As I previously posted, I was never a "gamer" in my life. I played a couple of computer games here and there (mostly golf) but never had a console until purchasing an XBOX 360 a few weeks ago. Last night I purchased the HD-DVD add-on and thought I would post some thoughts about the entire experience because I feel as though it's changing the personality of my HT system. I thought this might take a different slant than Michael's (Homedad's) post a couple of weeks ago so I thought I'd start a new thread.
Regarding the XBOX 360 itself, it has really made a change in my system in terms of versatility. My DLP and Axiom setup has been used primarily for TV, CDs and DVDs. The same equipment that previously was used for passive entertainment now offers interactive entertainment. The high-def capabilities of my DLP are not wasted on the XBOXwith it's 720P and 1080i output and games, and the sound system is certainly not wasted on the Dolby Digital XBOXoutput. Blowing up a tank on a big high def monitor and feeling the results from your sub ain't nothin' like any gaming I've done before…. It's totally immersive. My wife and I play games together, and she never thought she'd have one iota of interest. Add the fact that the system can upconvert played DVDs, play CDs, network with your computers, store and play MP3s and videos from it's built-in hard drive, even display your favorite photos on your TV and it's like your whole HT system is transformed…..and I haven't even tried the music streaming and networking capabilities yet!
As mentioned, last night I picked up the
HD-DVD external add-on drive with the "King Kong" package for $200. It includes the HD-DVD King Kong movie (Epic Peter Jackson version) and a universal "DVD style" remote. If you want to watch DVDs on your X Box, I'd recommend the remote anyway as it's much easier than using the gaming remote, though it's IR instead of RF. The remote is worth $30 and the movie $25-$30, so if it's a movie you like, adding HD-DVD to your arsenal is only a net cost of around $140..... by far the cheapest way of doing it.
Installation couldn't be easier. You place the included disc into your XBOX 360's drive and choose to install the "update" so the XBOXrecognizes the drive. You then plug the new HD-DVD drive into the wall and into the XBOX via a simple USB cable and that's it.
I haven't watched KK in it's entirety, but rather skipped around to check out the picture quality. Unscientifically, it's the best picture that my native 720P DLP has ever had the priveledge of displaying. I saw the "wow" of the best of broadcast HD, without the compression artifacts that I usually notice on even our better Comcast channels. I'd love to see it on a 1080P monitor, as I know I'm losing 300 lines of rez as it is... but no complaints. It had the most "cinematic" look of any movie I've seen in my living room. Now, as I said, this is an "unscientific" opinion in that I don't have the movie on tradional DVD to compare it to, and I don't have a standalone HD-DVD player to compare the XBOXdrive to. But... I'll stay blissfully ignorant and happy.
You know, I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I shied away from getting a gaming console for many years because I was ignorant to the whole thing. I would walk past a game console display on a Best Buy endcap and watch twelve-year-olds play and have the feeling, I'm guessing, that a computer-illiterate person would have while watching a competant kid on a computer. It seems so overwhelming and they wouldn't know where to start and they're afraid they'll look silly trying to do what looks so easy to others. Well, I'm glad I took the plunge and even though I'm dog-paddling, I'm keeping my head above water and already wondering how I went so long without one of these things. It's now the most-used "source" in my system and has truly helped turn my "home theater" into the entertainment center of the house. It ain't just for kids, folks!
Personally, from what I'm seeing at this point, if I were interested in getting into HD-DVD, I would choose to purchase an XBOX 360, getting all of it's music and gaming capabilities and the HD-DVD add-on instead of spending the money for a standalone HD-DVD player.
