Buying an XBOX360, help plz :)

[nELsOn]

first off, sry if this is the wrong forum but i think it's pretty close

i'll probably buy a 360 next week but there are some things i need a little help with.

1) i want to minimize the risk of losing the console due to ring of death and been told to get a 360 that's using the falcon chip. how do i find out which one it's using without opening the package?

2) i don't have the money to buy a big new tv, so for now i'll have to use my 17'' lcd that i'm currently using for my pc. i know there are VGA adaptors but since hd resolutions are kind of widescreen resolutions the image just has to be adjusted to the native 1280x1024 of my lcd. what exactly happens there?

i'd really appreciate your help

 

[Hunter]

1. any newer 360 you buy will be the newer chipset with HDMI etc. HDMI logo on the Box.

2. There is a 4:3 VGA setting if you can get a VGA adapter.

 

[Deathmaker]

You might still be unhappy with 4:3 as 1280x1024 is 5:4, it'll look a bit squished. That's unless your monitor supports 1:1 pixel mapping.

 

[nELsOn]

thx, you helped me a lot already.
now, how about original xbox games like halo, halo 2, UC2 and the like - can i play those on my lcd as well or will older games cause problems because of their pretty limited resolution?

 

[ZenPirate]

Here's my tip: Buy the extended warranty. Either from the retailer, or the offer Microsoft puts in the box. While you are covered for three years on the RRoD you would not be covered for optical drive failure.

(I love my xbox, but it's broken 3 times on me)


Xbox games that work:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/xbox360_compatibility_list.asp

 

[Renegade Retard]

I've fortunately have never had the RRoD, and I've had my 360 for 2 years.

Another piece of advice - make sure your system is well ventilated. Do NOT try to set it up in an confined area on your desk or entertainment stand. Give it plenty of space on all sides. I believe that heat is the number 1 foe of these systems.

 

[ZenPirate]

^ Poor/rushed engineering is the #1 cause, but keeping it well ventilated is sound advice.

*do not* buy one of those aftermarket cooling devices. They are known to cause more harm than good, and they will void your warranty.

 

[nELsOn]

thanks. i'm actually way too worried about the box breaking down to not grant it plenty of room to 'breathe'. same thing with my pc and xbox.
i guess i'll just check some stores around here to find an hdmi 360 then

 

[Sijik]

One of the causes is basically overheating. The problem is that all systems without the new "fix" will RROD at some point, even if it takes a good while.

 

[nELsOn]

okay, got my 360 today. pretty cool thing. manufactured in march, 175W supply, HDMI - should be a falcon box
but it still gets pretty hot after some time so i'm really curious how hot the old ones must have been

 

[Hunter]

same temp, the newer chipset works a bit better under the conditions and they've added a few new heatsinks to the mix to draw the heat off the graphics chip.

 

[Mr. Noodle]

Well I don't have a Falcon Chip and i got it in the first year of xbox 360s,guess I was too damn lucky.

I use the same thing for xbox 360,it isn't a problem.

 

[Hunter]

the main thing is the way you use it, how long for etc and how it's looked after and stored.

Playing GH3 for 4 hours or so isn't good.