Posted Jul 31, 2007 at 06:23AM by Sally B. Listed in: Rumors Tags: Microsoft, HDMI, Ring of Death, Robbie Bach
Ó

Red Ring of Death - Image 1Amidst the helter-skelter of Microsoft rushing to fix the Xbox 360's chronic design problems (even allocating US$ 1 billion for the cause), the company has hinted that the more expensive console, the Xbox 360 Elite, is designed not to fall prey to the Red Ring of Death.

Robbie Bach, president of Entertainment and Devices division, acknowledged that the problem lies in the design itself, not a manufacturing problem or manufacturing partner problem. Microsoft found a way of going around the design problem, and has better-designed units out in the market right now.

SPOnG supposes that the better-designed units Microsoft is referring to are the Xbox 360 Elite, which had a different design, such as the HDMI. While it's no surprise that the Elite is built differently compared to the standard units, SPOnG emphasized one strange point: The Xbox 360 Elite, released earlier this year, was deliberately designed to avoid the Red Ring of Death pitfall.

We'll leave the thinking to you, folks. Bach was also a bit vocal with cost reduction, saying, "We are, and have been since the beginning, right on track with where we expected to be with cost reduction."


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   by mohaas05 (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » um

why can't they make all 360s be designed not to be prone to the ring of death?


   Re: MisterAV (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » business

when your xbox360 is out of warranty it fall in the red ring of death and you must buy another console. And if you want to pay only once you must pay more for the elite. It's the microsoft philosophy. Anyway PS3 and Wii have less than 1% console failure and not 33% ...

   Re: Mister Common Sense - 2007-07-31
 » Do you know anything?

Is there any XBOX 360s that are older than 3 years yet? Then they are still covered under warranty! Also they have always offered to fix any problems for $140 for out of warranty repairs. Nobody will need to do this until November 22nd 2008 at the earliest (for people that still have working launch consoles that haven't been fixed yet) you f*cking morons!

Why are you making s*it up saying you have to buy another? Has anybody ever bought another console to replace a broken one? Ever? That's what playstation owners have to do because sony won't do s*it for you when you get disc read error. I've done it with my PS2 and it pissed me off so STFU!

   Re: na2rul - 2007-07-31
 » sry ^^

the EQUALS turned out as PLUS ^

   Re: hahahaha (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » bought another ps2?

i think A LOT of people bought another ps2. you know when the slim ps2 came out? that sold like hot cakes. people bought it just to buy it.

   Re: the solution (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » the solution

microsoft can just eliminate the red ring of death by replacing the red lights with another color.
then it can't be a RED ring of death
   by Stealth! - 2007-07-31
 » Well

I can't take this as 100% fact, considering my two friends who own xbox consoles also work at game stores. Both say the Elite also has had RRoD issues and any others. So im sorry Robbie but you obviously have no idea what your talking about here. If i were you i suggest you stop spreading rumors and just tell everyone that MS has made a defective product. I mean MS has already admitted that All consoles sold and in stock has a flawed design.


   Re: Mister Common Sense - 2007-07-31
 » Thanks for your fantard warning moron!

Yes we all trust you for information on the 360's reliability, it was so important you just had to warn the world to get a PS3 instead, huh? Oh yes your friends (I already smell lies) who work at the nameless game store agree.

I suggest sony admit they intentionally screwed over gamers hoping to get another sucessful game console to instead get a blu ray excuse console into households instead. That makes sense.

   Re: Advertising -


   Re: Stealth! - 2007-07-31
 » lol Mister Common Sense

I should have known you'd show up eventually.
Sony has done nothing wrong. They had a plan and they are doing it, and its working for them, they may have lost money but not profit. I can't say the same for MS though.

Also im a little shocked your bashing my friends when there xbox fanboys unfortunately for you there alot smarter and Actually have common sense than you. But i guess you would bash anyone who doesn't think like a xbot fantard. Me personally i have no quarrel with them since they can actually have an intelligent conversation tahn you. They also have PS3 which they also said that both systems are great. Just like me we are all Videogames fanatics but i would like to wait b4 getting an defective system.

   Re: Hellraiser (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » .

Actually sony's plan is not working. That's why they are being outsold 5 to 1 by the Wii in Japan, and are last place in sales everywhere else. Sony thought they could rely on the PS2's success and make blu ray become an instant sucess and keep playstation the market leader. Blu ray may be leading in disc sales, but playstation is suffering. Nobody is really interested in HD-DVD or blu ray at the moment though.

Microsoft's problems are the result of a mistake (design error) which they are paying a heavy price for, sony's problems are the result of greed. I don't care for greedy corporations, especially when they screw over the people who made playstation what it is today. Even David Jaffe said he would have taken blu ray out of the PS3, and he now no longer works for sony. Smart guy! The PS3 doesn't yet have a single game that actually needs (not uses) over 9gb. Not one!

   Re: na2rul - 2007-07-31
 » @ Helraiser

"The PS3 doesn't yet have a single game that actually needs (not uses) over 9gb. Not one! "

As of yet, but a video demonstration of Uncharted Drakes Fortune says that a demo was not able to fit in DVD9.

Takin out the Bluray from PS3 is like taking out the DVD off of PS2 n XBOX1 + Dreamcast+Failure

   Re: ivr56 (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » i agree with Hellraiser

The Xbox 360 may be defective but why then are people buying a X360 over PS3. MS has a great 3 year 3 RedLight warrenty to back up your consoles.

True PS3 is getting its a$$ handed to them by both Nintendo and M$

But 33% though, c'mon M$ fix the problem once in for all, like just intsall more better heatsinks in the 360s (for free)you receive at the shop and try to lower that failure rate


   Re: NightShade15 (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » hmm

@na2rul
Small known fact: Dream Cast used GD-ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GD-ROM

and it looks like there are still some hopefuls in the DreamCast2 section on IGN. lol.
http://blogs.ign.com/Dreamcast2-IGN/2007/01/21/44185/

   Re: Stealth! - 2007-07-31
 » lol @ Hellraiser

Well it depends on what you mean by that. Sony does have a plan and its working maybe not like thw ii is doing now but it is working. The fact at this point ad time the PS3 sales are similar to xbox in there first 8 months in is a good sign.

   Re: mohaas05 (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » um

i'd like a console that will last more than 5 minutes. Yes theres a warranty but i'd rather have a console that will last a while instead of one i have to send back all the time.

   Re: lollerbox (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » To na2rul

Of course they said it can't fit on a DVD, it's a PlayStation exclusive. They're going to feed you as much bullsh*t as they can, and buying into it is exactly what they want you to do.

   Re: ILikeChicken (Unregistered) - 2007-08-01
 » @ ivr56

---The Xbox 360 may be defective but why then are people buying a X360 over PS3.---

Because 90% of all 360 games are FPS and u stupid Americans really, really like FPS (god knows why...). Also just cause the masses buy something, it doesnt make it good (look at ipod). It just shows how incredibly ignorant and gullible people are, and that is really sad...

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   Re: Mister Common Sense - 2007-08-01
 » to mohass05

It doesn't seem like a console that only lasted 5 minutes would be very sucessful, even with a warranty. I take care of mine, and well it's still going and going and going.

   Re: DerDude (Unregistered) - 2007-08-01
 » its

its always funny that people say the PS3 gets dominated by all the others bla bla bull*****.
Fact 1: PS2 dominates still all the other consoles combined by a 9:1 ratio
Fact 2: PS3 and xbox360 (if the launche's are allinged) sell almost exactly the same (altrough 360 had a head-start with absolutly NO competition arround).
   by nagger (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » retards

the elite/new mobos have epoxy on the cpu/gpu solder joints.


   Re: well done (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » well done

well done mate, 1st intellegent response to this topic, much more interesting than a load of console bashing.
   by killfox (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » This article is false. FACT.

Um many people at gamespot forums complained about how even there elite got RROD. So maybe it less prone to getting it but it doesnt mean you cant get it.


   Re: Mister Common Sense - 2007-07-31
 » .

That's all you need to say! Of course the warranty covers you if you do get it. The new chips will fix the problems for good when they come this fall.

   Re: yeah (Unregistered) - 2007-08-01
 » well

Of course it can still get the RROD, but I assume they mean the major cause of the RROD in the non-elite consoles is sorted.
   by gfhghffg (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » You dont give a 3 year guarantee unless you are confident things have been sorted you idiots

LMAO this is so funny, the Elite is going to shift huge amounts ESPECIALLY now it comes with a 3 year warranty, you cant lose, the premium is going to be competing against the Wii price and the PS3 really has NOWHERE to go, by Christmas with Bioshock, Halo, Elite launches(under £300 by Christmas) etc expect to see the PS3 fall behind the gamecube in sales once again.


   Re: ivr56 (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » -also

lol, that might become true

   Re: PS3Rider (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » to gfhghffg

Ah! Yes but I doubt that the Elite will get a price cut in the UK as it comes out in August and Xmas is in 4 months from then and it will stay priced at £330.

Whereas the PS3 is the most likely to get a price cut to about £359.99 surposedly, and we have games like Heavenly Sword, Lair, Warhawk, Home, LittleBigPlanet (I think this year), Singstar, Haze (you dont get till 2008), Unreal Tournament 3 (you dont get till 2008), and Uncharted: Drakes Forunte.

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   Re: wow (Unregistered) - 2007-08-07
 » wow

360 fanboy arrogants shows in you my son. you named a lot of games that are just gonna show up on PC with more content and better graphics hahahahaha. Elites RRoD too hahahhaha. 3 warrenty show that there are a large amount of consoles with the same problems giving the possiblity that every 360 in existance right now can go at any minute. those chips cant come any faster ahahhahahaa.Wii 255 its like buying another PS2 with a different controller the tech can easily be duplicated hahahahaha look at guncon. PS2 will out sell all the consoles once again world wide PS3 out sells 360s now and its only gonna see a short burst by halo3 then back down again hahahahaha. you sound scared i can feel it in you writing. with rants of the PS3 being destroyed by the game cube hahaahhahaha. fanboys you make me sick. im not getting another 360 until the new model comes out.
   by HIMFan (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » !

If one would insinuate that they intentionally made all of the standard 360's to fail and not the Elite so that people would buy it, and the fact that they set aside $1 Billion because they knew it was going to happen...then why did that one guy sell all of his stock? Cause that was one of QJ's articles a week or so back. I love you QJ, but now you're just contradicting yourself.

   by hmm (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » huh

whaa?? i thought a couple of the elites got RROD'd already.... maybe i was just seeing things

   by R kelly (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » i love my elite

i have had my elite since the day it was released and i have not had any problems so far. i had a dre with my copy of gears of war but it was a used disc... I have noticed that when i get done playing gears the disc feels really warm. I used to be affraid of the rod but now that i know my warranty is extended i feel alot better... i would rather have a defective console that has fun games. How do we knw the ps3 is reliable?? wouldn't we have to test it with some games that actually push its theoretical power?? remember all the bs sony claimed about the emotion engine being more powerfull that a 700 mhz p3??


   Re: Mr. Sensible (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » .

The reason the disc is warm is because the GPU heatsink is directly below the DVD drive. I added a XCM fan upgrade kit, along with arctic silver heatsink compound to my XBOX (before the 3 year warranty extension was announced) for more peace of mind. An added bonus to the improved cooling is the disc is no longer warm at all, even when I've been playing for hours. It voids the warranty, but may keep you from needing it in the first place.

   Re: wow (Unregistered) - 2007-08-07
 » wow

so Crackdown pushes the 360 to its edge? most of the stories ive heard with rrod had been with games like arcade or crackdown. if thats the case your in trouble when Halo comes out. yes having fun sounds great but how do you feel when your console rrods while playing halo3 and mass effect and you have to wait 4 to 6 weeks
   by R kELLY (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » THANKS SENSIBLE

i had a feeling the gpu was below the drive... i think i will wait to add any additional cooling to my box. i have been wanting to do some flashing to my dvd drive and while i am in there i might do a cooling upgrade.

   by kevin (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » my 2cents

I bought the xbox 360 at launch.
out of the box 3 red lights. swopped at the store.
2nd freezing and red light after 6 months, warranty repaired.
again at 18 months 3 red lights and I was about to pay for the repair, but the warranty was extened to 3yrs and my Xbox 360 is currently with Microsoft being repaired.
I sold my PS3 2 weeks ago, Why ? , because in the 6 months that I had it no real good games have appeared, I bought motorstorm and resistance fall of man, then HD Tuismo download was great, but the PS3 Home had no new demo's to try. After 6 months of owning the PS3 console I had like 6 demo's or so with a new demo appearing once every 4-8 weeks.(DOnt even think of including that duck game or those little shooting games, I mean Top Title demos you can buy later in FULL at the store)

Now on the xbox 360 i have 3 to 6 new demos a month.

Even though my xbox 360 has broken down 3 times, I have much more fun with it than my PS3.

I was dissapointed with the PS3, It's seems to have great possabilities but with no software support it's just an expensive Blu-Ray movie player. So I sold it before Sony reduced the price.( it was a LOT more expensive than my Xbox 360)

I have pre-ordered an xbox360 elite with Halo 3, I might get another PS3 but with most of the PS3 only games now comming to Xbox 360 I just don't know..

I'm not a Microsoft fan or a Sony fan. I own both of all thier systems and find good and bad in both.

ps1, ps2 , dreamcast , xbox , psp(this is great) , n64 , DS , GameCube , WII , 360 , PS3(SOLD)


   Re: BrendanL (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » PS3 and Xbox 360 games....

Okay, you may have a point. There have only been a few games for the PS3 worth getting such as Resistance, Motorstorm, Virtua Fighter 5 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma. But the system has only been out for eight months and in those eight months the PS3 has had four good games. When the Xbox 360 came out, there were no good games. The Xbox 360's first good game was Gears of War which came out November 2006. The Xbox 360 has almost been out for two years and yet it only had one good game. And besides, there's really no point in having an Xbox 360 if you have a high-end PC and a PS3 because most games that the Xbox 360 has that the PS3 doesn't are on PC such as Gears of War, Bioshock and you know eventually that Halo 3 will come to PC. Anyways, I have to ask, why did you sell your PS3? Many great games will be coming to the PS3 such as Metal Gear Solid 4, Ratchet + Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Heavenly Sword and the list goes on and on... I'm planning on buying an Xbox 360 Elite as soon as they switch to the 65nm processing unit only because I don't want to waste my money on a high-end PC when I can just buy a 360.

   Re: AoxomamoxoA - 2007-07-31
 » newb

I agree 100% with you kevin.

As for BrendanL, what are you smoking? The 360 had many great games even before GeOW! Uh, Dead Rising, GRAW, Splinter Cell, Condemned, Prey, Saints Row, Burnout Revenge, Oblivion, Fight Night 3, DOA4, PGR3, and may other classics in the arcade.

The 360 had more DEMOS in its Live marketplace than the ps3 has games in the same timeframe of 8 months, so you dont have a clue what youre talking about

Just because the ps3 doesnt have good games between their blockbuster heavy hitters (ie. MGS or Halo) doesnt mean every other console feels that struggle.

   Re: wow (Unregistered) - 2007-08-07
 » wow

kevin why sell the PS3? your just gonna buy it later. Aox your a dumass most of the games you said were on the last gen consoles. Splinter cell was better on the xbox with better online with more content. GT over PGR. was Prey even good? most of your games came out around the summer into fall. basically all the 360 games were ports from other last gen systems with a graphical update. condemned was the best game ive seen close to release date. there for 360 had no titles that i would by it for. lack of exclusives and ports that actually had less content on it than last gen consoles. but i love how fanboys put multiplats on there list. 360 exclusives near launch that were good condemed and PGR3. best port from last gen Graw. Games that came out 8 months later Dead rising. yeah 4 exclusives in all you guys have a great argument. O yeah oblivion witch is also on PC alsp the PS3 with more content. what demos were you playing back then there wasnt enough games that peaked any interest
   by Vong (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » Warranty Sucks

Having a three-year warranty does not excuse having a 33 per cent failure rate. I thought Sony was bad with the defective PlayStation when first launching . . . but it definitely was better than 33 per cent failure rate.

Microsoft also screws people over with the warranty. First of all, you have to wait for your console to come back. Second of all, sometimes the console comes back busted and you have to ship it to them AGAIN! Even on YouTube there is someone who sent in his Xbox 360 for warranty over 11 times! That's despicable.

   by BrendanL (Unregistered) - 2007-07-31
 » Mister Common Sense...

Is it just me or is Mister Common Sense the stupidest damn person? Whoops. Forget to finish that sentence. I meant to say, ....the stupidest damn person EVER.


   Re: AoxomamoxoA - 2007-07-31
 » lol dumb newb

no that would be you buddy.

   Re: Mister Common Sense - 2007-08-01
 » .

It's just you. I back up my arguments. You just make retarded statments.

   Re: ... (Unregistered) - 2007-08-01
 » ...

No, Mister Nonsense what you are doing is called biased statements, which in my opinion is useless.

Everytime there's something on the PS3 of QJ, you keep coming over and post something about "Why HD-DVD is better than Blu-ray" or "Why the Xbox is better than PS3" (And you don't even own one, which means that you have no idea how this console works) and of couse "Why Forza Motersport 2 is better than GT5 (You always say that GT sux because it doesn't have car damage; so what?)

You back up your arguments like a little P.u.s.s.y who didn't get the attention from his parents.

Like i said before, if you really love the Xbox 360 so much, then why don't you just play on it instead of posting these irrelivant comments?

And Aoxomamoxoa is basicly the same as Mister Nonsense except that his grammar equals the use of a 4th grader.

Me? I have all the Sony consoles + a good ol Xbox. I do plan to buy one, when they can fix their 3 Rings of death, which you claim you've never had before (I know you have)...
   by jitfyg (Unregistered) - 2007-08-01
 » STupid elite

if theyre prone why did mine die i took good care of it and then half the games stop workingand its says it cant read the stupid disc then one mourniing BOOM red ring of death and M$ wants my to give them more money to fix it you know micropsoft is really starting to piss me off.


   Re: ... (Unregistered) - 2007-08-09
 » ...

It's free.
   by Darryl (Unregistered) - 2007-08-01
 » annoyed

My xbox 360 died..... i think i'll wait until all of this blows over and they make a new machine...

I also entered the unlockxbox contest.. here's my game..

http://www.unlockxbox.com/gameIdeas/gameIdeaDetails.aspx?gameId=2473



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