nixts
10-13-2005, 07:49 PM
Although I'm not a fan of GamePro, they revealed the first details regarding the backwards compatibility of the Xbox Debug unit. Out of the box, only two titles they tested were compatible; Halo and Halo 2. According to their editors, they tried dozens of first and third party titles, but none of them work on the finished Debug unit. Microsoft reportedly advised them that patches will be available on their website at launch for other titles. After posting the article and several pictures, Microsoft reportedly asked them to remove the article this morning. Nevertheless, here it is:
After months and months of waiting, a little *****ing, and some humiliating spurts of crying, Microsoft finally came through and delivered our first and only Xbox 360 debug unit. Joy! Of course, with zero games to play, we thought it the perfect time to take an in-depth first hands-on with the new console, its multimedia support, backwards compatibly, and other dashboard functions--basically all that it's capable of. So let's get to it!
As we hastily cracked open the box, the first thing we noticed is just how slick the 360 actually is. It does have some weight to it (comparable to the first Xbox), though its smooth corners and sleek white casing make it seem lighter than it really is.
Our unit included the add-on 20GB hard drive that snaps onto the left side of the console (or the top, if standing up). Also included in the box was a memory card, two wired controllers, a massive AC adapter, an Ethernet cable, and a slew of AV connection cables, including component, RCA, and VGA, all with built-in optical audio out ports.
When the unit is turned on, the first thing that loads up on the dashboard is the Xbox Live screen. From here you can view your Xbox Live profiles, join Xbox Live (if you're not already a member), or recover a Gamertag from Xbox Live. By pressing to the right on the d-pad or the left analog stick, you can scroll to the next dashboard screen, the games menu. From here you can create a gamer profile, connect to Xbox Live Arcade, and watch game demos and trailers.
The third dashboard screen is the media menu. Here you can manage all your multimedia content including music, pictures, and video. It also gives you the option of connecting to a Windows Media Center enabled PC. And, though we could hardly believe it, the 360 accepts connection from virtually any USB media storage device to the console via the front USB ports. We tested an iPod, which was immediately recognized by the console and is fully compatible.
Once connected, you can hop right into the music, picture, or video menus and select your iPod (or other multimedia device) from the drive list, and easily navigate though files. Music can be played from this menu, which also allows for custom playlist creation on the 360. Simply load up songs or albums from your portable player to create playlists that can be played in game. The dashboard can also be accessed at anytime during a game by pressing the center button on the controller (the unit console can also be shut down directly from the controller by holding the center button down for a few seconds).
While it is be a little bulky, the hard drive unit doesn't look at all protrusive when attached to the console. In fact, with the HDD removed (it pops right off), the 360 itself looks a little bare. And, the concave-in design of the 360 makes it fit perfectly on top of the original Xbox (finally, something fits on top of the Xbox without sliding off the sides!).
DVD movies play right out of the box this time, though if you want the most out of this movie player, you'll have to buy the supplemental DVD remote. But, if you have a wireless controller, you can probably make do.
Lastly, and most importantly, came our backwards compatibility test. Our hopes were high as the 360 played the first game we threw at it: Halo 2. Hooray! All the speculation indeed turned out to be true and, performance wise, the game plays exactly the same, if not better than on the original Xbox, with no slowdown or hiccups. Interestingly, the textures seemed more crisp, perhaps due to the more advanced anti-aliasing. Of course, the console choked on every other first and third party game we threw at, with one exception, the original Halo. Go figure. Apparently, game publishers and developers will provide patches to enable backwards compatibility for download in the near future.
We are happy to say that our first experience with the Xbox 360 was definitely a good one. Apple iPod support and Halo 2 compatibility right out of the box...how can you not be happy with that? We'll definitely be back to report when we power this baby up for some real next-gen gameplay.
After months and months of waiting, a little *****ing, and some humiliating spurts of crying, Microsoft finally came through and delivered our first and only Xbox 360 debug unit. Joy! Of course, with zero games to play, we thought it the perfect time to take an in-depth first hands-on with the new console, its multimedia support, backwards compatibly, and other dashboard functions--basically all that it's capable of. So let's get to it!
As we hastily cracked open the box, the first thing we noticed is just how slick the 360 actually is. It does have some weight to it (comparable to the first Xbox), though its smooth corners and sleek white casing make it seem lighter than it really is.
Our unit included the add-on 20GB hard drive that snaps onto the left side of the console (or the top, if standing up). Also included in the box was a memory card, two wired controllers, a massive AC adapter, an Ethernet cable, and a slew of AV connection cables, including component, RCA, and VGA, all with built-in optical audio out ports.
When the unit is turned on, the first thing that loads up on the dashboard is the Xbox Live screen. From here you can view your Xbox Live profiles, join Xbox Live (if you're not already a member), or recover a Gamertag from Xbox Live. By pressing to the right on the d-pad or the left analog stick, you can scroll to the next dashboard screen, the games menu. From here you can create a gamer profile, connect to Xbox Live Arcade, and watch game demos and trailers.
The third dashboard screen is the media menu. Here you can manage all your multimedia content including music, pictures, and video. It also gives you the option of connecting to a Windows Media Center enabled PC. And, though we could hardly believe it, the 360 accepts connection from virtually any USB media storage device to the console via the front USB ports. We tested an iPod, which was immediately recognized by the console and is fully compatible.
Once connected, you can hop right into the music, picture, or video menus and select your iPod (or other multimedia device) from the drive list, and easily navigate though files. Music can be played from this menu, which also allows for custom playlist creation on the 360. Simply load up songs or albums from your portable player to create playlists that can be played in game. The dashboard can also be accessed at anytime during a game by pressing the center button on the controller (the unit console can also be shut down directly from the controller by holding the center button down for a few seconds).
While it is be a little bulky, the hard drive unit doesn't look at all protrusive when attached to the console. In fact, with the HDD removed (it pops right off), the 360 itself looks a little bare. And, the concave-in design of the 360 makes it fit perfectly on top of the original Xbox (finally, something fits on top of the Xbox without sliding off the sides!).
DVD movies play right out of the box this time, though if you want the most out of this movie player, you'll have to buy the supplemental DVD remote. But, if you have a wireless controller, you can probably make do.
Lastly, and most importantly, came our backwards compatibility test. Our hopes were high as the 360 played the first game we threw at it: Halo 2. Hooray! All the speculation indeed turned out to be true and, performance wise, the game plays exactly the same, if not better than on the original Xbox, with no slowdown or hiccups. Interestingly, the textures seemed more crisp, perhaps due to the more advanced anti-aliasing. Of course, the console choked on every other first and third party game we threw at, with one exception, the original Halo. Go figure. Apparently, game publishers and developers will provide patches to enable backwards compatibility for download in the near future.
We are happy to say that our first experience with the Xbox 360 was definitely a good one. Apple iPod support and Halo 2 compatibility right out of the box...how can you not be happy with that? We'll definitely be back to report when we power this baby up for some real next-gen gameplay.