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Xbox 360 Coming With HDMI Port? 146

Posted by Zonk from the upgrade-360 dept.
GeekGod writes "Images of an Xbox 360 motherboard with HDMI-port have been leaked on the internet. So it looks like Microsoft will follow into Sony's footsteps and release an Xbox 360 with a digital video output. This might also come in handy for their future HD-DVD addon, certainly when movies will get HDCP-protected."
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Xbox 360 Coming With HDMI Port? More

Xbox 360 Coming With HDMI Port?

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  • HDMI (Score:2, Interesting)

    by kaufmanmoore ( 930593 )
    I thought that HD-DVD without HDCP would be displayed at reduced resolution as part of the DRM scheme.
    • HDCP works with DVI HDMI is just DVI + sound
    • Movie studios have pledged to not enable the ICT (image constraint) flag in either hd-dvds or blu-ray until 2010 or later. Surprisingly even they realized that screwing over a majority of the hd set owners wouldn't be good for their bottomline.
      • Actually, I think they just realized that they shouldn't do anything to hinder the adoption of their new formats until the formats are well-entrenched in the market. They don't want to make the same mistakes that were made with the original Divx--they want to wait until everyone has an HD player before making the discs worthless to a bunch of people.

  • HDMI replaced DVI (Score:5, Insightful)

    by a_greer2005 ( 863926 ) on Saturday July 08, 2006 @10:18PM (#15685432)
    and is quickly killing off component inputs on new HDTVs, this move only makes sence.
    • Thats my biggest worry, most tv's come with only one hdmi port. If you're big on hd and have mroe then on device in the future (consoles, set tops, etc.) you're (dodges grammar nazis this time) gonna be in a pickle!
      • That's another good reason to use component for HD signals, longer cable runs and much easier to switch (most any old video+L+R switch box will do the trick).

        • You are confusing component with composite. There is a world of difference.
          • You are confusing component with composite. There is a world of difference.

            Not at all, I can understand your own confusion because typically those boxes are indeed built to switch composite + L/R audio signals.

            However all a component (not composite) cable really is is a cable with three RCA connectors at either end. If you've ever looked at the combo cables that carry a composite signal on yellow plus red & white jacks for audio - they too have three RCA jacks on either end.

            I have used said combo cable
      • No you wont. Just buy a switchbox [monoprice.com].
      • Note true ... it's easy enough to get a receiver to switch the inputs, which is what any self-respecting gamer should be doing in the first place.

        My problem is that it's overkill. Why send audio down the same cable to the TV when most people just need to get video into the TV/Monitor, and sound is processed elsewhere? I'd rather dedicate a cable to each to maintain higher quality, not to mention ease in splitting. Sure, it's more cable, but it's really not that big a problem.
    • A number of new HDTV's I've seen that do 1080p come with component inputs as well. Frankly it would be suicide to not do so since there are so few HDMI compliant devices, and the older ones are a bit flaky...

      What proof do you have that ANY new HDTV units come without component input?
      • Well, it depends on what is meant by "killing off." I've seen several newer sets that have just one component input (and two HDMI/DVI inputs) where previously sets of the same size would have at least two. Part of this can be chalked up to the fact that home theater people are increasingly more likely to have some form of component switching already in their setup (even cheap 5.1 receivers now come standard with HD component switching), and part of it is the replacement of component analog inputs with dig
        • You are counting reduction in inputs as a death, but I cannot see it that way. Death is when a device is shipped with no component inputs, which means that sales of that TV indicate a number of consumers that are using only HDCP capible devices and thus offer hard numbers as to the size of a potential market in terms of sales. Right now even those single component input sets mean a consumer who may be using component inputs (and in fact is very likley to be doing so) which in turn means you cannot enable

  • so does that mean... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by MyDixieWrecked ( 548719 ) on Saturday July 08, 2006 @10:19PM (#15685438) Homepage Journal
    is microsoft planning on releasing a "new" 360 periodically with added features? perhaps faster-clocked processor? more ram? bigger default HD in the more-expensive unit? HD-DVD drive by default? additional ports?

    although I don't agree with the idea of nudging users into purchasing a completely new unit every year or two, I strongly disagree with the need to constantly purchase add-ons for the system. (HD-DVD, new harddrive unit, perhaps hdmi, if M$ can figure out how to create an add-on for that).

    m$ should realize that this is what happens when you release a console with the hopes of it having such a long lifespan; I believe microsoft wanted it to last 10 years? I know Sony wants the PS3 to last about that long.

    I can't really offer a solution to this, except for having a completely upgradable system with plugin daughtercards... but then you just have a desktop computer, again.

    ug. something tells me that videogames are starting to move into the lifetime-investment category... especially with this new trend of episodic content and purchased add-ons. it seems that everyone will keep re-purchasing everything (classic videogames, music in new formats, movies in new formats, and now hardware).

    • Microsoft has done some dumb stuff with the 360 (like the $400 price, the split SKUs, and making the HD optional) but I don't think they are THAT dumb. I've seen various rumors around, such as that they will integrate the HD-DVD drive (and keep the price the same) but the HD-DVDs won't be used for games.

      I could see them integrating the hard drive, upgrading it's capacity, or both. Perhaps you'll be able to have two (the integrated one, and an extra hanging off the side of the unit). I wouldn't be surprised

    • There is still the odd man out providing competition. If what MS and Sony are offering is not what the public wants, then Nintendo will happily provide it. They have expressed interest in keeping costs low as opposed to keeping features/graphics high. In the next few years, we will see which business model works better.

    • perhaps faster-clocked processor?

      This is the one guaranteed not to happen. Why? Because, the advantage to game developers of developing for a console over a PC is that you have a known system. You KNOW you're developing for a triple-core 3.2GHz G5 derivative. Now if they bump the speed to 4 GHz, you'd have to develop for two systems. One lower-quality game at 3.2 GHz, one higher-quality at 4. If a developer got lazy and only developed for the 4 GHz model, you'd have original 360 owners complaining a

      • Not only that, speeding up the CPU can actually make a system run slower on heavily loaded systems with certain sets of tasks. It screws up the timing relationships of the tasks and results in non-optimal scheduling.
      • Actually Microsoft has hinted in interviews they may release more powerful 360's later. The thinking is that games will still play, just that later 360's might be able to handle 1080p while older ones could just do the smae games at 720p. Just like PC games and video cards.

        I agree with the reasons you stated and think it's a bad idea, but don't think it's not being considered.
      • Imagine if Sony started releasing games that only work on the slim PS2, not on the original? Original owners would revolt!

        Actually, it's (sort of) happened. Get a sufficiently buggered Dual-layer game (for example, God of War), and a sufficiently old PS2 (Oct 2001).

        Hilarity ensues.

    • Re:so does that mean... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by mrchaotica ( 681592 ) * on Sunday July 09, 2006 @01:51AM (#15685958)
      I can't really offer a solution to this, except for having a completely upgradable system with plugin daughtercards... but then you just have a desktop computer, again.

      Yes, they'd have a PC... except that it would be completely proprietary and locked-down to only run licensed programs.

      Make no mistake, this is actually Microsoft's and Sony's wet dream: to finally kill off that pesky "general-purpose" computer whose ability to run Free Software makes it so hard for them to abuse the sheeple more than they already do!

      • Make no mistake, this is actually Microsoft's and Sony's wet dream: to finally kill off that pesky "general-purpose" computer whose ability to run Free Software makes it so hard for them to abuse the sheeple more than they already do!

        Hate to blow your rant but the PS3 is shipping with Linux installed.

        Really.

        • Re:Sony's dream? (Score:3, Insightful)

          by wolrahnaes ( 632574 )
          If you ever tried to work with PS2 Linux as shipped by Sony, you'd know how little this really matters.

          PS2 Linux only became really usable when the users fixed it up. Sony didn't give a rat's ass about it.
          • If you ever tried to work with PS2 Linux as shipped by Sony, you'd know how little this really matters.

            PS2 Linux only became really usable when the users fixed it up. Sony didn't give a rat's ass about it.

            How do you know they do not this time? After all them seem to be more interested in this being an actual computer and that is the OS being shipped with it.

            The fact that Sony is proceeding with it still in the next generation at least indicates they are not actively "against" Linux. How can you say they a
            • I never said they're working against it, just based on experience from the PS2, it's my opinion at this time that Sony's only throwing in Linux support on the PS3 as a hollow gesture to the tech community rather than something they really care about and will support.
              • Comment removed based on user account deletion
                • In which case, I'll be more than happy to support them. I came to my current skepticism based on past performance, not only with PS2 Linux but with all the proprietary garbage Sony's thrown at the digital media world in the last two decades, it's not like them to do something as pro-consumer-choice as to load a proper Linux on the PS3.

                  If they do however, I shall be pleasantly surprised.
        • If Sony doesn't exploit the loophole in GPL v2 to make PS3 Linux effectively useless, I'll eat my hat!
          • If Sony doesn't exploit the loophole in GPL v2 to make PS3 Linux effectively useless, I'll eat my hat!

            If they do, I'll eat a metaphorical hat...

            They have more motivation this round though (user generation content to sell via the sony online service) which is why I have more belief in it being useful this time.
      • Yeah I'm sure thats exactly what both companies are thinking.

        *rolls eyes*

        Here's a tip about the real world: If you take off the Slashdot blinders, the fact most people have never heard of open source, most people don't care about open source, and companies tend to have better motives for multibillion dollar investments than killing free software.

        But feeding the Slashbot sheeple (to use your term) is a good way to get modded up, just as calling someone on it is a good way to get modded down.

        *takes a deep bre

        • No, Microsoft and Sony have a good (for them) reason to do this: they would make money on licensing fees, just like they do with consoles. Do you have a reason (as opposed to a mere assertion) why they wouldn't want that?

          By the way, I was using Free Software as an example, but this would apply to all third-party software that wasn't explicitly authorized.

      • Yes, they'd have a PC... except that it would be completely proprietary and locked-down to only run licensed programs.

        So then it would be a mac.

        • Sure, except that developers don't require a license from Apple to make programs that run on the Mac...

          ...oh wait, that makes it exactly the opposite of what I was talking about! Never mind.

    • Well, why not? Sony is planning on it for the PS3 [next-gen.biz]. According to Ken Kutaragi: "I think a year from the launch we could indeed extend the configuration of the PS3. Why not!"

      And we all know that Sony hasn't been making any bumbling moves with the PS3! If Sony does it, it must be a great idea!

      </sarcasm> <!-- for the humor impared -->

    • "is microsoft planning on releasing a "new" 360 periodically with added features? perhaps faster-clocked processor? more ram? bigger default HD in the more-expensive unit? HD-DVD drive by default? additional ports?"

      Faster Clocked processor and more RAM? No. Microsoft won't segment their game systems like that. They actually do talk to game developers.

      Bigger HD? Yes. Bigger HD just means more storage. This won't affect game development. This happened with the original XBOX. They started with shipping

  • "HDCP protected" (Score:4, Informative)

    by Doomstalk ( 629173 ) on Saturday July 08, 2006 @10:26PM (#15685465)
    This might also come in handy for their future HD-DVD addon, certainly when movies will get HDCP-protected."

    All currently available HD DVD and the upcoming Blu-Ray titles are HDCP protected. When they're sent as a digital signal over HDMI or DVI to displays that support HDCP, they're encrypted. The Image Constraint Token (ICT)- part of the standard which halves the resolution when a movie is diplayed over unencrypted DVI or analog outputs- just hasn't been put to use yet, making HDCP non-mandatory.
    • a dvi port needs to be hdmi compatable, sure it may be simple, but there are plenty of early models of dvi devices with no hdmi, so that means it's time to upgrade again.
    • Whenever possible, refuse to buy HDCP enabled products. If enough deivces in the market do not support HDCP, the ICT will never be enabled.

      That primarily means if you're going to buy a PS3, but the cheaper $500 model with no HDCP. When buying a display, make sure it supports 1080p via component input (the newer Samsung HDTV units among others).

      • That primarily means if you're going to buy a PS3, but the cheaper $500 model with no HDCP. When buying a display, make sure it supports 1080p via component input (the newer Samsung HDTV units among others).

        Okay, the PS3 part makes sense. But buying a display that supports 1080p via component doesn't help at all from a "marked penetration versus ICT implentation" standpoint if the display also supports DVI/HDMI/HDCP, which of course is the situation with any new Samsung HDTV (and virtually every other ne

        • Okay, the PS3 part makes sense. But buying a display that supports 1080p via component doesn't help at all from a "marked penetration versus ICT implentation" standpoint if the display also supports DVI/HDMI/HDCP, which of course is the situation with any new Samsung HDTV (and virtually every other new HDTV).

          I kind of agree with you but I meant that from the other side of the way you are looking at it - buy a device that supports component inputs (which is most of them right now). What I am assuming there

          • That will be true when player prices are about half of the PS3 costs, probably not for at least a few years.

            I guarantee you that, assuming the format (and the war) continues, there will be HD-DVD players under $250 before the holiday season of 2007. It didn't take very long at all for DVD players to dip to that level and they started out even more expensive. The PS3 will have plenty of competition in terms of its movie-playing ability, in terms of both capability and price.

            As for the ICT, I certainly

    • All currently available HD DVD and the upcoming Blu-Ray titles are HDCP protected.

      I thought Sony's movie studio reversed its position on this, in light of the non-HDMI enabled PS3 model?

  • Maybe (Score:2, Funny)

    by Kredal ( 566494 )
    Maybe their web server is running on an X-Box 360 and overheated!

  • Huh (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 08, 2006 @10:41PM (#15685507)
    So... there's a screenshot of an HDMI port. From an anonymous source. And the anonymous source says that the HDMI port in the picture is connected to an XBox 360 motherboard. And we're supposed to take his word for it, and that's supposed to be our proof that the XBox 360 is getting HDMI.

    Uhh...

    I guess it makes sense if Zonk is compelled to publish any XBox 360 related news that comes in, but frankly, I don't find this very convincing.

    Meanwhile, I thought it was pretty stupid and asinine that Sony split their market by making you buy an entire new $600 PS3 to upgrade your $500 PS3 to HDMI. I'm gonna consider it pretty stupid and asinine if Microsoft also splits their market by making you buy an entire new $400 XBox to upgrade your older $400 XBox to HDMI.
    • With Sony you get to decide up front if you really want to support HDMI (a bad idea), or if you want your HD delivered over component cables (you can do 1080p over component and newer HD units with real 1080p displays support this). I did not think the 360 would release a different confiuration later, that's a lot more dishonest in my mind.

      If you don't HAVE to use HDMI, why not avoid it and the DRM it entails? Device hookup to-date has been pretty thorny so unlike most digital connections it generally bri
  • Next-gen has left a sour taste in everyone's mouth. With Microsoft's bumbling with shipments of Xbox 360's early on to Sony's $499-$599 price tag on their PS3, news like this (to us veteran gamers) just doesn't mean much. Going forward gamers will get more value for the newer systems which is what Microsoft is looking to add to their Xbox name, however adding more sku's to already bloated market seems like a farce at this point in the game. -VoG-
  • I bought a nice HDTV and I will only invest in a new system if it has both DVI/HDMI and HDDVD/BluRay. When CD's came out, I stopped buying cassettes. When DVD came out, I stopped buying VHS. I've already stopped buying DVD's and am saving my money for HD disks of any kind. I am a technophile, I can't help it.

    Last generation I would only buy a system that could play DVD's out of the box, so I only bought a PS2. I never saw one of those fancy DVD GC's in the stores. The generation before that I would only buy
    • So you never bought a Gamecube? Or an Xbox? You're missing out man. Don't let your bleeding-edge-tech lust be the reason you miss out on great games.
    • "I am a technophile, I can't help it."

      95%+ of the game-buying public aren't. Most game buyers consider particular titles to be decision makers on the purchase of a console, not an unrelated feature.

      "With the exception of the Saturn, this algorithm has served me well."

      Except you're selectively ignoring your algorithm.

      If you were truly following your "Must also play as much media as possible" rule, you would have gotten a Pioneer LaserActive to play your Genesis cartridge and CD-ROM games on, as well as lase
    • so let me get this straight, you are a technophile, with an hdtv, yet you use a ps2, instead of a dedicated(progressive scan, perhaps upscaling, definately higher quality) dvd player. Something doesn't add up. Do you also listen to digital surround sound from the movies through your hdtv's stereo speakers?

      >> With the exception of the Saturn, this algorithm has served me well.

      well, 2/3, not exactly passing any statistical muster, hope it works for you.

    • I bought a nice HDTV and I will only invest in a new system if it has both DVI/HDMI and HDDVD/BluRay. When CD's came out, I stopped buying cassettes. When DVD came out, I stopped buying VHS. I've already stopped buying DVD's and am saving my money for HD disks of any kind. I am a technophile, I can't help it.

      Clearly you're the market for both MS's and Sony's new systems.

      Those of us who haven't "invested" in an HDTV system basically look at those two products and say to ourselves, "Eh, the cost comes to

  • They're not "screwing over early adopters" (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 08, 2006 @11:04PM (#15685593)
    I hate it when people complain about them "screwing over early adopters". Either it was worth $400 for the console or it wasn't. Quit trying to stop them from adding a feature many of us who don't yet have an XBox 360 want. They're not going to have HD-DVD games, they're not going to up the clock speed, they're not going to add more memory. They are just adding a couple of features that in no way change what games you can play and how they look. Hopefully when they move to the smaller die the XBox 360's will run a little cooler and the fans won't be so loud. That's not "screwing over early adopters". They're taking advantage of new technology when it comes out. The XBox 360's that people have already bought won't lose features.

    • Re:They're not "screwing over early adopters" (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Mark Maughan ( 763986 ) on Saturday July 08, 2006 @11:10PM (#15685616)
      I hate it when people complain about them "screwing over early adopters". Either it was worth $400 for the console or it wasn't. Quit trying to stop them from adding a feature many of us who don't yet have an XBox 360 want. They're not going to have HD-DVD games, they're not going to up the clock speed, they're not going to add more memory. They are just adding a couple of features that in no way change what games you can play and how they look.

      But it does change how the games look on a nice 1080i or 1080p TV with DVI/HDMI.

      Hopefully when they move to the smaller die the XBox 360's will run a little cooler and the fans won't be so loud. That's not "screwing over early adopters". They're taking advantage of new technology when it comes out. The XBox 360's that people have already bought won't lose features.

      DVI was out well before the 360. There was no time excuse for not having DVI even HDMI in the more expensive Xbox360 model.
      • But it does change how the games look on a nice 1080i or 1080p TV with DVI/HDMI.

        DVI was out well before the 360. There was no time excuse for not having DVI even HDMI in the more expensive Xbox360 model.

        Welcome to the "bleeding edge". They call it that for a reason.

        I waited almost a year and a half to buy an Xbox. By then the price had come down considerably, the early kinks/bugs had been worked out, there were a lot more (and better looking) games available for it, and it had already established
    • The early adopters were so rabid for the device that they had to have it early. That's what they wanted, that's what they got. They didn't get "screwed"... Lied to, perhaps, but not screwed.

      The entity being screwed over by this is Microsoft. People who are willing to wait a bit for a gaming system (hint: every single person left that Microsoft still wants to sell a 360 to) are going to see that they made the right decision by holding off, and wonder how quickly this new new 360 will be obsolete due to the r
  • If there is an add-on HD-DVD module.... there is no reason why it can't have an HDMI port on it, allowing all 360s the same output capability...
    • The add-on is just like an external CD-ROM drive, and there's no way it would have enough computer power to decode the MP4 signal and audio comping from an HD-DVD disc - that's why the unit is going to probably cost around $200, not $500! It's cheaper to use the 360 for decoding.

      That is why the 360 itself needs HDMI to be able to output an HDCP encrypted signal to an approved HD display device.

      Now it will also work with current models using component outputs. That may not look quite as good but the differ
  • THe Xbox 360 was designed with hdmi in mind. If I can refer you to http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=319&prod ucts_id=8540 [lik-sang.com] they have a place holder for an official Microsoft HDMI cable for the 360 to be shipped sometime this fall with the release of the HD-DVD add-on. While they may release a newer version of the xbox 360 the older ones will still work just fine.

  • Can't HDMI be added later? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by The-Bus ( 138060 ) on Sunday July 09, 2006 @12:27AM (#15685800)
    My understanding was that Microsoft would release an HDMI "cable" to replace the current one when the tech was ready. If you have a 360 now, with the latest update and VGA cables, your 360 now is upscaling DVD video to 720p. From the shots I've seen, it's not bad.

    There is no separate VGA output. There's simply a cable you plug into a specialized port. I would imagine an HDMI cable would be a no-brainer.

    I don't know enough about the hardware to know if a special motherboard is required for HDMI, but my guess is that it's not -- it's all in the cable. Maybe someone more adept can answer this question.
    • My understanding was that Microsoft would release an HDMI "cable" to replace the current one when the tech was ready. If you have a 360 now, with the latest update and VGA cables, your 360 now is upscaling DVD video to 720p. From the shots I've seen, it's not bad.

      There is no separate VGA output. There's simply a cable you plug into a specialized port. I would imagine an HDMI cable would be a no-brainer.

      I've neither heard nor seen evidence that the Xbox 360 supports this. It's not just a question of whether
      • There has been several news articles indicating that once opened and properly disected, the Xbox 360 is revealed to NOT HAVE the circuitry to output HDMI signals even with a new cable - it just can't do it.

        NOTE: not my rumours, just stuff I've seen, iirc anandtech may have been one of the sites.
      • they say the connector appears to be purely analog.

        How then does a digital signal leave that same port to later go through the optical audio cable? (Wait, SPDIF passthrough audio and video coming out of the same port... sounds like, um... HDMI)

        All of you are guessing, and it's kinda annoying to see people fight about speculation and add their own.

        It also wouldn't really make sense for MS to have HDMI capability in the current 360 but not offer a cable for it - do they want to make money or not?

        Why doesn't i
    • I don't know enough about the hardware to know if a special motherboard is required for HDMI, but my guess is that it's not -- it's all in the cable. Maybe someone more adept can answer this question.

      Unfortunately, no. You can't just add a new cable end. The problem is the digital-analog conversion.

      Currently the X360 has an analog-out AV port. Converting from analog to digital is tricky and expensive, hardware-wise (and not ideal anyways). If the AV port was digital, you could indeed just change out th

  • Hey look, a rumor about something that might mean further advantage to the 360! Time to apply that "zonked" tag.

    Humorously this time it backfired as people realized what a quagmire Microsoft if is if it starts signaling you can expect newer 360 models every six months. Should I buy now, or wait for the end of the upgrade cycle? Wlcome to the world of PC gaming as we know it today, poor console players! You thought you could buy a console and just use it for years without coughing up for upgrades?

    Howev

  • looks... cramped (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Guppy06 ( 410832 ) on Sunday July 09, 2006 @10:19AM (#15686787)
    Looking at how they shifted their proprietary a/v output jack upwards and squeezed in the HDMI port underneath it, I took a look at how the component cable connects to the back of my 360. The component plug has a good deal of overhang and I'm not all that sure you can connect both it and the HDMI cable at the same time, which you would want to do if you want to use the optical audio port on the component cable. It would have worked better if they put the HDMI plug above the proprietary plug instead of what is pictured. The arrangement might even get in the way of the wireless networking adapter.

    So, whatever this is, I doubt it's going to be released to the market as-is. It's been suggested that the proprietary a/v jack might be able to support an HDMI adapter plugged into it, the HDMI port pictured might just be a lead-off from the proprietary plug for development purposes (the submitter said he saw a grand total of 3 such motherboards, and no mention of a shell).
    • HDMI carries digital audio (HDMI is DVI with digital audio added). Every HDTV I've seen with HDMI input also has a digital output which can be connected to a digital receiver. So, you wouldn't need any other output from the Xbox 360.
  • VIDEO IN! VIDEO IN! VIDEO IN VIDEO IN VIDEO IN! VIDEO IN!.

    Guess what I want VIDEO IN VIDEO IN VIDEO IN VIDEO IN VIDEO IN VIDEO IN!

    PVR functionality would have won this generation, though Sony's PSX (Real PSX like $2000 machine) didn't sell well it was partially because that device was terribly crippled.

    Also you can force your users to connect to the internet at least once a week, great for live or Sony.

  • HDMI on 1st gen 360s? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Sephiro444 ( 624651 ) on Sunday July 09, 2006 @09:14PM (#15688505) Homepage

    Altering the motherboard design to include an HDMI port on the system itself is great, but doesn't the current Xbox 360 use a proprietary A/V-out port (through which your composite, s-video, component, optical audio,etc. are all passed)?

    What's to stop MS from just releasing an HDMI video cable that goes through that same port, for the sake of all those without HDMI built in, as well as an XBL or other update to make it possible?

    • What's to stop MS from just releasing an HDMI video cable that goes through that same port, for the sake of all those without HDMI built in, as well as an XBL or other update to make it possible?

      The AV port on the X360 is an analog port; HDMI is a digital connection. That's the problem. It requires more sophisticated hardware to add a D-A converter in there, and you'd get no quality difference (not that it is particularly noticeable between component and DVI, anwyays). So they can't just give us a new cab

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