Xbox Live Fall Update: Xbox 360 1080p output

In addition, Microsoft announced that its fall software update, scheduled for release later this year, will allow all Xbox 360 consoles around the world to output game and movie content in 1080p resolution.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4362600&postcount=864

Didn\'t see that coming

This update via Xbox Live? Without a new cable?
 
If that\'s right, that\'s the sound of competition being good for the consumer.

Very good.  Smart move... we of course have to wait to see if games will take advantage, but it\'s a good idea for the movie format war.  Of course, if the movie companies ever do turn on the ICP tag, microsoft won\'t have the cababililty of outputting to a HDCP secure connection, which is required with HD-DVD and Blu-ray for HD resolutions.

Now, as I understand it, however, the HD-DVD format can be encoded at 1080p on disk, but is currently encoded at 1080i (below player pic).  The 360 doesn\'t have the hardware decoder for that, which means if they truly are going to output in 1080p there will have to be some sort of software conversion involved, and it won\'t be \'true\' 1080p as is available on the PS3 with a high bandwidth link.  In any event, it gives microsoft an answer to Sony\'s talk of \'true HD\' with their console now supporting it.

The HD-DVD addon drive price was announced at TGS today: 19200 yen, or about 170 USD.  Smart move again, making sure they undercut Sony, as it\'s going to be released at the same time as the PS3.

As for games:

[About their announcements in Tokyo today] First off, Kim clarified that, while the software patch would upscale all content to resolutions as high as 1080p, Microsoft themselves had no plans to produce gaming content taking advantage of this ability. He was similarly convinced that very few other developers would see the value in producing 1080p games, with the singular exception of Sony\'s first-party studios, eager to validate the value of the capability.

[Paul2]

Now, as I understand it, however, the HD-DVD format can be encoded at 1080p on disk, but is currently encoded at 1080i

you are right about that, but you got one word wrong. Its true that they are encoded at 1080p on the hd-dvd disc, but the hd-dvd player decoded it at 1080i part of it i think have to do with HDMI v 1.1 not supporting 1080p or something like that.  So, again  you were right, but the correct terminology would be decode...i just thought about pointing that out.

I heard the upcoming 2nd generation hd-dvd players from toshiba will have the latest HDMI v1.3 built in, and does support 1080p.  But of course, the cost will be $999, and it will come out in December for U.S.A...

But about 2 - 3 months before December, we will see to see more Blu Ray players coming out from Pioneer, Panasonic, Sony, etc...

nvr mind