Posts Tagged ‘Xbox 360’

I made a recent Woot.com purchase of this headset simply for the fact that it was a Xbox 360  accessory and it was very, very inexpensive.  It was so cheap, at a price of $3.99, that I felt the need to buy two just to justify the $5.00 shipping.  I don’t think I even stopped to really read the description or even the picture.

I eventually received both headsets, or this article obviously would not exist and you would not be reading it.  Upon opening the box I became like a kid at the candy store at Christmas time in Disney Land/World.  I lifted the hefty packages out of the box, I do mean hefty as these seem to be very durable, and proceeded to parade my goodies around the house whenever a room-mate arrived home.

Note: If I had actually researched the product before buying, I would have discovered that these are made to replicate the feel of being on the sidelines of an official NFL Football game.  Do I care though?  No!  Although I do enjoy watching football, I do enjoy playing the official NFL video game also known as Madden.   I am in fact liable to de-brand the headset of its NFL and EA Sports stickers because I certainly don’t want to be in THAT game.

So the headset itself is durable feeling as it is very well built.  The earpiece cups the ear providing an exceptional feel.  The top and side padding are also very comfortable.  I myself did not feel like the headset was too tight, but I have now seen Amazon reviews of those who did.

The big question, How well does it work?  Exceptionally Well, Thank you for asking.  The headset seems to be powered, seeing that it plugs into the 360 controller via a blade connectors, and had a quick switch for the mute and nice volume control.  This does make the headset have a wide range of volume and to be honest, I did not have to crank mine to max what-so-ever.  The cupping of the headset provides less audio leakage and provides more of it directly into my ear which also may attribute to the excellent volume control.

The audio cable that plugs into the blade dongle may occasionally start to come loose, as I have also found on regular headsets, and may crackle when rotate as lots of other things do.  An additional item to note is that during my research (admittedly after my purchase) I found that the mic seems to be noise canceling.  Needless to say, BONUS!

This was a great headset purchase and can still be found for cheap around the ‘net if you’d like one yourself.  My final words are “A+++ Purchase, Would buy again!”

I’m not sure why everyone is so impressed by Halo Reach, but I’ll do my best to cover it fairly.

Controls:

The controls are very simplified for this.  However I had major difficulty controlling it with my left hand.  I would zig zag all over the place and miss my intended target.  My solution to this was to use only my right hand.  This made me steadier and precise. Keeping a firm grip seems to be the key to success with this.

Appearance:

I have to admit that fresh out of the case, it looks very, very shiny.  However, the colors seem a little drab.  The edges are nice and rounded out though to give a great overall effect.  I could use something with a little more color to it though, they really stayed with some basics on this one.

Performance:

This is a sleek and well designed product.  The people that made this really know the right angles to get things done.  Overall, it’s hard to find something that really fits the niche that this was designed for.  It’s nice that I control how fast it goes.  Really, all the performance depends on me.  One quick note here, you do have to have the proper accessories for this to really work.  A quick trip back to the store will set you right.

Continue reading “Halo Reach Review” »

I’m a big fan of using re-chargeable batteries and an even bigger fan of specially made re-chargeable batteries for my consoles’ controllers.  So without further ado,  I present to you the Nyko Charge Base 360, specially made by Nyko to keep your Xbox 360 controllers charged and ready to go.

Features:

• Drop-in design allows for easy and rapid recharging of wireless controllers
• 2 custom NiMH rechargeable batteries supply up to 25 hours of play time
• Rapid recharge base stores two wireless controllers
• Plugs into any wall outlet for a faster charge than USB
• LED charge indicator lights
• Design matches the décor of the Xbox 360 console and controllers

Pros:

• Setting the controllers in is really easy.
• Indicator lights display whether your controller is charging or fully charged with different colors
• Indicator lights do not stay lit when controllers are not on base
• 2 hour charge time per controller

Cons:

• Doesn’t allow for battery only charging, needs to have battery in a controller
• Bright indicator lights (only bad if you like dark rooms or don’t have an out of the way spot for it)
• 4 hour charge time for 2 controllers, wish it would charge one and then the other.

The pros for this device really do out-weigh the cons.  If you’ve got two controllers that need charging, this is a great way to always keep them ready to go.  I really, really appreciate the fact that the indicator lights don’t stay lit all the time.  During charging the lights can be bright, so if I were a person who preferred a darker room I would place this somewhere where the lights wouldn’t be intrusive.  You are almost better of charging one controller first, and then the other controller.  Sure, it is still 4 hours total charge time, but at least 1 would be ready after 2 hours.  Over all though, this is a great charger and I feel that is comes at a great price as well.

I made a decision a couple weekends ago that I would finally pull a title that I have not played yet off my shelf of games and pop it in.  I settled on Enchanted Arms for the Xbox 360.

When I started, I didn’t know much about Enchanted Arms.  I had traded for it a while ago on a whim.  I did know that it was an RPG and from what I had seen about it, to me it seemed very similar to Final Fantasy.  (Or at least what I associate Final Fantasy to be like since I have never actually played it myself.)

Continue reading “Enchanted Arms Review” »

I recently had the privilege of playing the Blur Beta on Xbox 360 thanks to snorkle256 being generous enough to pass a beta invite my way. All I can say is wow, is this game fun!

After playing for a few hours, I feel that it is a really nice melding of two great games: Need for Speed and Mario Kart.

Need for Speed has always had fast & flashy cars, cool terrains, and good graphics. Not to mention the need for the player to suspend disbelief when it came to plowing full-throttle into a brick wall and walking away relatively unscathed.

Mario Kart on the other hand has always been more laid back and fun, somewhat rudimentary, but always entertaining. The use of power ups was always the biggest draw in this game – there is nothing more fun than zapping the player in 1st place with lightning, or flinging a red, exploding shell at a nearby opponent. The formula was simple and fun, which paid of well in terms of replay value.

Blur has combined the best elements from these two games into one fantastic package. Filled to the brim with new, sporty cars such as a track version of the VW Scirocco, a Ford Focus RS, BMW M3, a Corvette ZR1, and many more, this game has something for everyone.

On top of the bevvy of cars, the game features six different power ups that the player can use to force other racers off track, to block attacks from other racers, or to repair the player’s car. These power ups range from homing bombs that flip over the opponent’s car to a “Barge” attack that pushes other nearby players off-course. This is where the game departs enough from Mario Kart to be unique – the power ups are always located in the same place on the track, and they regenerate quite quickly. Around each turn, you know if a power up is coming your way so you can use this predictability to help advance through the ranks.

The graphics are sharp and colorful – not at the same level as a Forza 3 or Gran Turismo – but you don’t need that sort of polish and detail here. You are buzzing around the tracks at such a ridiculous speed, with a flurry of obstacles flying at your car, that you wouldn’t even notice the difference. That is not to say that the game is visually lacking in any way – on the contrary, it’s quite the visual treat!

All in all, I have had a ton of fun playing the beta. There are some great multi-player features, such as voting between two possible tracks for each and every race, that really take into consideration what players want, and what other games have been lacking.

If you get the opportunity, get in on the beta – if you miss it, be sure to pick up the game when it is released, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

If you are having a hard time getting your Xbox 360 DVD drive to open and close, odds are the drive belt is the problem.  It seems that due to heat and general usage, the drive belt that is responsible for opening and closing the drive will stretch or accumulate enough dirt that it starts slipping.

One way to remedy this is to open your drive and clean the belt, but more often than not the problem will recur relatively quickly.  After scouring the web, I have found what seems to be the consensus as far as which belt you can use to replace your existing drive belt.  Most people opt to purchase a replacement that is smaller than the existing belt in order to ensure that there is sustainable tension for the long run.  The replacement belt of choice has a 19mm internal diameter and is 1.2mm thick.

You can purchase a new belt at any of the locations below:

SBS2.6 Belt @ Studio Sound Electronics

FD36P Belt @ Maplin (UK)

SCX2.6 Belt @ Unicorn Electronics

To do the repair, simply open your DVD drive, undo the belt connecting the two points highlighted below, and then reattach the new belt in its place.  You will likely need to use a small screwdriver or needle-nose pliers to attach the new belt as it will fit quite a bit more snug than the old belt.  You may also want to limit the amount that you touch the inside of the belt surface as to reduce the likelihood of depositing residual finger oils on the rubber which may result in future slippage.

[Picture courtesy of Llama - www.llama.com]

It’s nothing new, but it is quite a convenience. If you have ever been stuck typing a message on Xbox Live letter by letter with the controller, you know how frustrating it is and how long it takes.

Enter the Xbox 360 Messenger Kit:

This kit has been around awhile, but I just picked it up recently as I needed a new headset for my 360. The headset by itself runs $20, but the headset with the chat pad can be found for only $10 more!

I picked mine up at Microcenter since I was in the neighborhood, but it can be had for a few dollars cheaper online.  Depending on where you shop, the cheaper price will probably merely offset shipping costs, but your mileage may vary.

The headset is Microsoft’s standard fare, but is just fine for chatting on Live.  I could have sprung for the wireless headset but the convenience just didn’t seem to justify the cost.

The chat pad itself snaps on to the bottom of any controller, wireless or wired, and fits pretty snugly.  It was somewhat difficult to get on the first time, but that’s a good thing – you are pretty much guaranteed that it will never come off during play.

The chat pad is similar to a Blackberry keyboard, but just a touch bigger. The keys are easy to find, and for international users, there are plenty of options for foreign characters.  All in all, it’s a good thing, and I like it!

Earlier this week I received my Xbox 360 back from Microsoft for it’s RROD.  Eagerly I sat down to play on my console only to discover that in the two week period of not having a 360, my controller was stepped on and a analog joystick was broken.  Yes, I was disappointed that my controller was broken and I set out to work out a way to fix it.

I did a little research and found out that if you have an original Xbox S type controller that you are willing to part with, you can fix your more expensive 360 controller on the cheap.

You see it turns out that the analog joystick pickups are the same in each controller, so it is simply a matter of cracking each open and swapping in the working part.

Continue reading “Xbox 360 Controller Thumbstick Replacement” »

If you own an Xbox 360 and happen to travel out of the country now and again, or spend time perusing some of eBay’s international sites in search of deals, you may have asked yourself the following question:

“Will a PAL game play on my NTSC Xbox?”

The short answer is yes, but the long answer contains a few caveats.

When playing an Xbox 360 over a hi-def connection using HDMI, Component, or DVI cables, the game’s encoding format really does not matter.  However, if you are playing a game using a standard definition interface, the encoding does matter – you must buy the proper game for TVs used in your part of the world.

Additionally, to play a “PAL” game on an “NTSC” console, the game must be listed as “Region Free”.  This means that the game has not been coded in such a way that it is locked to a particular part of the world.   It also helps to ensure that the game contains the proper information for your language as well.

So in the event that you find a Region Free, PAL version of a game you really want, you are playing over a hi-def connection, and the game specifies that it has English language tracks, go ahead and buy that import disc – it should play just fine.

*Disclaimer: This is information that I have been told by reliable resources.  Your mileage may vary.

I recently purchased an Xbox from eBay afflicted with the Red Rings of Death, in hopes of repairing it. While it ends up the console itself was beyond repair, I had hoped to at least salvage the DVD drive, if not other parts from the console.

I figured my hopes were dashed when I hit the eject button on the DVD drive and nothing happened, aside from a short whirring of motors. Upon taking the drive apart, I found that someone had drawn a big “X” on the drive tray with a Sharpie marker – at this point, I was pretty sure this broken Xbox would yield nothing useful other than some spare capacitors.

Eventually, I noticed that a gear and belt was missing from the drive assembly, and I figured that this was the cause of the tray not opening. You can see the two missing parts highlighted in the image below:

[Image from Llama.com]

The belt is connected to the motor at the front of the DVD drive, which is also connected to the gear that I was missing. This gear drives the larger tray gear on the left, allowing the drive to open and close.

I opened up a bricked hitachi I had laying around in hopes of pulling the gear and belt from that drive and transplanting it into this one. Unfortunately, the gear from the Hitachi drive was not only too tall, but a little different in design as well. It was pretty clear that it would not be a suitable replacement.

Looking around some more on Llama’s site, I found the image below as part of a writeup on Xbox 1 DVD drive disassembly.

As you can see, the drives are laid out in similar fashion, which would be expected as they are both manufactured by Samsung.

I dug up a DVD drive from an old original Xbox I had lying around and took apart the drive. I pulled the gear and belt, but much to my chagrin, the gear was too tall for the Xbox 360 drive. So, I decided to go out to the garage and see what a hacksaw could do about that. I ended up cutting about half a centimeter off the bottom of the gear, then I filed it flat to ensure good movement in the drive. I popped the gear into place, put the belt on, and crossed my fingers.

Much to my surprise, the fix worked like a charm! The drive opened and closed smoothly, and I went from a complete loss to a working drive in just minutes.

I don’t know how often this sort of thing happens to people out there, but I figured it might help someone who took their drive apart and either broke something or lost some parts.