I guess once just wasn’t enough. I was going to go play Halo 3 tonight but I ran into my nemesis the Red Ring of Death. Lets see how long it takes to get it back this time. And hopefully they do it right the first time.
Category: Tech
Well I have decided to send the console back. In addition to the DVD drive concerns I detailed in my last post I have had another issue since then. At one point I turned on the console and got a distorted picture on my TV (the image took up only half of the screen and was all warped with lines going though it). I turned the console on and off something like three times but kept getting a distorted startup animation and dashboard. I unplugged the console and plugged it back in and it seems to work now, but that left me real uneasy about the quality of the one I got back from them. So I have decided to send the console back again to have them take a look at it. The last thing I want is for something like the DVD drive to break after the 90 day repair warranty is up. I sent them a console with a DVD drive in perfect working order; it’s only fair the one I get back has the same.
I got my Xbox 360 back today. Or well, not really my 360 as it is a different one. And it’s obvious that it’s not a brand new console as there is a little bit of damage to the case. I played Halo 3 on it for about an hour and it works but the DVD drive seems a bit iffy. When I open the drive comes out fine at first but then slows down towards the end (something my original Xbox 360 didn’t do). Also, when I close the drive (with or without a cd) it makes a brief noise that almost sounds like grinding (also something my original Xbox 360 never did). I am going to use it a little more but I might end up talking to Xbox support about it. The last thing I want is for the repair warranty to run out and then the DVD drive break a little while later since as far as I know it would not be covered under the 3 year warranty.
Each year Microsoft’s connected entertainment vision gets better and better. By now, you’ve seen the broader picture – Media Centers in the living room, Extenders in the bedroom, Xbox’s in the playroom, Windows Mobile on the hip, and Sync in the car. Making all this work, and work more seamlessly in the future, is no small task of course, and the person charged with making it all work is Robbie Bach.
Xbox Live Marketplace has always been the place to be for all your gaming needs, but it’s about to get even better.
There are great games coming in 2008, Grand Theft Auto, Splinter Cell Conviction, Halo Wars, Resident Evil 5, and of course the fan favorite Burnout 3 (download the demo now), Xbox Live Marketplace is more than the service that connects you to your friends, it’s the way to play the games before they ship.
Your Xbox will now be the destination for all things entertainment. Movies, TV, THE OLYMPICS…check out this clip for details.
Looks like I am not as lucky as I thought. My launch Xbox 360 console surprised me this evening with the three flashing red lights. I say surprised because it was working fine a couple of hours ago when I turned it off. There is not really much I can do now except be thankful that Microsoft took the hit and gave everyone a three year warranty for those issues. I just hope I won’t be without the console for too long. I just recently bought the HD-DVD drive for it. So it looks like I won’t be watching any HD movies or playing any console games for a while. This is not a nice way to start off another year of gaming. I guess I should go looking for some nice PC games while I wait.