**Official New Xbox Experience Thread** - Poll Added

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TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: schizoid77
So I thought that Gold members get 12,000 Netflix movies to stream for free? But now I have to give Netflix my credit card # and it's only a 2 week trial? I am getting mixed messages here...

"Netflix announced today that its streaming movies and TV service would be debuting at no additional cost to current Xbox gold and Netflix subscribers along with the NXE update."

So I have to subscribe to both Gold AND Netflix to get the free streaming? I'm confused.

Yes, you have to be subscribed to both. Not sure where you got the idea that it was anything else.

Just watched Mad Max for the first time, decent movie. The service worked fine. However, when i removed the movie off my 360 it didn't leave my queue online. And when I add new movies online they have not shown up on my 360 yet.
 

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
0
Originally posted by: poncherelli2
where is everyone seeing the list of available HD titles?

Login to Netflix.com. Select Watch Instantly -> Genres -> HD
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Well I guess I hit a bug. I have an original 360 with the original 360 HDTV adapter that has component outputs and a optical audio out. I performed a HD migration to an Elite that is being repaired. So the Elite HDD is on my original 360.

It won't let me output HD with this adapter telling me "your xbox 360 component HD AV cable is currently set to TV" - NO, it's not. This is the original 360 HD adapter and there is no switch. If I use the adapter that came with my Elite (that does have the TV/HDTV switch on it) I lose optical audio out - do not want. It lets me select 720p or other HD resolutions and I accept the change but it reverts to 480p SDTV.

So now I must choose between having HD video or digital audio. Can't have both.

-EDIT-
Used the component HDTV adapter that came with the Elite in my original launch 360 with the elite 120 HDD that was migrated. I failed to notice that this adapter also had an optical audio out. All is good (have HD output on component, digital audio out optical), but without that adapter I would have been SOL.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
The overall interface is going to take a while to get used to. The only menus I like are the ones that aren't riddled with ads. I've found myself starting to use the guide a lot more, just because it's just a plain-jane menu.

I signed up for the Netflix trial, and no problems so far. However, I did stream the first minute of the first episode of Heroes Season 1, and although the HD looked fine, the frame rate wasn't as smooth as I'd like. I could easily see slight "jitteriness" that would probably get on my nerves after a while. Haven't tried anything else.
 

oznerol

Platinum Member
Apr 29, 2002
2,476
0
76
www.lorenzoisawesome.com
Originally posted by: mugs
1. I now have to select my video source every time I want to watch videos. Previously it would automatically use my last selection.
2. I believe fewer videos/folders are displayed on the screen at one time when scrolling through video folders.
3. IIRC, previously when you hit A on a video file, it would start playing (or prompt you to resume or restart if you had previously watched part of the file). Now it always takes you to an additional screen where you have to click play.

I had the same 3 complaints.

Adding to the video playback and listing miscues - I will also add that I'm a bit annoyed that folders are no longer given priority, but rather are listed alphabetically along with flat files.

Viewing the friends list is just absurd now. I can't just glance at it so see who is online and what they are playing. I need to know the avatar. Or I need to go to friends list via the guide and use what is essentially a dumbed-down version of the old listing. You can only see 4 friends at a time? Really? Bah.

Also, I have no idea what the stuff behind the avatar on the friends list is.

Second - the first menu screen that comes up is Spotlight. I don't want to see that shit unless I choose to. Can I change the default to "My Xbox" or are they just blatantly forcing me to look at what are essentially ads?

It just seems like they sacrificed ease of use for a better visual presentation.

I will say that, not surprisingly, they made it a lot easier to navigate the places where you spend money. The game page listings are nicer and everything has a preview and information and whatnot. Hell, I can now spend money just by clicking on the guide.
 

Zim Hosein

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Super Moderator
Nov 27, 1999
65,317
403
126
Yeah I may be going blind, but where do I enter the 2 codes that came w/ my LE: GOW2 under the NEX? :confused::eek:
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: ducci
Viewing the friends list is just absurd now. I can't just glance at it so see who is online and what they are playing. I need to know the avatar. Or I need to go to friends list via the guide and use what is essentially a dumbed-down version of the old listing. You can only see 4 friends at a time? Really? Bah.

Also, I have no idea what the stuff behind the avatar on the friends list is.

Same complaint here. I'll just start going to the guide to view my friends list, as the friends "slot" is just useless. Even then, I don't like the reduced view, but I do like the addition of seeing what they call the advanced "presence" data, like what a person is doing in the game they are in, without having to go deeper into their profile.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Yeah I may be going blind, but where do I enter the 2 codes that came w/ my LE: GOW2 under the NEX? :confused::eek:

Don't worry, I couldn't find how to change my theme for the life of me :).
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
I like the Netflix feature, but consider me underwhelmed when it comes to overall usability. I don't see any real improvement.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
So what's the point of loading games to HD besides burning up all my available space?
 

Queasy

Moderator<br>Console Gaming
Aug 24, 2001
31,796
2
0
Originally posted by: Ns1
So what's the point of loading games to HD besides burning up all my available space?

Faster loading times (except for Halo 3). Less noise. Less wear and tear on DVD drive.
 

herkulease

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2001
3,923
0
0
Originally posted by: spidey07
Well I guess I hit a bug. I have an original 360 with the original 360 HDTV adapter that has component outputs and a optical audio out. I performed a HD migration to an Elite that is being repaired. So the Elite HDD is on my original 360.

It won't let me output HD with this adapter telling me "your xbox 360 component HD AV cable is currently set to TV" - NO, it's not. This is the original 360 HD adapter and there is no switch. If I use the adapter that came with my Elite (that does have the TV/HDTV switch on it) I lose optical audio out - do not want. It lets me select 720p or other HD resolutions and I accept the change but it reverts to 480p SDTV.

So now I must choose between having HD video or digital audio. Can't have both.

-EDIT-
Used the component HDTV adapter that came with the Elite in my original launch 360 with the elite 120 HDD that was migrated. I failed to notice that this adapter also had an optical audio out. All is good (have HD output on component, digital audio out optical), but without that adapter I would have been SOL.

that is odd. Microsoft only ships 1 cable type for 20gb/60gb/elite models. its the one that does composite and component and I've never seen a component/composite combo without the switch. the only version without the switch is the one that gets shipped with the arcade/core model which is composite only.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
I downloaded the update for Uno and played for a bit. You have to go into the menus and enable Avatars, but once you do, it's actually pretty well implemented. I ended up getting my first achievement in Uno in 2 1/2 years. :) Last achievement was in June 2006. I like how your avatar laughs and points when you make someone draw two, and cringes and gets sad when you have to draw or are skipped.
 

R Nilla

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2006
3,835
1
0
I thought I had done a good job deleting stuff I didn't need, but I just browsed my HD (via System Settings > Memory > Hard Drive) and managed to free up an additional 2GB by deleting save games and DLC that I will never use again.

Actually, as an FYI to anyone that downloaded the Halo 3 public beta through Crackdown, I found that it was still taking up space on my HD (1GB). It doesn't show up anywhere else (like the demos section) since it is launched through Crackdown.
 

Kabob

Lifer
Sep 5, 2004
15,248
0
76
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Yeah I may be going blind, but where do I enter the 2 codes that came w/ my LE: GOW2 under the NEX? :confused::eek:

Don't worry, I couldn't find how to change my theme for the life of me :).

FINALLY figured this one out! Hit the guide button, go all the way to the left to the Marketplace tab, it's an option there. Couldn't figure out how to do it either.
 

R Nilla

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2006
3,835
1
0
Originally posted by: kabob983
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Yeah I may be going blind, but where do I enter the 2 codes that came w/ my LE: GOW2 under the NEX? :confused::eek:

Don't worry, I couldn't find how to change my theme for the life of me :).

FINALLY figured this one out! Hit the guide button, go all the way to the left to the Marketplace tab, it's an option there. Couldn't figure out how to do it either.

It's also in the Profile section of My Xbox (I think that's what the sections are called:eek:).
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: mesthead21
Man, i love the new dash. Such a vast improvement over the blades

Vomit, I still can't figure out how to change my theme. The blades are now 90% advertising.
 

BD2003

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
16,815
1
81
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: mesthead21
Man, i love the new dash. Such a vast improvement over the blades

Vomit, I still can't figure out how to change my theme. The blades are now 90% advertising.

Yeah, the ads are a bit ridiculous. It'd be nice to start at just "my xbox", but in reality, its only two button presses away, so no big deal. But yeah, 90% ads is about right.
 

UpgradeFailure

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2004
1,672
0
0
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
Yeah I may be going blind, but where do I enter the 2 codes that came w/ my LE: GOW2 under the NEX? :confused::eek:

Don't worry, I couldn't find how to change my theme for the life of me :).

Thank God it wasn't just me.