Quote:
Originally Posted by ganthc
Just curious, how much more advanced can hd-dvd get besides the hd-xa2? The hd-dvd spec is defined, and so even the hd-a1 can do all the required ucontrol stuff. You've said that the hd-xa2 will get dts-hdma decoding. What else is needed for a gen3 player besides it being cheaper?
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The HD-XA2 will get the ability to output DTS-HDMA bitstream, not necessarily decode DTS-HDMA (this likely requires too much power to be feasible). It will also get 1080p24 output.
So, what can HD DVD standalone players get in hardware beyond the HD-XA2?
1. DTS-HDMA decoding.
2. Faster boot times (HD-XA2 is ~30 seconds)
3. Faster disc load times (HD-XA2 is ~10 seconds)
4. Larger persistent storage capacities
5. Built-in wifi
The nice part is that these things are all extras, so now what HD DVD will primarily get is software that takes advantage of all the stuff that HD DVD is capable of. While Blu-Ray is still trying to catch up their spec, studios are going to be thinking twice about authoring features that many people will not even be able to use at all. On the other hand, HD DVD studios will know that every HD DVD owner will be able to use the feature in full, so there is great potential in the development of features.
Some stuff that all HD DVD players, even first-gen, should be able to use with future HDi software:
1. Network a/v streaming
2. Interactive games with support for XBOX 360 controllers
3. XBOX Live Arcade Anywhere support for select games
4. USB External Hard Drive support for content download
5. Building on #4, downloadable movies off XBOX Live Marketplace
6. USB keyboard support for use with fan forums (not accessible off regular internet)
7. eStores
etc.
Note that in one way or another Amir has noted that all of these are possible in time with the HD DVD spec and current hardware. The HD DVD spec has essentially mandated that every HD DVD standalone player is a mini-computer with internet capabilities and external peripheral support.