CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5237 Location: Osceola, Indiana

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject:

The newer XBoxes (Elite?) put a bigger heatsink on the video processor which is the root of the RRod problems. I used to repair them, but about 60% of them came back a couple of times for re-repairs. Some have worked out there for months.

If I were to buy a new one, I'd immediately open it up after 100 hours of running it to make sure it was OK, and put the fans on high speed. This 'keep electronics quiet' is a bunch of BS to me. Noise be damned, all fans on full to protect the electronics!

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

My original unit was manufactured in March 2006. I bought an Arcade version today to substitute until M$ replaces the defective unit. If they don't replace it on their dime, then I'll keep the Arcade unit. Swapping the hard drive over was no big deal. The NXE was installed to the hard drive and I am trying out the d/l disk game to hard drive feature.

JustGreg · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 3098 Location: Kenosha, WI

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

Its interesting that they can go after Samsung for price fixing RAM, and other manufacturers for price fixing in the market, but how is charging $150 for a drive that costs $50 not price fixing--especially when you deny cowsumers the right to buy and install a la PS3?

ecrabb · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:14 pm Post subject:

The two situations you're referring to are entirely different, Wan. Samsung, et al engaged in price fixing because they colluded with other large manufacturers - competitors -- on wholesale prices. In doing so, they essentially "fixed" the price for the entire market. They did it with SDRAM in 2005 and just did it again with LCD panels. It's the collusion with competitors that makes it price fixing.

OTOH, the price Microshaft asks for their accessories has nothing to do with collusion or price fixing. They could ask $500 for the $50 hard drive and they'd be guilty of nothing but stupidity - and certainly guilty of nothing illegal.

SC

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

You are telling me that Microsoft, Bose, and Monster did not effectively fix the price of their products in the retail chains? It may not be an example of inter-manufacturer collusion but from a cowsumer's standpoint it certainly seems to be intra-chain collusion at its best. The idea is that you actively setup schema to deny competition within said market. Its not like in this role cowsumers have a positive choice.

If its not collusion then its monopoly. No, not the game, but the act of preventing cowsumers from access alternative solutions that otherwise you provide competition within the market. I think Apple is doing this as well. They tend to prohibit 3rd party companies from developing products or services that completely mimic pre-existing Apple products. The most recent 'allowance' for a complete SMTP app for the iPhone amazed everyone in that Apple allowed it for the first time--meaning they denied it that allowance for years.

Not only is Microsoft disallowing market competition to develop another exact replacement storage solution, but the cowsumers are actually penalized for attempting it (i.e. their Live accounts are banned for life). All because someone bought the same storage technology product through someone else (ahem, competitor).

greg_mitch · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 5320

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

I don't think so. Unless the MAP price is what everyone is using, including Microsoft, then it is what it is. Smile

BTW, makes no difference to me anymore. Installing games to the drive still requires the disk to be in the DVD-ROM drive. If I have to get up and keep swapping disks every time then the whole idea of install to hard drive is worthless to me. With that said, I see no value in the NXE yet I a) was forced to do it, and b) got RRoD resulting from it.