The XBox 360

[The LBTN Express]

You should get the headset free with the premium version.

EDIT: Unless you're after the new wireless one, which I think is included now in the premium version anyway.

Edited August 14, 2006 by The LBTN

[alldaws1]

So what do you need for the wireless rechargeable pack thing? I read that you need the pack and a charger or something. How much is that likely to cost? Can anyone link me to the things I need? Am I asking too many questions?

[The LBTN Express]

What you need for the rechargeable pack for the 360 is the:-

Quick Charge Kit which takes about 15 minutes to recharge the pack and is £14.99

and you'll probably also need a spare rechargeable battery to use whilst recharging the other.

Here which is £8.99.

Or you could get the play & charge kit which is £12.99 but your controller will probably end up being wired for most of the time you use it.

[alldaws1]

Thank you very much, LBTN.

[Maxx]

I'm telling you, plug and play isn't that bad. I'm wired like 10% of the time I use it.

Plug it in, play a game for awhile, turn off the system and it keeps charging.

[The LBTN Express]

Must just be my experience with it, I used to have it wired pretty much 40 to 50% of the time I was using it. I think it used to stop charging itself when it was left alone.

Either way I much prefer the quick charge kit, even if I was only wired for 10% of the time.

[The Kraig]

Yeah, I have plug and play and it's fine. The battery life is dramatically reduced when you use the headset. But I'm usually right next to my 360, so the wire doesn't bother me, and you can always just charge it when you're not playing a game in the background. I usually charge it when I'm downloading stuff.

I just wish they'd make a wireless headset. That would be awesome. I sometimes find myself about to be hanged by the little wire. And I have long hair, so it's annoying. And whenever I want to put the controller down I have to take the headset off as well (or unplug it and have a cable hanging off of me).

Edited August 14, 2006 by The Kraig

[thatshortguy]

I just wish they'd make a wireless headset. That would be awesome. I sometimes find myself about to be hanged by the little wire. And I have long hair, so it's annoying. And whenever I want to put the controller down I have to take the headset off as well (or unplug it and have a cable hanging off of me).

I don't consider it a dangling cable, I consider it a RANGED WEAPON OF DOOM~!

Logitech is whipping up a wireless headset as we speak. It's listed on EBgames.com as being released in October, however.

Edit: Potentially awesome news coming from Microsoft, as they're releasing a consumer version of their XNA development program, so that people can design their own games and upload them to XBL. CNN has the story for those interested.

Edited August 14, 2006 by The Midget

[VerbalPuke]

Yeah, I think I'm going to get the premium deal once I get my job rolling. The only thing is my tv in my room isn't exactly large. It's a little bit larger than a good sized computer screen. I could always hook it up to my projector but that thing is mounted in the ceiling and could be a royal pain in the ass. Still, there are worse things in life.

I'm kind of curious about the online capabilities. Are they really necesary or just nice to have for those of you that like playing other gamers and downloading arcade games? I'm not sure I'd really need the online stuff because I'm not one who really enjoys playing against people online. I do want the larger harddrive though because I have a lot of music I want to store, especially if games will allow for custom soundtracks. Specifically sports games, I want to hear some whacked out punk or metal everytime I score a basket/goal or during halftime.

[Toe]

The biggest downside is the cost of the wireless adapter that allows you to use your XBOX360 on a wireless network. I already have a wireless router hooked up to me computer so my brother and I can use our laptops online.

It's like $129.99 Canadian for the wireless adapter, which fucking sucks. None of the TVs in my house are near a phone jack, so my only option is the wireless thing.

Is going online worth it? And what stuff can you do with the free XBOX Live service?

[Buford Ripley]

While I'm not one to judge the writing and quality of a show solely on the theme music (they can't all be X-Men or Batman:TAS), I get where you're coming from.

[Toe]

It's too long of a distance, and I can't have any cables lying around either or my mom would freak.

[Buford Ripley]

It's too long of a distance, and I can't have any cables lying around either or my mom would freak.

[therockbox]

With the wireless adapter, is it literally just a case of plugging it in? I don't want to spend £60 on one to find out that I have to have a certain type of wireless network (I'm assuming you can use it for XBox Live?).

[Toe]

I can't move the TV either. I will probably just not bother with XBOX Live until I see a third party one come out or see one for cheap on eBay or used at EB.

[The Kraig]

I'm kind of curious about the online capabilities. Are they really necesary or just nice to have for those of you that like playing other gamers and downloading arcade games? I'm not sure I'd really need the online stuff because I'm not one who really enjoys playing against people online. I do want the larger harddrive though because I have a lot of music I want to store, especially if games will allow for custom soundtracks. Specifically sports games, I want to hear some whacked out punk or metal everytime I score a basket/goal or during halftime.

Edited August 14, 2006 by The Kraig

[Tarheels.]

I've never really gotten the whole online game stuff. See my computer is downstairs and my room (where my 360 would be) is upstairs. I have a phone jack in my room, but I've got high speed internet through Cox. I'm just lost as to where I would hook it to, a phone jack like I've got in my room?

[The Kraig]

I've never really gotten the whole online game stuff. See my computer is downstairs and my room (where my 360 would be) is upstairs. I have a phone jack in my room, but I've got high speed internet through Cox. I'm just lost as to where I would hook it to, a phone jack like I've got in my room?

[Tarheels.]

well fuck berries, so I'd need to have broadband instead of high speed with cox to actually use Xbox Live?

[VerbalPuke]

I've never really gotten the whole online game stuff. See my computer is downstairs and my room (where my 360 would be) is upstairs. I have a phone jack in my room, but I've got high speed internet through Cox. I'm just lost as to where I would hook it to, a phone jack like I've got in my room?

Ethernet cable between the modem (or a switch/router/whatever) into the Xbox 360 ethernet port is how it connects. And needless to say, Xbox Live only works with broadband. I hear the Koreans have regulation 120KBps...now them, I envy.

So, does this mean that if already have a wireless router in my house that supports ethernet it should just work with no problem? Or do I literally need an actual cable that plugs into the XBox 360. We have three computers here (two laptops, and a desktop) that all automatically run from the wireless router we have, and other than the desktop, the two laptops just needed to be turned on and they were ready to go.

I think you've convinced me on the internet stuff, especially with add ons. It should also be a beautiful tool for those that like to trade CAW's on Smackdown.