Nintendo Revolution Attachable DVD Drive

[Zeus]

Nintendo's official description of the Revolution's media capabilities hint that Nintendo may sell a DVD drive attachment separately.



We don't know if we simply missed it during the hustle and bustle of E3 2005 or of Nintendo has since updated its official documentation on Revolution, but recently discovered wording on the console's DVD solution suggests that it may not use a dongle after all. Take a look at the official description of the console's media capabilities, quoted verbatim from Nintendo's press release.

Two Disc Formats, One Slot: Instead of a tray, a single, innovative, self-loading media bay will play both 12-centimeter optical discs used for the new system as well as Nintendo GameCube discs. Owners will have the option of equipping a small, self-contained attachment to play movies and other DVD content.
It's the second sentence that threw us for a loop. A small, "self-contained attachment" to play movies and other DVD content. Unless we're missing something, a self-contained attachment seems to suggest that Nintendo might sell a Revolution DVD-drive separately.

An odd choice of words in the press release or a vague confirmation that a separate drive is in the works? Let the speculation begin.


News Source: <a href="http://revolution.ign.com/articles/694/694576p1.html" target="_blank">ign.com</a>

[slynky]

think of it like the xbox, where you had to add a little remote receiver to play DVDs. The gamecube itself used 8cm DVD discs, so yes, the Rev is a DVD player. It just might not let you play movies unless you spend another 25$ on an attachment.

[julspower]

i see from far hdd devices attach to this dvd connector

[plootid]

i see from far hdd devices attach to this dvd connector

Heh, yeah, it's called "USB" and there are indeed already hdd devices available ;)

But i doubt you need a separate dvd-drive, it's just formulated in a weird way.
You probably do need some dongle because Nintendo needs to pay the MPAA for rights to add dvd support (and they're not gonna force that on everybody).

[RottenFox]

or it could be something like the VCD card that the saturn had internally,except this time its external,so more than likely a dongle of sorts.

[cronixx]

it's probably just like the dongle used for xbox.

[icalledit]

Heh, yeah, it's called "USB" and there are indeed already hdd devices available ;)

But i doubt you need a separate dvd-drive, it's just formulated in a weird way.
You probably do need some dongle because Nintendo needs to pay the MPAA for rights to add dvd support (and they're not gonna force that on everybody).

Your sorta right.....you need to pay for rights but it isn't to the mpaa.
The mpeg layer 2 codec was patented but some german people and they rake in the dough each time somebody wants to make a dvd player :p .
It's really good to be a standard in the market.

I have a question though. Why the hell is nintendo using these dvd's when dual layers cost much much much less. It's fair to say that most of the revolutions games won't take up more then 1 dual layer. And it's not like they aren't already making 2 disc games, right? 125 gigs pfffff I think it's obviouse that they will NEVER need that much.
I hope this doesn't reflect on the price of the games. And how the hell are we going to boot backups if that's the case. It's got me worried.

[ToolPunk]

This is extremly old Info. It was posted Here, http://www.nintendo.com/newsarticle?articleid=02ea1a40-ac09-4cdf-9548-91e5a4e78746&page=home, at Nintendo's Official site on 5/17/05.

I have never heard of anyone reffering to an external drive as a "self-contained attachment", at least not as an attachment. When I think attachment I think some small addition to what you already have not a totaly seperate drive that you plug in externaly.

If someone were to say "DVD drive attachment" I would think of something that plugs into a DVD drive. I would not think you were talking about an external DVD drive.

[SLAYERPSP]

so lets see no hdtv and no dvd drive and some lame tv remote as the controller oh boy it just gets better and better doesnt it. nintendo wake the f up the year is 2006 not 1986 i bet the sytem will come with a rf adapter hell who cares about the graphics lets all use channel 3 again with all the destrotion real retro gaming at its best

[Souzar]

so lets see no hdtv and no dvd drive and some lame tv remote as the controller oh boy it just gets better and better doesnt it. nintendo wake the f up the year is 2006 not 1986 i bet the sytem will come with a rf adapter hell who cares about the graphics lets all use channel 3 again with all the destrotion real retro gaming at its best

SlayerPSP, why not post the list of irrelevant psp games, that was cool. Maybe keep it as your sig?;)

[smudgeone]

If you ask me, IGN was just trying to give something its readers to read. I enjoy reading their articles a lot, but this one is just something to get the flamers spitting. There is no reason for an external drive. As all Maxconsole Gamecube readers know, the Gamecube uses the dvd format for its disks. The "Revolution" drive by said construction, can natively read dvd disks. All that is required is a very tiny chip that will allow it to decode mpeg 2 videos.

[ToolPunk]

If you ask me, IGN was just trying to give something its readers to read. I enjoy reading their articles a lot, but this one is just something to get the flamers spitting. There is no reason for an external drive. As all Maxconsole Gamecube readers know, the Gamecube uses the dvd format for its disks. The "Revolution" drive by said construction, can natively read dvd disks. All that is required is a very tiny chip that will allow it to decode mpeg 2 videos.

Right on smudgeone.

I could delve into all of the past news and information of different sorts to pull what was exactly said by the Nintendo Reps but I don't think I have to because it is so obvious.

What Nintendo said went something like this, it will be an attachment that will plug/socket/slide into the Rev that will not be pertruding out, something similar to that of the BBA for the GameCube. It will give you the ability to watch DVD movies.

I am happy to be able to pay less for a console and have the choice of not having another DVD player. Including my PS2 I have 6 of them and I don't even use my PS2 as a DVD player and it would have been great if I could have saved some cash and chose not to have it play DVD movies.

So it is just a small plug in attachment similar to that of the BBA for the GameCube that will give the Rev the ability to decode DVD movies. Without the attachment the Rev does not play DVD movies and will allow the console to sell for a better price to those that do not want thier GAME Console to play DVD movies.

[thaddius]

This dvd drive attachment is probably for anti piracy concerns.

No one is going to buy it anyway (I already have a dvd player and so do most people, albeit in the form of an xbox or ps2, having my rev play them too would be redundant).

Also, why the hell is slayerpsp wandering the revolution discussion section complaining that the rev isn't a ps3 or 360? Is it so hard to believe that Nintendo wouldn't want to be like sony or microsoft? Get over it!

[Don Giovanni]

Also, why the hell is slayerpsp wandering the revolution discussion section complaining that the rev isn't a ps3 or 360? Is it so hard to believe that Nintendo wouldn't want to be like sony or microsoft? Get over it!

This never ceases to amaze me. I enjoy a good debate on one system versus the other, but what is the point of going to a Nintendo forum just to badmouth a system? Noone in there is going to agree with you when you just fling insults, and all you're doing is showing everyone else how big of a jack@$$ you can be.

I think penny-arcade says it best:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19

and just to keep this on topic, if the Revolution accepts dvd media and can read full size dvds why would they bother to release an external drive? Logic would suggest they would just use a dongle (adding in the mpeg decoder) like others suggested. It just makes sense financially/production wise.