Xbox 360 finally quiets down with brand new internal DVD drive
By Paul Miller 
posted Feb 6th 2007 9:03AM
posted Feb 6th 2007 9:03AM
[Via Xbox-Scene; thanks smash_linux]
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Perfect example of why I never buy new tech... At least a year on most things, crazy super-hi-tech stuff (like the HD formats) need even more before everything's ironed out.
The "I need it now" mentality is great for the economy but a bane to the consumer, luckily I have the willpower to reign myself in.
Luckily I have the willpower to not smack you and your willpower.
... just saying...
Your next 360 ... :-)
Is there a way to guarantee that the box you're buying has the BenQ VAD6038 drive.
Sweet, throw in 65nm internals and the hdmi out, and I might have to exchange out my "broken" 360 with Best Buy. Always buy the replacement plan folks =]
Just pray that your current 360 holds up long enough that you are able to trade it in for the 65nm version... Mine died (purchased in feb '06) on new years eve and I had to convince the Best Buy personnel that Microsoft had extended the warranty on ALL 360s to a year (they insisted that it hadn't changed since it wasn't in their system). That saved my one time use replacement plan (it's odd how they didn't mention it was ONE TIME USE ONLY at the time of purchase).
My new one was built in mid October - I wonder when they switched to the "super-quiet" drives. I noticed that the drive is indeed quieter than the previous one, but not substantially. It's still pretty freaking loud during major loads.
Good luck with that. BB is hell when it comes to the service plans. Take a look: http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=393838
Now all I need is the rest of Zephyr to be released and I'll get one.
For current samsung drive owners, the latest hacked firmware set has a "quiet" version which is much much less noisy. It doesn't always run at 12x. So if you are disgruntled and don't care about your warranty, there is this option.
Nathan said, "For current samsung drive owners, the latest hacked firmware set has a "quiet" version which is much much less noisy. It doesn't always run at 12x. So if you are disgruntled and don't care about your warranty, there is this option."
You mean Toshiba-Samsung and Hitachi-LG drives.
why bother changing the spec and adding a new dvd drive, when they could put the HD-DVD drive inside, HDMI on the back and become a challenger to the PS3 all in one solution?
... and the price of the console goes up by 250 bucks. Now doesn't that sound like fun!
Keep the HD-DVD add-on as a add-on. But give us some HDMI loving. Oh and some better system fans also. The ones that are currently in there are to loud.
Glad I've waited. Bring on version 2 with new mobo, quieter drive, HDMI is nice as long as they keep a way to do optical audio out from the 360. They need to change the drive to slot load however. Stupid tray is too flimsy. Plus, the REALLY need to add a damn gigabit ethernet port for some decent HD streaming, wireless of any kind sucks and is susceptible to interferrence. I'd much rather have a wired system anyday.
the phrase "which purportedly runs "super-quiet" in comparison to the previous two drives used by MS" kinda worries me....
how is it compared to most otehr drives?
Anyone know how easy it is to upgrade xbox 360 drive yaself?
Nice, I was going to get a 360 later this week, does this mean that it will have the new drive? I was going to get it at walmart to get a free game with it but I think I have a better chance of getting a "fresh" version if I buy it from ebgames or some other videogame shop.
I think it is a little comical that everyone complains about their system breaking. I have had my 360 since day one, and I have yet to have a problem. I have played so many hours of both original xbox games (Halo 2) and 360 games (Need for Speed, Call of Duty 2, 3) I could not really even guess how many. I just don't understand what some prople do with their gaming consoles. Put it in a location and then just leave it alone, it is not portable so don't bring it to a friends or move it from place to place often. I don't care if mine is loud, because I always have the surround on anyway. I also just bought a Vista Notebook and I have no fear as to how it will work in the future. Some people are so scared to try new products that the products are no longer new or exciting by the time they get them.
I just turn up the volume on Gears, annoys my roommate. Fixes 2 problems with one xbox.
The reason they're not putting the HD-DVD drive inside the 360 is to avoid the same high price problem Sony is currently facing. They leave the choice up to the consumer of paying an additional $200. The other problem with this new super quiet drive is, how will a buyer know if he/she is getting this new drive when purchasing a 360 in the near future? Microsoft should place some kind of colored dot or something identifier on the packaging to identify the updated drives.
Does anyone know how one can tell which version xbox they are purchasing? Like when I go to the store and I'm looking at the box, what am I looking for, how can you tell?
I think it is funny that Apple thinks that by mocking the PC that they are getting somewhere. The reason Apple is where they are is they never realize that people care about practical application. Apple computers have a lot of stuff that really is just a waste. Why would a company that sells to less then 10% of the population want to try and tell the other 90% they are wrong. I have used macs and I really don't like them because they are slow, they freeze up more often than pc's and it is hard to tell if they are frozen or just normal because they are so slow. Apple can try whatever they want but for me they are just pushing me further away from the products they sell. I have an iPod and actually although I like how it works, it is just like other Apple computers it freezes up a lot and costs more than it really should. If Apple is so good how come they have to be able to run Windows to sell while PC's just run Windows and still out sell Apple. I believe Apple computers also run Office. You would think with a company that thinks they have everything figured out they would come up with alternative that sells. Long live the user friendly and trusty PC thanks Bill Gates.
Don't know what you are smoking. You have the wrong topic. In any case, Microsoft called... They want their employee back to focus on all the missed features promised for Vista to be in the next version of Windows in 5 years.
Plus, doesn't the thread say they starting manufacturing 360's with this drive in November 06?
Plus, doesn't the thread say they starting manufacturing 360's with this drive in November 06?
Anyone know where I could buy these BenQ VAD6038 drives? I'm looking for a cheap DVD solution for a small manufacturing project and this might work.
What would be great if Microsoft came up with a solution to upgrade you current Xbox360's drive, but screw this new DVD, lets go HD-DVD. I'd pay $199 to upgrade the drive in the box to HD-DVD instead of buying the silly external device. Wouldn't you?
The only problem is will HD-DVD beat out Blu-Ray?
I purchasd my 360 late november 06, it's still pretty damn noisy. Although I have noticed that the drive definitely does adjust its speed during gameplay. For example, right now I'm playing gears of war, campaign mode and i'm on angry titan. During the brief cutscene when the...angry titan comes, the drive freaks out and spins very loudly, then it chills out once play resumes.
I think "noisy insanity" may be jsut a little over the top.
DerekPowell,
You probably didn't get one with the new drive, since they started manufacturing in Nov. Yours probably sat somewhere in the distribution chain for a month or more before you got it.
@ Smiley
That's how I used to feel until mine broke down a year and a month after buying it. Rainbow Six Vegas bricked my system. Hopefully, yours will be one of the systems that actually last the life of the console.
I know it is an expensive solution, but I play with my Bose noise cancelling headphones and I never hear the drive!
The other option is to have the drive and fan combo wake up my newborn across the house!
M
How do we tell which is which?
Is there a way? Any serial numbers we should look for?
I'd certainly consider selling my launch 360 to get a quieter one. It's my only gripe with the system.
That's freaking retarded. Replacing your "industry-leading" Hitach/LG and/or Toshiba/Samsung DVD drives with the "crumsy one" manufactured by small "underdog" Chinese companies like "troubled Benq"? Hmm.. It looks like the Chinese nationals at Xbox-scene or Engadget are really busy helping their "hometown companies" sell their undesirables more and more abroad by spreading lies.
The Chinese, this including Benq, Liteon and other 'noname' OEM makes, have been known for their "noisy" and shoddy drives. And, if this rumour turns out to be true, though I doubt that'll happen, everyone knows that it is nothing but cost-cutting measure to boost the MS gaming division's profit margin "sacrificing quality".
Xbox360 used cheapest component and manufacturing solution to keep the cost and loss to minimum. They've been addressing their multitude of issues one by one from day one. After the battery fiasco $ony knew better than to make the same mistake as M$. It sucks to be an early adopter. With $ony, customers pay with $, and with M$, you pay with unreliable piece of dung.
Lite-On? Looks like the drive is insta-fucked.
hey if you get one at CompUSA or somewhere else and you bring your reciete to CompUSA and put T.A.P. on it if you wait like 3 weeks we will replace it with a brand new one!!! so you can upgrade and get that new drive!!!!! its like 50 bucks for TAP, then put TAP on the new one and your once again covered for 2 YEARS!!!! so yeah its worth it!!!
I think the problem is that Sony makes the best quiet DVD drives out there.
10 million p1ssed off xbox360 owners, who bought V1 od the console.
V2 is now quieter, cooler, has IPTV, HDMI and a 120GB drive, with no upgrade route other than ebay..
Microsoft really know how to treat their gamers LOL....
None of which is confirmed expect the 120 GBHD being sold seperately.
I feel no remorse over buying a launch unit, it has provided more entertainment over the past 1.5 years (two years by the time the new version comes out), than watching that same $800 sit in the bank growing crap interest.
LOL.
I bet MS did the change just to stop the current chips out there. Nothing to do with the noise level, they dont give a damn about that stuff.
All you peeps saying your glad your waited have got rocks in your head. Now you have to wait until someone cracks the firmware of this dvd drive.
Hey Wad. . . Why do I need to wait for someone to crack the firmware? Is it in need of cracking for me to play all my games, movies, TV shows, and other legitimately-purchased media?
No? Well then, maybe you should STFU. Not all of us are pirates who wish to play burned copies of games. If that's your biggest concern when it comes to a console, then I have a suggestion for you: Stick to PC games. I get a console for stability and ease of use, and I don't mind paying for the games I play, like most people.
If you're a filthy, no-good pirate, that's your problem. Have fun busting your ass for illegal gains. Me? I'm enjoying my new quiet Xbox 360, and not having the firmware cracked means absolutely NOTHING to me or most other people.
Seriously, grow up. Cracking the firmware is not a mass-appeal feature.
Good thing I bought my 360 at Costco. Unlimited return policy.
My next 360 you say? No, this is my one and only 360. I'm not buying a new should anything happen to this. I'd just get a PS3.
There's a difference between service plans and replacement plans though. Service plans: product is sent to a repair facility and they attempt to repair the problem as long as the repair doesn't exceed the cost of the unit. Replacement plans: usually you can get the product exchanged out in the store as long as you're within the manufactures warranty period, outside of that, you have to send the product in for a replacement. With the replacement plan, you get a giftcard for what you paid + tax.
I snagged one of these after doing some research. Here's how you identify this model, as near as I can tell (no guarantees, good luck and all that).
On the box label look for the following:
Lot# 0650 or higher
Team: CSON
Serial number in the 039000000000 or higher range
It is worth it. The drive is much quieter, and the load times are a bit faster. If you have a launch console and you're sick of the jet turbine sound while playing Oblivion, this is the solution.
hey Keyth, where are you located. I live in long island New York and have tried tons of gamespots to no avail, where did you have luck finding yours? Thanks!
err I meant gamestops/ebgames =).