Xbox 360 HD-DVD Drive Connects via USB Port

Microsoft officially unveils the specifications for its upcoming Xbox 360 HD-DVD add-on drive. The drive will connect to the Xbox 360 through a standard USB cable. But will this impact the video quality?

Several days ahead of E3, Microsoft has answered some key questions about its announced-but-mysterious HD-DVD add-on drive for the Xbox 360.

For starters, the drive will connect to the Xbox 360 through a USB interface (actually, USB 2.0 to be precise). USB is the same universal computer port used by millions of PC owners to connect their optical mouse, keyboard, flash drive, and iPod to their PCs.

But that raises a fair point -- does the standard USB 2.0 port have enough bandwidth to handle a heavy-duty HD signal sent from a cutting-edge HD-DVD drive?

USB 2.0, aka Hi-Speed USB, can handle a theoretical maximum of 60 megabytes per second, though such speeds are rarely attained in real-world settings. The standard for HD-DVD transfer rates top out at 36 megabytes per second. Though this seems to be enough bandwidth to handle standard HD playback, it remains to be seen how the USB bandwidth will handle more functions like fast-forwarding and rewinding. Will there be any hitches or delays? We should know more about the performance soon.

One key piece of information is left out: how much with the Xbox 360's HD-DVD drive cost? The piece quotes Albert Penello, Microsoft's director of global marketing for Xbox, as saying the device will be an "affordable option." But with HD-DVD players currently starting at $499, what exactly does that mean? And on another note, how big will the drive be?

After sharing a few interesting details about the upcoming Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive, the Microsoft PR piece goes on to sing the praises of HD-DVD and the downsides of Sony's competing Blu-ray format. It's pure PR fluffery -- don't forget that Microsoft has a vested interest in HD-DVD succeeding.

Expect further updates from GamePro.com as Microsoft solidifies the final detals of its Xbox 360 HD-DVD plans.

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