading what the tea leaves have to say about the next gen Xbox, check out the sites below.

http://www.thenextbox.com/

http://news.teamxbox.com/

Savageone79

01-14-05, 08:44 PM

Honestly I would just be happy if all games were 720p with the ability to scale to 1080i for users who have tv's that don't support 720p.

opus123

01-14-05, 09:13 PM

My TV has issues with a phantom vertical bar in 1080i... Faint but noticable. 720p looks great, and is ok by me.

drhill

01-15-05, 10:57 PM

If they were smart (and the hardware could do it) they would do only 1080p and allow the box to interlace (which is easy) to 1080i or downscale to 720p which would give a better picture for both formats. Or output at 1080p of course.

bkwong73

01-16-05, 02:25 AM

I thought I read somewhere, that Xbox2 will support either Blu-ray technology or HD dvd's.

BK

Richard Paul

01-16-05, 02:43 AM

Originally posted by bkwong73
I thought I read somewhere, that Xbox2 will support either Blu-ray technology or HD dvd's.Toshiba, which is the main company behind HD-DVD, really wants Microsoft to put a HD-DVD drive in their X-box 2. Considering that Toshiba has estimated that HD-DVD players will cost around $1000 I believe Microsoft will decline their offer.

NoThru22

01-16-05, 09:40 AM

Yes, people are telling me "did you know they're going to make a PC version of the Xbox 2?" They need to realize that besides the existence of the Xbox 2, what Bill Gates has said, and some stuff leaked out by ATI and IBM, that's all the "facts" there are about Xbox 2. All the rest is rumors.

Monstermile

01-16-05, 09:59 AM

Originally posted by BdoUK
I hope the majority of the games support 1080i in addition to 720p. My Mits is a great set (CRT), but doesn't support 720p. Here's hoping for 1080i also!

I'm in the same boat as you. My Mitsu on supports 1080i. The only way it supports 720p is with DVI. And somehow I don't think the XBOX2, or any of the other new consoles will have DVI.

Savageone79

01-16-05, 05:49 PM

Almost all HD boxes can convert between 1080i and 720p either way and I think it would be relatively cheap to do this on the xbox 2. That would be the best solution so that it doesn't matter what res they make the game in, it can be easily converted to either one. I agree 1080p would be nice but even on next gen console that would be pushing it especially with FX and such turned on. I think 720p on all games is what we should realistically be hoping for.

Richard Paul

01-16-05, 06:13 PM

Originally posted by Monstermile
I'm in the same boat as you. My Mitsu on supports 1080i. The only way it supports 720p is with DVI. And somehow I don't think the XBOX2, or any of the other new consoles will have DVI. I believe at least 2 of the 3 next generation consoles will have HDMI outputs. Besides being fairly small and cheap they are also universal in the sense that HDMI outputs are the same worldwide. Part of the reason that consoles used special outputs was because different nations used different connectors and different color formats. Of course all three consoles will have analog connections but I believe we will see at least 2 next generation consoles with HDMI outputs as well.

reaper

01-17-05, 07:31 AM

Originally posted by bkwong73
I thought I read somewhere, that Xbox2 will support either Blu-ray technology or HD dvd's.

BK

Maybe you are thinking of Sonys commitment to put a blu-ray player in the PS3.

reaper

newsguy

01-17-05, 08:06 AM

Originally posted by reaper
Maybe you are thinking of Sonys commitment to put a blu-ray player in the PS3.

reaper

It's no secret that Toshiba is pushing hard for Microsoft to support the HD-DVD format.

broadwayblue

01-17-05, 11:53 AM

Originally posted by Richard Paul
I believe at least 2 of the 3 next generation consoles will have HDMI outputs. Besides being fairly small and cheap they are also universal in the sense that HDMI outputs are the same worldwide. Part of the reason that consoles used special outputs was because different nations used different connectors and different color formats. Of course all three consoles will have analog connections but I believe we will see at least 2 next generation consoles with HDMI outputs as well.

i really hope it's 100% on the next generation. it would be unforgivable should any of the new consoles skip the HDMI output. considering the first of them won't be available until Q4 2005 there would be no excuse not to implement this. by that time HDMI switching receivers will start to pop up everywhere...and considering this round of consoles will need to carry us to the end of this decade i can't imagine what a mistake it would be for any of them to forego this.

Rossco04

01-17-05, 04:02 PM

Any chance that either of the next gens will have DVI inputs?

Joe Redifer

01-17-05, 04:49 PM

Regarding the 1080p comment:
Be aware that 1080p is limited to 30 frames per second by the ATSC standard. You can not have 60 separate images per second like you can with 480p and 720p.

g0blue

01-17-05, 04:56 PM

Originally posted by Joe Redifer
Regarding the 1080p comment:
Be aware that 1080p is limited to 30 frames per second by the ATSC standard. You can not have 60 separate images per second like you can with 480p and 720p.
That's an ATSC broadcast standard, not an HDMI connection standard. HDMI has enough bandwidth to do 1080p60. However, due to lack of processing power and memory bandwith, it will probably be as popular as 1080i support is on the current Xbox.

drhill

01-17-05, 07:05 PM

Originally posted by g0blue
That's an ATSC broadcast standard, not an HDMI connection standard. HDMI has enough bandwidth to do 1080p60. However, due to lack of processing power and memory bandwith, it will probably be as popular as 1080i support is on the current Xbox.

Correct on both.

Technically, I believe those ATSC "standards" are just recommended standards. You can deviate, but it is up to the bandwidth and tuner to be able to handle it.

Joe Redifer

01-17-05, 09:52 PM

Well that's good news I suppose. What TV's exist that can handle 1080p? I'm sure my crappy li'l Sony KD-34XBR960 is not one of them. :(

ChrisFB

01-18-05, 03:03 PM

Money on 720p games and console's ability to scale as needed. Didn't I read this somewhere already?

Scotty L

01-18-05, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by Joe Redifer
Well that's good news I suppose. What TV's exist that can handle 1080p? I'm sure my crappy li'l Sony KD-34XBR960 is not one of them. :(
Texas Instruments has a new xHD3 DMD chip that is native 1920x1080. But it's too new so only a handful of rear projection sets are using it. With projectors we're still hovering around $25k for 1080p. :( But go to 720p and you're paying less than $2gs. Silly ain't it?

Low Roller

01-18-05, 07:52 PM

Originally posted by Scotty L
Texas Instruments has a new xHD3 DMD chip that is native 1920x1080. But it's too new so only a handful of rear projection sets are using it. With projectors we're still hovering around $25k for 1080p. :( But go to 720p and you're paying less than $2gs. Silly ain't it?

....and on those 1080p xHD3/xHD4 sets cannot accept a 1920x1080p@60Hz signal over their HDMI inputs. The sets will scale to 1080p.

Richard Paul

01-18-05, 09:02 PM

The cheapest 1080p HDTV I know of that can both display and accept 1080p signals is the 45" LCD made by Sharp with a MSRP of $9000. I would like 1080p support but I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation of consoles max out at 1080i.

Joe Redifer

01-18-05, 10:57 PM

Originally posted by Low Roller
....and on those 1080p xHD3/xHD4 sets cannot accept a 1920x1080p@60Hz signal over their HDMI inputs. The sets will scale to 1080p.

Huh? It scales 1080p to 1080p? That sucks. My TV does something similar with the way it handles 480p. It scales all 480p to 480p and it drives me nuts!

:D :D :D

Low Roller

01-18-05, 11:50 PM

Originally posted by Joe Redifer
Huh? It scales 1080p to 1080p? That sucks. My TV does something similar with the way it handles 480p. It scales all 480p to 480p and it drives me nuts!

:D :D :D no, no, no...:p

These new 1080p sets cannot accept a 1080p signal over their HDMI inputs.......they will accept a 720p or 1080i signal over their HDMI inputs and scale the image to 1080p.

None of the new 1080p sets shown at CES that I've been reading about will acccept a 1080p signal over their HDMI input...not the 1080p Samsung DLP's, not the 1080p JVC DILA's, and not the new $13,000 Sony Qualia SXRD..... They will only scale to 1080p, but will not accept 1080p sources...

Scotty L

01-19-05, 02:42 AM

blah! why the hell not??

I guess the chipsets will catch up later when more 1080p sources are available. Another example of how early adopters can get screwed.

ArchieGates

01-19-05, 04:35 AM

I worry that all the power of the new console will go to increasing the resolution to HD, with little difference in the actual content of the graphics themselves. Hopefully, Xbox 2 won't just be about games that look like Halo 2 but run in 720p, but games that look way better than Halo 2 and also run in 720p.

Anyway, it's that balance between graphical content and resolution that makes me hope that Xbox 2 does 720p, not 1080i.

Low Roller

01-19-05, 10:32 AM

Originally posted by Scotty L
blah! why the hell not??

I guess the chipsets will catch up later when more 1080p sources are available. Another example of how early adopters can get screwed.

You can get more info on this in the RPTV are here. Basically the manufacturers said that since no 1080p sources are available there was no need to put the capability in. I'm disappointed too......as you said, early adapters get screwed...

IAM4UK

01-19-05, 01:55 PM

I am into high-quality A/V gear, as you AVS Forum members also are. However, I hope you'll not consider me a heretic if I express a certain level of satisfaction with 720p60. Is 1080p60 better? It must be! But I hope to enjoy my 720p DLP set for quite a while, and I'll be happy if 720p is the standard for NextBox (whatever it's called).

Jasman

01-19-05, 05:53 PM

I agree that 720p is fine, it's just the difference will be dramatic when using front projection with very large screens -like myself with a 125" screen.

I'm completely blown away by a "good" 720p image, but am looking to 1080p to send me into cardiac arrest.

Graphically decent XBOX games rule on the my screen and get me to literally jump out of my seat and sweat in tense moments.

It's odd though that I get a resolution message on my Benq 8700 projector when playing XBOX that states that the resolution is 525p. I believe I'm feeding the projector 480p and the image is superb with games like Ghost Recon 2 and others.

I do find myself returning and not playing several games, because when blown up to this size, alot of games really suffer graphically, even when touted at "good graphics" games.

Jasman

broadwayblue

01-19-05, 10:44 PM

Originally posted by Rossco04
Any chance that either of the next gens will have DVI inputs?

i would have to guess that they will...or preferably HDMI inputs which are backwards compatible with DVI and also carry a digital audio signal on the same cable.