360 Gripes

mehuk · 1 Jul 2007 at 19:37

Im going to start by bashing the 360 that I have owned for around 3 hours, and played for under 1

1 - Is there a reset button on the console, cant find one or see anything mentioned in the manual? - So far to play a new game, I have to turn off and on the console, which I would assume could knacker this thing if dont over and over again.

2 - Using a 21" Samsung Syncmaster (Res @ 1280x1024) - problem i find is all games are in a black letterbox, wasting essentially half the screen

- what Res would or could get around this, or is this how MS designed the thing to work on VGA

3 - As im using sound via my PC soundcard (XFI Music), what option in the 360 audio settings would suit? Sound output via Sennheiser gaming headset

*The above bash will be humbly retracted and myself given a severe ticking off, as soon as those in the know can offer advice*

Thanks

Wrathamon · 1 Jul 2007 at 19:40

mehuk said:
1 - Is there a reset button on the console, cant find one or see anything mentioned in the manual? - So far to play a new game, I have to turn off and on the console, which I would assume could knacker this thing if dont over and over again.

Press the xbox button on the controller, the user blade will slide in from the left - and press Y to return to the Dashboard!

Can do that at ANY time!

mehuk · 1 Jul 2007 at 19:44

Wrathamon said:
Press the xbox button on the controller, the user blade will slide in from the left - and press Y to return to the Dashboard!

Can do that at ANY time!

nice - thanks very much

me = idiot

broona · 1 Jul 2007 at 20:04

mehuk said:
1 - Is there a reset button on the console, cant find one or see anything mentioned in the manual? - So far to play a new game, I have to turn off and on the console, which I would assume could knacker this thing if dont over and over again.

2 - Using a 21" Samsung Syncmaster (Res @ 1280x1024) - problem i find is all games are in a black letterbox, wasting essentially half the screen - what Res would or could get around this, or is this how MS designed the thing to work on VGA

1 - I just eject the game I'm playing, which kicks me straight back to the dashboard, and stick another game in the drive whilst the drawer's open.

2 - Have you gone into the console settings blade and tried some different resolutions? I'm pretty sure it defaults to a widescreen resolution, so selecting a 4:3 one should help.

Kreeeee · 1 Jul 2007 at 20:20

Choose none widescreen in the system options.

NokkonWud · 1 Jul 2007 at 20:26

mehuk said:
Im going to start by bashing the 360 that I have owned for around 3 hours, and played for under 1

Fair enough, first impressions are everything.

mehuk said:
1 - Is there a reset button on the console, cant find one or see anything mentioned in the manual? - So far to play a new game, I have to turn off and on the console, which I would assume could knacker this thing if dont over and over again.

Media Button - Y. That returns you to dashboard. Alternately, just eject the disc which will do the same.

mehuk said:
2 - Using a 21" Samsung Syncmaster (Res @ 1280x1024) - problem i find is all games are in a black letterbox, wasting essentially half the screen - what Res would or could get around this, or is this how MS designed the thing to work on VGA

All games are made for Widescreen televisions where as you are using a 4:3 monitor. Play it on a Widescreen TV or Widescreen monitor.

mehuk said:
3 - As im using sound via my PC soundcard (XFI Music), what option in the 360 audio settings would suit? Sound output via Sennheiser gaming headset

Direct sound would be your best bet, the other 2 are meant for full 5.1 speakers.

punky_munky · 1 Jul 2007 at 23:06

I got myself a 360 today, so far pretty pleased with it (massive bargain too). My only gripes are a: the console is really noisy but then again I've been using Macs and Wiis etc for a while so I guess this is normal and b: A lot of text in games in unreadable on my TV.

I have a 28" box and a 19" widescreen monitor. Is it going to look funny on the 19" though as it is 16:10 rather than 16:9 and not the correct native resolution either (as far as I know)? The small text and possibly the noise has hurt my head.

NokkonWud · 1 Jul 2007 at 23:10

16:9 and 16:10 don't matter, there are all available resolutions.

thedoc46 · 1 Jul 2007 at 23:51

I'm suprised there was no mention of the turbine jets like noise when a game spins up..

Phil99 · 2 Jul 2007 at 00:05

punky_munky said:
I got myself a 360 today, so far pretty pleased with it (massive bargain too). My only gripes are a: the console is really noisy but then again I've been using Macs and Wiis etc for a while so I guess this is normal and b: A lot of text in games in unreadable on my TV.

I have a 28" box and a 19" widescreen monitor. Is it going to look funny on the 19" though as it is 16:10 rather than 16:9 and not the correct native resolution either (as far as I know)? The small text and possibly the noise has hurt my head.

I assume you're using the cables that came in the box? RGB Scart is MUCH better than the included cables (composite) for standard definition.

As for 16:9 vs 16:10, there is a little verticle stretching, but it's not the end of the world and it still looks fine

mehuk · 2 Jul 2007 at 07:42

thanks for the input

my next gripe.....

20GB HDD....hmm, in settings it says 13.9GB with 11GB free, is this faulty/

wedgie · 2 Jul 2007 at 07:56

No, you don't get the full 20gb even when new.

Some is reserved for updates, system use etc, and some is taken up by pre loaded videos. Deleteing the videos should clear up some space.

Wrathamon · 2 Jul 2007 at 09:39

mehuk said:
20GB HDD....hmm, in settings it says 13.9GB with 11GB free, is this faulty/

A few GB of space is also reserved for cache space for the XBOX backwards compatibility, to mimic the original XBOX hard drive.

NokkonWud · 2 Jul 2007 at 09:42

mehuk said:
thanks for the input

my next gripe.....

20GB HDD....hmm, in settings it says 13.9GB with 11GB free, is this faulty/

No, as has been mentioned, some is taken up by large 720p videos on there. The rest of it is taken up by system files, updated files and your emulator to play Xbox games (it's software, not hardware emulated).

punky_munky · 2 Jul 2007 at 20:01

I got the VGA cable today - wow! The picture is so sharp I think my eyes are bleeding a little bit. It's a bit rubbish going from 28" to 19" but the improved quality is well worth it. £15 well spent I feel.

NokkonWud · 2 Jul 2007 at 20:16

To the OP.
How are you finding it now?

fish99 · 2 Jul 2007 at 20:18

Most of the games work fine in 4:3 mode. You select aspect ratio in the setting below resolution.

mehuk · 2 Jul 2007 at 20:34

NokkonWud said:
To the OP.
How are you finding it now?

In all honesty, quality...

Dead Rising = Superb fun, cant believe how many zombies there are, and things to do. Just beat the clown... got a chainsaw

Darkness = Scary, but it stands out a mile from so many games. Im engrossed in the story now and the graphics are spot on. MP a bit laggy though.

Forza 2 = Good fun, online more than SP as im not that motivated to go through races with the crappy cars. Still i enjoy having a few laps now and then.

Condemned = Still sealed

, will get to it though.

All except the black bars that ruin my screen size, im chuffed and LIVE is fantastic

Thanks to all for advice etc, definately swung a PS1/PS2 owner into the XBOX camp

NokkonWud · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:38

Really glad to hear it. Feel free to add me to your Xbox Live and I'll help you with any advice in regards to games etc...

Glad you're enjoying it, I really am

.

fish99 · 2 Jul 2007 at 22:39

mehuk said:
All except the black bars that ruin my screen size, im chuffed and LIVE is fantastic

Hmmm.... I don't have my 360 to check since it's away being fixed by MS, but I'm almost positive it does 4:3 full screen. IIRC the setting below resolution is aspect ratio and you set it to standard/normal and not wide. I've played Gears on a 4:3 tv (before getting a widescreen) and it filled the screen.