Shipped her out two days ago.

*taps foot impatiently*

Hopefully I get an HDMI system in return. :D

How was the process getting through microsoft's customer service? Did you still have the receipt/box and all? Was it free still? I still have the box for mine, but i'd be seriously shocked to ever find the receipt.

I'm still on my original system, and i think as the oldest surviving 360 on the planet, its day is probably coming. :)

Nope, no receipt required. All you have to do is have your console registered. I did most of the process online. When it came time for the final step to be processed, I received and error. I called 1-800-4-my-xbox and talked to a hindu with a christian name (I cannot remembe his name now, but I always think it sounds funny) Anyways... he, of course, had me run through the rudimentary checklist of trouble shooting. Did you turn it off? Did you wait 10 seconds? What color is the light on the power supply when the unit is off? When it is on? I gave him all the answers he needed to hear, as I had already run through all of these steps.

My system had not been registered yet, which is only because this is my second one.. the first was replaced by my former employer, because I happened to buy my 360 when the suckers were offering a FREE PRP with what they obviously did not know was almost guaranteed to be a faulty piece of hardware. Gotta love that. Which in hindsight was the luckiest possible thing that could have happened, because on my first system the problem was not the RRoD, it was a grinding DVD-Rom, which is NOT covered for three years on Microsoft's warranty.

Here's the part that was kinda scary. I had not registered the system, but Microsoft's website told me the exact day I purchased the system. I guess it kinda makes sense... but I really wasn't expecting it. I'm glad I hadn't registered it, because I would have had to change my mailing information, phone, email, etc.

The process itself, compared to other support issues I've dealt with, went rather smoothly. They guy runs through everything, tells me the system needs to be refurbished. He says the quickest way to do this is to email me a pre-paid label that I can take to UPS to have my system shipped. Which, I did... that day. You cannot use the original box A)because UPS doesn't like all that writing on the outsied and B)because you won't get it back.

UPS tracking says they delivered it on Thursday morning. The tracking on service.xbox.com says they are waiting to recieve it. I think I see how this would take 2-3 weeks. Which, honestly, is a hell of alot better than the 6-8 weeks when they started announcing the free services.

I didn't want to believe the 33% fail rate on the 360... but the proof is in the pudding. I don't feel like Microsoft has screwed me though. There's been no charge at all... and I know that this entire extended warranty is costing them something like $1.15billion. Yes, billion. And, I'll get a free month to xbox live. Hopefully with a system that looks like mine... or new. If I get a dirty refurb, I'm going to RRoD that bitch intentionally.

I'm kinda rambly this AM. Oh well.

That sucks yo. I bought mine off a friend a few years back. It RRoD'd once. I turned it off. Unplugged everything. Plugged it all back in. NEVER had a problem since then. Actually, that's not entirely true. For no apparent reason, Project Silpheed will skip here and there. :disgust: Oh well. I haven't registered my 360 yet. I suppose I should incase it ever does try to die on me. Good luck with your new console.

Well... surprisingly enough, my console has been repaired and the shipping number has been received. So... I'm just waiting for UPS to pick up my former-brick and bring it back to me. Then we'll see how "repaired" it really is. :)

I really was hoping for a new one, but oh well. I've heard stories of people having to send their system back two or three times before MS replaces them. I'll be happy with a working system, really. I just want one that will continue to work... hopefully beyond their 3 year mark.

*crosses fingers*

Horror stories aside, MS has a stake in repairing defective products. If they don't, it'll make them look as bad as... Sony.

This is why I'm waiting for the new model though.

What do you mean new model? You mean the following generation? like 2-3 more years?

Yeah, i was under the impression that the "new model" 360 was just a myth. Something that people keep referencing like it's just on the horizon, but that Microsoft has announced no official plans for.

Word is they *are* going to start allowing outside companies to develop 360-compatible hardware though, 3DO style. So that's kinda weird.

Awww, I wanted a new model of the 360 to be real. :(

Just get one now, and if it bricks, they replace it for free. I don't see what people are so concerned about, that's a ridiculously better deal than you'll get with any other console, and they all have the potential to fail. I've actually experienced a lot more freezing and weird problems with the Wii than the 360 so far.

Let's put it this way. The NES might brick, but it doesn't happen too often, so there's still tons of good, working ones out there. My Dreamcast might be a paperweight, but I can find one for $30 or less, and they're plentiful. What's gonna happen when Microsoft rolls out their next console and drops support for the 360? Suddenly, a bricked console is a bricked console with no replacement, and the way they seem to be dropping, that could mean very bad things. Naturally MS's next console will be backwards compatible, so you'll have to buy that one and suffer through the dodgy emulation, limited compatibility, and different controller layout.

That's why I want a less brickable model of the 360 to happen. Is it so wrong for me to want consumer electronics not to break just from regular, non violent use? I had similar issues with the PSP.

All disc-based systems will die eventually, it's just the nature of the beast. Too many moving parts to last forever. But i do see what you mean.

Nothing lasts forever. The discs themselves are only good for so long. Hell, NES carts are going to start breaking down here soon, at least, that's what chemistry and history tells us. (unless they are stored in a vacuum)

People don't shell out $300-400 to play old games. Backwards compatibility is a moot point, IMO. It's fan wanking. It's a little box that manufacturers like to be able to check, but it's not a must. Sony just NOW figured this out, as the current 40 gig PS3 has ZERO BC.

The NES is a really bad example if you're arguing about hardware failure. Let's see a show of hands on people who know what a 72-pin connector is.

I guess my point is that there are people who buy new systems and there are people who don't. Apples and Oranges, really. We can trade points back and forth all day.

I guess it's better than the whole PC/Console gaming argument.

Ohh.. and yes, it's IS wrong of you to want consumer electronics that don't break down from normal use. It's very unpatriotic as it's bad for the economy. :D </sarcasm>

How soon? :(

Hearing this kind of thing makes me want to just invest in a modded Xbox, some sweet emulators, and sell the game collection for toys.

I'm not talking about buying new systems to play old games, I'm talking about buying a new system and keeping it. I only brought up replacing with the next system because it seems like once the 360 is no longer supported, that will be the only option to continue playing 360 games as soon as it invariably bricks. As far as the NES goes, that's a repair you can do at home in your spare time, so it's not like it's gone for good. Ever unbricked a 360 on your own?

It's been done, i think you just have to be pretty killer with a soldering iron. All it comes down to is crappy solder joints that can crack after excessive heating and cooling.

Oh, is that all? I'm already going to have to deal with that on some Commodore monitors at some point. I'll have to practice up. :thumbup:

Yeah, that's why so many people get their original console back instead of a new one. From what i understand parts needing replaced is a rarity, it's usually just a solder repair.

Show of hands, how many people here feel comfortable taking a soldering iron to their 360?

*raises his hand*

Especially if it's past the warranty.

But, I have a history of "fixing" my systems. I added the backlight to my original GBA via the "afterburner" mod. Actually made it a useful system. I think my brother might have that now. *shrug*

The RRoD can result from many different things, most of them stem from overheating. If the GPU overheats and cracks the mainboard, you're hosed... those are the guys that are getting new systems.

I do understand your point, but like Scumdogg, I think Microsoft has done more to address the issues than ANY other manufacturer of systems. I went through THREE Playstations and two PS2s. It's the nature of the beast. As these things get more complex, the fail rate increases accordingly. Dead pixels, bricked systems, not enough memory for downloads. All systems have their issues... and I think Microsoft has done the most to make me feel like I'm not completely throwing my money away or rolling dice.

*IF* I buy a PS3... I'll be getting the Replacement plan through whomever I buy it from. Just in case. Because the standard warranty is shit... it always has been.

side note: Hadn't heard of MS letting other manufacturers build 360 compatible hardware.... but it certainly couldn't hurt. they've shown that they aren't too good at it, maybe someone else can do better? :)

Why am I reminded of this?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dNMxHH_jmH0

Thus solving the problem once and for all!

But...

ONCE AND FOR ALL!

Wait... is THIS what you were talking about? The 60 Gig 360?

That *IS* happening. The $50 price cut everyone is talking about is much like one of Sony's price cuts on the 17 models of PS3 they've had... in that it's only to reduce the stock of the soon to be discontinued model. The 20 Gig X360 is out, in with the 60Gig. It's about time! For those of us with Broadband, 20Gig is like a flash drive or something. It's a shame they haven't dropped the price on the hard drives yet. :(

RRoD UPDATE: I got my 360 back, on Monday... after they tried to deliver it on Friday, I wasn't home to sign, so it came back on Monday. It's my same system, probably with some resoldered connections and maybe some heatsinks slapped on... wish I could see... but that would void me warranty, so I'll not be doing that. Seems to be fine... we'll see how long this one lasts.

What the heck are you storing on your game console that 20GB is inadequate?

Anyway, no, the "new model" I was referring to that I'm told will not be coming out is a model that would have used a new, cooler running GPU thus making the console less prone to bricking.

You can download entire SEASONS of shows on XBL, not to mention movies and Live Arcade games. It doesn't take much. Also the 20GB drive is actually only like 13GB worth of proper storage, the rest is taken up by the OS. It's kind of misleading.

Kids these days... They think 13GB is something to scoff at. Why, in my day, we only had 1.44 MB of storage at a time, and we were grateful for it, by golly!

That's funny. My first computer had 256k of active memory, and a TAPE RECORDER for hard copies. Some of my ALL TIME favorite games came on thos 1.44 floppy disks.

I still think 13Gigs or 20Gigs, for that matter, is not enough space for a current gen HDD-based, broadband enabled, HD, gaming console.

The REALLY funny thing is me saying "kids these days" after Scumdogg gives his two cents.

But yeah, what I'm trying to say is that I have a hard time thinking of a use for that much space on a game console. I've got a 2GB micro SD card for my phone which can play mp3s, and I have no idea why I didn't spring for the slightly cheaper 1GB model because I'll never fill up 2GB. But that's me. I'm weird.

You do the same as my wife, she has a 4GB memory card for her psp and has over 3 gigs free and I have a 2 GB memory card in my psp and I always have to erase things to make room. <_<

This is kind of where I am.

I still have about a gig free on mine I think, and I even loaded it up with demos. I'm not doing the emulator thing though, that's probably why I have the free space.

Speaking of PSP, ever since I updated to 3.80EO or whatever the hacked bios is, I can't play emulators anymore and it corrupted my Dracula X save game...everything gone...and I was only halfway through symphony of the night...

Am I the only who sees no point in putting am emulator on the PSP and clogging up space?

The computer will be a far better emulator than the PSP. Infact, Emulation on the Computer is so high above Emulation on the PSP, if it took a piss off it's own shelf of land onto the PSP, the stream would actually fall long enough and gain enough force to cut the Sony building in half.

Yeah, as i cannot afford a second one, i have chosen to use my PSP solely for *gasp* PSP games. Its staying exactly as it was when i opened it.

It seems like every horror story i hear concerning the PSP starts the same way. "I was fucking with shit, and then....".

This is also handy because i'll never need to buy anything beyond the 1GB card mine came with. :)

The benefit as I see it is that I don't have a PC that can fit in my pocket, that can be played lying in bed or sitting on a park bench.

That said, I can't afford to replace mine if it fucks up, so I'm leaving it the way it is.


The reason I run out of space is because I try to use it for everything it's supposed to be used for. I have game saves, game demos, music, videos, and some pictures. That adds up.

The answer is in the name PlayStation Portable so that pretty much justifies putting emulators on it.

Also, almost all the hacked bios have come with a safe mode, so even if you kill your psp, which is hard to do right now, you just start the psp and hold the right trigger button, start in safe mode and retore the bios. So in reality, it's safer to use the hacked bios than an official bios. If your psp dies during a required update (which has happened) you are screwed, but if you have a hacked bios, you never have to worry about that.

Also, emulators/roms are the smallest things, with the exception of the PSX roms, so you would need the entire Neo Geo roms collection on your memory card for emulators to be the main reason your psp is full.

Mouthful :laugh:

I just use my iPod for music and movies, since it can handle those things much better and it's about half the size.

Marcelo, so they're safer to use but they bork your saved data? That doesn't sound safer to me...

Occassionally, I am tempted to install the hacked bios to run an emulator on my PSP. However, there are a few things keeping me from doing so...

1. Horror stories
2. The research I feel I'd have to do before doing so.
3. Having to buy something other than the 1gig card that came with mine, these Pro Duo stick prices are effing ridiculous
4. My overwelming backlog of PSP games that I haven't played yet.

Number 4 really being the main reason. I've got so many PSP titles that I haven't even OPENED, let alone finished. I can't justify the effort, risk, or cost when I have a pile of amazing games that await my attention.

Besides, out of the box... with official updates, this little thing does SO MUCH already, I don't feel the need to cripple it by putting crappy emulators on it.

Do what Collector and I did. Wait for a sale (they happen all the time) on an off-brand. I've got a San-Disk 2GB. I think it was only $15 and that was last year.

>>>Marcelo, so they're safer to use but they bork your saved data? That doesn't sound safer to me...

Actually, that was my fault, I decided to take a screenshot while saving my game, the PSP didn't like that. Not the bios fault, I knew better but did it anyway.

Just to respond to your list.

1. A few people when hacked bios were new, doesn't really count. Those bugs have long since been corrected and in the process of correcting them, the hackers have made the system even safer/better than it is with the official bios.
2. No research needed, just download, install, done.
3. For emulators you wouldn't need a bigger memory card since they take up so little room. At one point I had every NES and SNES ROM in my collection (in the thousands) on my 2 GB memory card, plus 3 full PSP games, 2 whole movies and a ton of music/pictures/ff13 and ffv13 trailers.
4. Ok, but that still have nothing to do with a hacked bios.

>>>I don't feel the need to cripple it by putting crappy emulators on it.

This is how Windows 98 users felt when Windows XP came out and now they all use it once they realized it's better. Also, crappy? You can play PSX, Neo Geo, SNES, Genesis, etc... on your PSP wherever you are, yeah, that sounds really crappy. :rolleyes:

Plus you get to take screenshots, which gives bragging rights with proof. Remember all those FF1 PSP screenshots on WarMECH's Domain? All thanks to a hacked bios.

>>>I just use my iPod for music and movies, since it can handle those things much better and it's about half the size.

How exactly is it better? Does the music have this iPod boost that makes it sound like you've never heard it before. Are the movies longer with extra stuff that can't be viewed outside of the iPod? No, the compression looks MUCH better on the PSP and the music sounds exactly the same. The only benefit is the smaller size. So small size is better than having a game collection that can be played on it, which is massive if you count emulators. I can't justify any iProduct, they are for the masses and not the best idea (kinda like Dell, so many buy that brand, but that company sucks at making PCs.)

>>>I can't afford to replace mine if it fucks up, so I'm leaving it the way it is.

If you are 100% serious about being unable to replace your psp, then you should definitely upgrade to the hacked bios, that way Sony can't brick your PSP by messing up their official bios, which has already happened on TWO of their official updates. Also, the hacked bios is setup to never kill your psp, it has a PC software, where if you mess up duing the upgrade (which can only be done if you turn off the PSP during the update,) you just plug in the USB cable, hook it up to your PC, hit the restore PSP button and your psp is working again. Where is the risk?

I have yet to hear a good argument as to why anyone would risk using the official bios. Until Sony makes a recovery option, it's hacked bios FTW. :thumbup:

Sorry if I sound so strongly about this, but you guys have no idea of how much better the PSP is once you have full control of it. Did you know that you can even make the PSP faster? Not the games, but the processing power. Sony has it dropped 50% of it's full power to make the battery last longer, but you can disable that, which makes everything load faster and removes a lot of the framerate issues that some of the graphic intense games suffer from. Dude, I mean everything goes faster and it's been tested to see if the PSP would die sooner if used at full speed, but all it does is drain the battery faster, you get about 45 minutes less than if using at normal speed. Not only that, but you can make it run slower to make the battery last longer.

Not to mention that it can play games as isos, so every game for every region can be downloaded through torrents or whatever you use, then you put them on the memory card and you now have a new game at zero cost. That way you can test a game out before buying it and if it sucks, you just saved $$$.

Seriously, not a single reason to stay with the original bios.

SanDisk sticks are supposed to be better than the Sony ones anyway. Damn things are still way more expensive than SD cards of the same size though.

This is actually one of the more appealing features for me.

Well, one risk is getting stabbed and robbed if I answer a Craiglist ad and go 30+ miles up to Toledo to have it done for me. :laugh: