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I finally decided to get a 360...

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Originally posted by: hans030390
QJ.net just had an article...brand new 360 with the extra heatsinks RRODed in 20 minutes. I really doubt these new heatsinks fixed much.

It's a great system, but I'd want my money going towards something reliable.

That/Those Xbox's likely had issues to begin with thats not heat related. Really does a RROD error guarantee it was from the overheating and hardware failure and not a failure from something else?
 
Originally posted by: ObscureCaucasian
Is yours loud even w/o a disc in? Mine (launch console) is whisper quite when I'm at the dashboard.

If I'm at the dashboard or playing an arcade game it's virtually silent. It's when I have a disk based game that it roars.
 
Love my 360... been playing it nonstop since last August. I mean my unit is pretty load when disc-based games are played, but really, its not THAT bad. If you look hard enough you'll find flaws in anything.

BTW, the 20 GB HDD is perfectly fine unless you will be downloading full length movies off of XBL, which I wouldn't recommend @ all. XBL is only moderately fast with the connection speeds & I don't want to leave my 360 on for 8 hours just to download a movie I could on my PC or go to the store & buy/rent.

I have 30+ XBL Arcade games, 6 or 7 demos, 15 HD trailers & god knows how many save files & I still so much space left over.
 
Originally posted by: randomlinh
Originally posted by: mugs
(side note to the OP - it's only 13 GB available disk space)

Well damn, that sucks. Kinda wanted to try out the videos they had. I guess I'll be waiting even longer now for price drops.

All you have to do is delete the crap that Microsoft pre-loads on the HDD. The Titanic video is around 1GB for example. I download every XBLA game, as well as some demos and some videos, yet I still have a bit of space left.

I guess I may've got one of the good ones, but my console really isn't loud. The only loud thing is the Nyko Intercooler and that's because sometimes it decides to start up at full blast and never slow down.
 
Originally posted by: hans030390
QJ.net just had an article...brand new 360 with the extra heatsinks RRODed in 20 minutes. I really doubt these new heatsinks fixed much.

It's a great system, but I'd want my money going towards something reliable.

You didn't provide a link, but I'm guessing you mean this:
RMA replacement fails in 20 minutes

But! This is apparently just a refurbed unit (no HDMI = not Zephyr) so it doesn't mean anything. (Except that MS is still sending faulty refurbs out as replacements, nice work MS.)
 
Originally posted by: michaels
Originally posted by: Dumac
Hmm, after hearing all this I may just go with a new premium. I don't see how I would really use 120 gigs on my 360; 20 mine be enough by itself. The premium is starting to look like a wiser choice, unless I decide I love the color black.

You will regret that 20 gig drive real fast.

I have a game library of about 50 titles and I always have room for about 5-6 demos running about 1gb a piece, and abour 11 arcade titles, and I delete demos or movies for other movies.....

 
When playing DVD's it goes into silent mode and makes almost no noise....playing a game on the other hand...."strap in for takeoff".
 
Originally posted by: krmarks
When playing DVD's it goes into silent mode and makes almost no noise....playing a game on the other hand...."strap in for takeoff".

Movies is only spins like 2x or so, so it would be loud for a DVD player, but if you're sitting any reasonable distance away you shouldn't notice while watching movies.
 
Originally posted by: ObscureCaucasian
Originally posted by: krmarks
When playing DVD's it goes into silent mode and makes almost no noise....playing a game on the other hand...."strap in for takeoff".

Movies is only spins like 2x or so, so it would be loud for a DVD player, but if you're sitting any reasonable distance away you shouldn't notice while watching movies.

I've also found that backwards compatible Xbox 1 games are also very quiet, which is nice.
 
So I got my Xbox 360(Elite) and have a couple more questions.

1. Should I lay the thing flat, or have it standing?

2. What games are coming out/have come out that I should check out besides the most famous titles (Assassin's Creed, Halo 3, Bioshock, GoW, Mass Effect)?
 
Originally posted by: Dumac
Wait, I need an adapter to connect to a wireless network, and it's 100 bucks?!

Man, did you research this thing at all before you decided to buy one? :laugh:

If you want to connect directly to a wireless network, yes you need Microsoft's stupid proprietary network adapter. Or, if you don't mind having yet another 5V DC* power brick hanging off your power strip, you could get a wireless router that will function as a wireless bridge that will connect to your wireless router like a, well, bridge and give you ~4 ethernet ports at the location where you have your 360. Have a TiVo too? Plug it in! HTPC? Plug it in! Microwave? Plug it in! Although I'm not sure why your microwave has an ethernet port. But I digress. There was a wireless router that will function as a wireless bridge (with no custom firmware) in the hot deals forum this weekend for ~$15 I think. Or if you opt for the Linksys WRT54G or equivalent (and really, can you have enough WRT54Gs?) I believe you have to use a custom firmware (which also includes some nice features that should have been supported natively, like static IPs in the DHCP server).


* side rant: I have entirely too many 5V DC power supplies. 1 router, 2 switches, cable modem, vonage box, telephone, the list goes on. I need to start manufacturing a USB->5V plug adapter. Then I'd just need a single powered USB hub plugged into my wall and I could plug all of these 5V devices into it. I'd make millions!
 
Originally posted by: Dumac
So I got my Xbox 360(Elite) and have a couple more questions.

1. Should I lay the thing flat, or have it standing?

2. What games are coming out/have come out that I should check out besides the most famous titles (Assassin's Creed, Halo 3, Bioshock, GoW, Mass Effect)?

A few games you might want to check out:
Lego Star Wars II
Crackdown
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Dead Rising
 
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Dumac
Wait, I need an adapter to connect to a wireless network, and it's 100 bucks?!

Man, did you research this thing at all before you decided to buy one? :laugh:

If you want to connect directly to a wireless network, yes you need Microsoft's stupid proprietary network adapter. Or, if you don't mind having yet another 5V DC* power brick hanging off your power strip, you could get a wireless router that will function as a wireless bridge that will connect to your wireless router like a, well, bridge and give you ~4 ethernet ports at the location where you have your 360. Have a TiVo too? Plug it in! HTPC? Plug it in! Microwave? Plug it in! Although I'm not sure why your microwave has an ethernet port. But I digress. There was a wireless router that will function as a wireless bridge (with no custom firmware) in the hot deals forum this weekend for ~$15 I think. Or if you opt for the Linksys WRT54G or equivalent (and really, can you have enough WRT54Gs?) I believe you have to use a custom firmware (which also includes some nice features that should have been supported natively, like static IPs in the DHCP server).


* side rant: I have entirely too many 5V DC power supplies. 1 router, 2 switches, cable modem, vonage box, telephone, the list goes on. I need to start manufacturing a USB->5V plug adapter. Then I'd just need a single powered USB hub plugged into my wall and I could plug all of these 5V devices into it. I'd make millions!

Ah, didn't think of that. Good idea. I knew there had to be a cheaper alternative than that stupid $100 adapter; internet always finds a cheaper way.
 
Another cheap solution to wireless networking is Logitech PlayLink ($15)
Only 1.5Mbps, but it works great with online gaming.
Can't beat its simplicity, just plug one end at the Xbox and the other one at the router - Zero configuration needed.

I was able to use WinXP ICS for my Xbox too, but ran into problem with Live vs NAT vs firewall settings (only have free zonealarm)

My Xbox is 1yr old and it hasn't given me any problem (knock on wood).
I put it horizontally and I added several quiet 80mm fans (at 7V) on the outside to help cool it down.
 
Originally posted by: Dumac
So I got my Xbox 360(Elite) and have a couple more questions.

1. Should I lay the thing flat, or have it standing?

2. What games are coming out/have come out that I should check out besides the most famous titles (Assassin's Creed, Halo 3, Bioshock, GoW, Mass Effect)?


G.R.A.W.

Ghost recon advanced warfare

theres also a las vegas graw, but havent tryed it
 
Originally posted by: Bu11Dawg
Originally posted by: Dumac
So I got my Xbox 360(Elite) and have a couple more questions.

1. Should I lay the thing flat, or have it standing?

2. What games are coming out/have come out that I should check out besides the most famous titles (Assassin's Creed, Halo 3, Bioshock, GoW, Mass Effect)?


G.R.A.W.

Ghost recon advanced warfare

theres also a las vegas graw, but havent tryed it

No. That Las Vegas game is a Rainbow Six game. Both are inspired by Tom Clancy.
 
Originally posted by: foghorn67
Originally posted by: Bu11Dawg
Originally posted by: Dumac
So I got my Xbox 360(Elite) and have a couple more questions.

1. Should I lay the thing flat, or have it standing?

2. What games are coming out/have come out that I should check out besides the most famous titles (Assassin's Creed, Halo 3, Bioshock, GoW, Mass Effect)?


G.R.A.W.

Ghost recon advanced warfare

theres also a las vegas graw, but havent tryed it

No. That Las Vegas game is a Rainbow Six game. Both are inspired by Tom Clancy.

And both games are very different. One primary difference is that GRAW is mostly outdoor, wide open areas. R6:Vegas is primarily indoor tactical situations.

 
I have to say I prefer Rainbow Six to GRAW 2. GRAW 2 just feels odd with it's cover system, which Rainbow Six implemented much better.
 
Originally posted by: EvilComputer92
I have to say I prefer Rainbow Six to GRAW 2. GRAW 2 just feels odd with it's cover system, which Rainbow Six implemented much better.

Yep GRAW's cover system just felt tacked on as an afterthought. I also just don't like the "feel" of GRAW 2.
I love R6, I don't know if I'll ever get tired of that game 🙂

GRAW 2 has one of the most crazy achievements, though. Holding off the enemy attack with coop teammates online for 1 hour...
 
I just got my elite package from costco delivered yesterday, very nice no problems at all here, but I would like to know what is the best way to keep this thing from ever overheating? i.e. buy a cooling solution and is it better on its side or straight up and down.
 
Originally posted by: jlfirehawk
I just got my elite package from costco delivered yesterday, very nice no problems at all here, but I would like to know what is the best way to keep this thing from ever overheating? i.e. buy a cooling solution and is it better on its side or straight up and down.

I prefer to lay it on it's side. And I think you should just make sure it is well ventilated and you'll be fine. You can buy those aftermarket cooling products but I think it's a waste of money personally.
 
Originally posted by: chrisg22
Originally posted by: jlfirehawk
I just got my elite package from costco delivered yesterday, very nice no problems at all here, but I would like to know what is the best way to keep this thing from ever overheating? i.e. buy a cooling solution and is it better on its side or straight up and down.

I prefer to lay it on it's side. And I think you should just make sure it is well ventilated and you'll be fine. You can buy those aftermarket cooling products but I think it's a waste of money personally.

Not true, I bought the Nyko EX and my temps on my 360 went down 15 degrees, not too shabby as 1 degree on a 360 can make all the dif.
 
I got an Elite after putting off getting Dead Rising forever waiting for co-op to be patched in. Mostly for the HDMI since my PC monitor and projector both support it. I was able to go get my $30 back on the price drop due to Circuit City's 30 day price guarantee 🙂
 
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