Ah, what a day. I come home from the beach, take a shower, and decide to spend the rest of the day relaxing and playing Call of Duty 4.

No - my Xbox 360 has other plans for me.

As I turn on the system, viola! The Red Rings of Death! At least it's only my 4th system gone haywire. Thanks Microsoft for your great manufacturing!

Now, my question: How many systems has Microsoft so mercilessly stolen from you?

four? wow, that's even more than the amount of ps2s i went through.

congrats?

Generally I try to avoid buying things I know are a complete piece of shit.

Ah, what a day. I come home from the beach, take a shower, and decide to spend the rest of the day relaxing and playing Call of Duty 4.

No - my Xbox 360 has other plans for me.

As I turn on the system, viola! The Red Rings of Death! At least it's only my 4th system gone haywire. Thanks Microsoft for your great manufacturing!

Now, my question: How many systems has Microsoft so mercilessly stolen from you?

You ever think it's you? I mean if it's 4 times maybe you should change something.

lol yeah ^^

after the second one I would've been like fuck that

I still have the same Xbox I bought like a year and a half ago... aside from it randomly giving me disc read errors (which are fixed by a simple restart), it works just fine... guess I'm lucky.

My original PlayStation crapped out on me after having it for about 5 years. It was the problem where I had to turn my system upside down so it could read the discs. My original Launch PS2 crapped out on me after 1 year and 10 months. Got it replaced and its worked fine since. My PS3 is still working fine and I've had it for a year and 2 months. However none of my Nintendos have ever broke. Unless a major Final Fantasy game shows up on an X-Box, I don't ever plan on buying one.

You ever think it's you? I mean if it's 4 times maybe you should change something.

Not a chance, considering I take care of my systems. I own a 360, a PS3, and a Nintendo Wii. The 360 is the only console that has ever given me a problem. The 'refurbished models' Microsoft sends back don't tend to last as long, and that's where I believe the problem lies. I have looked back and wondered if it could in fact be my fault, but because I leave the console out in the open (no vents blocked), lying horizontal, and don't play for more than 5-6 hours at a time, I believe it's more of a manufacturing problem than my own.


I still have the same Xbox I bought like a year and a half ago... aside from it randomly giving me disc read errors (which are fixed by a simple restart), it works just fine... guess I'm lucky.

Yeah, I know a lot of people who have had their 360 since launch and haven't had a single problem. Then again, I also know people who have gone through around 6 of them.


My PS3 is still working fine and I've had it for a year and 2 months. However none of my Nintendos have ever broke. Unless a major Final Fantasy game shows up on an X-Box, I don't ever plan on buying one.

I agree with you on that note. The PS3, which I've had for about half a year now, has worked fine without any problems - same goes for the Wii. The only reason I play the 360 is for games like Gears of War and Mass Effect. As those are exclusives, I don't see who else I can turn to for those games (besides the PC). :-\

My PSOne crapped out after 5 years too. But instead of the drive breaking down, the video output went haywire.

I take really shitty care (if you can even call it care) of all my video game systems, mostly out of laziness, and I still haven't had anything go kaput on me.

Granted, I don't have a 360, ps3, or Wii at this time.

I'm not aware of any systems having the kind of problem that the 360 does. I don't even pay attention, and the number of people I've heard complaining about broken 360s is just absurd. It is a horribly made product, and really it should not be surprising coming from a company like Microsoft.

It is a shame, too, because they do offer some great stuff for the system.

For everyone who spends time complaining about the shoddy quality of the 360, nobody mentions the fact that Microsoft dropped $2 billion to extend the warranty.

Yeah, it's a pain in the ass, but it's not a crippling one. I'm one of those lucky people who have a first-gen 360 that's never played up on me, and although I agree that there have been some manufacturing issues, it's mainly the vocal minority rather than a majority.

The new chip spec runs at a lower heat now as well, which means that a lot of the issues (which were mainly to do with the CPU overheating) won't be a problem any more.

pretty much all cd drive systems will eventually fail except for like the sega saturn, which ppl only played for like a few months anyways

my n64 is still going strong though and i play it all the time

Yeah, it's a pain in the ass, but it's not a crippling one. I'm one of those lucky people who have a first-gen 360 that's never played up on me, and although I agree that there have been some manufacturing issues, it's mainly the vocal minority rather than a majority.

It might not be "crippling" to you but I believe for most it is a very big problem. I think when people plop down three to five-hundred dollars of their hard earned money for a piece of hardware, they expect it to work. Most people don't keep wads of cash stashed away for the day one of their consoles decides to just up and die on them. They're expensive pieces of machinery, not ten cent goldfish.

And yes, Microsoft did extend the warranty but little good it's done. When my little brothers 360 conked out on him they sent it back for repairs, when Microsoft shipped it back it was still broken. Lionheart seems to be having a similar problem with their repair service.

Thankfully, the 360 I use hasn't gone belly up. It's happened to two people I know personally though, and that's enough to keep me worried...

My friend has a 360 and his RROD'd a few months ago. After he sent it in and got it back, he turned it on and the red rings came up again. He angrily slapped the console and it started working fine, lol.

Also about Microsoft's "$2 billion" throw down to extend the warranty, sure it's nice, but what the fuck took them so long?

The only problems my PS3 gives me is it sometimes freezes when using the internet browser, but I don't mind. I realise it's not the best browser out there. It's actually fairly shitty, lol.

My consoles never crap out. I don't know why :s

He angrily slapped the console and it started working fine, lol.

Hey, I know your friend.



He fixed my stereo once...

lol, nah The Fonz never slapped things in anger.

Again, I'd just like to point out that the failure rate in the new 360 models is reportedly far lower than in the originals, and possibly down to a rate comparable to the other major consoles.

And as far as I can tell, Lee, the problem was never with the heat generated by the original CPU, it was more to do with the motherboard not being secured as tightly as possible and the presence of a retarded X clamp, both of which have been corrected.

N00b question: Has Microsoft done anything to point out the change in the ring of death, as in on the boxes to show that is has been fixed? . i.e. PS2 then PS2 +

Nothing at all. You have to remember that most people who buy consoles don't religiously follow all the latest news. Many or most of them don't even know there was a big issue, and Microsoft doesn't want to publicize their problems any more than they have to. It might cost them a little business among the so-called "hardcore" market (which is a bullshit concept to begin with, but that's another topic altogether) but it's probably a better idea than making a big deal of fixing the issues.

I've never had a console crap out on me either.

The only console I've known to have crapped out on anyone I know in real life is the PS2. I have had some pretty bad PS2 luck, but it's never been the fault of the ps2 itself. I have re-bought them happily, though.

Sometimes I really wonder when people have lots of consoles break on them. When our PS2 was stolen, Merl and I went to see if we could borrow a PS2 from his parents or one of his siblings since they had 4 in the house. EVERY ONE was broken. Two of them were slim, which I haven't heard of crapping out on anyone else. I really feel like they must've done something to them.

That's too bad, hopefully Molyneux will release Fable II for the PC so I don't have to consider purchasing a 360 (not to mention there is only a slim picking of games that I would play for said console.)

EDIT: I wouldn't actually buy a next-gen console for only one title btw.

i had to fix my ps2 using an old cigarette box. it was just the cd tray that was broken, but it was still annoying to have to open it up. i think that's what happened with the other ps2s we had in my house back then, too. they were all older models as well, so that didn't help. i think the main problem with it was the way it was structured, the cd tray was kind of flimsy.

the problems with the 360 seem a lot more substantial than that. :/

Generally I try to avoid buying things I know are a complete piece of shit.

Microsoft has a 3 year warranty covering the RROD problem specifically. If you have had four consoles break on you because of this you may want to call them and tell them you want them fixed.

None, luckily its still working. Wish I could say the same for my N64.

microsoft pretty much bought their way out of a callback with that 2 billion extended warranty crap

i've had 2 rrod's sofar and pretty much 80% of the people i know with a 360 have had the rrod atleast once, bout 50% of'm twice and some really unlucky bastard even up to 7 times
i love my 360 and it has some great games and shit but this is just pathetic

Funny how certain people keep calling the console a piece of shit when there's a lot of evidence to the contrary. If you're going to make statements you know are controversial, how about at least attempting to justify them?

Django, I'm calling bullshit on you. Even the absolute worst figures from independent analysts put the 360 failure rate in the 30% range.

Funny how certain people keep calling the console a piece of shit when there's a lot of evidence to the contrary. If you're going to make statements you know are controversial, how about at least attempting to justify them?

Django, I'm calling bullshit on you. Even the absolute worst figures from independent analysts put the 360 failure rate in the 30% range.


30% though is still pretty bad considering they sell millions of them.

why would i bullshit about this? microsoft really underestimated the problem at first(and still does i think) and even went as far as giving people refurbished consoles that had been in repair for over more then 4 times.. how that is possible of such an industry giant is just beyond me

all first generation consoles of the 360 will fuck up eventually, hell even people with so called Elites are still getting rrod's and by then Microsoft was well aware of the problem
the thing heats up like it needs to warm up your room, disc drive is off pisspoor quality(mine stutters like a bitch) and its even louder then a dreamcast

so yeh, in terms of consoledesign it is a piece of shit

And pretty much everything you've mentioned has been fixed.

I'll agree with you that it was of sub-standard construction when it was first released. I'd be a fool to deny that, in fact. But by the same token, you'd be a fool to ignore the measures they've taken to straighten it out.

My friend has a 360 and a PS3. I do not own either, but am over there all the time. He got his first 360 about a month after they were available. He is now on his sixth 360. This is also a guy who is very anal about his gaming systems and takes good care of them. True, he still likes his 360 better, but we are thru arguing with each other about it's durability. He has given that fight up; whereas, and up to even a couple of months ago, he was pretty passionate in his defense of Mr. 360's Box. I never was passionate about it, but I did find the whole thing very comical.

He now adamantly claims it is shit, without being provoked, but still prefers it to PS3. Numbers are numbers, but when I see a guy I know very well, and who also takes very good care of his stuff, repeatedly have big problems with a system, I can then make the connection and the subsequent statement in reference to it's quality and durability. Simple.

Tinyjeans, if you fail to make note of when the last time he had to send it off to be repaired was, then we have to wonder if it's happened at all since the most recent (and radical) revisions were made to the console.

Besides, if what you say is true, then something is almost certainly amiss here, because there's almost no chance that he ever received the same unit he sent in for repairs. It is still a fact that most 360s have never failed. For one person to have several different consoles fail on them indicates either insanely bad luck or some form of mistreatment.

Funny how certain people keep calling the console a piece of shit when there's a lot of evidence to the contrary. If you're going to make statements you know are controversial, how about at least attempting to justify them?

Django, I'm calling bullshit on you. Even the absolute worst figures from independent analysts put the 360 failure rate in the 30% range.

Didn't that number actually drop down to approx 16%? Either way, 30% or 16% to me is still unnexceptable.

It might not be "crippling" to you but I believe for most it is a very big problem. I think when people plop down three to five-hundred dollars of their hard earned money for a piece of hardware, they expect it to work. Most people don't keep wads of cash stashed away for the day one of their consoles decides to just up and die on them. They're expensive pieces of machinery, not ten cent goldfish.

I agree with you - it's a pain in the ass when your $500 dollar system chokes on you. That's why I always buy the warranty with the console. My local Best Buy is about 30 seconds from my apartment, so it isn't really too much of a hassle. It's more of an annoyance - really - when I have to constantly return, explaining to customer support as to why I'm returning my console. If it's not that, I'm on the phone with some Microsoft representative (which I've grown accustomed to by now). Don't get me wrong, by no means is the 360 a horrible system. I just think that Microsoft was a little late in addressing these problems that still haven't been completely taken care of.


Again, I'd just like to point out that the failure rate in the new 360 models is reportedly far lower than in the originals, and possibly down to a rate comparable to the other major consoles.

And as far as I can tell, Lee, the problem was never with the heat generated by the original CPU, it was more to do with the motherboard not being secured as tightly as possible and the presence of a retarded X clamp, both of which have been corrected.

Yeah, I figured as much. However, I've read in other forums that the motherboard warps when enough heat is generated. This is why the fabled 'towel-trick' sometimes works to others' advantages. The extreme heat has a chance of warping the motherboard back into place for a temporary fix. I tried it once, just for the hell of it, and it didn't work. So, I just switched it out with the free warranty. I believe that future consoles (or even current consoles for that matter) will be equipped with the "Falcon" 65nm CPUs, which greatly reduce the amount of heat generated. I'm hoping to snag one of those - hopefully, with luck, the one I grab has it equipped.


Microsoft has a 3 year warranty covering the RROD problem specifically. If you have had four consoles break on you because of this you may want to call them and tell them you want them fixed.

I call them every time; in response they just send a casket to ship it in.


all first generation consoles of the 360 will fuck up eventually, hell even people with so called Elites are still getting rrod's and by then Microsoft was well aware of the problem
the thing heats up like it needs to warm up your room, disc drive is off pisspoor quality(mine stutters like a bitch) and its even louder then a dreamcast

so yeh, in terms of consoledesign it is a piece of shit

I have the Elite, and it lasted the longest (3-4 months I believe). I agree with Prak in that many of the problems have been fixed, but as of now there is no absolute way to guarantee your console will never get the RROD.

Marvin, 16% is the number one firm came up with for the same thing the other got 30% for. There won't be accurate numbers about the new models for a little while longer, but polls taken by independent firms are showing a sharp decrease in the failure rate.


I have the Elite, and it lasted the longest (3-4 months I believe). I agree with Prak in that many of the problems have been fixed, but as of now there is no absolute way to guarantee your console will never get the RROD.

There's no guarantee that any console will remain in proper working order. I actually had to send my Wii out to be repaired a few months ago, and the failure rate on those is fantastically low.

Should've gotten the Elite. I've had mine for about 4 or 5 months now and have yet to receive anything negative about it.

As for the RRoD, some of my friends have gotten that. They restarted the system and it worked. They haven't seen it since yet.

There's no guarantee that any console will remain in proper working order. I actually had to send my Wii out to be repaired a few months ago, and the failure rate on those is fantastically low.


I've rarely heard of Wii's being sent out for repair, pretty unlucky if you ask me. But I agree that the failure rate is very slim - of the three next-gen consoles, I would have to say that the Wii outlasts both the PS3 and the 360 in longevity.


Should've gotten the Elite.

Yeah...uh...I did.

i just get annoyed with it cause i plugged in my memory unit while it was on, and it made a noise and now doesnt play games that are already in the system. i have to eject, then re-insert... annoying...

I've rarely heard of Wii's being sent out for repair, pretty unlucky if you ask me. But I agree that the failure rate is very slim - of the three next-gen consoles, I would have to say that the Wii outlasts both the PS3 and the 360 in longevity.

My Wii didn't actually die outright. It just had a problem with the GPU that was causing some weird static to display in most games. Nintendo paid the shipping for me to send it back, fixed it the day they received it, and sent it back immediately. Of course, as if to make up for Nintendo's competence, UPS delayed the delivery by several days. :rolleyes:

Neither of the other console makers can even touch that kind of service, which is one reason I'm as loyal as I am to the Big N.

Neither of the other console makers can even touch that kind of service, which is one reason I'm as loyal as I am to the Big N.


Agreed, and that's good to hear - at least someone is. I've about had it with the 360/PS3 fanboys.

Prak you're may hero...


As for my console's crapping out, the only problem I've had is my PS1's disc tray no longer spinning...

360 fanboys, I can deal with. They don't know where they stand and they've never known what it's like to be the top dog, so they're not as aggressive.

PS3 fanboys, on the other hand, can get pretty rabid. A lot of them just can't get it through their thick skulls yet that Sony has been crushed by Nintendo in this generation and is having to fight hard for second place. They're so determined to see PS3 on top that they've completely ditched anything resembling reason. Of course, I find them hilarious, so I don't want them to disappear or calm down. Based solely on that, I'm hoping that Sony stays in third place.

They make me lol...like when one badmouths Final Fantasy VII and the creepy fanboys get all defensive and angry...

I've seen both sides get just as bad, really.

As for my console's crapping out, the only problem I've had is my PS1's disc tray no longer spinning...

You may want to get that fixed, and quick.


360 fanboys, I can deal with. They don't know where they stand and they've never known what it's like to be the top dog, so they're not as aggressive.

Eh, I've encountered a few 360 fanboys who are far from 'out there'. Some take it further than others, and it's then that I start to feel embarrassed for them.

Since we're talking about fanboys, I'll share this (http://www.sonydefenseforce.com) little laugh riot.

Since we're talking about fanboys, I'll share this (http://www.sonydefenseforce.com) little laugh riot.

http://www.sonydefenseforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/kaz.gif

But seriously, even I think thats pretty pathetic. Reminds me of the Weekly World News (http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/) of gaming.

This is what Sony fanboys have to look forward to in the future:



A long, arduous rollercoaster ride with ya' boy Ken Kutaragi. ;-)

Thanks for that little bundle of joy. Yet, oddly enough, I wasn't as suprised as I thought I'd be.

360 fanboys, I can deal with. They don't know where they stand and they've never known what it's like to be the top dog, so they're not as aggressive.

PS3 fanboys, on the other hand, can get pretty rabid. A lot of them just can't get it through their thick skulls yet that Sony has been crushed by Nintendo in this generation and is having to fight hard for second place. They're so determined to see PS3 on top that they've completely ditched anything resembling reason. Of course, I find them hilarious, so I don't want them to disappear or calm down. Based solely on that, I'm hoping that Sony stays in third place.


I think your analysis there borders on fanboyism itself.

You've clearly been doing a lot more bashing towards Sony, and have been way too forgivable to Microsoft since the beginning of this gen, that I'm starting to feel like you're a Sony hater , and a Microsoft fanboy (not a mindless one, but still clouded in some ways). You clearly show your biases in most of the console comparison threads.



The way you explained your view on the 2 fanboy clans is a testament to that.


I talk to many fanboys every weeks and get to read many of their shit on the many forums I participate in, and I find them to be mindlessly aggressive on each sides of the fence.

You may want to get that fixed, and quick.



.

Too late...already threw it out...doesn't really upset me, since I have my first PS2 from 2002 that still is working good for me...

Since we're talking about fanboys, I'll share this (http://www.sonydefenseforce.com) little laugh riot.

Oh shit that is sad. lol.

Almost as bad as Chad Warden... almost.

I think your analysis there borders on fanboyism itself.

You've clearly been doing a lot more bashing towards Sony, and have been way too forgivable to Microsoft since the beginning of this gen, that I'm starting to feel like you're a Sony hater , and a Microsoft fanboy (not a mindless one, but still clouded in some ways). You clearly show your biases in most of the console comparison threads.



The way you explained your view on the 2 fanboy clans is a testament to that.


I talk to many fanboys every weeks and get to read many of their shit on the many forums I participate in, and I find them to be mindlessly aggressive on each sides of the fence.

You obviously don't know Prak very well, do you.

Too late...already threw it out...doesn't really upset me, since I have my first PS2 from 2002 that still is working good for me...

Ah, you see - I was being sarcastic!

On a more serious note, you should probably upgrade to a PS3 on account of this forum post I just happened to stumble upon (don't worry, this isn't a Shrine member):


man rele u should probly by a ps3 i mean i bot it yesterday its tha shit......it has rele crazy games like COD4 (won IGN best game award)..n' DW6 (fuun), and EVEN RESISTANCE FALL OF MAN. but srsly by it.

Has anyone read up on Resistance 2? Holy shit, if they can pull all that off it is really going to be a crazy game.

Sorry for that random post. >.>

You obviously don't know Prak very well, do you.

I know him well enough to know he claims to be impartial about most everything.

I don't want to start a flame war or anything here. I concider him a friend (I wouldn't think you'd know that from how we argue here on the shrine) and when I see comments like those he does about Microsoft and Sony, I have to be frank with him.


That's how his comments come accross to me. And if I have to be the one getting bashed for pointing it out to him, then so be it.

Has anyone read up on Resistance 2? Holy shit, if they can pull all that off it is really going to be a crazy game.

Sorry for that random post. >.>

I own a PS3 and to this day I still haven't played Resistance, no idea why.
Have you read up on the new Yaris game on XBL? Great fun.


I know him well enough to know he claims to be impartial about most everything.

I don't want to start a flame war or anything here. I concider him a friend (I wouldn't think you'd know that from how we argue here on the shrine) and when I see comments like those he does about Microsoft and Sony, I have to be frank with him.


That's how his comments come accross to me. And if I have to be the one getting bashed for pointing it out to him, then so be it.

I don't think he meant to start a flame war with that comment, correct me if I'm wrong.

Resistance is a decent launch title, IMO. What they plan to do with part 2 is have 2 full campaigns, 8 player onlline co-op, and 60 player online battles.

I don't have a 360, nor do I read up on it much. I have to be honest, it doesn't interest me.

I don't think he meant to start a flame war with that comment, correct me if I'm wrong.

Usually, correcting Prak, or pointing at some of his flaws usually ends up in a flame war, or an insult galore of some sort.

I just pointed out that it wasn't my intent to start such a thing.

Resistance is a decent launch title, IMO. What they plan to do with part 2 is have 2 full campaigns, 8 player onlline co-op, and 60 player online battles.

I don't have a 360, nor do I read up on it much. I have to be honest, it doesn't interest me.

You should start a Resistance 2 thread. I'll join you later when I get off work in about 2 1/2 hours.

Since we're talking about fanboys, I'll share this little laugh riot.

This amuses me.

Don't worry, Hynad, I'm not offended or anything. I'm actually pretty acutely aware that I do seem to be harder on Sony. In actuality, I'm not. However, there are a lot more extremely vocal Sony fans than there are vocal Microsoft fans. Since I usually just reply to these discussions, as opposed to starting them, I wind up gravitating toward the position in more need of support.

I'm a Microsoft fanboy, but Uncharted is the best game ever made.

Ever.

And i've been playing Patapon like 4 hours a day for the last week.

PATA PATA PATA PON

I'm a Microsoft fanboy, but Uncharted is the best game ever made.

Ever.

As good as the game was, I have to disagree with you on that.

Back to the original topic, I'm on my way to get a new 360 today. Boy do I hope this one lasts.

Uncharted is a fantastic game and is way better then Lair. I still like Lair, and even though I own both games, if I didn't have the money and didn't own Uncharted I would not think twice about trading Lair for Uncharted. I'm also hooked on the Patapon demo I got from the PlayStation Store, but I don't get paid until this friday when I'll be able to buy it along with God of War: CoO. Raidenex, have you had a chance to play Ratchet and Clank Future?

Again, back to topic...

Lionheart730, for your sake I honestly hope your new 360 doesn't crap out on you. Anybody who is dropping some hard earned money on something that expensive does deserve years of enjoyment regardless of if its Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo.

If you guys want a fun demo, try the Pixeljunk Monsters demo. It plays like tower defense games. I want to buy the full version so me and my gf can play. ^^

As for the topic, I have a PS3 and a Wii. The only reason I'd get a 360 is if the games coming out interested me. Also I need to wait a little to see if the damn failure rate really is dropping to a reasonable percentage.

Well, I just got back from Best Buy and here is the final verdict:

1. Best Buy is sold out of the Xbox 360 Elite (that's a first).
2. The 65 nm chip, which was rumored to help reduce the amount of heat generated by the system, has now been found to have no effect whatsoever.

Apparently it has nothing to do with the clamps, the motherboard, or any other shit along those lines - it is, in fact, the system's design that is the problem. Therefore, the only way to completely fix the RROD problem is to redesign the entire system.

This coming from a Best Buy employee, I'm not quite sure if it is completely valid information. But then again, he is a friend of mine, so I don't think he would flat out lie to me about this sort of thing.

All in all, I found this information very interesting.

my first xbox 360 broke down in less than a day

my first xbox 360 broke down in less than a day


This is a lesson in not trying to use it as a toaster. :)

my first xbox 360 broke down in less than a day

That, my friend, sucks.

"This is a lesson in not trying to use it as a toaster.".......haahahha i might as well have used it as a toaster...at least it would have been good for something

This coming from a Best Buy employee, I'm not quite sure if it is completely valid information. But then again, he is a friend of mine, so I don't think he would flat out lie to me about this sort of thing.

With all due respect, are you sure your friend is not an anti-Microsoft, pro Sony-fanboy? Because a big part of me kinda wants to call shenanigans on him. All the research from independent companies, Prak correct me if I'm wrong since you seem to know more about this, have all verified verious reasons to why the 360 is getting the RROD. Not because of a design flaw.

With all due respect, are you sure your friend is not an anti-Microsoft, pro Sony-fanboy? Because a big part of me kinda wants to call shenanigans on him. All the research from independent companies, Prak correct me if I'm wrong since you seem to know more about this, have all verified verious reasons to why the 360 is getting the RROD. Not because of a design flaw.

No offense taken. He does seem to favor Sony more than Microsoft, but when it comes to stuff like this, his inner 'fanboy' doesn't usually bias his opinions. I found it skeptical too, therefore I'm not validating his statement. I was just throwing it out there as another 'supposed' cause of the RROD.

I most certainly will call shenanigans on that. If the guy doesn't know that the new model has a new motherboard and that the retarded X-clamp is gone, he's not credible at all.

Anyway, I've researched the problem pretty thoroughly, and it looks to me like the RRoD problem is probably something stemming from the GPU's heat. The CPU's heatsink seems to do a fine job. My impression is that GPU gets rather hot and because the motherboard is not as firmly attached as it could be in all cases, it has room to warp, which causes solder joints on the GPU to break. A contributing factor may be an error in the heat applied during soldering. The 360 uses lead-free solder, which can require greater heat to properly bond, so if they don't heat it well enough, that can make the console much more likely to develop problems.

I've also found a credible-sounding (although not verifiable) report that the Falcon-equipped 360s have dropped the failure rate under 10%, but how far below that is still unknown, and it still requires more time for comprehensive data to be compiled.

Another thing I've found is that the Nyko intercooler seems to sometimes have an adverse effect on the system's power flow.

Like I said:
This coming from a Best Buy employee, I'm not quite sure if it is completely valid information.

I'm not supporting his opinion, but then again I'm not going to completely disregard it. I do personally believe, however, that the system's design is a contributing factor to the RROD - as insignificant a role it may be.

But man do I really want to play some Mass Effect. It sucks having a PS3 with two games you have already beaten, a 360 that is broken, and a Wii that is losing its appeal.


Another thing I've found is that the Nyko intercooler seems to sometimes have an adverse effect on the system's power flow.

I've heard the same.

jftr 3rd time's usually a charm, and you're on your fourth, fifth? Not that means anything, but I'm just saying...


I most certainly will call shenanigans on that. If the guy doesn't know that the new model has a new motherboard and that the retarded X-clamp is gone, he's not credible at all.

Anyway, I've researched the problem pretty thoroughly, and it looks to me like the RRoD problem is probably something stemming from the GPU's heat. The CPU's heatsink seems to do a fine job. My impression is that GPU gets rather hot and because the motherboard is not as firmly attached as it could be in all cases, it has room to warp, which causes solder joints on the GPU to break. A contributing factor may be an error in the heat applied during soldering. The 360 uses lead-free solder, which can require greater heat to properly bond, so if they don't heat it well enough, that can make the console much more likely to develop problems.

I've also found a credible-sounding (although not verifiable) report that the Falcon-equipped 360s have dropped the failure rate under 10%, but how far below that is still unknown, and it still requires more time for comprehensive data to be compiled.

Another thing I've found is that the Nyko intercooler seems to sometimes have an adverse effect on the system's power flow.

Is it at all possible to tighten the motherboard yourself, or would you be required to send it in to Microsoft? Just curious.

jftr 3rd time's usually a charm, and you're on your fourth, fifth? Not that means anything, but I'm just saying...

This is my 3rd system taken by the RROD. My very first one had trouble with the video output, so I exchanged it for a newer one. That is where the trouble started.


Is it at all possible to tighten the motherboard yourself, or would you be required to send it in to Microsoft? Just curious.

And yes, you can tighten it yourself. However, doing so will void your warranty.

That's stupid, but I guess that makes sense since Microsoft would automatically consider it "modding" right?

Most likely. God forbid anybody tries to fix their defective $500 system themselves.

I found a video on how to fix a RR'd 360 by applying a thermal paste to some parts on the motherboard. I can find it again for those of you interested.

I would ask for it, but as you know (or should know), doing so would void my warranty and that is the last thing that I want. I'm probably going to end up exchanging my current Elite for one of the newer Elites, but thanks anyways.

Like I said:

I'm not supporting his opinion, but then again I'm not going to completely disregard it. I do personally believe, however, that the system's design is a contributing factor to the RROD - as insignificant a role it may be.

But man do I really want to play some Mass Effect. It sucks having a PS3 with two games you have already beaten, a 360 that is broken, and a Wii that is losing its appeal.



I've heard the same.

What games?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Waiting 2play Uncharted :D

What games?

MotorStorm and Uncharted.

I know, pitiful 'collection' right? I plan on buying Heavenly Sword or Resistance:Fall of Man whenever I get the chance, though. Any other suggestions?

Warhawk, LAIR, Call of Duty 4, Folklore, The Orange Box, Ratchet and Clank: Future, Unreal Tournament 3.

I'd also say Ninja Gaiden Sigma, but you'd prolly get NG2 when it comes out, huh?

Warhawk, LAIR, Call of Duty 4, Folklore, The Orange Box, Ratchet and Clank: Future, Unreal Tournament 3.

I'd also say Ninja Gaiden Sigma, but you'd prolly get NG2 when it comes out, huh?

My first choice would have been Warhawk, but because I mooch off of another person's wireless internet I can't seem to access the PlayStation Network. I heard LAIR wasn't that good, I have Call of Duty 4 on 360, and Folklore was another consideration. I never really got into Ratchet and Clank, and I've been debating on whether or not to get Unreal Tournament 3 for the PS3 or the 360. So many choices...

Almost everything Swami0586 suggested is great. I just can't speak for CoD4, the Orange Box and Ninja Gaiden. Heavenly Sword and Resistance are also well worth it.

Marvin, i've played the demo of Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction (they dropped the Future over here for some retarded reason) and although the graphics were downright gorgeous, I found the gameplay to be pretty last-gen - it was just another platformer.

Call me spoiled, but there have been so many titles in the past year that have broken the mould and shown that gaming can be so much more. I picked up Prey recently, because I remembered when I played the demo way back in '06 I was blown away - but after playing Portal, it just seems limited.

It's getting to the stage now where games aren't radically graphically different (hell, half of them use the Unreal Engine 3.0), so gameplay is way more important when it comes to defning a good title.

Which is why I think the PS3 is going to have a better year than the 360 this year incidentally - just off the top of my head, the PS3 has Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, WipEout HD and Home, while the only 360 title i'm really looking forward to is Gears of War 2.

Incidentally, I wish Patapon was a Nintendo game. Patapon Wii, where you used two Wiimotes to virtually 'bang' drums, would be freaking sweet.

Marvin, i've played the demo of Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction (they dropped the Future over here for some retarded reason) and although the graphics were downright gorgeous, I found the gameplay to be pretty last-gen - it was just another platformer.

Which is why I think the PS3 is going to have a better year than the 360 this year incidentally - just off the top of my head, the PS3 has Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, WipEout HD and Home, while the only 360 title i'm really looking forward to is Gears of War 2.

Incidentally, I wish Patapon was a Nintendo game. Patapon Wii, where you used two Wiimotes to virtually 'bang' drums, would be freaking sweet.

I think the gameplay in Ratchet and Clank was meant to be more classic and thats what I love about it. Its not a short game, the story and dialog is just wonderful all the way through the end and since the gameplay is just simple I can just have fun without having complicated button combos. Just a plain, classic Ratchet game.

And the the games you named; MGS4, LittleBigPlanet, WipEout HD, Home (thank God its free). Just. Wow! Personally speaking I also can't wait for Resistance 2, Motorstorm 2 and Killzone 2 at the end of the year.

2 more days until payday and I'll be picking up Patapon and God of War. I'm gonna be going broke this year thanks to Sony. I'm still trying to figure out how to work Nintendo into my budget since I'm missing out on Metroid Prime 3, Zelda and SSBB. http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a202/nine_fenrir/robot%20faces/16x16_robot-mad.gif

Now, my question: How many systems has Microsoft so mercilessly stolen from you?

Dozens, if not hundreds.

I've installed Windows on a lot of PCs...

My first choice would have been Warhawk, but because I mooch off of another person's wireless internet I can't seem to access the PlayStation Network. I heard LAIR wasn't that good, I have Call of Duty 4 on 360, and Folklore was another consideration. I never really got into Ratchet and Clank, and I've been debating on whether or not to get Unreal Tournament 3 for the PS3 or the 360. So many choices...

Your signal must not be too strong to access it.

LAIR is actually a fantastic game. Rent it and try it out with an open mind. It's not going to be a game you pick up and master, it actually has *gasp* a challenge!

I don't mean to sound like a fanboy, but Infinity Ward stated their best development team worked on the PS3 version. So it actually looks better, if that matters to you.

Folklore is really fun, it's an action-adventure where you can use enemies powers as your own. Kind of like Castlevania DS.

Folklore is a great game. Only thing I don't like is you really need a widescreen TV. I originally had a 20" 4:3 up until the end of December and on that TV the game would be squished on either side so it looked stretched from top to bottom just to fit the screen. The options in the game doesn't let you adjust for a 4:3

Dozens, if not hundreds.

I've installed Windows on a lot of PCs...

Exactly why I plan on getting a Macbook when I get enough money.


Your signal must not be too strong to access it.

LAIR is actually a fantastic game. Rent it and try it out with an open mind. It's not going to be a game you pick up and master, it actually has *gasp* a challenge!

I don't mean to sound like a fanboy, but Infinity Ward stated their best development team worked on the PS3 version. So it actually looks better, if that matters to you.

Folklore is really fun, it's an action-adventure where you can use enemies powers as your own. Kind of like Castlevania DS.

Yeah, that's probably the case. So as of now, I stick to my 360 for online play. As for LAIR, it does look pretty fun and the graphics look excellent. That may be may next purchase, but then again I'm not sure. As for COD4, I already have it on 360 and it's one of my favorite games on XBL so I'm content even though I'm sure the PS3 version is just as fun. As for Folklore, I've got a question: what other RPG could you compare it to...if it's even an RPG.


Folklore is a great game. Only thing I don't like is you really need a widescreen TV. I originally had a 20" 4:3 up until the end of December and on that TV the game would be squished on either side so it looked stretched from top to bottom just to fit the screen. The options in the game doesn't let you adjust for a 4:3

Luckily I have a widescreen HDTV so hopefully I won't have a problem if I buy it.

Speaking of Microsoft, Bill Gates, after 13 years, is no longer the richest man in the world (http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/104529/World-Billionaires-2008). Warren Buffett is now #1 at $62 Billion followed by Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim Hel� (Go Mexicans!) at $60 Billion. Bill Gates is sitting at poverty level of $58 Billion. Srsly U guys, Bill Gates needs our money, everyone! U guys, srsly.

As for Folklore, I've got a question: what other RPG could you compare it to...if it's even an RPG.


Folklore is really fun, it's an action-adventure...

As for Folklore, I've got a question: what other RPG could you compare it to...if it's even an RPG.

As for Folklore, I've got a question: what other RPG could you compare it to...if it's even an RPG.

How the fuck am I supposed to compare a game to this of a completely different genre, Hynad?!

That like saying Starcraft is like KOTOR since they both have a space theme.

Let me rephrase my statement:
Give me an RPG that I can compare it too.

How's the story?

Since you rephrased it, let me think...

The story is you take control of one of two characters in their search for answers to strange occurences that happen to them. (The female gets a strange letter from her dead mother; the male receives an ominous phone call)

I really don't know which RPG can be compared to it. If you can think of one that can, great. I suggest (if you can get a PSN connection long enough) downloading the demo. It'd be better to experience it yourself, I feel it is that unique.

Well from what I've heard, it has somewhat of a darker storyline than most. Am I right? Hearing that, the game that first came to mind was Shadow Hearts. Have you managed to play any of the Shadow Hearts games?

A question relating to the topic: I removed the hard drive from my 360, but it still flashes red. If I try to use a friend's 360 to transfer save files from my hard drive to my memory unit, is there any chance I could infect his/her 360 as well?

I'm not too far into the game but it does have a dark story from what I can tell so far. I haven't played any Shadow Hearts games, sorry.

The blinking lights are caused from the sytem over heating and the motherboard becoming loosened from its slot. So, no, there would be no problem with transferring data.

You should, they are great games. The third doesn't really capture the charm of the first two, but that's just my opinion. Try it out if you get a chance.

Alright, I'll probably try something along those lines then. I only asked because I have heard of cases where something like that has happened.

interesting thread title

It is, isn't it?

I'm getting a new 360 tomorrow finally, let's hope it lasts.

If any of you have Gamertags you'd like to share, feel free to PM or post 'em here. I should be on XBL within a few days.

Hmmm... I got the red rings of death only once since I've had my 360 and mine's a first gen as well. That was because where I had it, it wasn't in a well ventilated area (By Gamecube was on one side and the wall on the other), but it works ok now.

My Gameboy Advance SP on the otherhand... After charging it for the required amount of time (Can't remember... think it was something like 18 or 24 hours), I had just put in Dynasty Warriors Advance the screen flashed then went dead. It was then a burning smell came from it. Fortunately I saved the game cartridge, yet the handheld was fried. When I took it back to Toys'R'Us to get a refund they didn't believe me until they opened the box and the smell of burning circuits, THEN they believed me. In the end I got a new Nintendo DS because of it.

My 360 crapped out on me a little while ago. To MS' credit the whole process of fixing it and sending it back only took them a couple of weeks. Still sucks though.

This is The Reason Why You Buy a Playstation 3 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nqhgj5-B_68)

lol.

i was always under the impression that ps3's got a lot hotter. i mean ive never actually felt a 360 that was more than lukewarm.

also lol at the people who thought that was actually from the simpsons ; ;

I feel your pain bro, my 360 RROD just after one year! ONE YEAR!!! I've been meaning to replace it so I can get Ace Combat 6 but I don't have the money to shell out D; oh well Good ol' SNES ;D hasn't failed me yet!

Why do you have to replace it? If you go on MS' support site you can get any RROD 360 repaired/replaced for free even without a receipt.

i was always under the impression that ps3's got a lot hotter. i mean ive never actually felt a 360 that was more than lukewarm.

also lol at the people who thought that was actually from the simpsons ; ;

I have to agree on that one, the PS3 gets pretty damn hot. Probably another reason (besides the design) that its called the George Foreman Grill.


I feel your pain bro, my 360 RROD just after one year! ONE YEAR!!! I've been meaning to replace it so I can get Ace Combat 6 but I don't have the money to shell out D; oh well Good ol' SNES ;D hasn't failed me yet!

Yeah. Mine took 3 months.


Why do you have to replace it? If you go on MS' support site you can get any RROD 360 repaired/replaced for free even without a receipt.

I don't feel like waiting more than 2 weeks, that's why.