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Week of November 20, 2005
Blocked ventilation holes on Xbox 360?
>> From xbox360fanboy.com:
[QUOTE]
Some observant [xbox360fanboy.com] readers have written in wondering if any of the possible Xbox 360 heating issues could be linked to what appears to be "unpopped" ventilation holes on the console itself (see below).
Bottom-line: While it does look like a random pattern, it is consistent across all examined Xboxes and does not appear to be any kind of manufacturing flaw.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: xbox360fanboy.com.
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(Saturday 26 November 2005 18:11 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Xpad Support for the 2.6 Linux Kernel
Xbox 360 GPU Artifacts
>> We received the following screenshots from gprime, an Xbox 360 owner.
Unlike the earlier reports his Xbox 360 is not crashing, but displays some very strange graphics. To fix he has to turn off the console and let it cool down for a bit ... so it looks like another heat problem (hot GPU/RAM?)
Here are some screenshots of COD2 messing up the graphics display during gameplay.
More Screenshots: pic03, pic04, pic05.
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(Friday 25 November 2005 23:10 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
More from Free60 Project: XCP and Hypervisor details
>> Gprime on our forums sniffed the network traffic to/from the Xbox 360 and noticed that everything downloaded from xbox live arcade is done as a (encrypted) .xcp file. It's done so over an HTTP (unencrypted) protocol on port 3074.
Some details about these files have been posted on the Free60 wiki:
[QUOTE]
It's been found that Xbox360 Live Arcade downloads files with the extension .xcp over unencrypted http on port 3074 for content distribution.
* They appear to have no headers and be symmetrically encrypted. (This information from conversation in #free60)
* It may be possible to use the avatar downloads to glean more info about the file format.
* The communication is pure http and you can redirect traffic to a local webserver, however it does checksum the file
* Content downloaded with licenses are locked to a 360 at purchase
-Box A downloads trial
-Box B can run the same downloaded trial
-Box A upgrades trial to full
-Box B can only run in trial mode (if available)
* Content is downloaded and extracted into place
* When upgrading to full license the 360 dials home and then some modification is made to lock content to the particular box
... read more
[/QUOTE]
Angerwound said these .xcp files are probably the same format as the ones used on the XBOX1 Content System (XCP):
[QUOTE]
Basically, they are an encrypted .cab file. XBOX1 downloads these from MS to the cache partitions and then extracts/installs the content.
There are a few SDK applications that create these archives such as 'BuildOffer' or 'XLast'. I'm sure some research into those applications would result in how to extract these little packages.
[/QUOTE]
Some details about the IBM sHype Project (Secure Hypervisor) have also been found on IBM.com:
[QUOTE]
sHype is a hypervisor security architecture developed by IBM Research, in various stages of implementation in several hypervisors. sHype is designed and developed in close collaboration with the IBM Systems and Technology Group. Our main goal is to provide a secure foundation for server platforms, providing functions such as:
* Strong isolation, mediated sharing and communication between Virtual Machines.
* Attestation and integrity guarantees for the hypervisor and its virtual machines.
* Resource control and accurate accounting guarantees.
* Secure Services.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: IBM.com.
Earlier information told us the Xbox360 CPU has a hypervisor that verifies the running state of the kernel, making sure there is no modification (RAM checksums), else the Xbox360 panics and blows up! All interrupt/exception handling is done by the hypervisor.
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(Friday 25 November 2005 17:33 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Solution for Over-Heating A/C Adapter
>> It seems like atleast of part of the problems with some Xbox 360 consoles is caused by an over-heating A/C adapter.
Goldeneyemaster posted this on the gamespot forums:
[QUOTE]
It seems like most 360s are freezing due to overheating. My Xbox 360 was freezing every 20 minutes. When I put the PSU on this box I left the console on for 7 hours without crashing (I finally decided to turn it off).
NOTE: If your 360 is not freezing because of overheating, this fix WILL NOT work.
So I took the power supply off the ground and suspended it in the air with some string. I have been playing for about 3 hours straight and no crashes so far!
EDIT: I found an easier way to do this. I got a box with no cover and put the power supply on the edges. This is just one way of doing it. The main point of this fix is to get your PSU off the ground for maximum heat release.
[/QUOTE]
Read More and Pictures: gamespot forums (news via computerandvideogames.com)
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(Friday 25 November 2005 16:28 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Next-gen victor won't be revealed until 2007, says Gates
>> From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
In an interview with Bloomberg, Gates claimed that the software giant's second attempt at capturing the videogame console market is spearheaded by "the hottest product we've ever had."
"For the last six months, we've been on the edge of our seats. I hope I don't get an e-mail saying 'Gosh, processor yields are too low, or this plastic factory burned down in Malaysia, so we'll have boxes but no controllers.'"
Interestingly, Gates' comments hint at a two-way race, ignoring the Nintendo Revolution and focusing on the battle for market dominance between Microsoft and Sony.
"We see ourselves having a higher share. We're not going to name some magic number but we're out to give the best gaming experience. By the end of 2007, you'll have kind of a sense of how much did Microsoft increase its market share: dramatically, not so dramatically, did Sony mess up, what happened?"
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz
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(Friday 25 November 2005 16:14 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox-Linux: Free60 project started
>> You might remember we announced back in May that Team Xbox-Linux launched their project page (wiki) for the Xbox 360 on www.free60.org.
Today they launched the developers mailing list for technical/serious discussions on how get Linux boot on the Xbox 360.
Their documention page also contains some interesting details about the Xbox 360 already:
[QUOTE]
* The flash is encrypted with a per-box key
* The key is stored inside the CPU
* The boot ROM is stored inside the CPU
* Also inside the CPU is a hypervisor that verifies the running state of the kernel, making sure there is no modification (RAM checksums), else the Xbox360 panics and blows up!
* The CPU contains RAM inside of it to store the checksums
* All interrupt/exception handling is done by the hypervisor
* All code runs in kernel mode
* The emulator for first generation games can be updated via an official Microsoft download burned to CD by the user, though the CDs' content will be encrypted and signed with public key cryptography.
The Xbox 360's Hard Disk appears to connect to the Xbox 360 via 7-pin SATA, internally the drive connects to the external connector through standard SATA data and power connectors. This should be of some help.
[/QUOTE]
They also have a disassembly of the official Xbox 360 WirelessLan adapter (Marvell 88W8388-BDK1 which seems to be 88W88305-derived,) here. They tried to connect it to a linux PC, but no support for it atm (full initialization failed?).
Some info about those backward compatibility updates is available here.
Official Site: http://www.free60.org
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(Friday 25 November 2005 03:53 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Jonathan Hayes about Designing the Xbox 360
>> Contracostatimes.com has an interesting article about Jonathan Hayes, the designer of the Xbox 360 case:
[QUOTE]
"No, I'm not a gamer. Um, do you have to write that?" asks Jonathan Hayes, smiling sheepishly.
When he says that the Xbox "doesn't look like anything you've seen before in game consoles -- not the NES, not Sega, not PlayStation," he's really speaking of himself. He is a 37-year-old misfit, a self-described "weird, idiosyncratic guy," a hardware designer in a software company full of engineers.
At Microsoft, where he has been since 1997, helping design a joystick, a mouse, a keyboard and a cell phone before moving on to the Xbox, he continues to see himself as an outsider. "Like the sand in the oyster," he says.
After landing the job to give that increasingly ubiquitous bit of furniture, the game console, a new look, he remembers J Allard, the Xbox's big boss, telling him: "Gaming is not a very mature field."
"J was in a sense worried that I would bring in too much high design -- you know, too much philosophy," explains Hayes, who resides in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood and whose low-tech living room features lots of books.
"At Xbox, we're loaded with people who are off the charts in their technical understanding," Hayes continues. "My job isn't to compete in that front. My job is to produce a counterweight to that."
[/QUOTE]
Read More: Contracostatimes.com
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(Thursday 24 November 2005 21:04 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
ChipWorks inside Microsoft's Xbox 360 Silicon
>> Chipworks Inc., an industry leader in reverse engineering and analysis of semiconductor chips and systems, today announced that they analysed the key chips of the Xbox 360. Their full report is not available for public viewing, it can only be bought for 'private' use:
[QUOTE]
Chipworks monitors advanced semiconductors and systems, and creates detailed reports of what is inside technology. Their customers use this information to maintain their competitive advantage, benchmark their innovations and improve their business costs.
"Microsoft has developed creative relationships with some of the leading-edge chip suppliers in order to meet the performance needs of the Xbox," said Gary Tomkins, manager of Technical Intelligence at Chipworks. "We wanted to see how advanced the process technology is that is being used, considering the pressure to keep the component costs down."
The extensive use of state-of-the-art technology in the Xbox illustrates the trend that the consumer market is driving technology these days," continues Tomkins.
Most of the dedicated parts have the Microsoft X-logo on them, including the silicon die markings, not the design or IDM origin. We could call this ‘Microsoft inside'," added Tomkins. "So far we have identified the IBM, ATI, and NEC parts, Samsung GDDR3 SDRAM, Hynix NAND flash, and other chips whose origin we are investigating."
Chipworks also reports that the NEC embedded DRAM is co-packaged with the ATI processor, rather than being integrated into the same piece of silicon. This allows the processes to be optimised for the separate devices, without forcing a compromise to achieve what could be a false economy.
[/QUOTE]
You can see there full press release here.
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(Thursday 24 November 2005 18:29 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
SiS pressrelease about Xbox 360 ChipSet
>> Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) posted a press release with some info about the chipset they made for the Xbox360:
[QUOTE]
SiS is Taiwan's first IC design house to participate in the development of Microsoft Xbox, and the SiS multimedia chipset plays an integral role in enabling the Xbox 360's powerful performance, superb images for online games and engaging digital entertainment functions.
The most prominent features of the SiS multimedia chipset are its compatibility with PCI Express technology and sufficient bandwidth between Northbridge and Southbridge chipset, which enable the robust operation of the peripheral high-speed I/O interface for fully optimized performance.
The customized SiS multimedia chipset supports two independent Serial ATA ports which increase Xbox 360's hard disk access speed and provide up to 150MB/s data transmission rates for storage devices. The significant reduction in the size of the Serial ATA cable saves space and facilitates heat dispersion. With three external USB2.0 high-speed ports available, Xbox 360 may be linked to a wide range of peripheral devices such as MP3 players and digital cameras.
With an MII interface and 10/100Mbps Ethernet, gamers can download new games, view game demos, build online files, or share audio/video messages with other gamers via online connection to Xbox Live.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole pressrelease here.
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(Thursday 24 November 2005 16:40 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
CVG Confirms most Xbox 360 games are Region Free
>> From computerandvideogames.com:
[QUOTE]
Although we [CVG - a UK website] haven't been able to get hold of any US games ourselves, word from Japan says that a handful of American Xbox 360 titles do not have a region lock, and work fine on a Japanese region console.
The supposed region-free titles discovered include Call of Duty 2, Condemned: Criminal Origins, Gun and Tony Hawk: American Wasteland, suggesting that the console's stance on region locking is the same as on the original Xbox, leaving the decision up to the publisher.
There's no news yet on whether any foreign region games work on a PAL Xbox 360, but we'll be sure to let you know as soon as we get our hands on some US titles.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: computerandvideogames.com
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(Thursday 24 November 2005 14:57 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Microsoft Answers on Xbox 360 Issues: Isolated Problems
>> Well, it seems that our article about crashing Xbox 360 consoles posted yesterday made some noise...
A Microsoft spokesperson said only a "very, very small fraction" of the units had problems, but she declined to say how many reports the company had received (according to CNN/Reuters).
This is what next-gen.biz got from Microsoft:
"The vast majority of Xbox 360 owners are having an outstanding experience with their new systems,"
"We've received a few isolated reports of consoles not working as expected. The call rate is well below what you'd expect for a consumer electronics product of this complexity. As a percentage of the total number of Xbox 360 systems already in the field, these calls represent a very small fraction. That being said, there is no systemic issue with Xbox 360. Each incident is unique and these customer inquires are being handled on a case-by-case basis. Ultimately, customer satisfaction is our highest priority. Anybody having an issue with their Xbox 360 console should call 1-800-4 MY XBOX immediately so that we can help, or visit www.xbox.com/support."
While the problem certainly doesn't look massive, new reports are still coming in on this thread (and more accross our Xbox 360 section or on other forums like teamxbox.com). It's of course not possible for us to verify all these reports, but some people certainly have real problems with their 360.
While not representative (for the simple reason that people who have problems are more likely to vote/post/shout than people who don't have problems), the poll on the teamxbox forums suggests ~15% of the Xbox 360 owners have problems (on +400 total votes). The real % is probably lower, but it's hard to say how many exactly atm.
Let us know if you have problems with your Xbox 360 and how Microsoft is planning to repair your broken console.
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(Thursday 24 November 2005 02:19 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
First Update for Backwards Compatibility Available
>> Xbox.com has been updated with info on how to get the latest emulation drivers on your Xbox 360. The first update, branded "November 2005", allows to play all the original Xbox games on the list Microsoft released 2 weeks ago.
There are 3 ways to get this update:
* Update through Xbox Live.
* Burn a DVD or CD.
* Order a disc by mail from Xbox.com (available early December).
The 2nd option could certainly be interesting to learn more about the system. You can download the file here[xbox.com].
The zip-file contains one 2.5MB .xex file (which will give BC-support for over 200 games!), that's an Xbox 360 executable (like .xbe for the original Xbox). Once burned on CD-R or DVD+-R you'll be able to run the update on your 360 from the CD/DVD.
Read More: xbox.com.
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(Thursday 24 November 2005 01:21 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
SmartXX v3 coming soon and RemoteFlasher v5
>> SmartXX(info) posted a news item today announcing that their new SmartXX v3 modchip will be available soon. We did not receive other details about this new chip yet, but below you can see the logo already.
Team SmartXX also released a new version of PC SmartXX Remote Flasher(info), a PC tool that allows you to flash a SmartXX modchip from a PC network-connected with your Xbox. The new skinable SmartXX OS(info) build 3403 (released on Halloween) is now also available from their download section.
Official Site: http://www.smartxx.com
Download PC SmartXX Remote Flasher v5: here
Xbox 360 scalpers clean up on eBay
>> From gamespot.com:
[QUOTE]
Ever since the insanity of the 2000 PlayStation 2 launch and reports of online auctions for the desired system reaching into the thousands of dollars, new system launches have become a big event for entrepreneurial capitalists as much as gamers.
A look at the soon-ending auctions this morning showed premium Xbox 360s generally closing at $600-$700, with core systems going for about $500. There were some aberrations; one auction for an Xbox 360 premium system on its own reached $1,750, while a core system auction reached as high as $790.
However, as great as the demand is, the supply of systems on eBay is almost as staggering. There are thousands of listings for the unit on the auction site, many of which are going without bids due to high reserves or starting prices.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamespot.com
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(Wednesday 23 November 2005 22:06 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Halo2 Lightmapping Tool: UberLightmapTool v1.1
>> From Aequitas on halomods.com released a tool (called UberLightmapTool v1.1) to help you tweak Halo2's color map palettes:
[QUOTE]
So this is what I've been working on recently... You'll need the .NET Framework to run it. Everything's as straight forward as possible, so if you can't figure it out, screw off - because you obviously haven't tried. It automatically saves a backup of the palettes if it doesn't already have one for a ltmp tag that the map uses... So you can restore them back after you edit them too much.
[/QUOTE]
More Info/Pictures and Download: halomods.com
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(Wednesday 23 November 2005 17:45 EST) - (Category: Xbox) - (Posted by::
)
10 million Xbox 360s by the end of 2006 - Moore
>> From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft corporate vice president Peter Moore has given the first firm indications of the company's sales ambitions for the Xbox 360 over the coming year, which see ten million consoles being shipped by the end of 2006.
"In the first 90 days, I believe we'll be somewhere between two and a half and three million units worldwide," he said, echoing projections made by Xbox division CFO Bryan Lee at an investment conference earlier this month.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz
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(Wednesday 23 November 2005 13:42 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Man robs EB store at gunpoint and trouble at Wal–Mart
>> From www.eurogamer.net:
[QUOTE]
Some gamers have gone to even greater extremes to get their hands on the Xbox 360 - like the man who robbed an Electronics Boutique store in Stafford, Virginia in the early hours yesterday. According to US website GameSpot, he held the store manager up at gunpoint and ordered him to hand over two Xbox 360s. Presumably ones with hard drives.
Luckily no one was hurt in the incident, and police managed to apprehend the man shortly after he left the store.
Police were also called to the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania branch of Wal-Mart after shoppers waiting to pick up their consoles got rowdy. According to the Pennsylvania Times Leader, shoppers began queueing outside the store at 4pm. At around 11pm, said one eyewitness, people began "pushing and shoving" each other and police arrived on the scene.
They proceeded to hand out 48 vouchers which entitled the holders to return to the store at midnight and purchase their console, presumably on condition that they promised to behave themselves in the meantime.
Police sergeant Tom Elick told the Times Leader that there were no arrests, and that all those involved left the shop once the tickets had been handed out.
However, "We're going to have officers patrol the store throughout the night," he said.
[/QUOTE]
Thanks to Lefty for this news tidbit
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(Wednesday 23 November 2005 09:50 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Original Xbox Consoles Still Blazing 'Hot'
>> Looks like those Original Xbox Consoles don't want to be left behind by this seasons current hot new models. More victims of faulty Power Supplies reported.
From theregister.co.uk:
[QUOTE]
An Anglesey woman was pulled unconscious from her house by two strangers after succumbing to smoke generated by a faulty Xbox.
Stuart Ward and Robert Johnson ran from a pub in Llanfairpwll to find the unnamed victim's house engulfed in thick, black smoke and resembling "the Black Hole in Alton Towers" as Ward later put it to the local Daily Post.
Inside were the woman and her father, who had rushed to the scene in response to a call from his daughter before she was overcome. Ward recalled: "We shouted 'Is anybody there?' The next thing the father upstairs answered 'Yes, I'm upstairs'. We shouted 'Anybody else in the house, we can't see.'
"We put some coats over our mouths and ran upstairs. Robert and I were swearing and the father was shouting 'My daughter's here!'. We were going on our hands and knees - that's how dark it was. You couldn't see your fingers if you put them in front of your eyes.
"We felt our way around the darkness. We found her and dragged and carried her down the stairs and outside. She was going in and out of consciousness."
Happily, though, the woman made a full recovery after hospital treatment.
Anglesey fire and rescue spokesman Dave Evans confirmed the fire was caused by a "fault in an Xbox game machine" left on standby. Back in February, Microsoft recalled 14.1m Xbox power cables shipped into Europe before 13 January, 2004 and in other territories before 23 October, 2003, as we previously reported. MS admitted to "30 or so reports from users suffering minor burns, singed upholstery or scorched carpets as a result of power lead malfunctions".
[/QUOTE]
News-Source: www.theregister.co.uk
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(Wednesday 23 November 2005 06:53 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Another Xbox 360 Opened: Detailed guide with video and HighRes pictures
>> We already saw these retail Xbox 360 units disassembled by Anandtech.com and by Steblublu/Softlife a few days ago.
Now the guys at informit.com opened their unit with some interesting stuff:
* On page2 you'll have a detailed guide on how to open your Xbox 360 and some high resolution images of the motherboard.
But there's more, if the guide is still not comprehensive enough for you they also have a 5-minute video showing you how to open your Xbox 360 case, you can download it here.
* On page3 you'll find the full inscriptions written on the main chips (IBM CPU, ATI GPU, Samsung RAM, SIS Southbridge, ...)
* On page4 you'll find a short guide on how to put back together your Xbox 360.
* On page5 they explain how to open and put back together the wireless controller and they give the full inscriptions found on the ICs of the controller PCB.
* Finally, on page6 they used a software based 802.11 wireless analyzer to take a sample of the airwaves produced by the wireless controllers.
Read the article from the start: informit.com.
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(Wednesday 23 November 2005 01:22 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Crashing Like Mad?
>> Jsgongwon, one of our forum members, reported that his newly bought Xbox 360 keeps crashing while playing Project Gotham Racing 3 in single player mode.
He's playing with the default settings, and apparently his Xbox crashes even before the end of the first lap. Crashes on Xbox Live and on startup occur too. He included screenshots of the crashed Xbox 360 (see below - more pictures on flickr.com) and a video of the crash here (2MB XviD).
A quick look on our forums (more, more and more) seems to indicate he's not the only one. Several of our members seems to get crashing 360s. It doesn't seem to be related to a specific game, as we get reports of the Xbox 360 crashing with several games. And it's not all the same Error-number either (E79, E74, E64, real crashes, ...).
I quickly checked over at TeamXbox and they also have a large thread and poll about defective Xbox 360s.
It's a bit early to guess what's exactly going on here (software, hardware, heat problem, 'user errors', ...) or how big the issue really is. We'll report back when we have more. If you have issues with your Xbox 360 too, report it!
News-Sources: forums.xbox-scene.com(1), forums.xbox-scene.com(2), forums.xbox-scene.com(3), forums.xbox-scene.com(4), forums.xbox-scene.com(5).
More ScreenShots of E79 + boot-up crash: flickr.com
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(Wednesday 23 November 2005 00:04 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 loss per unit: $126
>> From businessweek.com:
[QUOTE]
An up-close look at the components and other materials used in the high-end version of the Xbox 360, which contains a hard drive, found that the materials inside the unit cost Microsoft $470 before assembly. The console sells at retail for $399, meaning a loss of $71 per unit -- and that is just the start.
Other items packaged with the console -- including the power supply, cables, and controllers -- add another $55 to Microsoft's cost, pushing the loss per unit to $126. These estimates include assumptions that Microsoft is getting a discount on many components.
A Microsoft spokeswoman said that the company's plan calls for a "gross margin neutral" strategy through 2006, meaning that between the sales of consoles, game software, and accessories, it expects to essentially break even. Profits should follow in 2007.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: businessweek.com
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(Tuesday 22 November 2005 22:45 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
The Xbox 360 ad you won't see on TV - Download
>> We reported yesterday about this commercial you won't see on TV, called "Stand Off". Microsoft decided not to run it because the ad was designed to appeal more to hard-core gamers than to the broader audiences for which the company is reaching with the Xbox 360.
Well, today Major Nelson reports this commercial has been uploaded on MSN Videos so you can check it out.
Download video: here (looks like MSN Video doesn't like firefox).
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(Tuesday 22 November 2005 20:42 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Retard Wasted Donated Money To Do This...
>> Some retard bought a Xbox 360 this morning, just to destroy it. People who actually wanted to OWN one of these launch units can look on in horror..
From www.smashmyxbox.com:
[QUOTE]
November 22nd 2005 - 10am - Well, after 55 hours of pain, cold, and suffering, we have got our Xbox 360 and successfully smashed it outside Best Buy minutes later, with a large sledgehammer in front of a few Xbox Fanboys who just bought brand new 360s. Short video clip will be posted tomorrow (23rd) and the longer documentary style one will be posted with the next few days. For now, enjoy these pictures!
[/QUOTE]
Full Story and more Photos at www.smashmyxbox.com
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(Tuesday 22 November 2005 13:41 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Down Under Gets Date and Price
>> From the press release:
[QUOTE]
It's only ninety-nine sleeps until Australians can get their hands on the world's most powerful games console, the Xbox 360.
Microsoft today announced that two versions of the console will go on sale from 12:01am on March 2nd, 2006. Consumers will be able to choose from the Xbox 360 at RRP*$649.95 and the Xbox 360 Core System at RRP*$499.95.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: aussiexbox.com.au.
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(Tuesday 22 November 2005 08:50 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
XboxMediaCenter (XBMC) 2005-11-21 CVS T3CH build
>> T3CH released a new CVS compile of XboxMediaCenter(info).
This T3CH-compile is a BAREBONE package (with just a few thirdparty scripts and with just the default skin) compiled with XDK v5849.
Here's the added stuff from the full changelog since the 2005-11-14 CVS release:
* added: you can now specify where to store playlists. they are now separated in video and music sections.
* added: New multiimage control. A mini slideshow control.
* added: you can now use relative paths in combination with $HOME in xboxmediacenter.xml. hi to jjsmither. WARNING: REMEMBER THAT $HOME IS Q:\ BY DEFAULT, NOT THE ACTUAL XBMC DIRECTORY PATH.
* added: sf patch #1348694 F and G partition support to FEH
* added: Skin Theme Support: Skin Themes, simply loading different Texture.xpr files from the current selected skin!
* added: sf patch #1350866 modified playselected() python function
* added: sf patch #1350867 new position() python function
Keep in mind this is a CVS snapshot of the current development tree. It's not a official (stable) point release. Use only if you know what you are doing.
Official Site: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com / http://sourceforge.net/projects/xbmc
Discussion Forum Thread: forums.xbox-scene.com
Download Binaries: n/a (built with XDK)
Download SourceCode: here
Xbox360 Launch Canada... Braving the Elements
>> HSDEMONZ personal log.. (I swear to god I'm not a trekkie)
I was just outside with some of these guys an hour ago.. minutes before midnight on November 21st here in Toronto at the local Best Buy. Some of these guys have been tenting since late Saturday to ensure they get some of the Xbox360 unit that the store will put on sale at 8am Tuesday Morning. (roughly 8 hours from now.. so they still got a long night ahead..)
As you can see it's a motley crew of people, all seemingly with the same goal, to acquire the coveted game console. Braving below zero Celsius temperatures, winds, and darkness. Hopefully all of them will find the evening worth the effort and the sacrifice. Bottle of coke, potato chip bags, music, polite conversation amongst strangers all seem to help them pass the time.
3 hours earlier I had passed them, and their numbers were half what I saw at the midnight photo session. (I would have stayed longer but I already spent far too much time eating Sushi) I can only imagine their number will continue to multiply in the darkness and cold of the cold Canadian night.
To all those who have already gotten or are getting a 360 in the coming week.. congratulations. The rest of us.. me included.. will wait for calmer times, and more plentiful shipments. Peace.
Other pictures from my cell phone.. In the Cold at Best Buy Toronto
HSDEMONZ, Admin
www.xbox-scene.com
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(Tuesday 22 November 2005 01:11 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
It's 360 Time - Jump in
>> It's past midnight EST, November 22nd 2005 - the Xbox 360 is now officially released in the wild.
Four years ago the question was if Microsoft would even make the slightest chance to get a part of the videogame market next to Sony's super popular PlayStation2 and Nintendo's strong branding. Today the the question for many of us is: Will Microsoft be able to produce enough 360s for xmas?
Microsoft brought a strong product, a lot of commitment and in just 4 years they managed to establish a very strong brand in North-America and Europe. Japan certainly failed (not even 500k consoles sold), but well ... at least they can't do worse there with the 360 ;)
And the roles are inverted this time, the other players won't join Microsoft in the new generation for maybe another 6 months if not a year before it'll reach us here in the 'western world'.
Xbox-Scene.com (or Xbox360Scene.com if you want) will of course stay here to assist you into the new generation with scene news, tutorials, faqs, downloads and much more. But that doesn't mean we'll treat the original Xbox as a piece of obsolete junk. We'll continue to inform you about everything that happens in the Xbox modchip, exploit, linux and homebrew scene (still alive and kicking) and we'll of course tell you everything about the progress made to hack (read 'run our own code on') the Xbox 360.
And our huge community with lots of Xbox and Xbox 360 forums, is of course still accessible on forums.xbox-scene.com (soon to be nicely categorized).
Also a note that the tech-savvy guys at XboxHacker.net re-opened their doors today, just in-time for the Xbox 360. Those who were here in the early days certainly remember XBH.net for their technical forum community involved in much of the Xbox reverse engineering. Check them out on XboxHacker.net.
And if you didn't manage to get your Xbox 360 today, you might want to take your chance at gamersreports.com. They're giving away one XBox360 Premium System with Kameo.
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(Tuesday 22 November 2005 00:53 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
If Xbox 360 Fails 'We'll play again' - Gates
>> From reuters.com:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft Corp. will not back down even if the launch of its Xbox 360 video game console fails to propel it to first place in the $25 billion global market, Chairman Bill Gates said on Monday.
"We'll play again," Gates told Reuters in a telephone interview ahead of the Xbox 360 launch on Tuesday.
"We learned a lot in the first round. We've got a chance not just to have higher market share, but also to grow the size of this market substantially," Gates said.
"In terms of how we've balanced technology in the machine, we feel certain we've done a better job than Sony," he said.
"You won't really know that until a year from now, when people are talking about how the games on our machines compare to the games on Sony's machines," Gates said.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: reuters.com
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(Monday 21 November 2005 22:14 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Still No Love For The 360 in Japan?
>> * Japanese Survey Puts Xbox 360 last for holiday sales (gamasutra.com)
"Japanese newspaper Nikkei News has conducted a survey of 1,000 Japanese shoppers regarding their purchasing plans for the upcoming gift giving season (the most important part of which is in early January in Japan). Of those questioned, only 12.9 percent said they had any plans to buy a new console.
The choice of a PSP accounted for 33 percent of those questioned, followed by the Nintendo DS at 22.5 percent, the PlayStation 2 at 20.2 percent, the Game Boy Micro at 11.6 percent and the Xbox 360 at 10.1 percent."
Read More: gamasutra.com
* Need for Speed Event, Few Japanese Turn Up (kotaku.com)
"Over the weekend, 360 kiosks were set-up in front of automobile parts dealer Super Auto Bacs. A squad car from the game, complete with chicks to drape on it, was set-up outside the tent. Looking at this photo, the turnout could hardly be called spectacular. Please keep in mind that Need for Speed is a Japanese launch title for the Xbox 360. Ouch."
Read More: kotaku.com
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(Monday 21 November 2005 20:31 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
How To Get Podcasts on Your Xbox 360
>> From gamesfirst.com:
[QUOTE]
As we've covered already, the Xbox 360 is a powerhouse media machine. But its dependency on Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center doesn't provide a clear path to one of the most popular trends online today: How do you listen to your favorite podcasts on your Xbox 360?
We're taking this from a non-Windows Media Center Edition point of view. If you don't know the difference, then go read our article about getting the full Xbox 360 media Experience. This method should work just fine for users with a Windows Media Center Edition PC in the house as well. These steps should happen on your media serving PC.
[/QUOTE]
Check it out on gamesfirst.com (news via xbox360fanboy.com)
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(Monday 21 November 2005 17:21 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Launch: Move 'Zig' *updated*
>> Here's an overview of some news we found about the US launch of the Xbox 360 at midnight or tomorrow morning:
* Kotaku posted a nice 'Xbox 360 Last Minute Buyer's Guide' for all those that don't have an Xbox 360 on pre-order. With latest info from wal-mart, best buy, Toys R Us, Target, Circuit City, CompUSA and more: kotaku.com.
* PunchJump also has an overview of the retailers here and informs that CompUSA will receive only 4200 Xbox 360 units nation wide here.
* Canadians can check out xboxtoday.ca for info about which shops will get stock.
* Lines are already forming outside (or inside) stores all across North America: twincities.com, khou.com.
* Two 360's taken in Virginia armed robbery. Thief apprehended, consoles recovered: gamespot.com
* Xbox360Fanboy (by JoyStiq) has "10 things to do in the next 10 days" for Europeans that have to wait till December 2nd for their Xbox 360: xbox360fanboy.com.
* Ebay released a press release too, they claim nearly 3000 Xbox 360 are available for Pre-Sale on eBay: tmcnet.com
* Microsoft's last words before launch: Xbox 360 Arrival Spawns Midnight Madness Frenzy: microsoft.com.
* Best Buy published a printed ad for the Xbox 360 in which they claim the console can "burn CDs and DVDs". It'll make my coffee too? kotaku.com.
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(Monday 21 November 2005 15:59 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Mimesis v2
>> The new version of Mimesis(info) has been released:
[QUOTE]
It's done! I put the finishing touches on it tonight, despite a very problematic debug box. I hope that everyone enjoys the latest and greatest from Project Mimesis.
Feature list:
Download & install homebrew downloadable content (DLC)
Auto-Save the Mimesis Content Packages (MCP)
Disable/Enable installed DLC
Backup/Restore Auto Update's (AU)
Install new AU
and do all of this for the multiple games that Mimesis now has built in support for! Its not just for Halo2 anymore.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.projectmimesis.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
The Xbox 360 ad you won't see on TV
>> From SeattlePI:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft Corp. is promoting the Xbox 360 launch with ads that show people breaking into spontaneous moments of play, including a boisterous water-balloon fight and a community jump-roping session.
But there's one ad that you won't be seeing on television.
Called "Stand Off," the spot continues the campaign's theme of frivolous fun. But it does it in a way designed to appeal more to hard-core gamers than to the broader audiences for which the company is reaching with the new video-game console.
Set in an urban subway platform, the ad shows commuters running around like kids in a fake backyard battle -- pointing their fingers at one another in the shape of guns, shouting "bang!" to accompany their pretend fire and feigning dramatic death when they're hit.
Accompanied by fast-paced music, the ad achieves a lighthearted effect. But Microsoft has decided to limit the showings to gaming events filled with crowds of people inclined to appreciate the implicit reference to popular first-person shooting games. The first public showing was scheduled for Sunday night at the "Zero Hour" Xbox 360 launch event in Palmdale, Calif.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: SeattlePI
Download ads: US TV spot[water-balloon fight] and a US TV spot[jump-roping], EU TV spot.
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(Monday 21 November 2005 01:10 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Zero Hour Has Begun *update*
>> From teamxbox.com:
[QUOTE]
The final Countdown to Launch has begun! Deep within the Mojave Desert in California, gamers have come from around the globe to be a part of Microsoft's Zero Hour event to celebrate the launch of the Xbox 360.
Tonight things started out with Peter Moore and J Allard welcoming all the gamers and media in attendence just before the massive doors of an airfield hanger slid open.
[/QUOTE]
Xbox.com also has videos of the Waiting in Line, Last Minute Preparations, pictures of the Kicks Off and more....
*UPDATE* Here's a bit more:
- xoverburnx, one of our forum members, posted tons of pictures of the event in this thread.
- Tour of the Pavilion with Major Nelson: here
- Tons of pictures of the event: here, here and here
- Next-Gen.biz is at Zero Hour, but they claim most gamers are unimpressed by the launch titles: next-gen.biz.
More about the ongoing event: gamerandy.com, geekspeakradio.com, spong.com, majornelson.com, xbox.com and teamxbox.com.
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(Sunday 20 November 2005 23:58 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
XLink Kai Officially Supports Xbox 360
>> From teamxlink.co.uk:
[QUOTE]
Although support for the Xbox 360 was added to Team XLink's free Kai(info) game tunnel service some time ago, we have been reluctant to announce official support until we have received credible confirmation from our users. Today, [XNZ]Forgiven has confirmed that Perfect Dark Zero runs on Kai! We have also had reports from other users that Halo 2 is running fine as well. Sincere thanks to all the early 360 owners who have been playing on Kai. We look forward to seeing everyone else on November 22nd.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.teamxlink.co.uk
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(Sunday 20 November 2005 12:10 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Mimesis v2 Beta in testing
>> From projectmimesis.com:
[QUOTE]
Thats right, Mimesis(info) v2 is only hours away from release! With the beta in its final stages of testing now, the wait is just about over.
Mimesis v2 will surely meet your content needs with features such as multiple game support, Auto Update Management (backup, restore, delete, and install new), Content Management (enable, disable, install from Mimesis Content Package (mcp)), and the (still in development) game types manager & roster manager for some of your favorite FPS & sports games.
Check back often over the next day or two; this release is coming very soon! Also, don't forget to make your donations, the contest drawing will coincide with the final release of version 2. So don't get caught sniping and miss your chance!
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.projectmimesis.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
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