DVD upgrade coming next year

by Alisha Karabinus { Nov 15th 2006 at 7:00PM }

First we thought we were going to have DVD playback on the Wii. Then we heard it was a no-go. Then we were told that it might be Japan-only. Now we hear it's a go for everyone, but only through an update to be released late next year. But here's the thing -- does anyone really care?

Yeah, it was, and is, silly that the console doesn't play DVDs. It was frankly a bit silly that the GameCube didn't play DVDs, back when it mattered, back when everyone didn't already own multiple DVD players. But these days, is it even an issue? How many DVD players do you already own? If the Wii Fanboy staff added up all their in-home DVD players, the number might stagger you (there are seven just in this blogger's house).

So. The Wii will get an update from Sonic Solutions (the folks behind Roxio) that will provide DVD playback. And there was much rejoicing. Yay.

Tags: DVD, Nintendo, Roxio, Sonic Solutions, SonicSolutions, Wii

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

alex @ Nov 15th 2006 7:08PM

software or hardware update?

Jackson Pritt @ Nov 15th 2006 7:15PM

Why would they announce this right before launch?
Will a DVD-Wii cost more than a non-DVD Wii?
Is there any reason to NOT wait for a DVD-Wii?

Keine @ Nov 15th 2006 7:18PM

Hardware, I think. But let's pray this update is possible via connect24. I wasn't planning on doing any homebrew, so I don't care about that.

Ali Emamdjomeh @ Nov 15th 2006 7:25PM

meh, i could care less, i plan on purchasing a ps3 by this time next year, so it all evens out in the end.

cmdrpaddy @ Nov 15th 2006 7:26PM

Well looking around what I think is Sonic Solutions website seems to suggest that its going to be a software upgrade seeing as they only sell software. I think its a good idea, but only if it actually is a software upgrade, announcing that your latest and greatest console is going to be upgraded within months of its release seems so utterly stupid it couldn't be true.

Author X @ Nov 15th 2006 7:34PM

Look on the bright side - I know some people were dissapointed at only white wii's being available at launch. If it is a hardware update, there might be new colours by the time it's out.
Personally, I'd like DVD playback. The only DVD player in my dorm room (aside from my roommate's stuff) is my laptop, which honestly runs kind of slows and skips every now and then (ironicly, it's Windows "Media Center Edition") and the remote is always out of batteries. So, yeah, I may already have a device that plays DVDs, but Wi would be that much more convenient.

Ken @ Nov 15th 2006 7:41PM

I think it would be a software upgrade, because aren't the Wii discs themselves DVDs? So it has the laser already inside, it just needs some decoding software in order to do so.

Ibrahim @ Nov 15th 2006 7:42PM

Yeah, I agree that while I don't really care abou DVD playback, I'm sure a lot of Nintendo's potential market has an older TV with only one set of A/V inputs and it's a pain to swap inputs when you want to watch a movie. If it's a software thing I'll definitely get it. But there's already an interesting workaround, you could just rip the DVD to quicktime or whatever format it is that the Wii supports and put it on a 4GB SD card and watch it off of that.

Calvin @ Nov 15th 2006 8:00PM

@6

On the topic of the White Wii's... does anyone know if their local store is selling any BLACK Wii's?

cubeboy101 @ Nov 15th 2006 8:10PM

i dont get this theres more to it not just dvd the drive in wii isnot a dvd drive its a custom drive priority so it loads and streams quickly in games i really dont care about dvd
IV JUST BROUT A UPSCALLING SAMSUNG DVD AND AMP its upscalled 720p from 576p IS STUNNING WHO NEEDS DVD IN WII AND WHO NEEDS BLU RAY

I watch stanard dvds at 720p upscalled plus the xd engine on my hd tv is switched on
THATS HD I DONT CARE WHAT ANY VISUAL AUDIO PHILE TRYS TO SAY THE IMAGE IS AMASING I DONT NEED BLURAY OR HD-DVD
STANDARD DVD DOES THE SAME JOB

saying a games consdole needs a dvd player is like saying it allso needs a toaster or microwave attatched hmmmmmmm

Ken @ Nov 15th 2006 8:14PM

@cubeboy101

EYE THOT NINTENDIO WUZ STAAAYIN WAY FRUM DVDs!? WY DUZ TEHY KEEP LIEING TOO US?!

But seriously. Speak english please, I lose brain cells when I read your posts.

Lisette @ Nov 15th 2006 8:34PM

I don't NEED another DVD player. The 5 in my house work just fine... :P

jimbo @ Nov 15th 2006 8:59PM

it will be a hardware update and this is stupid they could easily made it a software update i got this info from ign.com or google it i think this is wat it said

Tom @ Nov 15th 2006 9:21PM

Let's see..

1 laptop DVD-ROM
3 desktops, each with a DVD+/-RW
1 old crappy standalone DVD player
2 Samsung standalone DVD+/-RW players (very nice quality, btw)
1 Xbox
1 PS2
1 Xbox 360

Total: 10

tad @ Nov 15th 2006 9:33PM

just because we love video games (and Wii) doesn't mean we all have enough DVD players for every room. Or that we should.

I only have one (not counting the drive in my PC which isn't connected to my tube). I was really hoping DVD playback would ship with Wii--then I could've moved my old DVD player to my bedroom.

And I don't care if I "could" buy a DVD player for 20 bucks. Ninty said it was gonna come with the Wii. Now it doesn't. That makes me mad. It's the principle of the thing that makes me angry, and, frankly, whether or not you "need" DVD playback on Wii, you were promised it, too.

Maybe it was Perrin Kaplan who originally said Wii was gonna have DVD playback. Then I would understand why it doesn't now.

aka_ak @ Nov 15th 2006 9:36PM

With a picture like that, Monty Pythons everywhere were scouring the post for a reference. And we only get ONE, at the END? xP

Rory @ Nov 15th 2006 9:40PM

I planing to purchase a Wii, as my first and prolly only next Gen console.

But why we have to wait a year for a DVD player?

AngryTexan @ Nov 15th 2006 10:25PM

On another note, does anyone know if the Wii will be able to play Gamecube games that are online compatible (i.e. Mario Kart). I would have bought the online adapter for the gamecube, but the costs outweighed the return. So, please, can anyone help me out with my Q?

Matt @ Nov 15th 2006 10:38PM

And remember ninty saying they could and were GOING to add more channels to the Wii? How bout a Movie Channel. Download the update, add that to your channels, and you now have a DVD player if you ever want it.

Patrick @ Nov 15th 2006 10:41PM

wow I was litteraly talking about that today at lunch today with my PS3 fanboy friend. We were argueing which was better (PS3 or Wii) and he goes "Well the PS3 can play DVDs." then I just said "Dude I own like 5 dvd players already...why do I need another?" I wouldn't care if it was free, but if it costs extra money, no one is gonna buy it. Also I just say a Red Steel commercal on TV...it was really dissapointing. Oh and just to let everyone, I won the PS3 vs Wii fight.

Gabe @ Nov 15th 2006 10:45PM

@18

Wasn't Phantasy Star Online the only online compatible Gamecube game?

DJ @ Nov 15th 2006 10:47PM

The DVD player in my room died on me and i'm getting sick of the PS2 with no remote DVD playing solution. Wii DVD playback would be really convenient cause I don't feel like dropping the cash on another DVD player + wii-- even if they are cheap as hell.

Matt @ Nov 15th 2006 10:48PM

I'm sure they just wanted to focus on the stuff everyone actually cares about (the Wii itself), because they knew that EVERYONE already had 20,000 DVD players in their house.

It's probably going to be a FREE update as well.. SO WHO CARES!? If you want to use it, you can download it. If you have enough players already, you can continue with your life. It's not very difficult..

Matthew Ryan @ Nov 15th 2006 11:06PM

@ Calvin

I have no clue, but it would be fucking sweet if mine was black =P~

Bob799 @ Nov 15th 2006 11:35PM

"I know some people were dissapointed at only white wii's being available at launch."
"On the topic of the White Wii's... does anyone know if their local store is selling any BLACK Wii's?"
the answer is in the white wii topic you are referring to.

Deth @ Nov 16th 2006 2:27AM

Bravely bold Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot.
He was not afraid to die, OH! Brave Sir Robin!
He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways,
Brave, brave, brave, Brave Sir Robin!

He was not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp
or to have his eyes gouged out and his elbows broken!
To have his knee caps split and his body burned away
and his limbs all hacked and mangled Brave Sir Robin!

Thanks for the memories! I love that scene more than any other in Holy Grail! :)
Cheers!

Jordan @ Nov 16th 2006 4:10AM

yeah i dont understand i think it would be good to have dvd in it as a added bonus but couldnt they jus either make an accessory that connects to the wii or make it a software update.

Tim G @ Nov 16th 2006 9:16AM

Why would anyone WANT to play DVD output through the Wii, unless you absolutely had no room or couldn't afford a $50 Korean generic-brand DVD player? I thought the Wii only had standard audio out, and not any kind of fancy-pants multi-speaker surround coax or optical?

Lego @ Nov 16th 2006 9:25AM

Well I had to go buy a freakin DVD player this week because the Wii is not going to have one. My laptop and Xbox will play DVDs, but I won't be using my Xbox anymore and I will never watch a DVD on my laptop. So DVD playback on the Wii would have been nice.

And why does everyone here say, I already have 10 DVD players? Do you connect all these things to a single TV at once? My TV only has one regular sound and video input and now I will have to switch between my DVD player and Wii connections everytime I want to use one or the other.

Finally, why does everyone say "you can get a DVD player for under 20 bucks!" Really, please tell me where you can get one for that cheap! The cheapest ones are usually around $30, and I would never go near one of them because they will die on the first day. If you want a half decent one you will have to spend at least $50-100.

derfreddy.de @ Nov 16th 2006 9:52AM

im not interested in that player.. unless the wii remote controls it
thinking about that.. i want a tv channel in the wii menu

Author X @ Nov 16th 2006 10:28AM

@Soiden/AngryTexan: Mario Kart was NOT online. It could use LAN if you hooked up several Game Cubes in the same room - this is not the same as online. To play online, you would have to get some homebrew software that tricks the GC's into thinking they are directly connected by a LAN connection when it's actually routed through each person's computers.
And sorry, I very much doubt that, or PSO's online, will be supported with the Wii. Look at the DS for why - even GBA games that used the GBA wireless adaptor couldn't use the DS's wifi to connect. Nintendo is getting the backwards-compatibility train rolling, but they don't like jumping through several hoops to provide support for extraneous or seldom-used features. You can cross your fingers if you like, but I don't suggest holding your breath.

barry @ Nov 16th 2006 10:51AM

so....will the update allow for playback of both DVD-R/+R formats? How about DVD-RW/+RW? I'd worry about all the copied movies i have.....

But....i have an LG upconverting dvd player anyway which plays every non-HD format out there (along with DivX and other formats), so i'd never use the Wii's dvd capabilities.

xdrewfacex @ Nov 16th 2006 11:49AM

i personally own 4 devices capable of playing dvds. my family as a whole owns 9 (including my 4). i don't care if wii plays dvds, i'd rather have my digital audio out from a real dvd player to use with my sound system.

Matti @ Nov 16th 2006 12:57PM

I want my tv rack to be clean and stylish. This means a maximum of television and one console or other device below it. Having no DVD playback in Wii is really a big disappointment for me, who for the first time ever thought that hey, here's a home decorational console that looks stylish and makes other gadgets useless! Well. I just have to watch DVD's on my computer from now on, 'cause I already sold my DVD-player when I got my PS2. Now the PS2 has probably got to go when Wii enters the TV rack, so...