XBOX - First impression

We gave our son his XBOX today (first kid on the block to get one). Thought I'd share my first impressions.

This thing is big and heavy. Must weigh over 10 pounds.

My son notices the XBOX manual, which is 55 pages long. I notice the QUICK START reference sheet, which has 5 easy steps on it. Guess what the first easy step of the QUICK START reference sheet is? Step 1: Read the manual (55 pages). So much for the "QUICK START". In fact, using the quick start is longer then using the manual, for there are 4 steps following the manual read in step 1! Typical Microsoft.

The spec sheets say there is an Intel chip (doesn't specify which chip) inside. I don't believe it. There must be an Athlon chip instead. The exhaust fan (not that quiet either) pumps out a lot of heat! This is the first "game console" I have seen with an exhaust fan.

On first power up, you must enter your time zone and enter the correct time. It already had the correct date. Impressive (shades of Windows!).

Instant boot when you power on. As soon as you press the power switch, the screen lights up with the XBOX introduction movie and sound.

There are 3 options on the main menu. Setup (time and date), music (play and copy CD's to the hard disk), and memory. Memory is interesting. The Sony Playstation has an 8 slot memory, 16 slot memory, and a whopping 32 slot memory. Clicking on the XBOX memory option shows HARD DISK MEMORY - 50,000 memory slots free. That is quite a few saves!

The only game I was able to get is Halo. What can I say that is not expected? Gorgeous graphics (not done justice on a 31" TV), incredible lighting effects, great sound, and not any hesitiation or pauses during the game. Attention to detail is tremendous. Walk up to a tree, and there are layers of branches, not just a bitmap of a tree. Fire, smoke, and explosions are stunning. Just doesn't do a TV justice. Guess I'll have to buy the HDTV adapter (and an HDTV as well). What the hell, will have to buy the DVD module too. Hmmm, this will cost thousands when I'm done.

So, with only one game to judge by, this is a great system. It is a quality product, by weight and by feel. The game controllers are incredible, even better (in my opinion) then the N64 controllers.

I think Microsoft has a winner here.......

By the way, I almost got to take home my reserved Gamecube as well. They are in stock, but the dealer was under strict orders from Nintendo not to sell any before the release date of Sunday. Will have to wait until then....

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Tv is less than that. Something like 532x312i (interlaced).
And 60hz.
And piss-poor contrast.

Xbox will sell though. At $500, hooks up to your tv. Easy to carry around, compared to case/monitor/keyboard/mouse/speakers. But, I don't think I'll be buying one. Perhaps for my nephew, but not for myself...

Rich is the nation that has many war heroes. Long since forgotten...

The Xbox is $299.

As for the resolution of a television, standard TV's can display 330 points across a scan line. Many high quality TV's will display up to 800 points. However, this only enhances the picture when used with a SVHS or a DVD player. The standard TV signal in the US transmits only at 330 points per scan line.

There is a HDTV adapter that delivers a high quality picture when coupled with a HDTV. Then, I would imagine, the quality is comparable to a PC. I don't know the cost of this adapter, or how well it performs.

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Wanna talk about moving a PC?!? Mine goes in and out of my truck almost every weekend. Wonder why the adapter thingy broke on my All-in-Wonder?

Unngahhh! Fire good-blue screen bad

We get Gamecube this Sunday. Even though we have one on reserve, and Gamecube is in stock, the dealer will not sell it to us until this Sunday.


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bah... xbox is just a good way to get rid of obselete processors.

give it a few good bangs and see how that hard drive performs!

Why do i feel like the lone sane voice in the mental assylum?

I've only played a demo of Giants, so I don't really know the game. But Halo is a first person shooter, and you work with a team of AI bots to kill the nasty aliens. Both your team members and the bots have very good AI. Here and there you find vehicles that you can ride in to wreck even further havoc. Vehicle physics, detail, and moving parts are extrordinay.

For overall quality of Halo, I can only take my sons (10 years old) word on this. He says Halo is the best game he has played. First person shooters are his favorite, so he may be a bit biased.

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Do you have a dictionary so as to make your posts slightly more understanderble.

ps. If you are not an native english speaker I apologise. I just thought you were too lazy to edit your posts.

You are responsible for any damage the info in your post may cause to my system.

eh? Do you Speake English

You are responsible for any damage the info in your post may cause to my system.

Try this experiment at Christmas. Buy a little kid a fancy toy with a cardboard box. Betcha the kid'll play with the box and not the toy.

Only works with little people and OAP's.

You are responsible for any damage the info in your post may cause to my system.

<font color=blue>"you have the Xbox and now a gamecube as well? Hmm... that's a little strange.. I wish my parents bought me stuff like that when I was little... "</font color=blue>

When I was a kid my parents had just enough to feed and cloth us. My father worked 3 jobs, 6 1/2 days a week to provide for his family. He supported me through College, and it was his goal that his children have a better life then he did.

Luckily, I am well off enough that I can afford to be a bit generous with gifts for my children. I put enough away for my future, and spend what's left. Life is just too short, you know? So, the Xbox is his gift for the Holidays, and the Gamecube is his birthday gift, a bit early, as his birthday is in February. He asked if he could have the Gamecube instead of the usual Birthday party. By buying the Gamecube, I saved money over what the birthday party would have cost.

So he now has the Xbox and Gamecube. I should mention the N64, the Playstation one and the Dreamcast. His own personal PC is a Celeron 450, 128k ram, 40gb HD, Gforce2 MX that is networked to 3 other PC's so he can have (half life, quake, KKND etc.) slugfest's with his friends (and sometimes with me).

He's a great kid, not without his problems. He has ADHD, and works very hard to keep his behaviour and impulsivity under control, without medication. Straight A student as well. So why shouldn't he have all we can afford to give him while he is young?

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I'm not saying you shouldn't. I was just thinking how nice it would be for a kid to have two of the newest consoles available. I'm sure he's very thankful. I wasn't always able to have stuff when I was little. My grandpa was a farmer, and my dad works on heating and air. So I guess each of us has gradually made more money than his father. I liked working on the farm. It was hard work but fun... not something I wanted to do for a living. My dad had a hard time... 5 kids and all. But now he's doing much better. I would like to provide my kids with everything they want.. but I have to be careful not to spoil them and I also have to teach them the value of a dollar. I'm glad for you.

<b>Bees are on the what now?</b>

Ugghhhh... I feel sorry for you. Hmm... maybe seperate checking accounts... but then maybe there would be seperate beds...

<b>Bees are on the what now?</b>

I will always have my own account. I may have a joint one as well - but I will always have my own account. Just in case she sues me!!!!

You are responsible for any damage the info in your post may cause to my system.

so if you have your own account with 10,000 of you own hard earned money and your wife has the same but only 5,000. If you divorce you and her will end up with 7,500 each?

You are responsible for any damage the info in your post may cause to my system.

You got it. The moral of the story is if you cannot afford to get married or divorced, don't.

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Thats not fair - I'ed tell the wife - or exwife to get stuffed and pack her bags. I'ed say "just cos your a lazy cow and wanted me to work so you could divorce me and make a pretty package. Well I say OI EXWIFE NOO!"

And that would be that. She'ed go and live with her mum in a caravan and I wouldn't see her again.

You are responsible for any damage the info in your post may cause to my system.

Life is what you make it.

You are responsible for any damage the info in your post may cause to my system.

Easier than that - just get your wife to sign a clause on consumation night saying whats yours is yours and whats hers is hers.

You are responsible for any damage the info in your post may cause to my system.

it's worth a try.

And if she slaps you for it - you can divorce before you get any savings together.

You are responsible for any damage the info in your post may cause to my system.

Progress is just made up along the way in an aimless war. And in anycase, I don't think things are going too well for the people. Its just from the tyranny of one set of gangsters to another. And these ones are on the good side of USA, so...

<font color=red><i>99% of statistics are made up!</i></font color=red>