Just about a week after Toshiba formally announced the end of their HD DVD player production, Microsoft has followed suit and announced that the HD DVD add-on player for the Xbox 360 will be discontinued. There had been rumors that the drive would start selling for $50, and those came true today as all the major retailers updated their pricing overnight.
The “non-believers” (people who never supported HD DVD and still don’t) will say that this is $50 too much to pay for technology that’s going nowhere. If you’re a little more involved with HD DVD, for example you have a reasonable collection of discs, there’s a whole other angle to consider.
The HD DVD add-on drive is actually just a USB peripheral that can even be hooked up to a PC. With the right software and capable video card, you can watch HD DVD movies on your computer, or let your computer pass the signal along to an HDTV. $50 is much cheaper than any of the internal drives made for the PC for this same purpose (usually because those internal drives are combo drives that also play Blu-ray discs, and can burn DVDs).
If you already have a 360 to hook it up to, $50 is now the cheapest way to get into the fading world of HD DVD. This may be more important to people looking for a way to have some sort of back-up drive in case their primary HD DVD machine breaks down.
Another reason to get this drive right now (as commentor Bob points out) is because it comes with King Kong and qualifies for the 5 Free Movies offer (if you get it by the 28th). That’s 6 HD DVD movies for $50!
Whatever your reason for wanting the $50 add-on drive, the time is now. Amazon appears to have sold out and is now offering them through their partner vendors, some of whom had not updated their prices yet. Amazon could also get these back in stock in case you’re patient. We’ve also had at least a couple of visitors to the site report that Best Buy currently offers this same price, and I’m sure it’s available at Circuit City and elsewhere for $50 as well.
- $50 Xbox 360 add-on at Amazon.com
- $50 at Best Buy
- $50 at Circuit City
February 25th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
50 dollars is a great deal, dead format or not. Plus if you are able to find this before Feb 28th, you are still eligible for the 5 free HD DVDs. 50 bucks for a HD DVD Player and 6 movies. Great Price.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Gamestop as of today has them at $50 as well
February 25th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
I’m saving my $50 to buy a PS3. It’s unwise to throw any more money into this sinking ship.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Just got one at BB for $50. I gave it to my brother-in-law, who has a XBOX 360 and I will keep the 6 free movies myself.
February 26th, 2008 at 5:23 am
Bought one for King Kong, 5 free, back up player and the potential to burn & convert my HD-DVDs to Blu-Ray when BR technology is affordable and consistent (profile 2). Until then, I will be enjoying my ever growing HD-DVD collection and upscaling DVDs.
February 26th, 2008 at 6:09 am
did any body know if I can conect this to my ps3 usb and wach hddvd tru my ps3?
February 26th, 2008 at 7:02 am
The PS3 does not have the software to play back HD DVDs. You could try hooking that drive up, but I don’t think the PS3 would know what to do with it.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Since the PS3 can run Linux, it is possible to use this add-on:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats/BluRayAndHDDVD
February 26th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I’m sure ubaldo was asking for a more “plug and play” solution.
February 26th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
yes
February 26th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Thanks, just picked up another 360 HD-DVD drive, the first one cost me $110 used which was a good deal back then! Couldn’t resist to have another for my PC. Free King Kong didn’t hurt either, as I didn’t get it the first time around.