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Images courtesy Xbox-Scene

New HANA scaler shown directly in front of fan

Closeup of HANA scaler
Microsoft's "Zephyr" leaked to the press complete with HDMI, 120GB hard drive and 65nm processor

With Sony's PlayStation 3 knocking on the Xbox 360's door, it was only a matter of time before Microsoft made the move to make its year-old console even more competitive. DailyTech already reported that Microsoft has been able to successfully pare down its costs associated with producing the Xbox 360, so now is a more opportune time than ever to release an update.

According to Engadget, the Xbox 360 v2 (codenamed Zephyr) should result in a cooler console as the the 90nm IBM Xenon PowerPC processor was swapped out in favor of a 65nm revision. This has not been officially announced yet.

There is also a single HDMI port for full 1080p support -- no firmware trickery needed. Also on the way is a 120GB hard drive which would double the capacity of Sony's top-ranging PS3. There’s no word yet if Microsoft has seen fit to quiet the banshee-like DVD drive, but we can only hope that the answer is yes.

Engadget's "inside man" tells them that the new console will be available soon. We'll keep our ears and eyes open during Bill Gates' keynote on Sunday at CES to see if he has anything to say about the console.

Updated 1/6/2007. Xbox-Scene has posted new images and a video of the new HDMI-equipped Xbox 360. The images include a clearer shot of the back of the console along with motherboard shots which show off a new HANA scaler chip.

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Bah!
By Doormat on 1/5/2007 10:09:33 AM , Rating: 3
I guess this means I wont be seeing an HDMI cable for my v1 360. =^(




RE: Bah!
By JDub02 on 1/5/2007 10:23:46 AM , Rating: 3
Wonder when this is coming out. I just bought a 360 .. maybe I should take it back and wait for the new one.


RE: Bah!
By psychobriggsy on 1/5/2007 10:29:32 AM , Rating: 4
I read somewhere else that the Xenon 65nm shrink was delayed. If true, I wouldn't expect an XBox360 with 65nm chips for several months, possibly only in time for the end of the year. However the HDMI function could be added earlier, and I see no reason for Microsoft to hold back on offering larger hard drives due to their HD video service.


RE: Bah!
By UNCjigga on 1/5/07, Rating: -1
RE: Bah!
By MooseMuffin on 1/5/2007 11:10:49 AM , Rating: 3
I strongly doubt that is true.


RE: Bah!
By therealnickdanger on 1/5/2007 11:15:06 AM , Rating: 1
Did you just make that up in your head? The 65nm chips won't "overclock". The current 90nm Xbox360 does 1080p, stop with your blabbering. Microsoft avoided including HDMI in the intial batch of Xbox360s due to licensing costs and since no one really had HDMI-enabled TVs. Now that sales of HDMI devices are on the rise and the cost to build the console has fallen, it's a no-brainer to include the connection.

However, seeing the native port on the box does dishearten me, since I was hoping for a HDMI adapter cable. I'll wait for more info before I do anything, but I might just be selling my Xbox360 soon if no HDMI option is made available to my current Xbox360.


RE: Bah!
By theflux on 1/5/2007 12:20:39 PM , Rating: 4
You get on that guy for "making something up in his head" and then you go and do it yourself.

Microsoft did not include an HDMI port not because of licensing money, but because they can't. The hardware scaler chip they use is analog only. HDMI is a digital standard. There has to be an internal rework in order for them to support HDMI. In short, there will never be an HDMI option for your current 360; you will sell it.


RE: Bah!
By therealnickdanger on 1/5/2007 12:55:55 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Microsoft did not include an HDMI port not because of licensing money, but because they can't. The hardware scaler chip they use is analog only.

First off, nothing I said was incorrect. The analog scaler is irrelevant since it will still be present in the 360v2 as well and has no bearing on the HDMI interface.

Second, the only difference here is the addition of a HDMI controller and port. In order to use a HDMI controller (or standard), Microsoft must pay a fee. For a project already bleeding money, including an option few to none could utilize was not worth it. HDMI controllers were readily available before the launch of the Xbox360 - the decision was completely economic.


RE: Bah!
By UNCjigga on 1/5/07, Rating: 0
RE: Bah!
By Woodchuck2000 on 1/6/2007 12:24:08 PM , Rating: 3
Sorry, you're still talking bollocks.

For a start, Speedstep is Intel, Powernow is AMD, Xenon made by neither.

Secondly, there would never be any need for the chip to run above spec and the CPU and indeed GPU will be fixed in terms of function and clockspeed for the whole of the console's lifespan. The Zephyr revision will never need to run any faster than the original since both will run the same software identically.


RE: Bah!
By abhaxus on 1/7/2007 5:27:59 PM , Rating: 2
While I agree that the idea of the 360 overclocking itself to support 1080p is ludicrous, I believe the poster was referring to Speedstep/PowerNow as an example of what the 360's chip would be doing. Same way many of would use kleenex instead of facial tissue.


RE: Bah!
By otispunkmeyer on 1/8/2007 5:19:52 AM , Rating: 2
theres no way the clocks would change for games. console games are desgined to work at a specific clock frequency (unlike PC's where it can vary wildly) so if you say doubled the cpu speed, then everything in game would happen 2 times as fast.

it would be like playing in fast forward.

least thats how the old xbox was, i remember reading about a modded one that had a turbo switch to overclock the cpu, but you couldnt use it because all your games went double time too lol!


RE: Bah!
By bplewis24 on 1/5/2007 11:46:08 AM , Rating: 1
Why would they overclock the processer when one of the main benefits for shrinking the process was heat dissipation issues?

Anyhow, this news sort of disheartens me as a guy who was an early adopter of this generation's consoles. I will probably never do so again.

Brandon


RE: Bah!
By masher2 (blog) on 1/5/2007 12:35:06 PM , Rating: 2
Let's see...an issue that affects the entire user base, versus an issue which affects only part of the user base. Which one is more significant?

You're right, that's a tough one....


RE: Bah!
By glennpratt on 1/5/2007 1:35:52 PM , Rating: 3
I see that Microsoft has had quite a few problems with the 360, but I believe heat dissipation was really blown out of proportion, since it was the only thing most people understand. My console and all the others I've seen run fairly cool (mine was made prior to launch).

Cold solder joints or other random hardware failures and flaky software seems to be the most common issue.


RE: Bah!
By sanctus on 1/5/2007 11:59:59 AM , Rating: 3
Hahahahahahahahah! Oh man! Thanks for the laugh! Overclocking the xbox cpu for 1080P! Damn! That is the funniest thing I have heard yet in 2007! Good one. More jokes please. I need the laughs.


RE: Bah!
By Rage187 on 1/5/2007 12:14:05 PM , Rating: 3
did it hurt pulling that out of your arse?



RE: Bah!
By ttnuagadam on 1/5/2007 1:07:54 PM , Rating: 3
ooh so apparently the Xenon is responsible for the 360's fill rate eh?


RE: Bah!
By Tsuwamono on 1/6/2007 10:02:13 AM , Rating: 3
To be fair to him the CPUs alone had a 3% fail rate after installation. that alone is alittle high even for Cell processors. There problem at hand here isnt the hardware its Microsofts Quality Assurance program. The man in charge is obviously being ripped a new one on a daily basis.


RE: Bah!
By ToeCutter on 1/8/2007 10:27:16 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
I read somewhere else that the Xenon 65nm shrink was delayed. If true, I wouldn't .....


Posts like this perfectly demonstrate how the DT comments/forum/whatever has become a parody of tech news.

Trying to participate in meaning dialogue here has become the equivalent to conversing with a restroom graffiti artist between pitstops (