Xbox 360 Launch Dates Announced!

[Jeremy Charette]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.xbox.com/en-US/news/2005/0914-xbox360launchdates.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.xbox.com/en-US/news/2005/0914-xbox360launchdates.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Fueling global anticipation for the arrival of its powerful new video game and entertainment system, Microsoft® today announced that Xbox 360™ will arrive on store shelves Tuesday, November 22 in North America, Friday, December 2 in Europe, and Saturday, December 10 in Japan...Xbox 360 is also the ultimate amplifier for music, movies and photos stored on an array of devices including MP3 players, digital cameras and Microsoft® Windows® XP-based PCs. The console makes it easy for you to enjoy all their digital content in the living room, on the best TV and speakers in the house."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/B000BB56O8.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /> <br /><br />I fully expect that Microsoft will sell thousands, if not tens of thousands, of Xbox 360 consoles to consumers who are merely interested in it as a digital media player. The launch prices ($300-400 USD) are competitive with the media center extenders and wireless media players already on the market. The Xbox 360 has the advantage of being designed and built by Microsoft, guaranteeing a seamless entertainment experience, not to mention complete compatability with your existing Windows and MAC PCs, as well as every top-ranked MP3 player and portable game system on the market. The fact that it happens to play games is merely a bonus in my opinion. I really hope Microsoft advertises the multimedia capabilities of the 360, because it is truly an entertainment powerhouse.

[Jason Dunn]

I'm sooooo all over this. I'm trying to get a pre-order in place, but a local store (Future Shop) is only putting 10 units for pre-order on their Web site each day. Hopefully I'll get lucky tomorrow AM.

[mrozema]

I'm going to have to see what this thing can do before I shell out the cash.
I don't know that I'm entirely informed about what types of media it will support/play, but what would make it better than something like Xbox Media Center for example?

[klinux]

I'm trying to get a pre-order...

Trying? Jason, time to tap into your Microsoft MVP connections!!!! :)

[Jeremy Charette]

at makes the Xbox 360 so much better than the Xbox Media Center Extender? Let me count the ways:

- The original Xbox is running a 733 Mhz Pentium III/Celeron class processor, with a single core. The 360 is running a triple core, 3.0 Ghz PowerPC processor, with two threads per core. In English, it is the equivalent of 6 Xbox CPUs, running 4 times faster. That's alotta raw power.
- The original Xbox has 64 MB of sdram, whereas the 360 has 256 MB. Four times the memory.
- The Xbox Media Extender software forces the Xbox to emulate the MCE software interface in software, whereas the 360 interface has been written from scratch to run on Xbox 360 hardware. As a result, it runs faster, and menu transitions are just as fast (if not faster) than on a PC with XP MCE.
- The Xbox 360 can stream high-definition video over your network from a Media Center PC, whereas the Xbox can only handle Standard Definition video.
- The Xbox 360 has USB ports, so you can connect external media players (video and audio) to it, and stream the files on those devices to the 360, which plays them. MS has worked with Apple to enable the ability to access music files on iPod Digital Audio Players. It even streams audio and pictures off of the Sony PSP.
- In the future, you'll be able to download and watch various content (possibly including HD movies) via. the Xbox Live marketplace.
- It is as yet unconfirmed, but it appears that you'll be able to watch DRM protected files on your Xbox 360. Either the Xbox 360 or the PC it is accessing will handle the DRM authorization, something that isn't possible on the original Xbox at all.
- You can stream music from an external device, or play it off the Xbox 360's hard drive, while viewing a photo slideshow, again from either an external device or the 360's hard drive. That's something you can't do with the Xbox 360.
- The Xbox 360 will automatically download track titles and album information when you rip CDs to it's hard drive. It will also download album art, if available. Xbox can't do that.
- The 360 will get album art and info for streamed files as well, if available.
- The 360 can do everything the Xbox Media Center Extender can as well, like schedule recordings, play TV shows, watch TV, etc.
- Also unconfirmed, but it appears the 360's remote control will be compatible with MCE PC's and other Media Center devices. The Xbox's remote is dedicated, and incompatible with anything else. The 360 remote is also a far better design.

Did I miss anything?

[Felix Torres]

Did I miss anything?

It plays next generation games at HD resolutions with *mandatory* full-screen anti-aliasing. :twisted:

(Oh, it has 512 Mb of unified RAM for app code and/or video RAM, not 256Mb, and the music files it can play off the pod and PSP are the MP3s, not DRM'ed AAC or Atrac3. Other music players, it can play everything from...)

Other than that you pretty much nailed it. :-)

[Jason Dunn]

Trying? Jason, time to tap into your Microsoft MVP connections!!!! :)

Man, I WISH! Seriously, even the Xbox MVPs can't get a 360 yet.

[OSUKid7]

at makes the Xbox 360 so much better than the Xbox Media Center Extender? Let me count the ways:
Bah, you've convinced me, I'm definitely getting one. :) :| :lol:
Oh, and anyone feel like answering some questions I have (http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=57408#57408) about building a MCE PC?