is it safe to buy a 360 yet?? (RROD)

[dalcwbysfan]

I've held out this long playing my PS3 but I have the itch to buy an xb3 elite this holiday season. Is it safe to say they have worked out all the kinks? If so is there one model that is more likely to last than the other? THanks for any help.

[Tupin]

Just get an Elite and you'll be fine, the only reason I had to replace mine wasn't because of the RRoD, it was because it stopped recognizing the controller.

[Richter Belmount]

no buy 10 playstation 3's

[megasdkirby]

Is it safe to say they have worked out all the kinks?

From what I've read online...no. It has improved, but it still has it's kinks.

Though I'm pretty sure it depends on how the console is treated.

If you want to play the games, go for it.

[SamuraiSmurfette]

I still have my launch machine. Not even so much as a hiccup.

*shrug*

[darkhades]

I still have my launch machine. Not even so much as a hiccup.

*shrug*

Same here, it must be a Ontario thing.

[zemmix]

Same here, it must be a Ontario thing.

Well it is kinda hard to overheat a machine when you live in an igloo.








I kid, I kid!

[aclbandit]

I still have my launch machine. Not even so much as a hiccup.

*shrug*

Same here. Mine's still kickin'. (This coming from a non-fan of Microsoft products overall -- I wouldn't admit it if it wasn't true :p)

[dylan0228]

I have 3 of them including one from launch & never had a problem with any of them. I know plenty of people who have though!

[Matt-El]

http://sensuouscurmudgeon.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/marathon_man5.jpg


It's not safe.

[todesengel]

Don't do it it's a trap!!! But in all seriousness a friend of mine has a launch 360 and has never had a problem with it.

[phreakindee]

I have had mine for a couple of years with no issues. Had one last years go RRoD on me though, then it stopped. Weird. But my current "Arcade" machine has been working fine for the longest time. As long as it's played on its side and not standing up (standing it blocks some fans/ventilation) and in a clean and open environment, I've had no problems.

[djbeatmongrel]

Well I will say its relatively safe to get one. Mine is about a year old but i've had it for 6-7 months and with a lot of heavy heavy use in that time of ownership the only problem (which i am sending it in for as soon as the shipping shit comes) is the disc drive isn't reading well.

[swlovinist]

I won mine through a promotion (everytenminutes.com through Mt. Dew). It came delivered three days before launch. I have had it since then with zero problems. With that being said, I have SEVERAL friends that have gone through SEVERAL systems. I wish there was a true hardware redesign, but I guess that the systems now are better. I guess there was just another minor reconfiguration inside involving the removal of the copper tubing.

[Flashback2012]

I'm waiting till after the new year to get one. I imagine there's a few stores who have old Elite stock still and I'll let the Christmas shoppers snap those up and I'll get the one from the restocking batch. :wink 2:

I've always been leery and apprehensive to buy a 360 because I've had so much trouble with the original Xbox. I had to replace my launch Xbox with another and now the replacement one is not reading games. :frustrated:

That brings up a concern of mine regarding my Xbox library and my potential 360 library of titles. Exclusives aside, I would generally pick up the Xbox version of a title over it's PS2/Cube counterparts. Now I'm wondering in retrospect if that was such a good idea. I could go out and get yet another Xbox unit on the cheap but I'm wondering if it had been smarter to just get the PS2/Cube versions rather than insist on the Xbox ones. :puppydogeyes:

At some point I also plan to pick up a PS3 as well and I am faced with a bit of a conundrum on which system to show favor to when buying games that are available on both. Given my troubles last gen, you'd think it'd be easy to just give the nod to PS3 but the whole mandatory HDD downloads for some games muddies things up a bit.

Anywho...we're getting too far off topic. I'd like to think it'd be okay to get a 360 this late in the console's life. Of course I say that with a hint of caution in my voice. :ass:

[vivaeljason]

I've had my X360 for a year and have yet to get an RROD; a friend of mine got one four months ago and has. It seems like it's the luck of the draw, but I'll say it's getting rarer to get the RROD.

[DonMarco]

Go ahead. Even if you get a "bad one" it'll most likely go in the first year. All 360s have a one year warranty (I've never heard of 360s ), or three years for "Three Lights Flashing Red" which is what they call the RRoD.

I'm in month 22 of my second 360. My first died an early death, but it's been smooth sailing ever since.

[stonecutter]

I live in Ontario, and I have had 4 RROD, the Elite is also susceptible to RROD, I just got one back about a month or so ago.

[kedawa]

I'm going to wait for the valhalla motherboard before getting one. I've waited this long to buy one, I can wait till next year for the more reliable and efficient model.

[thedeityofhardcore]

2 have died on me both power related 3rd is fine.

DO NOT play during thunder stroms

Thunder stroms=RROD

[RPG_Fanatic]

I've had 2 die on me but my Red Resident Evil one is still going strong :dance:

[geezuzkhrist119]

it been 4 freaking years since the piece of shiite was release and microsoft still hasnt bothered to fix any of the problems. i dont consider putting all the money into consumer support a problem solver.

in my opinion the XBOX 360 IS AN EPIC FAIL!!!

the only reasoning u should get a 360 is for the exclusive games

EDIT: theres a full wiki page about all the technical problems. so what does that say...

[jedimind7]

I've had mine for a little over a year and no problems so far.

[Ed Oscuro]

In a year or two they may well be putting out a new system - so this may be a moot point (or maybe it won't be, depending on what video architecture they go with and have to emulate / recode).

[megasdkirby]

In a year or two they may well be putting out a new system - so this may be a moot point (or maybe it won't be, depending on what video architecture they go with and have to emulate / recode).

Kinda sad really, since this generation is awesome as it is. :(

No need for a new console for quite a few years, in my opinion.

[mnbren05]

EDIT: theres a full wiki page about all the technical problems. so what does that say...

there's a full wiki page about all the technical problems. :ass:

[Robocop2]

I've personally gone through 4 and on my 5th but it is a Jasper unit and supposedly they are much less prone to RRoD E74 however seems to be the new RRoD

[Oobgarm]

You'll be fine, seriously.

[megasdkirby]

You'll be fine, seriously.

I would be a bit scared to say that, specially with the high failure rates.

I would say to simply take care of your console as much as possible, take a break from playing every hour or so, make sure to play in a cool environment and free from dust and grime. Oh yeah, and disconnect the power adapter from the console when not in use, limiting power flow through the system.

I believe that if these things are done, the console MAY live a long, happy life. But I say "may", because there is always the possibility of something happening.

This happens to every console, though.

[Oobgarm]

There's no sense in living in fear of it all the time. Just get one, enjoy it. If it breaks, it's not gonna happen right away. If it does, send off for a replacement.

[megasdkirby]

There's no sense in living in fear of it all the time. Just get one, enjoy it. If it breaks, it's not gonna happen right away. If it does, send off for a replacement.

You are right. :)

But changing subject just for a second...does anyone know if Microsoft pays for shipping for Xbox 360 consoles purchased in PR? Do they send a box to PR as well?

[XYXZYZ]

I've had my Jasper model for about a year now and haven't had any problems at all.


Granted I've turned it on about six times since I bought it.

[unwinddesign]

I would be a bit scared to say that, specially with the high failure rates.

I would say to simply take care of your console as much as possible, take a break from playing every hour or so, make sure to play in a cool environment and free from dust and grime. Oh yeah, and disconnect the power adapter from the console when not in use, limiting power flow through the system.

I believe that if these things are done, the console MAY live a long, happy life. But I say "may", because there is always the possibility of something happening.

This happens to every console, though.

I leave my console on all the time, have it in an semi-enclosed space, leave the power brick attached, and play for hours on end. I generally don't install games to the hard drive, I don't dust it, and I shuttle it back and forth from home to school.

I have had four 360s (none Jaspers, one launch, two 2k7s, one 2k8). One has red-ringed. Once. And that's mainly because it got cooked inside my TV's cabinet.

Babying it really makes no difference. If you have a good one, you're fine. Treat it as is. If you don't have a good one, you're fucked anyway, so enjoy it while it lasts and send it in for some repairs. They're free. Granted, that doesn't mean place it on the carpet and blow the heater towards it. But special treatment doesn't really seem to aid the 360 a whole lot.

[Hep038]

Not to change the subject, but are NES toasters safe to buy? I have heard they have a terrible blinking problem.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

Babying it really makes no difference. If you have a good one, you're fine. Treat it as is. If you don't have a good one, you're fucked anyway, so enjoy it while it lasts and send it in for some repairs. They're free. Granted, that doesn't mean place it on the carpet and blow the heater towards it. But special treatment doesn't really seem to aid the 360 a whole lot.

Agreed. I've had 3 separate Xbox 360s: a launch box that died 1 1/2 years after purchase (RROD), a refurb that red-ringed 3 days after usage but lasted for 1 1/2 years (DVD Drive + RROD), and an RE5 Elite (Jasper) currently. Defective units will manifest the issues no matter what you do to them, and decent units will put up with more than normal wear and tear. I play 3-4 hours at a time, almost every day, and the only issues I've had were with defective units.

That said, I would suggest buying a Jasper unit that's still under warranty if taking the plunge.

[megasdkirby]

Aa refurb that red-ringed 3 days after usage

That's nothing. A customer's Xbox 360 RROD'd right after connecting it for the first time at the store LOL

But in all seriousness, that was scary as hell, unfortunately.

[The 1 2 P]

That's nothing. A customer's Xbox 360 RROD'd right after connecting it for the first time at the store LOL

That reminds me of the times I've been searching for cheap games at Target and noticed that the kiosk 360 had red ringed. I was thinking "thats not good".

There have been studies showing that 360's fail much less these days. I would be more concerned if you could only get your hands on an earlier or refurbished model. But if you can grab a Jasper(which should be every new one on store shelves) than you should be ok.

[megasdkirby]

But if you can grab a Jasper(which should be every new one on store shelves) than you should be ok.

I heard about something called "valhalla". Is this a new Xbox 360 motherboard variation? A new console? What would be so special about it?

[The 1 2 P]

I heard about something called "valhalla". Is this a new Xbox 360 motherboard variation? A new console? What would be so special about it?

It's suppose to be the next/last motherboard revision to come out. It's still a rumor but if I was going to give it any credence I would guess it would first be used in the Natal bundled 360's that are set to come out next fall/holiday season(2010).

[s1lence]

Not to change the subject, but are NES toasters safe to buy? I have heard they have a terrible blinking problem.

Damn, I thought I was the only one with that problem.

[scooterb23]

I hear if you stare directly at the red rings, you die.

[Greg2600]

I don't see how MS can correct the problem, if they haven't already. Clearly they have hardware inside that puts off way too much heat. The only way to properly fix that is to have increased the size of the case. That would allow for larger heatsinks and/or fans, and better air flow.

[mnbren05]

I hear if you stare directly at the red rings, you die.

I heard that after you stare for 7 seconds you get a phone call and an eerie voice says "(heavy breathing) Your warranty has expired Microsoft will not cover your repairs...(heavy breathing)" :eek:

[acem77]

yea i want to know if its safe also....
my 2nd xbox died last night play modern combat 2.
should i fix it or get the new one...

[s1lence]

yea i want to know if its safe also....
my 2nd xbox died last night play modern combat 2.
should i fix it or get the new one...

It depends on how old of a model it is. If it is an non HDMI model then I would say pick up a new one.

[Sniderman]

is it safe to buy a 360 yet??

A friend of mine bought a 360 just 2 weeks ago. Was playing it the other day and, wouldn't you know it? BLAM! Gave him herpes.

[psx95]

I have a 360 that I bought new last September. It is a 20GB Pro model. Is this one of the improved, more reliable units? What are the Jasper models and what makes them better?

[Zthun]

A friend of mine bought a 360 just 2 weeks ago. Was playing it the other day and, wouldn't you know it? BLAM! Gave him herpes.

Damn it. I better get tested.

[megasdkirby]

A friend of mine bought a 360 just 2 weeks ago. Was playing it the other day and, wouldn't you know it? BLAM! Gave him herpes.

That's nothing. A friend of a friend of a friend living with a friend's friend purchased an Xbox 360 Elite, and as soon as he turned it on, he wasn't greeted with the Xbox logo, but with something so extremely shocking, words cannot describe it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WREGq3qOxBA

[Dobie]

I have a 360 that I bought new last September. It is a 20GB Pro model. Is this one of the improved, more reliable units? What are the Jasper models and what makes them better?

The simplest way to tell is look at the power brick of your console, assuming it is the original one that your system came with. The wattage rating is a dead givaway, as the newer revisions are more power efficient.

Jasper = 150 W
Falcon = 175 W
Zephyr/Opus/Xenon = 208 W
Launch = 230 W

Those are off the top of my head, but its pretty close. If you bought it last year, its probably a Falcon.

Jaspers are different in that both the CPU and GPU have a smaller die, 65 nm. Thus, they run cooler and are less likely to overheat which is the root cause of the RRoD. Previous revisions did not have this.

Falcons have a smaller CPU, but not GPU. More reliable than Zephyr/Xenon systems, but they do RRoD frequently.

I've been through 11 systems to date, of various manufacture dates and model revisions. All died. I finally sold off the garbage refurbs MS kept sending me, and got brand new systems. Currently I have two Jasper units, and they have (fingers crossed) not given me problems.

[megasdkirby]

The simplest way to tell is look at the power brick of your console, assuming it is the original one that your system came with. The wattage rating is a dead givaway, as the newer revisions are more power efficient.

Jasper = 150 W
Falcon = 175 W
Zephyr/Opus/Xenon = 208 W
Launch = 230 W


Thanks for the info. This will definitely help me when I purchase mine. :)


Jaspers are different in that both the CPU and GPU have a smaller die, 65 nm. Thus, they run cooler and are less likely to overheat which is the root cause of the RRoD. Previous revisions did not have this.

Any idea when Microsoft will reduce it to a 45nm version, like the PS3 Slim?


I've been through 11 systems to date, of various manufacture dates and model revisions. All died.

Holy! I admire your determination to stick with Microsoft after 11 units have died. I think that after the second one, I would have stopped with the Xbox 360. :(

[The 1 2 P]

Thanks for the info. This will definitely help me when I purchase mine. :)

That won't help you 100% considering that most of the first generation jaspers(like mine) came with a 175 W power brick. It is believed that Microsoft decided to use as many of these up as they could on the first batch of jaspers. I'll go try to find my original post from another thread to give you all the info you need on identifying a jasper.

EDIT: Here's my original post from another thread on the final word on jaspers:


I just read OXM'x article on Jasper boards. They opened up a Jasper and Xenon to compare differences. Their final input was:

Lot Number(on box next to upc code): Jaspers are 0844 or higher but there are some 0843 Jaspers too

Build Date(above the serial number on the console): Jaspers are from November 2008 and later. However, their test model had a build date of 10/14(October 2008). On the motherboard it's labeled "Jasper 1 weeks run" so it was most likely an early test batch.

Power Brick: Heres where we will have some discrepencies. Their initial indication was: 203W=Xenon, 175W=Falcon, 150W=Jasper. While having 150W is a pretty safe bet that you have a Jasper, you could also have one at 175W(like I do). Their guess was that Microsoft had left over power bricks from the Falcon chip models and decided to incorporate them into the earliest batches of Jasper models.

Number Designation: On the back of your console above the words "made in China" will be either 16,5A(Xenon), 14,2A(Falcon) or 12,1A(Jasper).

Time will only tell how much longer the Jaspers last. However, there is a rumor of one final revision: "the Valhalla". The article states it's due in the fall and will combine the CPU and GPU on a single 45nm chip. Thats cool and all but I really just want my Jasper to live a nice long productive life and not retire until 2030 or later.

[Dobie]

That won't help you 100% considering that most of the first generation jaspers(like mine) came with a 175 W power brick. It is believed that Microsoft decided to use as many of these up as they could on the first batch of jaspers. I'll go try to find my original post from another thread to give you all the info you need on identifying a jasper.

That's very true. Though, if you see 150W, its definitely going to be Jasper. I'm guessing by now, most of the older machines are out of the supply chain, except for lower traffic retailers. For example, I was in Kmart this last week and saw some of LAST year's Christmas bundles still sitting on the shelf, so I suppose its possible other retailers could still have piles of old Falcons too. Retailers like Gamestop or Walmart I would bet have all Jaspers by now.

Using the amp rating is the only 100% method. 12.1 amps are going to be Jasper regardless of the wattage on the brick.

[Dobie]

Holy! I admire your determination to stick with Microsoft after 11 units have died. I think that after the second one, I would have stopped with the Xbox 360. :(

I dunno if its determination or stupidity. :)

[stonecutter]

The problem is Dobie, you have already invested so much money that you get poor return on for used games, DLC etc, that you might as well get another, stick to the warranty program, whatever, even though its a royal pain and piss off. Thats what I found. I don't have a PS3, so if I wanted to get out after my third, then I have to buy a new system (PS3), controllers etc . For me that would cost a lot more, since all of mine have been RROD under warranty.

Now this week I have had several lock ups, which in my experience tells me a 4th system is about to RROD on me.

[duffmanth]

I think the RROD issues with the 360 have finally been fixed, hopefully. I still wouldn't buy one personally, simply because there aren't enough games that I want to play on it. When the Elite model is down to $200 or so I might it pick up?

[Kevin Muldoon]

I saw the elite advertised today in the uk for £160 with 2 games. I'm a ps3 owner but I'm tempted to get one at this price in order to play my friends online at modern warfare 2 and play xbox exclusives like gears of war.

But I'm still a bit reluctant. My friends just died for the 3rd time (i.e. already been replaced twice) due to the red ring of death and his 3 years guarantee is up so he is screwed. Seems like this is a problem which is gonna plague the xbox it's whole life.

I'm still tempted to get one though :)

[swlovinist]

As stated before, I really wish that Microsoft would just make an entire system change(like the PS2 slim) to fully address the problem. Chip changes are one thing, and as many know...this is still a problem with a whole bunch of owners. I think the future of combining chips onto one chip sounds promising. As stated in other posts, I have an original 360 from day -2 launch(I won it from Mt. Dew) and feel very blessed and lucky to still have a working system.

[duffmanth]

As stated before, I really wish that Microsoft would just make an entire system change(like the PS2 slim) to fully address the problem. Chip changes are one thing, and as many know...this is still a problem with a whole bunch of owners. I think the future of combining chips onto one chip sounds promising. As stated in other posts, I have an original 360 from day -2 launch(I won it from Mt. Dew) and feel very blessed and lucky to still have a working system.

At this point, I think a complete system redesign is the best thing MS can do for the 360. Offer a slimmer model or whatever, but take the time and design it right this time, not rushed like the current system just to beat Sony to the market.