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BBC: Kinect caused 'Red Ring of Death' on out-of-warranty Xbox 360
Grand Theft Auto IV blamed for RRoD -- Tipster on April 30, 2008 Red Dead Redemption blamed for RRoD -- Tipster on June 21, 2010 Kinect blamed for RRoD -- BBC on January 5, 2011 As our tips box can attest to over the years, every major Xbox 360 release causes the unholy specter of the Xbox 360's infamous 'Red Ring of Death' to return. The family interviewed in this BBC piece have an especially poignant tale: they just missed out on the three year warranty the product carries for the RRoD and E74 errors. Microsoft said in a statement, "There is no correlation between the three flashing red lights error and Kinect. Any new instances of the three flashing red lights error are merely coincidental." We believe it, given our anecdotal history. It's still of little consolation to anyone who was blessed with an old, out of warranty Xbox 360 that somehow hadn't died/broken/etc.
Halo: Reach causing Red Ring of Death (emblems)
And you thought the Covenant were scary! Seriously though, Halo: Reach doesn't cause the dreaded Red Ring of Death, but you can massage the emblem editor to make one for your Spartan. The image is part of a primer on Spartan customization, earning credits and uploading content to your file share.
New Xbox 360 shuts down before overheating
Okay, gang, we really need your help. Though Microsoft's shrunken, Valhalla-equipped version of its home console was announced last week, new functions of the device are just now starting to surface. The latest is an auto-shutdown feature which turns off the console when its primary cooling vent is blocked, which displays a warning prompt on screen and turns the console's power button into the ominous vision seen above. So, here's what we need your help with: We feel like we can still get in front of this thing, and coin the new colloquial phrase for this warning. That guy who came up with "Red Ring of Death?" He's making bank off royalties, and papa wants a slice. So, let's start spitballing: Red Eye of Danger? Red Dot of Poor Ventilation? Red Light of Uncomfortable Proximity? How about, like, "The Killswitch?" It's foreboding, yet strangely catchy.
New Xbox 360 has red dot of death, instead? Not quite
RRoD may be gone by omission, but that doesn't mean your new Xbox 360 won't occasionally give you the evil eye. Case in point: this 250GB unit spotted over at NeoGAF, which has a red dot smack dab in the center of the power button. What message is it trying to convey? Find out after the break.
New Xbox 360 loses ability to flash a red ring, can still probably die a fiery death
It's a color we know so well, but it looks like Microsoft would like to dissociate itself from its RROD heritage, or perhaps just ran out of red LEDs: the new Xbox 360 only has a green ring around its power button, so even if you wrap the thing in a blanket and set it on fire, it won't be flashing red to tell you how it feels. This was unearthed in a spec sheet that Joystiq received from a tipster, along with all the other fancy specs you can see above. Overall the console is 17% smaller, which really goes to show that Microsoft was much more interested in noise and heat reduction than sliding the new 360 into a smaller crevice of your home entertainment center.
Red Ringed Xbox transforms into robot (sculpture)
When your Xbox 360 suffers from the Red Ring of Death (and it will), there are a great many things you may want to do to it. You might feel like hurling it from the roof into a waiting wood chipper. You might feel like drowning it in your own tears in a desperate attempt to cool its heat-blasted insides and restore it to life. Ultimately, however, you'll probably do what we all do: Send it in for repair. That is, unless you're Jasper Stevens. Stevens, you see, decided to turn his busted box into a robot sculpture. Featured at technabob, Stevens' RRoDMan is most productive form of nerd rage we've ever seen. Even more impressive, Stevens claims that the uses no tape or glue. We can only assume that the sculpture is held together by broken dreams. [Via CNET]
Police catch 360 thief thanks to RRoD return
Ah, the Red Ring of Death. Most cursed malady of this console generation, maligned by the casual and the hardcore alike! But for all the frustration the Xbox 360's three lights of crimson chaos have caused, here's a little good: If it weren't for a certain RRoD in Florida, one Michael Dunbar would never have been brought to justice. Dunbar was accused of stealing the console and pawning it off to a shop, but without the serial number, police told the victim that they couldn't bring him in. Fortunately, the victim's grandmother suddenly remembered she'd sent the system in for an RRoD, and a phone call to Microsoft later, they got a serial number, Dunbar was arrested by the police, and we assume the console was returned to its rightful owner. Little consolation, we're sure, for the eight painful weeks you had to wait while your Xbox was sent back to Microsoft for repairs (two separate breakdowns for me personally). But it's good to hear that someone somewhere has been helped by Microsoft's RRoD exchange process.
'Pro plantiff' Erik Estavillo subpoenas Bill Gates in RROD suit
[Image Source] Erik Estavillo -- otherwise referred to as a "professional plantiff" by GamePolitics for his laundry list of legal claims -- has subpoenaed Microsoft's Bill Gates in his suit targeting the company for his run in with the Red Ring of Death. According to court documents filed in a U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the subpoena demands Gates hand over paperwork that reveal the "true and relative number of actual Xbox 360 units that have been fixed by Microsoft over the past 3 years." Estavillo also seeks data pertaining to the number of broken Xbox 360 consoles and the amount of people banned from Xbox Live for "piracy" between November 28, 2008 and 2009. While Estavillo is looking for answers to questions every journalist has been seeking, his track record of legal battles places him in eccentric territory. Estavillo is also suing Activision Blizzard claiming characters in World of Warcraft walk at an intentionally slow pace in order to bilk customers of more monthly fees. In the claim, he subpoenaed actress Winona Ryder and Depeche Mode member Martin Gore. Estavillo has also filed suit against Sony for being banned from online play, stemming from comments he supposedly made during matches of Resistance: Fall of Man; and Nintendo, for issuing firmware updates that disabled his Homebrew Channel.
Banned PSN player sues Nintendo and Microsoft
After being banned from the PlayStation Network for hateful comments stated in Resistance's online community, Erik Estavillo launched not one, but two, lawsuits against Sony for infringing on his "first amendment rights" -- an argument that was shot down by Judge Ronald Whyte simply because "Sony is not part of the government." However, what Estavillo lacks in civil online discourse, he makes up for with sheer determination and persistence. In addition to Sony, he now has both Microsoft and Nintendo in his sights. Estavillo is seeking $75,000 from Microsoft for the "undue stress" and "sadness" caused by his Xbox 360's RROD. "Microsoft should have to bear the burden that is now put on the shoulders of this disabled plaintiff," his claim states -- a burden that is equivalent to the sum of 375 Xbox 360 systems, apparently. Nintendo is being sued for interfering with Estavillo's "pursuit of happiness." And how exactly is Nintendo doing that? "Deleting, blocking or prohibiting the Homebrew Channel and Ocarina applications" via a system update. We're hoping you can see the sheer brilliance of Estavillo's strategy. He's offering the perfect opportunity for PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo fans to agree on something for once.
Study: Xbox 360 RROD on the decline
We're not sure there's a great way to write this post without you beautiful monsters turning it into flamebait -- nay, a flamesteak. We're just going to chuck it into the pit and then walk away in slow motion while the animals devour it. If we do it right, it should be very Guy Ritchie. SquareTrade, which claims to be the largest independent warranty provider in the world, has presented data indicating that the Red Ring of Death has been on the decline since the introduction of the Jasper chipset in early 2009. The findings were based on 16,000 new consoles covered by the company. Well, that's great news! We don't think we're forgetting anything.Nope, we're all set. Well, we guess the report did say that the Wii was nine times more reliable than the 360 and four times more reliable than the PS3, but we can't imagine that's of much interest to anyone. [begin slo-mo walking] [Via IndustryGamers]
Digital Foundry examines why 360 and PS3 can't take the heat
You could make the argument that system reliability has been the preeminent conversation of this console generation, but it's one often clouded by speculation and a lack of reliable information. Digital Foundry talked to Darren Thickbroom, an engineer for an independent console workshop, who offered a lot of revealing insight into the issue. Thickbroom explained that the massive amount of heat generated by the HD systems -- exacerbated by high-end technology crammed into a small compartment -- contribute to their eventual demise (and all because you played on them so often). And like many "exclusive" games this generation, this is by no means constrained to one console. Though Xbox 360 failure rates are abysmal, Thickbroom noted that more PS3s have been appearing in his workshop. His gloomy prognosis? "It comes down to how much you play it. People might disagree with us, but this is the way we see it: if you handle the machines day-in, day-out with the issues they've got, I'd expect to change them every year." We have the same rule for our underwear, so that part should be easy to remember.
Microsoft responds to Xbox 360 54.2 percent failure rate report, doesn't dispute the data
Admittedly, when we saw Game Informer's survey that pegged Xbox 360's failure rate at 54.2 percent, we were thinking that was a bit steep of a number, possibly bumped up a few digits from some possible sampling errors. So when we were gearing up to read Microsoft's statement responding to the data, we fully expected some harsh rebuttal of the number. Turns out we got disappointed. A spokesperson for Redmond pointed to its superior entertainment value, its "best warranty in the industry" and its "constantly improving design, manufacture, and performance." At no point is there a dispute or even direct reference to the findings, which is really something that could've helped public perception on a nagging issue. How about taking a page from Fujifilm, eh Microsoft?
Game Informer: Xbox 360 at 54.2 percent failure rate
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/17/game-informer-xbox-360-at-54-2-percent-failure-rate/'; The latest issue of Game Informer contains a surprising statistic for anyone who's ever loved and lost their Microsoft-branded home console – according to their survey, in which over 5,000 console owners participated, the Xbox 360's current failure rate due to the Red Ring of Death, E74 or other hardware failure is 54.2 percent. They also calculated the relative death toll for PS3s due to the Yellow Light of Death (10.3 percent) and Wiis, due to ... well, we're not actually sure what color the Wii's light turns to upon its demise (6.8 percent). Unfortunately, for having the highest failure rate, survey participants also pinned Microsoft for having the least helpful customer service representatives. Not that it matters – later in the survey, only 3.8 percent of participants said they'd never buy another Xbox 360 due to its high failure rate. Speaking of which, we're not sure what future techno-utopia this poll was conducted in, but a 54.2 percent Xbox 360 failure rate sounds awfully low. Had the survey's participants been comprised entirely of Joystiq staffers, it would have been a bone-chilling 100 percent. [Via Consumerist]
PSA: E74 victims should have received refund check by now
If your Xbox 360 fell victim to the E74 error and you paid Microsoft for the repair, you should have received a refund check back from the company by today. If you paid for a repair and have yet to receive a check, you'll need to follow up with Microsoft before the hard deadline of November 1, 2009. After that ... well, you're just going to have to eat it.The E74 error was placed under a similar warranty to that of the Xbox 360's "Red Ring of Death," after data revealed it was another widespread defect for the console. [Thanks, Matt L]
Microsoft ends Xbox 360 RROD "coffin" program, still paying for shipping
Getting an Xbox 360 RROD was never any fun, but at least getting it fixed was easy, since a quick phone call would get you a pre-paid "coffin" in which to send the broken console back for repairs. Not anymore -- although Redmond will still pay for return shipping, the company's beancounters have decided to axe the expense of sending custom packaging out to people who need repairs, meaning anyone who gets an RROD will need to pack things themselves. Not the end of the world, but we share Joystiq's take: just send it however you can, since MS is fixing it anyway, and then save the return carton in case something else goes wrong -- knowing the 360, it very well might.
Microsoft kills 'coffin' policy, time to pack your RRoD Xbox yourself
digg_url = "http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/08/microsoft-kills-coffin-policy-time-to-pack-your-rrod-xbox-you/"; Microsoft – the manufacturer of the RRoD-prone Xbox 360 – has confirmed to Joystiq that it's discontinued its policy of providing a prepaid box with shipping label, more commonly referred to as the "coffin," for all Xbox 360 repairs. As of May 26 the policy was discontinued "in an effort to expedite the repair process." Customers will have the option of receiving an e-label to slap on the box they ship their bricked consoles in, but the days of the "coffin" are now over. A Microsoft spokesperson tell us, "Customers can now ship their consoles themselves using an e-label provided by Microsoft and do not need to wait for an empty box to be shipped to them." Apparently Microsoft's accountants were getting tired of that budget line item signifying thousands of dollars spent on providing cardboard boxes to the millions of consumers with defective units (often multiple times). We likely should have seen the writing on the wall when we recently contacted Microsoft to find out what recourse customers had if customer service wasn't offering coffins.Our advice: Mail it to Microsoft in whatever packaging you've got lying around (remember: they're going to fix it regardless) and save the special, custom-fit packaging they mail it back to you in. Odds are you'll use it again.
3-year Xbox 360 warranty extended to cover E74 errors
It's been a difficult time for you, we know. While all your friends were getting the radical Red Ring of Death and happily cashing in on Microsoft's three-year Xbox 360 warranty, you had to make do with a decidedly less impressive (though equally cataclysmic) hardware failure, one that couldn't even manage to spit out more than a few crimson lights.But your lonely torment is at an end, with Microsoft ceasing its defection discrimination and revealing via the Xbox Support page that the mysterious E74 error is now covered by the RROD's three-year warranty. Microsoft has determined "that the E74 error message can indicate the general hardware failure that is associated with three flashing red lights error on the console," and will "refund to customers the amount paid for an out of warranty repair due to a general hardware failure associated with the e74 error message." If you don't automatically receive this refund by July 1, 2009, you'll need to claim one through xbox.com/support before November 1, 2009. Hooray! Welcome to the club, E74 victims! Um, sorry about your Xbox.[Thanks, Peter]
Reminder: Xbox 360 repairs should always have the option of a 'coffin'
We discussed it at the end of Episode 111 of X3F yesterday, but we continue to hear from folks that Microsoft's repair support isn't offering "coffins" to return busted consoles. Just to retread this issue, Microsoft confirmed to us a couple weeks ago that postage-paid boxes should be offered in "all scenarios, regardless of the repair." Furthermore, "this policy is global, not region-specific."To help those out who continue to have issues with this explicitly stated service, we've contacted Microsoft PR to ask what recourse customers have who are not being offered coffins. We will update as soon as we receive a response. We've placed the policy after the break for reference.
More survey data backs up Xbox 360's E74 increase
So, we only tracked around 60 incidences of E74 in our last batch of emails, so we thought you'd be interested in seeing the results after we cataloged the more than 170 emails we've received about E74 since our original piece went live.As you'll see, there's a huge increase of E74 claims since the launch of the New Xbox Experience. In fact, you can see a spike right around November, and many claiming an E74 in that month say it was just a day or two after installing the firmware. The evidence that we've gathered from emails, our poll and the Engadget poll all points to the same conclusion: There's been a definite increase in E74 errors since the NXE dropped. Whether that's due to a change in error reporting, a change in the way the system operates causing the error or simply increased use during that time, we can't say. Check past the jump for all the data.
Xbox 360 repairs should always have the option of a 'coffin'
With all this talk of the Xbox 360's E74 error, and the continued presence of the RRoD, we are reminded of former Microsoft executive Peter Moore's request that we not focus on the Xbox's problems, but rather on the quality of the repair service. To that end, we've received conflicting reports about whether consumers are being offered the option of receiving a box -- which has come to be known as "the coffin" -- from the company, when dealing with Microsoft's customer service in India. When we took a quick sampling earlier this week using Twitter, answers were all over the map, so we followed up with Microsoft to get a clear and direct answer.Reports that the company now requires consumers to find their own packaging when sending in an Xbox 360 for repair are "inaccurate," a Microsoft spokesperson told us. The company has always given two options and "this policy is global, not region-specific." Customers have the choice of either printing an e-Label (and providing their own box) or receiving a coffin from the company (this should take about five business days). The representative did "confirm that the same policy applies to all scenarios, regardless of the repair." So, just to clear up any future confusion: There should always be the option of receiving a coffin when dealing with an Xbox 360 repair scenario.Reference -- Official Microsoft repair FAQReference -- Online console repair support
