AT&T to Give Away Xbox 360 Consoles?

[Jeremy Charette]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/01/ces_interview_w.html' target='_blank'>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2007/01/ces_interview_w.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Q: With the relationship you have in IPTV with AT&amp;T, could we see something like AT&amp;T takes Uverse out and bundles it with Xbox? A: AT&amp;T did not announce anything tonight with respect to Xbox. Microsoft made an announcement that IPTV is a set-top box. Everything has to be figured out as to what has to be done. We’ll obviously offer to AT&amp;T to use this as a set-top box. We can make a lot of these things and they’re cheaper and cheaper to make all the time."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/billg1_web.jpg" /> <br /><br />It looks like Microsoft is really pushing to get the Xbox 360 into more homes, but not necessarily as a game console. They'd like to see the Xbox 360 become the de facto IPTV set-top box. I'd venture to guess they'd be willing to take a loss on the hardware, just as cell phone service providers do. In return, they'll see millions (or tens of millions) of Xbox Live subscriptions, game sales, marketplace sales...it would be a huge win for Microsoft, and could really hurt Sony's bottom line. This generation isn't over, but it may as well be. There isn't much Sony can do to catch up at this point.

[Jason Dunn]

I saw some AMAZING IP TV demos at CES...the Xbox KILLS as an IPTV platform...if only it wasn't quite so loud. :-(

[Jeremy Charette]

That should change when they go to 65nm CPUs in the spring. I suspect they will also downsize and/or consolidate other components as well, reducing power consumption and heat generated.

[Jason Dunn]

That should change when they go to 65nm CPUs in the spring.

Yeah, I've read that too. Kind of sucks though for us early adopters - that's normal in the PC world, but not in the console world where the hardware usually stays the same for years...

[Jeremy Charette]

Actually, both Sony and Microsoft did that with the PS2 and Xbox, though Sony was much more aggressive, releasing the PS2 "slim" mid-cycle. The effects this time around are more noticeable though, namely increased functionality (HDMI on the 360, IR port on the PS3 (possibly)) and decreased noise.

[Jason Dunn]

Actually, both Sony and Microsoft did that with the PS2 and Xbox, though Sony was much more aggressive, releasing the PS2 "slim" mid-cycle. The effects this time around are more noticeable though, namely increased functionality (HDMI on the 360, IR port on the PS3 (possibly)) and decreased noise.

I know Sony has the "slim" line, but it didn't come out until 2004 - a full four years after the original was available in North America. Four years is a long time. The Xbox 360 has been out for just a year now, so if they introduce a new hardware design next month...that's a lot faster than four years. That was my only point. ;-)

[Felix Torres]

I saw some AMAZING IP TV demos at CES...the Xbox KILLS as an IPTV platform...if only it wasn't quite so loud. :-(

Did you get an unusually loud one?
You don't need the DVD drive for IPTV and the 360's non-drive noise output isn't all that bad...
http://www.pregamelobby.com/forum/view_console_loudness.htm

And, at least it doesn't get louder after idling for hours, unlike somebody else's box... :twisted:

(Yes, I know piling on is not good sportsmanship. To which I'll merely bring up: Dreamcast! What goes around comes around, Sony.)

[Jason Dunn]

Did you get an unusually loud one? You don't need the DVD drive for IPTV and the 360's non-drive noise output isn't all that bad...

Unknown. None of my friends in the city here have an Xbox 360 (much to my dismay), so I can't compare noise levels. To me, it's too loud because I can hear it running.

[Felix Torres]

Seriously, now...

What I find most interesting about 360-as-IPTV STB (aside from the fact that *nobody* saw this coming) is that it puts 360's into households that might never buy a single game on disk.

In other words, it starts building up the distribution channels for the *next* generation of consoles, the one that will come with *no* removable media and get all content via the net.

MS is actually building the infrastructure for XBOX V3.0!!!
(Remember Microsoft's track record with v3 products?)
8O

Time to be afraid, very afraid.

[Felix Torres]

Unknown. None of my friends in the city here have an Xbox 360 (much to my dismay), so I can't compare noise levels. To me, it's too loud because I can hear it running.

Okay.
First off, can you hear it when its just on the Dashboard? Unless you have golden ears, you shouldn't. Does it do it at different physical locations? Have you tried putting a rubber mat between it and the surface it lies on?

Second, I think you have a launch box, right?
Mine was a second-wave box (Jan 6, 2006 build date).
I hear the DVD spin while gaming, not when playing DVD movies.
I know at least four other gamers with newer consoles than mine and the consensus is the drive is noisy but the console itself isn't unduly so.
I would have no problem watching IPTV off a 360; I hear nothing while watching HD movies from Video Marketplace.

Third, some folks have applied PC sound-proofing tricks to their 360's...
Shouldn't be necessary, but it *is* an option.

Hope *something* works for you...

[Jeremy Charette]

My 360 is exceptionally loud as well. And yes, while sitting idly in the dashboard. My friend Brendan's is near silent however.

I'm sending mine back in the next couple of days for a variety of reasons, primarily random freezes while in certain games, both on and offline; the "unreadable disc" error; and video playback is occassionally choppy.

[Felix Torres]

My 360 is exceptionally loud as well. And yes, while sitting idly in the dashboard. My friend Brendan's is near silent however.


Yours launch batch, too?
I'm wondering if the *factory* they were built-in might matter more than build date...

MS relies on different manufacturers and different component suppliers.
It may be that the CPUs from IBM and the ones from the second source have different heat characteristics...

Might even be a combination effect.
I have personal knowledge of three 360s with 3 different build dates; mine, my brother's, and my mother's. All are silent except for DVD-based gaming with no lockups or freezes. I have second-hand data on four more, three of which have the same build date as mine. Again, loud when DVD-gaming, otherwise fine.

Based on that, I see no noise issues with running IPTV off 360.
Moving forward, one hopes they come up with a quieter DVD drive for the v2 builds.

[Jeremy Charette]

Mine is a 1-17-06 manufacture date, no idea which factory it came from.

I just called Xbox customer service and had a repair order issued for the following three symptoms:

1) Screen freezes during games
2) I get the "unreadable disc" error
3) LOUD, even during idle.

Guess I'll report back in a few days or weeks when I get a replacement back. :?

[stephman]

I have a 360, purchased on release day.
My 360 can be heard when it's just sitting at the Dashboard screen.
It can be heard even more when it's playing a game disc or movie.
This can be heard while sitting about 8-10 feet from the 360.
Out of all 3 systems in my entertainment system, Wii, PS3 and 360, the 360 is definitely the loudest.

Yes, I'm knocking the noise, but I do love my 360 and am really looking forward to IPTV. I just hope someone offers it in my area.

edit:
I'd also like to add that the noise problem with my 360 was evident on my first 360 purchased on release day and my 2nd 360 which I got to replace the 3 lights of death I got on my 1st 360. Unfortunately I do not have the build date available for the 2nd 360.