New Wii HD?

[justinx]

Okay I heard of the Wii HD it's a rumor

Though from a few more sources I heard that Nintendo will most likely release it in 2010 instead of 2011

Why?
Mostly because it makes sense...

The Wii HD is supposed to get
-the ATI "Hollywood HD" GPU with 128MB Dedicated GDDR3 VRAM (Made with 40nm CMOS)
-a faster 1.6GHz IBM PowerPC "Evolution" Processor implementing Hyper-Threading (Made with 45nm CMOS)
-256MB main memory

and also will be introducing hard drive solutions
-20GB or 40GB IDE Hard Drive (connected via USB inside)
Also the same 512MB built-in NAND flash memory

2x USB 2.0 ports
Wireless G module
HDMI Port and AV Port

One thing I heard though is that the Wii HD may not output Full 1080p HD instead 720p HD and 1080i because it's GPU is not powerful enough to process 1080p HD but other sources say that the ATI Hollywood HD GPU will also be able to upconvert to 1080p

Anybody think these specs are true?
Also that a close 2010 release is possible (and also reasonable)?

To me it looks real...
Standard Opera Browser

Also other rumors also suggest that instead of a new "Wii HD" console they will come out with a upconverter (upconverting the Wii through a upconverter is already possible but barely anyone knows this nor do they try)

The upconverter will be a low cost upconverter that will upconvert the Wii to 720p or maybe 1080p (maybe) through Component (most likely supplied)

and also instead of opting for built-in hard drives Nintendo may support external hard drives (but then again due to piracy they may not)

What's the hard drives for?
IDK, I think some sources say that the hard drive is to store games not only for quicker load times but for easier access to games (allowing users to back them up)

Also some sources say if they opt for the built-in hard drive piracy problem may increase but many Wii users won't really be modifying their Wiis so Nintendo won't really lose that much from piracy

 

[0078265317]

Well if it is it will probably cost a 1000 dollars.

 

[justinx]

Why would it cost $1000?

It has less than half the power of the Xbox 360 (except the GPU)
Plus the processors are built-on cheaper, faster, and more energy-efficient 45nm CMOS (CPU)/ 40nm CMOS (for GPU)

Basically the $199 price point can be retained

 

[justinx]

The Wii upconverter (If they decide to do that) will most likely cost like $79.99 price point

As upconverting processor will be around that price (upconverting processor used will be similar to the Upconverting DVD Players)

 

[0078265317]

But the whole point is to compete. So why even build it if it has less than half the power.

 

[justinx]

@ 0078265317
NO It's not only to compete but to sell at a very low price point

The current Wii has 1/6 the speed of the Xbox 360 mostly because it doesn't have the memory to utilize it's full potential (ATI Hollywood GPU)

The Wii HD is 3/6 the speed of the Xbox 360

It's meant to compete not in a performance way just so gamers can play the Wii (finally) in HD graphics

New Wii HD games will be optimized for the Wii HD

What do you mean by it's meant to compete
Performance-wise the Xbox 360 doesn't even use it's full power for games (It has a ATI Xenos GPU which is similar to the ATI Radeon X1900 GPU which is extremely fast and can play Crysis at High Settings coupled with a fast processor and sufficient RAM)

So basically yeah it's not meant to compete performance-wise as if you put extremely fast processors and a extremely fast GPU in the Wii it would be both costly and pointless as developers will have to redevelop there games (as the PowerPC isn't a extremely fast processor so it has to be a different processor)

HD Gaming + Wii Experience at Low Cost

It's all about how much money it costs to make the Wii not about how powerful it is

 

[0078265317]

But nobody is buying anyway. People keep saying wii graphics suck don't get wii. And lots of selling my wii to buy xbox instead threads.

Why not just stick in 512 ddr graphics card and 2gb ram. Ram is so cheap these days anyway. Make it usb HD compatible and take out the internal. Save money and let users use thier own hd. Or least make it upgradable. Send it in and get the graphics updrade for 100 dollars.

You won't have to redesign games it can be backwards compatible. I downloaded nestopia just to try it. It look fine on my netbook with only 8mb video memory. No difference on my mac nini 32bit core duo with 64mb vram. There's no need to redesign anything.

Plus new hd games will have to be redesigned anyway. The old ones will still work however. Nobosy is redesigning anything just cuz it's now hd.

So new gpu and more ram shouldn't make old games no longer work. It should still work.

 

[justinx]

Well they aren't using DDR RAM as they can't switch architectures

One is because it's suppose to be a faster Wii with HD but still basically a Wii
It's like the iPhone 3G and 3GS

Two is because developers will have to spend more time developing games which means Nintendo will lose money overtime and overtime consumers lose interest

Making games from SD to HD is not that hard nor is it that easy

Also Nintendo doesn't want to opt for allowing users to get their own hard drive will increase piracy problems by a landslide

Also getting a new processor and new graphics card will make problems for backward compatibility (which the Wii HD will rely on as it also upconverts games and it will make up most of Wii HD's game library)

Architecture

Your talking about PC which is different as all of the PC's components are use the same architecture

Consoles switching architecture also requires new software and eventually that means starting a whole new library of games so it's basically pointless if you do that

BUT similarly you have to install new software (drivers) for PC when you put new hardware as so when you do with consoles except with consoles you have to make a new OS instead

 

[justinx]

The internal hard drive is a IDE hard drive which is basically user-changeable?

 

[0078265317]

But you can still up the ram and graphics with out doing a whole new architecture. Why would that make games incompatible. Gameboy color played black and white games. And gameboy advance played color and black and white. Just cause they upped the screen and graphics didn't out date the old library of games. They still worked.

 

[justinx]

Well from what your saying you said DDR ram is low cost

and yes you can up the RAM and all without changing the architecture
The problem is Nintendo started it's architecture with a different type of RAM (not DDR) so basically if you go for 2GB DDR2 it's not just upgrading it's changing architectures

and basically Nintendo isn't ready to make that move no one would really be willing to give up a library of games for their next console just so they can up the RAM and all...

Get it now?

 

[justinx]

Plus the Wii HD is suppose to be

A 2x faster Wii (Only because it needs to be 2x faster to output and render HD graphics) + HD Gaming

Nothing else

People buy the Wii because of it's awesome gaming structure but the lack of HD is kind of also a dealbreaker when it comes to the $199 pricepoint (the Xbox 360 is available in that price)

 

[0078265317]

I heard you the first time. I was not saying ddr but what ever it uses. If it doesn't use ddr ram fine but what ever it does use can be upped with harming current library. Just add more of what ever it is called that they use now.

 

[justinx]

Oh I forgot to address that...

Two problems
1. They're using expensive RAM
2. The OS only supports a small amount of RAM not that much (not sure but it doesn't support over 512MB)

 

[justinx]

Plus what's the point of upping the RAM? and graphics card?

The Wii HD specs are put to the lowest it can just so it can display HD graphics, Wii experience, and get all of these at low cost

The specs can allow playing Wii games converted to HD at 40-60FPS