Any advice on getting xboxes?

[sabrage]

Fixing a red ring is really not that hard. If you've ever installed a processor in a computer, it's basically the same process.

[isiolia]

There's a 10th anniversary bundle coming out for Europe that makes me wonder if we'll see something similar stateside.

That would be awesome. Especially if they made a limited-edition 360 that looked like an oXbox. I'd have to buy that.

Heh, well, they missed the deadline considering it's a 10th anniversary for the XBox, which came out several months earlier in the U.S.

Just a bigger game bundle n' all though (here).

The Star Wars 360 is coming early April, but it's expensive.

Fixing a red ring is really not that hard. If you've ever installed a processor in a computer, it's basically the same process.

Ehhhh, reflowing solder vs putting a chip in a socket and closing a lever?

[ZenErik]

Before the flood in Thailand it made sense to get a 360 with no hard drive, and then just buy a hard drive on eBay. After the flood and the drastic increase in hard drive prices it doesn't make that much of a difference. Although prices are finally dropping!

[DinnerX]

Thanks for all the info isiola. Looks like I'll be wanting a harddrive after all.

Main complaint I recall seeing about the Slim was that it still doesn't lock the disc well, so, try not to knock it around while playing (which you probably should avoid in general ).

Well, there go the croquet plans.

I say get both, but if you're only getting one for now, go with the oXbox. oXbox stuff is as cheap as it'll ever be, while 360s will only get cheaper.

Yeah, as much as I'd like to get a 360 now I probably will wait a little longer. I might even hold out until the new xbox comes out.

Looks like I'll be buying an oxbox locally if I can. That way I can check to see if it has the unreliable thompson drive.

[ZenErik]

If you ever develop an interest in shmups then the 360 will be quite nice for you.

[sabrage]

Fixing a red ring is really not that hard. If you've ever installed a processor in a computer, it's basically the same process.

Ehhhh, reflowing solder vs putting a chip in a socket and closing a lever?

That's a different issue entirely. I reapplied the thermal compound and put screws and washers where there was once a bracket. That's it.

[DinnerX]

If you ever develop an interest in shmups then the 360 will be quite nice for you.

Actually, I do like shmups. Aren't a lot of the 360 shmups japanese? Are most of them region free?

[ZenErik]

If you ever develop an interest in shmups then the 360 will be quite nice for you.

Actually, I do like shmups. Aren't a lot of the 360 shmups japanese? Are most of them region free?

A good portion of them are region free or have been released in Europe or the US. And the Euro release of DFK will work on US consoles. 3 of my favorites are region locked.

[SirPsycho]

Fixing a red ring is really not that hard. If you've ever installed a processor in a computer, it's basically the same process.

Ehhhh, reflowing solder vs putting a chip in a socket and closing a lever?

That's a different issue entirely. I reapplied the thermal compound and put screws and washers where there was once a bracket. That's it.

He just described the futureproof, ain't gonna break for years fix. I fix Red Rings almost everyday and just applying the screws and thermal could fix it for a few hours, a few days, months, or forever. It depends on how much its used and the care it receives.

MS used lead free solder which cracks quite easily under heat, and is cheap. Reflowing the CPU and GPU's solder on top of getting rid of the crappy x-clamps and putting in spacer screws is a more complete and reliable fix.

[scikoolaid]

Giving your system at least a half inch off whatever surface you have it will make a huge difference in the efficiency of cooling it will receive. After playing your system for a few hours, then turning it off, then feeling the bottom side, (please don't ever stand up your system) if its just as burning hot as the back side fan exhaust mesh, then you have heat pocketing in the vital area the chips reside in. I personally use 4 bottle caps to elevate my xbox and ps3.