XBox 360 Under the hood

[Melbosa]

2 articles I found that explain what is really inside those XBox 360s, now that they have their hands on one.



http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3145585&did=1

http://www.anandtech.com/systems/showdoc.aspx?i=2610



Haven't had a chance to truely read through them yet, but will post after I do.

[Melbosa]

The second link is slow to get site results, but did watch the vid on the first one and read through the article.



Nice that there are now standard USB Connectors on the front.  And the fact that once a driver is written, you will be able to use the XBox 360 controllers on your PC.  Also nice was the ability to read in from USB Devices into the XBox 360, including iPod and PSP (?? a Sony device working with a Microsoft Product ??).  Will have to wait and see what type of video streaming (if any) they allow and the codecs they will support.  You can stream MP3s and CD-Audio from external sources on a network already (the guys tested this in their arcticle).

[Shayne]

Keep in mind that the PSP reads as a mass storage device, so really its not exactly working together.  However i have read that the iPod support is actually well done in that it rebuilds the structure to readable form (this will be the first thing i check).  Also i heard rumblings that at anytime apple could redo the structure with firmware update thus killing the connectivity (could MS fix it with a Live Update?)



A couple notes that i read at gamespot yesterday.  Music and Videos CANNOT under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES be transfered to the Xbox HDD.  Only music that can be is music that the 360 ripped.  Thats a shame, but what i want to know is that if my iPod is plugged in, can i use those songs on a custom soundtrack?  Lots of unknowns i think.



Im trying to read that anandtech thing all morning, but its painfully slow.



Im excited as could be for this launch.  I really think that Microsoft did a lot of things right (some wrong) and its not exactly a "next-gen" (lesser still is the PS3) and more of an evolution (would the Rev be truely the first next gen?)

[Shayne]

Also interesting to note that the console supports 4 controllers, but only has 3 USB plugs (and one is on the back), making wireless really the only option.

[Ustauk]

The article on Anandtech was slashdotted.

[Ustauk]

Also interesting to note that the console supports 4 controllers, but only has 3 USB plugs (and one is on the back), making wireless really the only option.

Not necessarily.  If these are true USB ports, there's nothing stopping you from throwing a USB hub on there. You'd probably want it to be a powered hub, since the controllers have a vibration pack.  Of course, by the time you by a powered hub you probably have the price of a wireless controller.  I wonder if you'll be able to use USB mice and keyboards out of the box, and if they'll be supported by first person shooters.  It'd be nice if you were able to play a Call of Duty 2 with a mouse and keyboard, for example, Shayne.

[Shayne]

I wouldnt doubt a quais-keyboard-mouse controller would be excellent, but microsoft made it manditory for companies to have their gear approved before it could be sold.  So im not sure Microsoft would every allow it.



As for just plugging in a keyboard/mouse, it wont work as the kernal doesnt have support for that type of input device.



Im actually a fan of not having a k/m combo. i like the idea of all players playing on an equal field, and thats why i much perfer Live over ..heck...even Frag.  No worries about the guy beside you beating you because of his gear, its all about skill.



I'll document my purchase on Tuesday (going in at 6:00am), let everyone know what i find.

[Cova]

Initial inventories of xbox-360s for every futureshop in canada...



http://www.gamersreports.com/image.php?id=1132026318&g=170&large=1



For edmonton...



West    86

North   40

South   180

Downtown   60

NE   70

[Shayne]

Thats impressive.  Edmonton is gonna get a lot on day 1.  If the Clairview EB is any indication of the other EBs (Kingsway is supposed to get the most), then thats 80+ per store.  Assume that the Best Buys are getting the same as the Futureshops...your looking at a good 1,000...give or take. 1 for every 1000 people.

[Cova]

Ya - a combination of the large numbers that should be appearing in Edmonton, the rumors from other countries of MS getting stores to agree to sell out, and more and more rumors floating around of very long wait times if you don't already have a pre-order, and I'm really starting to believe that MS is trying to get people scared that if they don't have one ordered already that they won't get it, and to get more sales through forcing people into pre-orders.  Well, I still plan on getting myself one, and I still plan on just being a regular walk-in customer with no pre-order - guess we'll find out if I get one this month, this year, or what.  My plan all along has been to get one sometime in december, then go back on boxing day and price-protection it for some $ back when they inevitably go on sale.

[Shayne]

I preordered mine in July, the idea was to pay it off over the last 6 months, and i put the last few bucks down last Sunday.  Though im thinking of picking up PD0, im a little annoyed at the lack of reviews though.