whats the difference between disk drives for the xbox?

[Ahadi]

sorry if this has already been posted before, i get a script error when i try and use the search feature.

but what is the difference between the two types of disk drives?

[Rozz]

There are three types

Thompson - The crappy one with disc drive errors, and unfortunately the one I am stuck with. Also doesent let you play any cd-r discs


Philips - Better than the Thompson, and plays certain types of non official discs

Samsung - The best, and rarest Xbox hard drive. My lucky friend has one

[dafoomie]

There are 4 now (5 actually).

Thompson was the first, and the worst. Can't read CD-R, and will fail over time. They don't use them anymore.

Phillips was second, and not bad, can't read certain dvd media though.

Samsung is very good, can read almost anything.

Phillips (ver 2) is as good or better than the Samsung. The newer Phillips drives are different, and better, but look the same.

The newest drive is the Hitachi/LG, which has appeared in Xboxes manufactured after September. Can't read CD-R. Looks only slightly better than the Thompson. The drive tray looks almost exactly like a Thompson, but a little wider, and with screws.

http://home.comcast.net/~dafoomie/drives2.jpg

[Ahadi]

aww....ive got the thomson.

which version is in the newer xboxs, ive been meaning to get a new one and this could very well be the excuse to fork up the money.

[TJordan522]

Is there any way to tell what drive the Xbox has while it's still in the box?

[TheRock88]

Wow, never knew that. Just got my Xbox yesterday and checked out the disk tray right now and it's a Phillips based on dafoomie's pics. Does that mean it will read my cd-r's? Cause I want to upload some songs onto the HD.

[dafoomie]

Is there any way to tell what drive the Xbox has while it's still in the box?
Sorta, from the date. There was a list, but its very outdated. I think if you buy a holiday bundle, its a new Phillips. If its a very recent manufacture date, you may get the LG/Hitachi.

If you buy used/refurbished, they'll let you just take it out and check. But I don't think you'll run into a Thompson in a new Xbox.

Wow, never knew that. Just got my Xbox yesterday and checked out the disk tray right now and it's a Phillips based on dafoomie's pics. Does that mean it will read my cd-r's? Cause I want to upload some songs onto the HD.
It should. Try it. If it doesn't work, try different brands of CD-R.

[Mr.Answer]

strange, looking at the pictures I have a Hitachi--but I bought my xbox about 2 years ago. When you say 'new' what timeframe is 'newer model"?

[mmn]

Wow, never knew that. Just got my Xbox yesterday and checked out the disk tray right now and it's a Phillips based on dafoomie's pics. Does that mean it will read my cd-r's? Cause I want to upload some songs onto the HD.

Use CD-RW. All Xboxes read CD-RW.

[dafoomie]

strange, looking at the pictures I have a Hitachi--but I bought my xbox about 2 years ago. When you say 'new' what timeframe is 'newer model"?
Made after September 2004. I think you have a Thompson.

[PenguinMaster]

Thompson - The crappy one with disc drive errors, and unfortunately the one I am stuck with. Also doesent let you play any cd-r discs

The thompson I used to have let me play all music cd-r.

[ananag112]

Thanks for the info dafoomie. I didn't know about the Philips version 2 drives and the new Hitachi ones.

[TJordan522]

I have a Phillips...I guess there is no way to tell what version? I bought the Xbox in October.

[mmn]

I have a Phillips...I guess there is no way to tell what version? I bought the Xbox in October.

If it's the holiday bundle its the Phillips ver. 2. Same one I have.

[bignick]

I still dont understand why people bitch about the thompson. Tons of people have had them since launch with zero problems.

[dafoomie]

I still dont understand why people bitch about the thompson. Tons of people have had them since launch with zero problems.
Because far more people have had problems than should. Even if its "only" a 33% failure rate or so over time, thats unacceptable.

I have two launch day Xboxes with Thompsons, and they're both failing. Tons of people have had problems. Not everyone, but enough to avoid the drive.

[Kaijufan]

Isn't their a class action lawsuit against Microsoft because of the Xbox DVD drives? Maybe they will start fixing all of them for free like Sony, which would be nice.

[TJordan522]

I have a Phillips...I guess there is no way to tell what version? I bought the Xbox in October.

If it's the holiday bundle its the Phillips ver. 2. Same one I have.

It's not. I bought my Xbox right before the bundle came out which royally pissed me off.

[TJordan522]

Does that mean it will read my cd-r's? Cause I want to upload some songs onto the HD.

My Phillips plays most types of CDRs. I haven't tried a CDRW yet.

[minqqq]

sweet, i have a samsung! and it's the holiday bundled xbox.

[doubledown]

I believe I have a Phillips, came in the HALO LE XBOX......not sure which version, but it has worked fine thus far.

[mmn]

I thought all the Halo ones had Samsung drives. Interesting.

[doubledown]

I think I have a Hitachi Drive in a 2nd XBOX I just bought also

[screwkick]

Awesome...I got a Samaung drive in my XBOX. :lol:

[screwkick]

There are 4 now (5 actually).

Thompson was the first, and the worst. Can't read CD-R, and will fail over time. They don't use them anymore.

Phillips was second, and not bad, can't read certain dvd media though.

Samsung is very good, can read almost anything.

Phillips (ver 2) is as good or better than the Samsung. The newer Phillips drives are different, and better, but look the same.

The newest drive is the Hitachi/LG, which has appeared in Xboxes manufactured after September. Can't read CD-R. Looks only slightly better than the Thompson. The drive tray looks almost exactly like a Thompson, but a little wider, and with screws.

http://home.comcast.net/~dafoomie/drives2.jpg

Where did you get this info and picture?

[dafoomie]

There are 4 now (5 actually).

Thompson was the first, and the worst. Can't read CD-R, and will fail over time. They don't use them anymore.

Phillips was second, and not bad, can't read certain dvd media though.

Samsung is very good, can read almost anything.

Phillips (ver 2) is as good or better than the Samsung. The newer Phillips drives are different, and better, but look the same.

The newest drive is the Hitachi/LG, which has appeared in Xboxes manufactured after September. Can't read CD-R. Looks only slightly better than the Thompson. The drive tray looks almost exactly like a Thompson, but a little wider, and with screws.

http://home.comcast.net/~dafoomie/drives2.jpg

Where did you get this info and picture?
I made the picture out of 4 separate pictures from the xbox linux site mostly. Theres a site with info called xbox-scene.com that is pretty good.
http://www.xbox-scene.com

[Trakan]

I thought all the Halo ones had Samsung drives. Interesting.

I also have a Phillips drive in my Halo Edition Xbox.

[Ledhed]

I thought all the Halo ones had Samsung drives. Interesting.

I also have a Halo XB with a Phillips. I imagine it's a ver. 2, though I can't be sure.

[onikage]

I still dont understand why people bitch about the thompson. Tons of people have had them since launch with zero problems.

Include me in those "tons of people", I have yet to have a problem.

[CappyCobra]

I still dont understand why people bitch about the thompson. Tons of people have had them since launch with zero problems.
People bitch about the Thompson because they paid $300 for a paperweight after a year of use.

[mmn]

I still dont understand why people bitch about the thompson. Tons of people have had them since launch with zero problems.
People bitch about the Thompson because they paid $300 for a paperweight after a year of use.

No intelligent gamer buys a console at release for that specific reason.

[supadupacheap]

I have a Phillips...I guess there is no way to tell what version? I bought the Xbox in October.

If it's the holiday bundle its the Phillips ver. 2. Same one I have.

Au contrair mon frere. I got a holiday bundle and it had a samsung. Ive also heard of a thompson pulled from one too. Its much like the halo xboxes. People have gotten all sorts of drives in those. Its all crazy.

[cdeener]

posting for reminder when I get home so I can tell which Xbox drive I have so that I might be able to get GTA: SA and not have problems because of having a Thompson Drive.

[swetooth9]

for the thompson ones that fail often, do they just not read a disc when you put it in? or do they also fail in the middle of playing?

thanks