Xbox 360 Elite is not HDMI 1.3 compliant

Author: Tim Smalley
Published: 2nd April 2007
Comments (17) Stumble
Xbox 360 Elite is not HDMI 1.3 compliant

Xbox 360 Elite is HDMI 1.2 complaint and there is no support for lossless audio formats.

Amir Majidimehr, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft's Mobile and Embedded Devices Division has revealed that the recently announced Xbox 360 Elite console will not be HDMI 1.3 compliant, unlike Sony's PlayStation 3. Instead the X360 Elite will be complaint with the HDMI 1.2 specification.

This will mean that Xbox 360 Elite owners will miss out on lossless multi-channel HD DVD audio formats like Dolby Digital Plus and TrueHD if they're using the HD DVD add-on drive. Instead, lossless audio tracks will be down mixed in the same way that they already are on the Core and Premium versions of Xbox 360.

Majidimehr admitted that if you want to experience lossless audio formats in HD DVD movies, you're going to have to look elsewhere. "If you are keen on having 5.1 PCM output, I recommend purchasing the Toshiba A2 player which after the price drop, will be much cheaper than Elite."

However, he did say that the X360 Elite's HDMI port will support 2-channel PCM audio. "Our goal was to provide a digital connection for video which people wanted for some of their TVs. And of course, single cable A/V connection. So if having analog video bothered you before, you can now use digital. If you lacked component/VGA on your TV, you are in business with Xbox 360 Elite."

He also revealed that you won't be able to select the output video format yourself with the console connected via HDMI. This is because the connection relies on a handshake with your TV in order to select what it deems the appropriate RGB/YUV settings.

Discuss in the forums
Quote Firehed 2nd April 2007, 15:17
That's an awful shame, though the hint about an HD-DVD player that'll be under the $500 mark is something. It'd be nice to not have an extra box, but the drive for the 360 is external anyways.
Quote Bluephoenix 2nd April 2007, 15:26
I vote for a delay until MS can get HDMI 1.3 on there. after all, those who really want it for gaming already have alternatives, so why go for a lower spec just to get it out the door faster?
Quote Cthippo 2nd April 2007, 15:47
Usually if you have to recommend someone elses product in order to do what the customer whants to do, it's a sign that your marketing decisions may be flawed :|
Quote naokaji 2nd April 2007, 15:51
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluephoenix
I vote for a delay until MS can get HDMI 1.3 on there. after all, those who really want it for gaming already have alternatives, so why go for a lower spec just to get it out the door faster?

hehe... so they can sell a xbox 360 super elite later on that will have hdmi 1.3
Quote sinizterguy 2nd April 2007, 16:09
So no point in upgrading to this ... Might as well stick with the component.
Quote atanum141 2nd April 2007, 16:11
atlest it comes with the damn cable.
Quote Tim S 2nd April 2007, 16:23
Quote:
Originally Posted by sinizterguy
So no point in upgrading to this ... Might as well stick with the component.
aye, it's not like the Xbox 360 component cable is a hassle
Quote Gravemind123 2nd April 2007, 22:00
Don't even have any HDMI capable TVs/Monitors, and I don't see why 1080i over component max is a downside, I don't know anyone who has a 1080p TV or complains that they can't use their HDMI. I guess it would be nice to have for those who have the capability of using it though, not really worth an upgrade, but maybe worth waiting for if your buying one soon.
Quote Robotrix 2nd April 2007, 23:21
Well I decided to do some reading up on this on our main trusty source of knowledge. Why of course, Wikipedia!

According to the HDMI Wiki entry, 1.3 allows support for lossless audio compression (i.e. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio), but if the player can decode multiple streams of audio into lossless compression then there is no need for the 1.3 iteration of HDMI since all HDMI standards have the bandwidth to transmit uncompressed audio.

So that leaves us with one question: can the Xbox 360 Elite decode multiple streams of audio over LPCM (the highest fidelity output for audio)? If not, then wouldn't it make sense to support 1.3 anyway, since 1.3 removes the need for LPCM?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi

So therefore I'm completely puzzled as to why they decided to not support the latest 1.3 standard.
Quote samkiller42 3rd April 2007, 09:49
I just wish things like this, i mean the cables would just be the same, instead of having revisions. Before this i wasnt even aware of HDMI 1.3, it was all the same to me, now im more confused than i was 5 mins ago
Heh, theres no hope for me then B) .

Sam
Quote whisperwolf 3rd April 2007, 10:01
Quote:
Originally Posted by samkiller42
I just wish things like this, i mean the cables would just be the same, instead of having revisions. Before this i wasnt even aware of HDMI 1.3, it was all the same to me, now im more confused than i was 5 mins ago

I vote for a "Standard" Standard. that would make a change in the tech world
Quote Hazardous 3rd April 2007, 14:26
Quote:
Originally Posted by Firehed


That's an awful shame, though the hint about an HD-DVD player that'll be under the $500 mark is something.

There's already an Xbox 360 HD-DVD player available which costs just $200

Furthermore... the (£130) Xbox 360 HD-DVD can also be used on a[n Nvidia-equipped] PC

See this Anandtech article for more details ;)
Quote Vash-HT 3rd April 2007, 20:44
I wish the optical output on the 360 wasn't built into the huge AV cable on there. If I used HDMI I wouldn't want to use it for audio, so it would be nice to be able to use HDMI for video and an optical out for audio.
Quote automagsrock 3rd April 2007, 23:08
That's how I have my PS3 currently. HDMI for video and optical for audio.


I do need a new 360 since mines about out of gas. The elite (being all black) would fit in great with the rest of my home theater/gaming things. Just need to paint the Wii black now :)





Also, I think what firehead was saying hazardous was that there currently isn't a stand-alone HD-DVD player for under $500 :) . Now if there was some way to get the 360's HD-DVD player to work on a PS3...
Quote Lucidity 4th April 2007, 04:35
The Toshiba player will likely see a rather large price cut to 400 or 350 soon. Not to mention this holiday season when the 360s will be on the 65nm chip they will be cheaper. The core system is basically supposed to be gone unless specially ordered, the premium will be around 300 with the elite around 400.
Quote gallacp 28th September 2009, 14:27
Can someone please Help me,
I have bought the XBOX ELITE the Black one,.
What type of HDMI cable do i use,
I have a 1.3a will that work,
Quote AlexB 28th September 2009, 14:34
this is the most strange thread ressurection ever.
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