The Red Ring of Death (RRoD) has plagued the Xbox 360 for far too long. It’s was understandable to have these overheating related errors right after the initial launch but not when the console is nearing it’s second birthday. The percentage of this error happening (nearly 30 percent) is outrageous especially after considering the PS3, having nearly the same power as the Xbox 360, does not suffer heat related failures. Microsoft should have known it is not a good business choice to allow such a disastrous error live for so very long. At the very least they could have improved the cooling parts within the consoles they built after they found out about the overheating issue.
Microsoft’s only excuse for not improving the cooling hardware is for one vague reason, the RRoD error can be caused by many different problems. I understand how this can be an issue but if the general gaming nerd knows the most common cause of this error then we can safely assume Microsoft does as well. After all Microsoft must know the main cause of the RRoD error if they slap on a newer, larger, more efficient heatsink on all faulty RRoD Xbox 360’s they receive. Now, I ask you, if Microsoft already has the parts to fix this error why don’t they just install the larger more efficient heatsinks in the first place? My belief is, Microsoft just doesn’t find this option as cost effective as using the smaller heatsinks.
SO, nearly two years later the Xbox 360 is heading into it’s 65 nanometer production movement that will ultimately keep the system cooler. Could this solution finally bury the RRoD error six feet under, never to be seen again by the naked eye? Well, I hope so, but I still want to know why it took so very long for Microsoft to find a “viable” solution to this potential consumer revolting problem. See even if Microsoft wants to admit it or not their main goal is to make a cheap, cost effective system and by shifting it to the 65 nanometer process they can both eliminate the RRoD error and lower the cost of production. It’s all about the dough and that my friends is the only reason why Microsoft did not fix the problem 6 months after it first appeared.
Posted in Xbox 360
There is currently a debate as to whether the Nintendo Wii would be able to hold demos or not. I am hear to tell you, Yes it can, but let me explain my reasoning. Lately most people seem to believe demos are at least a gigabyte in size, that’s over twice the storage space on the Wii, but an average Non-HD demo is much, much, lower than that. May I remind you the Halo demo for the PC is only 131 MB or about a fourth of the Wii’s Storage space. Yes, this is still a rather large amount of space but it contains two large levels, online multiplayer, and good graphics.
If you were to say have only one small level to demonstrate the gameplay, the size of the demo would be reduced to under 100 MB. Now 100 MB is still fairly large but most people who haven’t splurged on Virtual Console games have at the least that much space left if not more. So yes, it is currently possible to store demos or at least a demo in the Wii’s internal memory but what about the future.
Nintendo is slowly realizing they will have to make some sort of external storage solution that will allow people to run games, demos, and other media. Why are they finally realizing this? Well the total amount of VC games currently available now totals over 600 MB and Nintendo is working with Developers on Wii Ware.
Wii Ware, for those who do not know, are basic programs and games that smaller companies can make and sell via the Shop Channel. Okay, now think to yourself how much space does a basic PC game take … a small / simple PC game usually takes about 15-30 MBs. If Nintendo wants Wii Ware to be a success they need a way to give Wii owners space to put these indie games.
How exactly could Nintendo cheaply expand the Wii’s memory capacity? Well I see two fairly easy ways of accomplishing this. Nintendo could allow games and Wii Ware programs to run from SD cards (I can hear fanboys groan already) or they can allow external USB hard drive use. Both these solutions would require firmware updates as well as a small cost to the consumer but they both get the same goal accomplished.
Now how feasible are these firmware updates, well if Nintendo knows what they are doing this update will happen, we just don’t know when. My guess is we will see this firmware update right before the first demos or Wii Ware programs are released. It is because of Wii Ware that I am almost certain Nintendo will have to extend storage space. As for seeing demos anytime soon it is again Nintendo’s choice, let’s just hope they make the right choice before this console generation ends unlike online gameplay on the Gamecube.
Posted in Wii
