View Full Version : xboxes with samsung and philips drives
neschamp
11-08-2004, 12:26 AM
Hi all,
I'm planning on buying a new Xbox in the next few days (finally decided it was time to get one). I basically want to know how someone determines whether a new Xbox contains a samsung/philips drive rather than a thomson drive. What do I need to look at on the box to find this out?
-neschamp
Avenger
11-08-2004, 12:35 AM
buy one new....at a store...and youll get a thompson...
LiquidX01
11-08-2004, 12:37 AM
There are a million threads on this, but to answer your question, the only way to see what drive you have is by powering up the xbox and opening up the disk tray.
buy one new....at a store...and youll get a thompson...
Not true for all new Xbox's.
gonzo90017
11-08-2004, 12:37 AM
What's the difference if you don't mind me asking?
Berty
11-08-2004, 12:38 AM
The Australia crystal version used the phillips drive
As far as looks
Phillips Looks Like this C=
Samsung has 3 holes in the disc drive
Thomson has a smaller arc cut out then the Phillips.
Thomsons die fast can read burnd media very well (CORRECTION CAN"T)
Samsungs are suposed to be the most reliable and read DVDrs' well
Phillips (which is what I have) Are reliable but dont read burnd media as well as the Samsung.
LiquidX01
11-08-2004, 12:49 AM
What's the difference if you don't mind me asking?
The Thompsons are known for for Dirty Disk Errors (DDE) and known to completely fail after only a year or two. They also dont read many forms of recordable media.
Philips are more reliable and read many types of media but there are a few types it wont read.
Samsungs is the best drive, although its not as common in Xbox's as the Thompsons and Philips are, they are the most reliable drive and read pretty much all recordable media.
Go here for how to tell the drives apart.
http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/xbox_dvd_version_comparison.htm
On a related note, Microsoft is currently in the middle of a class auction lawsuit over the faulty Thompson drives.
LiquidX01
11-08-2004, 12:50 AM
Thomsons die fast can read burnd media very well
You mean they cant. :)
neschamp
11-08-2004, 01:46 AM
Ok - well that fucking sucks. Guess I'll just try to see if I can get someone to open up boxes until I find a samsung one. In the same vein, how can you tell apart the remaining gamecubes on the shelf with the component ports from the new ones without it? I thought I read that there was a difference in model numbers...(my cube is also crapping out - need a new one soon.)
-neschamp
SoulBlazer
11-08-2004, 02:58 AM
This is one of the main reasons I bought a refurbished XBox from EB. The manager was nice enough (since the store was slow) to check the drives of each one. Luckily, on the first try we found one with a Samsung drive. ;)
jerkov
11-08-2004, 05:44 PM
I tried some local EBs, and some don't even have any preowned Xbox's in stock! I find that hard to believe; one EB had two preowned consoles, and they both had Thompsons. Does anyone know if they are still giving $100 for a used Xbox on trade-in? I still want to trade my console in to get one with a Samsung or Phillips for $20 more.......
Unless I can somehow get a crystal Xbox from Canada, that is.
Xtasy
11-08-2004, 05:54 PM
No... time for me to take over
There is away to tell....check the serial number with this table
http://www.xbox-linux.org/Xbox_Versions_HOWTO
Drive Pictures
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=17216
Second post by BenJeremy...Btw his avatar rocks :)
Also Thompsons DO NOT SUCK! they are the only drive to read DVD+R media Bar the new phillips...Aparantly they read anythng but only come in sucky 1.6/1.6b xboxs
:)
-Xtasy
tholly
11-08-2004, 07:19 PM
Also Thompsons DO NOT SUCK!
-Xtasy
no....they just suck....no way around it...they are terrible....i took meticulous care of my 1st xbox and my thompson drive died....i did nothing wrong with its handling or maintenace...it just crapped out
if you want to be assured of what drive you are getting the easy way...pick up a mountain xbox and you will get a samsung drive..pick up the halo xbox and you will get a philips drive
neschamp
11-08-2004, 11:19 PM
Update: Got my xbox today - the new holiday bundle!! It's a new Philips drive!! YAY! Anybody have an answer to my second question about the gamecube component port?
-neschamp
tholly
11-08-2004, 11:24 PM
Update: Got my xbox today - the new holiday bundle!! It's a new Philips drive!! YAY! Anybody have an answer to my second question about the gamecube component port?
-neschamp
any metroid bundle is missing the component port
id also have to assume that the new mario kart bundle that is coming out will be missing the component port
other than that, id try and find out if there is a serial number pattern that will dictate which system your getting.....and, your best bet is probably getting a system that isnt part of one of the two above mentioned bundles
Ed Oscuro
11-08-2004, 11:55 PM
Also Thompsons DO NOT SUCK! they are the only drive to read DVD+R media Bar the new phillips...Aparantly they read anythng but only come in sucky 1.6/1.6b xboxs
The standard forumla has been Samsung > Philips > Thompson > an XBox without any drive whatsoever. Pretty much Thompson drives have caused all sorts of grief for people.
I'd hate to own stock in that company right now, by the way. I'm sure that having literally thousands upon thousands of people angry at your drives is NOT going to be good for repeat business.
slip81
11-09-2004, 08:35 AM
Like anything though it all depends on luck. I myself have a thompson that came in a factory reconditioned Xbox and it works fine so far (only had it for a week though), and there are plenty of people over at the xbox-scene forums who have had working thompsons for years. So if anyone reading this has or gets a thmopson, don't freak out, it could end up working perfectly, and if it doesn't, buying a new drive and swapping it out isn't that hard or exspensive.
Xtasy
11-09-2004, 12:25 PM
Sigh... If you do have a thompson and its dieing and have nothing to lose try thepot tweak... Makes it read alot more media but again i think its due to dust that the thompson is weak...Again its the only one to read DVD+R
Please do NOT attempt the pot tweak if you are clumsy (nothing personal) or very weak of heart there are also some phillips which i dont recommend under Dire circumstances and dont even try the samsung...You want to harm your baby??
http://www.xbox-scene.com/tutorials.php?p=191|192|#192
^Linkage
Enjoy :)
-Xtasy