David Hingtgen Posted January 19, 2008 Posted January 19, 2008 The best, most informative article about 360 failures ever: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/digital...ives/129866.asp
Alpha OTS Posted January 20, 2008 Posted January 20, 2008 The best, most informative article about 360 failures ever: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/digital...ives/129866.asp I took away three things from that article. 1. There are multiple reasons you'll get a RROD, but most are related to heat issues on different parts of the machine, and all due to lack of proper qc. 2. Stand your machine vertically for a larger surface area exposed to more air to dissipate heat and allow for more air flow. 3. Don't use piggybacking usb coolers as they don't improve the air flow and might make it worse. Sounds like they're speaking specifically about the Nyko Intercooler. I wonder if it's quite the same issue with a usb cooler like the ones you can sit underneath the 360 if you're standing it vertically. Using the usb port to power a fan adds just a little bit of heat. Sounds like a neglibible amount of heat to the overall problem though, but it does contribute.
JB0 Posted January 20, 2008 Posted January 20, 2008 I took away three things from that article. 1. There are multiple reasons you'll get a RROD, but most are related to heat issues on different parts of the machine, and all due to lack of proper qc. 2. Stand your machine vertically for a larger surface area exposed to more air to dissipate heat and allow for more air flow. 3. Don't use piggybacking usb coolers as they don't improve the air flow and might make it worse. Sounds like they're speaking specifically about the Nyko Intercooler. I wonder if it's quite the same issue with a usb cooler like the ones you can sit underneath the 360 if you're standing it vertically. Using the usb port to power a fan adds just a little bit of heat. Sounds like a neglibible amount of heat to the overall problem though, but it does contribute. The Intercooler is, and always has been, the biggest issue as far as external coolers go. Remember, we're talking about a device that was arcing out and scorching the power connector here. It's NOT the pinnacle of good design. For what it's worth, standing the system vertically creates a slight chimney effect, if nothing else. Hot air rises, and the airflow is far less obstructed that way than if the system is horizontal. The vertical stand fans also have the advantage of forcing air into a vent that's not normally fanned instead of just stacking more fans directly on top of the existing ones. I believe that bottom vent acts as an intake normally(which means standing it vertically makes it harder to bring air into the system). But the USB-powered coolers have always been far safer bets than the Intercooler regardless. Anyways, the article strikes me as questionable. Not a real author, and an uncredited source. MOST of what's been stated there is well-known across the 'net. The rest is already widespread rumor.
mikeszekely Posted January 20, 2008 Posted January 20, 2008 2. Stand your machine vertically for a larger surface area exposed to more air to dissipate heat and allow for more air flow. For what it's worth, standing the system vertically creates a slight chimney effect, if nothing else. Hot air rises, and the airflow is far less obstructed that way than if the system is horizontal. Says the people to the man who's system has been horizontal since launch day and hasn't red ringed yet. AFAIK, the system's RAM, GPU, BIOS, southbridge, and another chip that might be for audio are all on the left side of the unit, or the side that's the top when the system sits vertically. For all I know, the hot air can't exit the system fast enough, and using the whole heat rises notion, the heat from the CPU rises and mixes with the heat from the rest of the system over most of the system's critical components.
Hikuro Posted January 21, 2008 Posted January 21, 2008 I have to think that if something were to happen to your 360, and it was all microsofts fault you should be atleast compensated with Achievement points, I mean k'mon....it doesn't cost them squat really.
David Hingtgen Posted January 21, 2008 Posted January 21, 2008 In the system's ROM, there really should be "Achievement unlocked: 500 hours without RROD, read error, or freezing". 2000 pts.
Hikuro Posted January 21, 2008 Posted January 21, 2008 lol that would be a rather pleasent achievement. That would suck though that by getting that achievement, you suddenly get RROD'ed.
CoryHolmes Posted January 21, 2008 Posted January 21, 2008 lol that would be a rather pleasent achievement. That would suck though that by getting that achievement, you suddenly get RROD'ed. Yeah, that'd be like waving the red flag in front of the bull and daring it not to charge
Gaijin Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 (edited) Speaking of RROD's...a co-worker's new Elite with Falcon console just bit the bucket: 9 days after purchase. He's quite livid. I don't blame him. This is beyond ridiculous already. Other co-worker is on 3rd replacement from early 2007 console...the last one he got was 2 months ago and is already starting to freeze up a lot. Plus he said the drive noise is beyond loud. You take your chances with the free warranty...free for 3 years, but if you don't get a good replacement...what good is it? Edited January 22, 2008 by Gaijin
JsARCLIGHT Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 I really feel for the people who have out of the box failures. Not only are they boofed out of the box, but the replacement program will give them someone else's old used unit refurbished in return. It's kind of like buying a brand new "improved" mustang that blows it's engine four days after buying it and Ford replaces it a different one with 20,000 miles on the clock that blew it's engine and had it replaced... one that some stranger farted in for nine months and all they did was wipe it down, put a new engine in and one of those little pine trees on the rear view and call it "even".
HoveringCheesecake Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 I really feel for the people who have out of the box failures. Not only are they boofed out of the box, but the replacement program will give them someone else's old used unit refurbished in return. It's kind of like buying a brand new "improved" mustang that blows it's engine four days after buying it and Ford replaces it a different one with 20,000 miles on the clock that blew it's engine and had it replaced... one that some stranger farted in for nine months and all they did was wipe it down, put a new engine in and one of those little pine trees on the rear view and call it "even". This. This is an excellent analogy.
Alpha OTS Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 Ford replaces it a different one with 20,000 miles on the clock that blew it's engine and had it replaced... one that some stranger farted in for nine months and all they did was wipe it down, put a new engine in and one of those little pine trees on the rear view and call it "even". :D :D It's funny because it's true.
Hikuro Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 well so far I've had my unit a month, and I haven't had it freeze, over heat, RROD'ed or anything....but I'm sure if I got one of those big beefy graphic games it probably could. Maybe this is why all the REALLY good games, Halo 3, Gears of War etc etc are so short and yet have fantastic graphics. If it were a long game, the console wouldn't be able to take all the pressure and just blow a fuse.
David Hingtgen Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 ----part of the reason I never buy a used car, no matter how new it may be. I've seen how other people treat their cars, even when brand new. At least with a car, when you get it repaired while in warranty, you get NEW parts, (or at the very least, totally remanufactured) not old dirty parts with a new coat of paint. If that. My replacement 360 wasn't even clean. It wasn't filty, but they didn't even wipe the dust off, much less the smudges and the "goo" I found near the logo.
JsARCLIGHT Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 Maybe this is why all the REALLY good games, Halo 3, Gears of War etc etc are so short and yet have fantastic graphics. If it were a long game, the console wouldn't be able to take all the pressure and just blow a fuse. Nah. I think it's more the old "the star that shines twice as bright shines half as long". Developers spend so much time weaving these complex and detailed levels that they really only make half a game duration wise. Instead of twenty mediocre levels you get ten good ones. It's kind of an even trade off.
yellowlightman Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 I have no problem with shorter games. A polished 5-10 hour game thats well done enough that I'll want to play it again is much better than some 30-40 hour epic game.
Ladic Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 (edited) I really feel for the people who have out of the box failures. Not only are they boofed out of the box, but the replacement program will give them someone else's old used unit refurbished in return. It's kind of like buying a brand new "improved" mustang that blows it's engine four days after buying it and Ford replaces it a different one with 20,000 miles on the clock that blew it's engine and had it replaced... one that some stranger farted in for nine months and all they did was wipe it down, put a new engine in and one of those little pine trees on the rear view and call it "even". if it fails out of the box, can't you return it to the store? I've done it with my xbox360, I returned it to Circuit City on the 28th day after the purchase, and I returned a PSP to Target the day after I bought because it had a stuck pixel. Most big chains, as long as you return withing 30 days, you can do an exchange no problem. Edited January 22, 2008 by Ladic
David Hingtgen Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 And that's the #1 reason to buy a game system or TV from a big chain. Game Stop etc doesn't care if your 360 died the day you bought it. (Same reason I won't buy my HDTV online, no matter how much money I may save--one dead pixel and I'm stuck with it)
mikeszekely Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 I have no problem with shorter games. A polished 5-10 hour game thats well done enough that I'll want to play it again is much better than some 30-40 hour epic game. Ditto. The older I get, the shorter my attention span gets. I play a JRPG these days, and around 35 hours in I'm asking "is this thing ever gonna end?"
CoryHolmes Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 I have no problem with shorter games. A polished 5-10 hour game thats well done enough that I'll want to play it again is much better than some 30-40 hour epic game. Unless it's Mass Effect. Then you want to replay it again instantly
eugimon Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 true... I finished 5 runs through ME at around 20-30 hours each and I'll do another run when the DLC comes out... on the other hand, the idea of replaying any FF game makes me want to quit playing games altogether.
David Hingtgen Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 5 runs of ME? Wow. I've only done 1, and am holding off on the next run until I get my HDTV. (Seeing it in high-res will be like an all-new game I imagine, plus I'm going to play it the complete opposite way--renegade female).
eugimon Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 the different classes really help in the replay value.
CoryHolmes Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 I blew through my first run through as a Paragon Male. Had to put in a 12-hour shift just as I was getting to the important part on Virmirre (do I go to the AA tower or stay with the nuke?). Let me tell you, my brain was wheeling for those 12 hours, trying to decide what to do and what would happen
mikeszekely Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 (edited) Unless it's Mass Effect. Then you want to replay it again instantly I LOVED Mass Effect. Even then, though, my second playthrough stalled. the different classes really help in the replay value. That's probably part of my problem, then. I'm replaying with the same Shepard to get the Achievements for hitting 60 and mastering the weapons I failed to master last time. on the other hand, the idea of replaying any FF game makes me want to quit playing games altogether. For what it's worth, I really haven't liked a Final Fantasy since VI. IV was my favorite. I couldn't even finish XII. I'm sick to death of the same cookie-cutter formula that most JRPGs seem to be running with right now. But I just finished Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne, and while I was pretty tired of it by the end of the game, I really liked it for what it was, as I don't think I've ever played a game with a story quite like it (any story that begins with the literal end of the world is bound to grab my attention). I enjoyed it enough that I picked up Persona 3, which is amusing enough as the game is 1 part dungeon crawler, 1 part SMT lite, and 1 part Japanese high-school sim. Edited January 22, 2008 by mikeszekely
JsARCLIGHT Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 if it fails out of the box, can't you return it to the store? I've done it with my xbox360, I returned it to Circuit City on the 28th day after the purchase, and I returned a PSP to Target the day after I bought because it had a stuck pixel. Most big chains, as long as you return withing 30 days, you can do an exchange no problem. I dunno about around you but here in Saint Louis I've seen quite a few places with "no returns" signs posted for 360 hardware. Mostly because rumor mill has it that so many people have been trying to return busted 360's that the stores couldn't keep certain models in stock. I know one of my local Best Buys no longer offers their extended warranty on them either.
Apollo Leader Posted January 22, 2008 Author Posted January 22, 2008 In non RROD news... COD4 most played 360 game on XBL this past week beating out Halo 3. If I'm right this is the first time Halo 3 slipped from the #1 spot since its launch in September. So far my play of COD4 online has been limited to beating it on Hardened and playing a handful of XBL games, but I would have to say that it is definitely a game worthy of being the most played game out there. COD2 was by far my most played game during the first year I owned my 360. Since I'm like 5 games away from getting my Colonel promotion on Halo 3 and since it is real hard to say when I'll earn my last achievement (Overkill), as soon as I get my promotion I might be taking a break from Halo3 to get back to some COD4 action.
eugimon Posted January 22, 2008 Posted January 22, 2008 count me as one of those people who play COD4 over halo 3. I just like it better... the 'run' ability, the weapon choices, the maps... they all seem superior to what is offered in halo 3, at least to me.
yellowlightman Posted January 23, 2008 Posted January 23, 2008 I've started to get back into CoD4 after a month or two hiatus. The Hardcore Deathmatch mode is a lot of fun. No hud, more weapon damage, wait times before respawns... It's way better than the regular gameplay mode. And as much as I wanted to love Halo 3 and play it as much as I played Halo 2 (which was a LOT), too many little things conspired against me. For one, the melee system is broken and just frustrating as hell. That said, I think my #2 weapon of killing is melee so maybe I don't have too much of a right to complain. The levels also really suck compared to Halo 2's, Bungie can throw all their fancy map testing they want but very few Halo 3 maps have matched awesome Halo 2 levels like Ascension or Lockout. Halo 3's Narrows might be the worst Halo map of all time.
Apollo Leader Posted January 23, 2008 Author Posted January 23, 2008 Got my Colonel promotion in Halo 3 last night. I must be getting better because for all the games I played last night I managed to maintain my 40 skill level all evening without ever dropping. But since it seems impossible for me to get past 40 (at least on Lone Wolves) and getting an Overkill on Lone Wolves will probably be nothing short of sheer luck, I think I'm going to take a break from Halo 3 for a while. But with that said, I've definitely enjoyed Halo 3 immensely and will be back to playing it soon. Still got to help a friend beat it on Legendary! If I got time tonight, I'll be doing some COD4 action. Maybe I can help COD4 be the most popular game again this week!
eugimon Posted January 23, 2008 Posted January 23, 2008 downloaded undertow... meh. even for a free game, I don't like it. I really wish MS had just given everyone 800 pts to spend as we see fit instead of this POS.
David Hingtgen Posted January 24, 2008 Posted January 24, 2008 Wow, the "Mass Effect is porn" thing keeps snowballing, instead of quietly going away. Apparently, Fox News had an "expert" on, and she said all the things the last guy did about ME---obviously, she just read his article/blog then went on TV and spouted it back out. EA had something to say (surprising THEY did, since they just bought Bioware and had no input into ME, while MS and Bioware are silent) http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php...1410&page=3 And now many gamers are striking back at the "woman who had no F'ing clue what she was talking about": http://news.filefront.com/gamers-strike-ba...ence-on-amazon/
CoryHolmes Posted January 24, 2008 Posted January 24, 2008 "There is no bad publicity." GTA's "hot coffee" proved that without a doubt. Speaking of ME, any news on pontential DLC?
David Hingtgen Posted January 24, 2008 Posted January 24, 2008 No, but there is a Dancing at the Flux contest: http://masseffect.bioware.com/community/fluxdance.html ::edit:: OMG, here's the video from Fox News: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L13Ct40cFIU "Full digital nudity on the SeXbox"
mondamoto Posted January 24, 2008 Posted January 24, 2008 Well my 360 3 ringed today I guess it was bound to happen since it is exactly 1 yr and 3 days old. So what should I do I have a Best Buy extended warranty which I purchased before Microsoft extended there warranties so does anyone know what Best Buy does for you do they just give me an off the shelf one or do they send it in or should I just use the Microsoft warranty? Any suggestion as to what I should do?
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