Redmond (WA) - In a surprising move, Microsoft has released a new firmware update for the Xbox 360 HD DVD player, which will automatically download the next time users watch an HD DVD movie.

The new update includes "compatibility improvements" for specific HD DVD titles as well as "additional support for network features," according to a post by Xbox Live's Larry Hryb in his official blog.

The update is widely expected to be the last firmware update for any HD DVD player.  In fact, it comes as quite a surprise that an update was released at all, as Microsoft officially disowned the fallen format last month.

It is also peculiar to see additional network support as one of the updates, because most movie studios have stopped supporting online features on their HD DVD discs.

The update is available now from the Xbox 360 console and will also be posted on Xbox.com "later this week," said Hryb.

good?

Apr 08, 2008 13:09     

come on. this is news? no more hd dvd talk please.
john(J.D.) report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -10

Blu Ray?

Apr 08, 2008 13:56     

Great will this update play Blu Ray?
cb report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -8

Not surprising at all

Apr 08, 2008 14:03     

Upcoming Blu-ray web features will probably happen using the same servers that they used for the HD DVD titles, so this shouldn't be a huge surprise. And is it the author's expectation that this is the last update for any HD DVD player, or something you've heard from Toshiba or Microsoft? I wouldn't count out at least one final sort of update on the Toshiba players.
Pravin report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Nah brah!!!

Apr 08, 2008 14:13     

Too little too late brah, that mug is toast!!!
Richard T Stevens J.r. report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -3

To: cb

Apr 08, 2008 15:08     

No, no HD-DVD player can play Blu-Ray. Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are seperate and use different laser technology so it's physically impossible to play a Blu-Ray movie on an HD-DVD player.
Bob report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +3

Whats the point

Apr 10, 2008 05:27     

HD DVD is dead and Microsoft doesn't plan on switching to Bluray.
ThomFrost report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0