supahonda's Full Review: Microsoft DVD Movie Playback Kit for Xbox
Although I am not for a company selling a video game system that just comes with one controller, and you having to buy everything else, I feel that this is a very good investment. I mean, where else can you get a DVD player for under $30? You might be saying, "it's not a $30 DVD player, its a $350 DVD player!" But, did you really buy your XBOX to play DVD's? NO! You bought it to play games, so therefore, this is a $30.00 DVD player!
The DVD Playback kit is very easy to install. All you do is plug it into one of your controller ports (doesn't matter which one) and you are good to go! You do lose a port, but it's a small price to pay for a DVD player! The DVD remote takes 2 "AAA" batteries, which are fairly expensive, and I would have prefered "AA" batteries, but thats the was the cookie crumbles, I guess.
In the Microsoft DVD Playback Kit, you get a special infrared outlet that plugs into your XBOX (I put it in the 4th controller spot because I never use that anyway) and a fairly cheap looking remote.
You may be thinking that "Why don't I just buy a universal remote for $15 and use that?" Well, the XBOX will not read DVDs unless you plug the infrared port into your XBOX. This is just another one of Microsoft's schemes for getting even more money from you.
Please be warned though: If you intend on downloading movies and burning them to CD-r's as VCDs, this won't work. Microsoft has made the XBOX to not read CD-r's at all (unless you buy and install a new mod-chip ;)
The remote that comes with this kit is very cheap indead. In fact, the remote doesn't come with many features, but it has all the basic ones you will need. Included with the remote is the Play, Reverse, Forward, Go back, Go forward, stop, pause, title screen button, Information button, Menu button, Back button, and your standard numeric keypad from 0-9. You can control all normal menus on DVDs using the Microsoft remote.
The DVD remote is very durable and it has already gone through three of my parties and has still survived (just ask about the parties ;) All the buttons still work well even through a lot of use and none of them stick, like my PS2 remote.
Overall, with a basic hookup, the sound and visuals are good, but nothing really awe-inspiring. You still get everything that would come from a basic DVD player. A few main features are lacking, like Progressive Scan, but thats okay, it's still a fairly nice, cheap DVD player. Once you hook up the XBOX with a High Definition cable set, you get Dolby sound and amazing visuals.
I found that the XBOX has a tendency to skip when I'm playing music (once again, at one of the parties) but I havn't tried jumping around when watching movies! If you found out if it does skip, please let me know.
Overall, I would recommend this Playback kit to anyone that doesn't already have a DVD player hooked up with their XBOX. If you do, what would be the point? But if you havn't jumped in on the DVD craze yet (shame on you!), this is a great investment you won't regret!
Enables Xbox video game system to play DVD movies. Exclusively for use with Xbox video game system. Requires 2 AAA batteries (not included).More at Buy.com Marketplaces
The large-button remote features all the standard DVD commands, plus a 32X reverse & fast-forward User-friendly menus walk you through more advanced f...More at Amazon Marketplace
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