HD DVD, Xbox 360 hitting movie snags
updated 04:10 pm EDT, Thu April 5, 2007
HD DVD and X360 Movie Snag
The HD DVD format has been encountering numerous problems with movie playback, according to many users. Speaking to forum goers, a Microsoft employee confirmed that the Xbox 360's HD DVD add-on is unable to play TrueHD uncompressed audio, forcing owners to deal with lower-quality Dolby Digital 5.1 as well as audio glitches in titles such as Nine Inch Nails' Beside You in Time. The problem is already being addressed, the Microsoft contact says, and should add both the missing TrueHD as well as DTS support for those who prefer the standard.
More problematic are issues with specific movies, viewers say. Some HD DVD titles, particularly Children of Men, have reported their players locking up or in some cases outright refusing to play the disc, regardless of the hardware used or the exact disc put in the drive. No definitive explanation has been given for the issue except for the possibility that its U-Control copy protection software may be interfering with players. Universal is reportedly updating the movie with a newer, better-behaved edition in June.
