Welcome to the Next Level, a.k.a. The Video Game Thread Options

[Drifter]

Funnily enough, one of the times I did get the RRoD, was right around the time Forza 2 came out. But the thing is, it broke literally on the day we got our free copies of the game, so I never actually got the chance to play it before having to send into the repair centre. Had it broke a day later after I'd tried Forza I'd probably be one of those people wondering whether it was Forza that broke my console.

Don't forget at least that for a while your console is going to be under warranty with the shop you bought it from, and even after that you've got the 3 year RRoD warranty too, and a trip to the repair centre these days is only usually about a week to ten days (and paid for by prepaid UPS shipping labels).

Oh, and Forza isn't really just any old racing game like PGR etc, it's actually a very realistic simulation.

Im on my 5th 360 though, originally bought one of the first released and spent the first 18 months sending it off to get repaired until last year when on my 5th box it seems to of settled down (touch wood) - when does that RRoD warranty finally end anyway cause knowing my luck the bugger will break shortly afterwards.

[Nonus Aequilibri...]

Hmm, I was toying with the idea of getting a PS3 just as a Blu Ray player earlier, but seem to have come across a lot of reasons not to bother. First of all, my monitor has no HDMI input, so I'd need a new monitor too. Secondly, if it uses HDMI how the hell am I supposed to send the picture to the screen and audio to my surround sound speakers? Is there an option to use an optical cable for sound like there is with the 360? Even if I bought a screen with built in speakers I don't want to use some shitty stereo built in things when I've got a 500W surround system doing nothing.

[NiteFall]

Hmm, I was toying with the idea of getting a PS3 just as a Blu Ray player earlier, but seem to have come across a lot of reasons not to bother. First of all, my monitor has no HDMI input, so I'd need a new monitor too. Secondly, if it uses HDMI how the hell am I supposed to send the picture to the screen and audio to my surround sound speakers? Is there an option to use an optical cable for sound like there is with the 360?

Well, having just had a look at the back of my one there's an optical output there. So I'd say you're good on that front.

[GundamGuy_UK]

Huzzah, Orange Box has posted and for only £11.99.

It's shot up to £19 now, I bet it was a mistake that price.

[monkeyman]

Im on my 5th 360 though, originally bought one of the first released and spent the first 18 months sending it off to get repaired until last year when on my 5th box it seems to of settled down (touch wood) - when does that RRoD warranty finally end anyway cause knowing my luck the bugger will break shortly afterwards.

5?5 xboxes? I would have given up after the second one.

[Jubei]

It is coincidence, and really horrible FUD on their part. I was playing Rock Band when my first box broke. Guess it's Rock Band's fault!

I agree, it's like, people always look for patterns. If more than one person reports their xbox breaking while playing a specific game, suddenly it's a pattern. But everyone's going to be playing a game when it breaks, and if it's a new popular game, they'll be lots of people playing it. And because it's new it looks like it's a buggy first edition. Like Frosty says, it's a coincidence.

[Nonus Aequilibri...]

Well, having just had a look at the back of my one there's an optical output there. So I'd say you're good on that front.

Ah that's ok then. It now just comes down to whether I can be bothered getting a new monitor with HDMI. I've been looking for an excuse to get a 24" widescreen. But then I'd have to figure out something to do with my 22". And it's going to get expensive with PS3 still being £290. Think I might wait to see if PS3 comes down to a reasonable price any time soon, Blu Ray isn't urgent.

This post has been edited by Nonus Aequilibrium: Oct 6 2008, 08:21 AM

[Everlong]

On a related note to the Forza 2 thing, and a bit of a warning.

Apparently we're supposed to be avoiding 'Mercenaries 2' as it has been killing some 360s. its starting with the game freezing, but apparently a few people have had to send their xboxes for repair as it has failed to switch on again afterwards.

[zeden]

Just finished Metal Gear 4 and I'm torn. Yes it had some great plot points and well directed cut scenes, but at the same time I found the gameplay monotonous and found the plot to be far too obtuse at times.
I'm going to mull this over at work tonight and try to write up a proper review.

[Jubei]

So I've got my xbox setup now with the monitor and the VGA cable, and plugged into the upstairs stereo. It looks good, and it'll look even better after the Fall update I hope. However, one problem, not sure how I'm going to get the Fall update since I can't connect to the sodding Access Point I've got, to configure it as a wireless client. There seems to be something wrong with the ethernet port on it. And even if it was configired as a wireless client, it wouldn't be much use without the ethernet port. Goddamnit! No Live, no streaming video, till I sort it out.

[Nonus Aequilibri...]

So I've got my xbox setup now with the monitor and the VGA cable, and plugged into the upstairs stereo. It looks good, and it'll look even better after the Fall update I hope. However, one problem, not sure how I'm going to get the Fall update since I can't connect to the sodding Access Point I've got, to configure it as a wireless client. There seems to be something wrong with the ethernet port on it. And even if it was configired as a wireless client, it wouldn't be much use without the ethernet port. Goddamnit! No Live, no streaming video, till I sort it out.

For the sake of just getting the update, can't you just take it downstairs, download it on live, then take it back upstairs again?

[Jubei]

For the sake of just getting the update, can't you just take it downstairs, download it on live, then take it back upstairs again?

Well yes, but I also want to be able to play on Live as well, and stream videos. I might have a clue as to what to do to fix the Access Point anyway. Maybe. It might be to do with IP addresses. This is a 5 year old (at least) Access Point. Only works at 11Mbps. Reading the instructions, it's funny how much more you were expected to know to set up a wireless network then. It's like in those days, wi-fi was for techies only, nowadays, it comes in a box ready configured and just works. With this one you had to set static IP addresses, you had to know your ISPs main DNS server address... Crazy what changes in a few years.

[Drifter]

5?5 xboxes? I would have given up after the second one.

Yeah I know but I was like, "I paid enough for it and dammit Im having it even if I have to keep sending it off" ideally, I should of just waited a year or so before buying it but it helped with the whole not having to pay for repairs mallarky. I did get 2 free HD's & vouchers to buy 2 games in compensation out of it all too which isnt so bad I suppose/

[Nonus Aequilibri...]

Yeah usually your router just assigns you an IP address whenever you connect to it these days, presumably it has to request this from your ISP's DHCP server rather than you having to know it in advance. All I had to do with my wireless connection was stick the adapter in, tell it my encryption key and everything worked.

[Jubei]

Yeah usually your router just assigns you an IP address whenever you connect to it these days, presumably it has to request this from your ISP's DHCP server rather than you having to know it in advance. All I had to do with my wireless connection was stick the adapter in, tell it my encryption key and everything worked.

If I had £60 to spare I'd just buy the Xbox wireless dongle, but it galls me that I have to pay SO MUCH for something which, were it for a PC, would cost about a fiver.

As for the IP addresses, yes that is the way my set up works, my router is a DHCP server, like most all routers are, but in order to set up this piece of kit in the first place, I'm going to have to screw up my laptop with static IP's, so that i can set up the Access Point to get it's IP address from my routers DHCP server. Gah!

This post has been edited by Jubei: Oct 7 2008, 10:44 AM