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[gofreak]

Same source as yesterdays 512MB RAM news..

We've spent today doing a little more digging. It seems the Xbox 360 will use AES Encryption (XeCryptAesCbc), executable files are XEX and not XBE (xshell.xex) and after studying the kernel there is everything in place for backwards compatibility. It can all change of course but interesting all the same.

http://www.teamxecuter.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=160&mode=&order=0&thold=0

I'm wondering - the kernel having "everything in place for backwards compatability" doesn't guarantee it, right? There's more to it than just that..?

 

[hooo]

It just guarantees they want to put it in.

 

[Wario64]

Maybe it plays Gamecube games

 

[Kobun Heat]

The Xbox 360 will be backwards compatible

Spoiler

but only with audio CDs

.

 

[SantaC]

The Xbox 360 will be backwards compatible

Spoiler

but only with audio CDs

.

Spoiler

Now that's a Revolution!

 

[akascream]

It will require an add-on you plug into a controller port.

 

[marsomega]

Same source as yesterdays 512MB RAM news..



http://www.teamxecuter.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=160&mode=&order=0&thold=0

I'm wondering - the kernel having "everything in place for backwards compatability" doesn't guarantee it, right? There's more to it than just that..?

The problem is not whether it is technically feasible, the problem is the GPU inside the XBOX. The problem is custom NVIDIA shaders and API calls on an ATI GPU. Running custom pixel and vertex shaders that are patented and specific to the architecture of the NV2X family. Backwards compatibility means patented code directly tied to architectural aspects of the NV2X family running on a ATI custom GPU.

Then again, the windows installed based is technically the main source of NVIDIAs cash flow, so it depends on the grip Microsoft has on NVIDIAs balls. Then again, would that be grounds for the whole Microsoft antitrust lawsuits again?

 

[FitzOfRage]

Then again, would that be grounds for the whole Microsoft antitrust lawsuits again?

If you're talking about MS threatening to make Nvidia products incompatible with Windows if they don't agree to a cheap solution to backwards compatibility, that would be a pretty clear violation (I can't help but wonder if companies try to bait MS these days, knowing the company is going to be closely scrutinized).

 

[MightyHedgehog]

I think of it this way, regarding BC for X360...

nVidia had a lot of revenue coming from its work on the XBOX. With sales of the system now guaranteed to go slower in the near future, thanks to shortages and an increased focus on X360, I can't believe that they won't be open to a new long-term stream of revenue from MS in the form of some sort of future BC solution...one that they will likely want to have in the XBOX's place regardless of their their future revenue potential with the PS3. This, to me, opens wide the door to ease of negotiation for MS to look at a separately-sold BC solution, where the end user would pay for the feature and thereby paying the cost to MS and, in turn, nVidia. I'd say that if it is reasonably feasible, technologically, it will happen. But perhaps, it won't be at launch.

 

[Suikoguy]

I still don't get where all this info is coming from

 

[Tenacious-V]

I think of it this way, regarding BC for X360...

nVidia had a lot of revenue coming from its work on the XBOX. With sales of the system now guaranteed to go slower in the near future, thanks to shortages and an increased focus on X360, I can't believe that they won't be open to a new long-term stream of revenue from MS in the form of some sort of future BC solution...one that they will likely want to have in the XBOX's place regardless of their their future revenue potential with the PS3. This, to me, opens wide the door to ease of negotiation for MS to look at a separately-sold BC solution, where the end user would pay for the feature and thereby paying the cost to MS and, in turn, nVidia. I'd say that if it is reasonably feasible, technologically, it will happen. But perhaps, it won't be at launch.

IMO charging for BC is completely and utterly retarded. The people who buy the new consoles aren't buying it to play XBox games, they want XBox 360 games. BC was there in the PS2 because their software library at launch was sad, what better way to get quick adoption of new hardware than to support their old library off the get go. Why pay for an addon to play old games? BC should be a feature included off the bat to get you to seamlessly enter the new generation with no hassle.

I'll stick to my XBox to play XBox games if theyr'e gonna charge me extra, I'm not gonna buy some shitty addon just to play my Xbox games.

 

[Kleegamefan]

Tenacious-V, I hear ya loud and clear, bro...

The thing is, as crazy as it might seem, BC is actually important to more people than you might think, particularly in light of the fact MS might be the only one without it...

For me, BC *is* nice and I *do* want to play Ninja Gaiden and Halo 2 on the Xbox 360, if for no other reason than to play around with that fancy resize filter

In the end, the importance of BC depends on what MS wants to do with Xenon....do they REALLY want to challange Sony or are they going to "pull a Dreamcast" and just cater to their core fans???

SCE are the market leader who are strong in lots of areas and sell a product (PS2) that has tons of customers who are pretty happy with it....

If you are MS and you are serious about displacing Sony at #1, providing a competing product with *more* percieved value is a good start....at this point it seems Sony will be the one providing a more feature-rich product than Xbox 360 and EVERYBODY (Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft) will have tons of games.....I would be shocked if they didn't...

Again, the appeal of BC is more about perceived value with the 10s of millions of casuals..

This is just part of the reasons BC is important for Xbox 360...

Not the end of the world if MS don't or cant provide it...but with BOTH of their competitions now having it, MS is the odd man out....

 

[StoOgE]

yeah, but if MS launches for 250 and Sony cant afford too launch at 300, alot of that percieved value difference could fly out the door.

Most of what we know at this point is half truth and conjecture... in a month we will have more info than we can shake a stick at..

 

[Kleegamefan]

All we will know @ E3 is what pricepoint MS will launch Xbox 360 at...


Possibly....

 

[SKluck]

I always wondered how the public would react to price differences in consoles, kind of like specs on a PC.

"Would you be willing to pay $10 more for BC?"
"Would you pay $25 more for HD-DVD? (keeping in mind it will play HD-DVDs)"

You'd have to be retarded to say no, but there has to be a limit, you can't just do this endlessly.

I really would have no problem if they had a standard xbox360 for $299 and xbox360BC or some shit for $319 or something. That being the only difference and both can go online, get downloadable content, etc.