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BBC Watchdog gets to the bottom of Xbox 360 disc scratching
We've all known about a busted Xbox 360's ability to not only self-destruct, but to also trash any games you place into the console. Bumps, vibrations, or any kind of movement while a game is being played can bring about a quick death to that particular disc, and now the problem has reached the doorstep of BBC Watchdog, who decided to conduct some tests of their own.Taking a new Xbox 360 and one that had been known to cause the circular disc scratch, BBC Watchdog placed each console on a level surface with a vase of water next to it to help monitor movement. Then, the tests began, starting with small vibrations to simulate walking around the house. Both consoles passed, but when the strength of the vibrations was increased to the level of a book dropping on a table, the older Xbox 360 put a big ring on the disc inside of it, whereas the new unit performed swimmingly.As always, the emphasis is on keeping the Xbox 360 on a level, safe place when playing. We understand that hardware malfunctions can be a touchy subject, but throwing a tantrum with a disc in the tray might be a bad idea.
Microsoft in 'open dialogue' with ECC over disc scratching concerns
It's been one week since European Commissioner for Consumers Meglena Kuneva requested information from Microsoft on the Xbox 360 disc scratching problems highlighted by an investigation by Dutch TV show Kassa. The company released a statement saying that they "are working in an open dialogue with Commissioner Kuneva to clarify our position and all the efforts we are taking across the EU, and in fact globally, to address any consumer concerns." However, as 1UP notes, Microsoft released a separate statement to MCV that has since been amended. That statement placed the blame on "improper use" of the Xbox 360, which involves moving the console while a disc is inside. Kassa's own report indicates that the scratching can occur if the console is switched from horizontal to vertical position, so though the user may be at fault, is the policy therefore unfair? Microsoft did retract this statement; it's unclear if they did so due to a change of heart or because implying consumer fault is just bad PR. The statement went on to say, "As we have said previously, there is no widespread issue regarding scratched discs as is alleged by Kassa." That's a far cry from the statistical data we were hoping to see, and the subjectivity of the word "widespread" leaves Microsoft a rather large window for problems. We hope to hear more as the public investigation continues.
