People can modify and customize anything they own, Microsoft isn't preventing that here. You can put rocket boosters and machine guns on your car if you really wanted to, but that doesn't mean the state will let you drive it on the road. Just as Microsoft doesn't have any obligation to let you on their Live service with your modded device.
You might get away with it at first, but that doesn't entitle you to use it forever. You might pay taxes for road work, or pay a monthly fee for XBL, but the use of those is a privilege, not a right.
Furthermore, the road to hell is paved with "good intentions". MS can't discern the pirate from the casual modder, and it would be pretty ridiculous to expect them to.
A lot of you are jumping the gun and assuming that everyone that mods their Xbox 360 is a pirate.
Sure, I may be one of the few exceptions to this rule - but when my sister knocked over my Xbox for the first time after getting a brand new copy of Forza 2 about 2 years ago I was heart broken that I just lost $60 in a blink of an eye. Ever since then I've made LEGAL back ups of all of my games and kept the original discs stowed away out of harms reach so that I never have to worry about losing my $60 investment into a disc.
Ever since modifying my console I've lost many of burned games - either from the Xbox being tipped over or just from normal wear and tear - but whenever that happens I just pull out the original and re-rip it and make another copy.
I think that sure this class-action lawsuit is a little over the line but I think Microsoft should at least hear out the legit people in the modding scene. :(
I'm pretty sure that there are conflicting laws on the books as to the legality of modding devices. I know you're not allowed to bypass DRM but you are allowed to expand the functionality of a device. I think that it should be wrong for MS to ban you from using an 3rd party HDD. There should be some onus on MS to prove that the consoles were circumventing copy protection.
In the end you are using a service they provide and if you don't like the way they run it you can go somewhere else. I guess buy two xboxes and use one for online and mod the other?
@Deep-Blue: True, but provisions of contracts can be ruled to be unenforceable or in violation of state or federal law. Just because it's signed doesn't mean it's legal.
@Red_Flag: The contract is not a law, but by signing it, Microsoft is reserving their stated rights and you agree to it. Although a contract is open for interpretation and you can open a case stating your argument, but their terms are pretty explicit about modding.
@yantelope: They aren't saying your can't mod your box perse. They are saying if you do choose to mod your box, you are not going to be using our online service.
@met2art: I was joking. You seemed quite hostile towards anyone who 'modded' their console. I was making the point that putting in a $40 third-party hard drive instead of Microsoft's $150 one, is considered by Microsoft to be "modding." You seemed angry towards modders, so I joked that you were just jealous that you had been suckered by Microsoft into paying $150 for a hard drive that 'modders' got for $40 :)
@JTX: The reference, as implied by the article was based on people who'd modded their Xbox's specifically for cheating purposes, in violation of the TOS. They wanna do that, that's fine, I'm not here to judge... but to then claim that Microsoft is being unfair? It was in the TOS. RTFM, is what I'm saying.
I do not own an Xbox, nor do I use (or have ever used) any Microsoft online gaming services. I am therefor not aware if only upgrading the HDD will result in getting you banned from Microsoft online gaming. If it does then that seems unnecessarily heavyhanded... nevertheless, it's spelled out clearly to not do it. So... to do it, and then complain about unfairness smacks of stupidity and entitlement, regardless of the intent. Hence the no sympathy for the dumb. If I'm wrong, then my apologies to people who are both not dumb and are being banned, even though they did absolutely nothing wrong, and are entitled to upgrade the HDD themselves with no consequence.
These sound really interesting. My only issue is that if I run my optical cable from my xbox to the headphone unit, how will I listen to audio when I want to use my normal 5.1 system? Is there an optical pass-through?
I am very interested in hearing about the Astros -- I have been in the market for a few months for a wireless headphone however I am also quite dumb when it comes to this. I have a 360, HDTV using a Xbox wireless adapter.
@BergenCountyJC can edit his name?:
The Astro A40s are still wired, but are quite nice. I've had a pair since they first came out & found them to be very comfortable, plus they put out some great sound. Their customer support group is also quite friendly.
@BergenCountyJC can edit his name?:
The headset itself has an option for a 10 ft cable. If you have the mixamp as well, it connects via toslink to the system, so however long of an optical cable you feel like having.
I originally got the a40s for my pc, but since i game more on the 360 now, it lets me play later at night without pulling too much wife aggro. ;)
I bought a set of one of their older wireless models a couple years ago. The sound was OK, but when you tried to use them with Xbox live the things went to shit. I could either hear my teammates or the game, not both. (and no, this was not a settings issue). They were a huge waste of money.
I'm really glad to hear they have gotten better. Are the chat/sound effect issues gone?
Well, seeing as it costs nothing, I'll DL the stuff tonight. I hope that I can stream my ZunePass content from a Vista-powered puter to my XBox. #xbox360update
Oh, although it's a cumbersome solution if you can get your 360 plugged into a computer with wireless you can get it online that way. It's a little fiddly as you have to set up a shared connection for it but it's a cheaper alternative to a dedicated adaptor. It works for PS3's too, which is useful if you want to connect your PSP to your PS3 via adhoc and don't have access to a wired connection.
Just to note any sort of wireless bridge will do the same job as MS's wireless adaptor too. #gizmodoremainders
I don't find anything that odd about the general premise of there being different tablets with different connections.
I imagine that VZW will offer one for their network, AT&T one for theirs, and the generic one that comes from the apple store would only have wi-fi. Or maybe the device will have the guts for 3G (various bands) and wi-fi and you just pick a carrier.
Maybe not. Now that I typed it out it does seem complicated but I could see it. #gizmodoremainders
@tande04: I don't know about the whole "pick your own carrier" thing, but I'm sure they will be tied to at least one carrier, sort of like 3G netbooks are now. However, there are models of netbooks without 3G, like my Asus Eee that are wi-fi only and are not tied to a carrier.
Where have I seen this from Apple before...iPhone/iPod Touch...? Hmmmm.....
Apple isn't going to "confuse consumers". I'm siding with the analysts in my beliefs about the Apple tablet on this one. I believe one model will have 3g with (most likely) AT&T, and one with just wi-fi.
Some consumers NEED internet everywhere. That's what the 3G model is for. However, I'm sure Apple knows that a HUGE customer base simply won't be attracted to ANOTHER contract on top of their iPhone, which is why they will opt for the non-3G model (as I know I will).
When you think about it, it makes more sense to have two models than just one 3G-only model.
Or maybe Apple will cater to the consumer and let you just insert your SIM to pick your carrier, like every GSM device should be... #gizmodoremainders
@ovil200: There were 3G notebooks and netbooks that were sold without being tied to a carrier well before the carriers started subsidizing them.
My notebook at my old job had a VZW chip in it, just not activated. If you go to customize a laptop you almost always get that choice as well. You pay full price (no subsidy) but you're not locked into anything. Seems like the carriers are starting to get more comfortable with the idea of being just a pipeline.
The only problem might be how much bulk both (three?) cards take up in the tablet. #gizmodoremainders
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You might get away with it at first, but that doesn't entitle you to use it forever. You might pay taxes for road work, or pay a monthly fee for XBL, but the use of those is a privilege, not a right.
Furthermore, the road to hell is paved with "good intentions". MS can't discern the pirate from the casual modder, and it would be pretty ridiculous to expect them to.
12:45 PM
Sure, I may be one of the few exceptions to this rule - but when my sister knocked over my Xbox for the first time after getting a brand new copy of Forza 2 about 2 years ago I was heart broken that I just lost $60 in a blink of an eye. Ever since then I've made LEGAL back ups of all of my games and kept the original discs stowed away out of harms reach so that I never have to worry about losing my $60 investment into a disc.
Ever since modifying my console I've lost many of burned games - either from the Xbox being tipped over or just from normal wear and tear - but whenever that happens I just pull out the original and re-rip it and make another copy.
I think that sure this class-action lawsuit is a little over the line but I think Microsoft should at least hear out the legit people in the modding scene. :(
12:51 PM
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In the end you are using a service they provide and if you don't like the way they run it you can go somewhere else. I guess buy two xboxes and use one for online and mod the other?
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To even try to declare that Live's contract terms were illegal in respect to modding would be an impossibly uphill battle for the plaintiffs.
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#tips
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I do not own an Xbox, nor do I use (or have ever used) any Microsoft online gaming services. I am therefor not aware if only upgrading the HDD will result in getting you banned from Microsoft online gaming. If it does then that seems unnecessarily heavyhanded... nevertheless, it's spelled out clearly to not do it. So... to do it, and then complain about unfairness smacks of stupidity and entitlement, regardless of the intent. Hence the no sympathy for the dumb. If I'm wrong, then my apologies to people who are both not dumb and are being banned, even though they did absolutely nothing wrong, and are entitled to upgrade the HDD themselves with no consequence.
#tips
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
The Astro A40s are still wired, but are quite nice. I've had a pair since they first came out & found them to be very comfortable, plus they put out some great sound. Their customer support group is also quite friendly.
11/19/09
11/19/09
The headset itself has an option for a 10 ft cable. If you have the mixamp as well, it connects via toslink to the system, so however long of an optical cable you feel like having.
I originally got the a40s for my pc, but since i game more on the 360 now, it lets me play later at night without pulling too much wife aggro. ;)
11/19/09
I'm really glad to hear they have gotten better. Are the chat/sound effect issues gone?
11/18/09
11/17/09
11/17/09
11/17/09
11/17/09
Just to note any sort of wireless bridge will do the same job as MS's wireless adaptor too. #gizmodoremainders
11/17/09
I imagine that VZW will offer one for their network, AT&T one for theirs, and the generic one that comes from the apple store would only have wi-fi. Or maybe the device will have the guts for 3G (various bands) and wi-fi and you just pick a carrier.
Maybe not. Now that I typed it out it does seem complicated but I could see it. #gizmodoremainders
11/17/09
I choose mosquito!
...sorry, I am really feeling this stout. #gizmodoremainders
11/17/09
Where have I seen this from Apple before...iPhone/iPod Touch...? Hmmmm.....
Apple isn't going to "confuse consumers". I'm siding with the analysts in my beliefs about the Apple tablet on this one. I believe one model will have 3g with (most likely) AT&T, and one with just wi-fi.
Some consumers NEED internet everywhere. That's what the 3G model is for. However, I'm sure Apple knows that a HUGE customer base simply won't be attracted to ANOTHER contract on top of their iPhone, which is why they will opt for the non-3G model (as I know I will).
When you think about it, it makes more sense to have two models than just one 3G-only model.
Or maybe Apple will cater to the consumer and let you just insert your SIM to pick your carrier, like every GSM device should be... #gizmodoremainders
11/17/09
My notebook at my old job had a VZW chip in it, just not activated. If you go to customize a laptop you almost always get that choice as well. You pay full price (no subsidy) but you're not locked into anything. Seems like the carriers are starting to get more comfortable with the idea of being just a pipeline.
The only problem might be how much bulk both (three?) cards take up in the tablet. #gizmodoremainders