Official: the talks are on MS talks to Sony about BD drive.

[John Kotches]

Would you want to share your most closely held business secrets with MicroSoft?

The differences between Blu-ray and HD-DVD are minimal.

Video Codecs: Identical
Audio Codecs: Identical
Encryption (AACS): Identical
Encryption (BD+): Unique to Blu-ray
BD-J: Java implementation, not unique to Blu-ray

So which closely held business secrets are there in all of this?

 

[akodoreign]

The differences between Blu-ray and HD-DVD are minimal.

Video Codecs: Identical
Audio Codecs: Identical
Encryption (AACS): Identical
Encryption (BD+): Unique to Blu-ray
BD-J: Java implementation, not unique to Blu-ray

So which closely held business secrets are there in all of this?

I think the major issue is Java. MS either has to step on Sun's toes again, or kiss and make nice. Should be interesting to watch.

 

[John Kotches]

I think the major issue is Java. MS either has to step on Sun's toes again, or kiss and make nice. Should be interesting to watch.

Java isn't a closely held business secret of Sony's though.

BD+ is actually the bigger issue unless it's going to be handled on the add-on drive. Java support isn't the problem it used to be. Sun will be happy to take MSs money for the licensing.

Cheers,

 

[allargon]

MS is denying they are in talks...

Blu-ray on Xbox 360? Microsoft hasn't heard about it - Engadget HD

 

[akodoreign]

MS is denying they are in talks...

Blu-ray on Xbox 360? Microsoft hasn't heard about it - Engadget HD

MS also denied the Elite existed for 6 months

 

[Need]

If Xbox 360 gets a blu-ray player, does it mean MS is going to add blu-ray to MS Word spell checker so it will stop suggesting blurry player when you type in bluray player?

 

[BobMurdoch]

Don't hold your breath.... Microsoft squashed the BluRay drive addon rumors.... They are content to live with HD Downloads and upconverted DVDs.

Right now, BluRay is flirting with the penetration that Laserdisc used to have. They still have to convince the studios to drop the media prices to help push DVD off its perch.

I've read some pundits stating that BluRay NEEDS to remain premium priced for retailers to embrace it...

Hogwash.

If you do that you become SA-CD. Remember when they were gonna kill the CD and replace it with that? Better sound was nice, but not when it cost more, was less portable, and couldn't be copied to a mix disc or Ipod.

Once again, a $5 premium is OK, a $20 one isn't.

 

[mike123abc]

Only way I really see BD coming out on Xbox is if some really killer game comes out that will not fit on DVD-9. If some game vaults the PS3 up in sales then MS will suddenly release the drive. It is getting too late in the 360's life, probably include BD in the next generation. MS probably views the weak sales of HD-DVD drives as a sign, plus if players go lower in price than the PS3, the PS3 will no longer get the BD boost.

 

[navychop]

But there's always the factor of how many people might decide to buy the PS3 so they get a game machine AND a high def player in one purchase. They could pick that over the Xbox360 since they would only have to buy one box rather than 2.