One of the things I appreciated most about my Xbox 360 Elite was that it shipped with an HDMI cable in the box, letting me get the most out of my system's visuals without the need for further expense. Thing is, I got my Elite years ago. If you plan on picking one up in the future, you won't be so lucky, as several GameStop employees have told us new models of the hardware hitting stores across the US (new box pictured) no longer ship with a HDMI cable. In fact, they don't even ship with component cables either, just some SD composite cables, meaning anyone with an HDTV is going to have to pay a little extra. An HD tax, if you will. Disappointing, Microsoft. How are you going to help kick the HD generation along shipping composite cables? This was a bum move when Sony pulled it in 2006. Pulling it in 2009 is just...yeah, disappointing. Source Looks like Microsoft are on a go cheap lately...
Bastards. I was lucky enough to get an HDMI cable with mine when I bought my Elite about a year ago. I can't believe that they would pull something like this, but I suppose it was losing them too much money in the long run.
A 3 meter HDMI cable will cost you about £3 deliverd on ebay, in shops you could pay £20-30 easy. They will cost next to nothing to make so I dont think Microsoft will loose much either way.
Im some ways its bad because your less tech savvy person will buy a 360, hook it up to the tv with composite cables and think there playing in HD. Ive seen a couple of friends do this, would be intresting to know just howmany people do that.
Yeah I've known someone do this. Many times I've had people tell me composite and component are the same too.
I thought component and composite were basically the same...not as far as YWR (Yellow, White, Red cables) being HD cables but I though that the quality was basically the same if it was still only 480p TV. I hooked up the YWR instead of the HD cables and there was definitely a difference even with it still only being 480p. Though I tried the same thing with the Wii and it looked almost identical as if I didn't have HD cables hooked up.
M$ are goin to be savin millions $$$ doing this. since natal is about to come out next fall. jus imagine 20 million xbx 360's sold rite now. £2 cable in each. 2x20 million=40 million. more xbx's to be sold.
Though I'd say that only 1 of 3 people would buy the cable but still they will be making a bit of money thats for sure.