(DEAD) Xbox LIVE Labs: Earn Avatar Gear for network tests

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Xbox LIVE Labs has been added to the dashboard. The first phase is a series of network tests. After each test has completed, an avatar award will unlock:

30 mins: Lab Technician - Lab Coat
1 hr: Senior Research Analyst - Brain Helmet
6 hrs: Mad "360" Scientist - Crazy Wig

Download (and run) the program from the My Community tab.

Offer ends on the 27th of March.
 
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I wish they'd do more of this sort of thing. I'm more than willing to let them run tests for free things. Thanks to the OP. I never check the community section so I wouldn't have known about this without you.
 
[quote name='Surreal_Sunshine']I wish they'd do more of this sort of thing. I'm more than willing to let them run tests for free things. Thanks to the OP. I never check the community section so I wouldn't have known about this without you.[/QUOTE]

My pleasure. According to Larry Hyrb, this is the first in a series LIVE Labs testing applications. Hopefully there will be more free content in the future!
 
So it looks like it's cumulative. So it's not 30 minutes, then 1 hour, then 6. You can just run it straight for 6 hours.

I'll let it run then. I've been up all night and am going back to sleep soon. When I wake up, silly avatar gear awaits!
 
It's some kind of optional testing you can do, to help Microsoft improve XBOX LIVE.

You can do 3 tests and receive free scientist avatar gears including a lab coat, brain helmet, and crazy mad scientist hair .

You can download and access it through your Community page on your dashboard.

You will not be able to participate in other Xbox LIVE activities, such as gaming, watching movies or downloading music, while running Xbox LIVE Labs, and your Internet connectivity may be slower than usual.

source : http://majornelson.com/archive/2011/03/10/xbox-live-labs.aspx

FREE AVATAR AWARDS :bouncy:
 
[quote name='Necrozilla']No online gaming... so they're just testing dashboard advertising speed or what?[/QUOTE]

It's an app you run on your 360, like Netflix, except all it does is display progress bars and your avatar in a glowing light.

I'm just starting it up and going to sleep, easily getting the 6 hours out of the way and waking up to all my "free" crap.
 
Yep. The program begins with the half hour "test" each time it's started. Once that has completed, it will apply all accumulated time toward the remaining two levels.
 
Will do this tonight, overnight. I guess since avatar stuff is tied to the account, my kids will also have to do this. Oh well. Three nights and we'll all have all the stuff.
 
[quote name='token2k6']wait, so this is the equivalent of folding@home? way to go MSFT..lets copy all ideas from 5 years ago..[/QUOTE]

Achievement points say hi.
 
I wonder what they are working on that brought about the need for testing? Either way improvements are always a plus
 
[quote name='token2k6']wait, so this is the equivalent of folding@home? way to go MSFT..lets copy all ideas from 5 years ago..[/QUOTE]

Seti@home says hi to folding@home. Welcome to the 90's, don't act like the folding is an original idea. It's great that it can help research but that doesn't make it the first.
 
Running the tests now.

I'm kinda curious about the "large amounts of data" warning. How much do they consider large? I shouldn't have to worry about it, but it's odd they mention it but not say how much.
 
Wow that's a lot of cycles and network usuage of my equipment for basically no reward. I think I'll be passing on this stuff.
 
[quote name='typical guy']Seti@home says hi to folding@home. Welcome to the 90's, don't act like the folding is an original idea. It's great that it can help research but that doesn't make it the first.[/QUOTE]

haha, yeah I went to the wiki page after I posted Oh well, who am I kidding, I'm still going to try this out when I get home :D
 
[quote name='DurbanBrown']is it 6hrs straight? or total?[/QUOTE]

From what I've been monitoring on my Xbox, the first 30 minutes has to be run with no interruption. After 30 minutes, you get an "achievement" and the 1st test's Avatar award.

Then for the 2nd test of 1 hour, just leave it on for 30 more minutes after the 1st test to unlock that "achievement" and Avatar award. Finally, you'll have 5 more hours remaining until you get the 3rd and final "achievement" and Avatar award. The 2nd and 3rd tests can be stopped if you happen to exit out of the Labs app and resumed later. It'll pick up right where you left off the last time so don't worry about it starting all over again.
 
Do we have any idea how demanding these tests are, as far as the delicate little flower that is the 360? Free things are nice and all, but not if they involve sprinting toward the RLOD Finish Line.
 
Anyone else get the feeling they're using this opportunity for something else. Like checking for glitched achievements, modded consoles, game saving, etc.?
 
[quote name='drawingboard']Anyone else get the feeling they're using this opportunity for something else. Like checking for glitched achievements, modded consoles, game saving, etc.?[/QUOTE]

Quick checks like these probably occur every time you log onto Live.

[quote name='malethief']I wonder what they are working on that brought about the need for testing? Either way improvements are always a plus[/QUOTE]
I just read a news story that MS is considering bringing an IPTV software package to Live. I'm sure the info they gather can be useful in a number of other ways though.

[quote name='nnthomas']Probably testing for Gears 3 servers...[/QUOTE]
They took steps towards that with some stealth tests for select Gears 2 games.
 
[quote name='typical guy']Seti@home says hi to folding@home. Welcome to the 90's, don't act like the folding is an original idea. It's great that it can help research but that doesn't make it the first.[/QUOTE]
ETgohome says hi from the 80s
 
[quote name='drawingboard']Anyone else get the feeling they're using this opportunity for something else.[/QUOTE]
I was thinking it might be an opportunity for MS to kill some old consoles. ;)
Doing it anyway though while I'm at work.
 
So, I got the 30 minute continuous one done and then ended the tests. Going back in, it has me doing a 30 minute continuous again, so hopefully I'll get the 1 hour cumulative as that finishes? It looks if anything that you might have to at least do 30 minute chunks?
 
If they were offering marketplace points I might do this. But for crappy Avatar awards, MS gets nothing from me.
 
[quote name='Wario64']Too bad they're not finding a cure for cancer[/QUOTE]
You mean they're not pretending to find a cure for cancer like the people at Sony lied about for years you mean.

Simple mistake I know
 
I'd be down for a lab coat. I'll have that harrison ford look going on in that movie with Brendan Fraser where he has the two sick kids but they really only pay attention to the girl being sick the whole movie.
 
Yup I just started this and checked my router. This thing is maxing my internet connection using as much bandwidth as available.

If I'm able to let this thing go to completion I'll try and let you guys know how much total bandwidth this thing chews up. I bet it's alot.
 
Okay so I've been sitting here monitoring my console and watching my router activity for the last hour or so. I have some interesting news for anyone who is curious.

As for the console, after over an hour there's almost no heat and what seems to be very little hard drive activity. Keep in mind this is with a newer Jasper arcade console, so the older consoles might be a bit hotter. Either way, I don't think it's enough to cause a RRoD on an older console as long as its ventilated well.

Second of all, the warning about "large amounts of data" IS NOT A JOKE. On average my console has been receiving about 600-800mb of data per 10 minutes on my connection. Roughly on average about 250-300mb per 5 minute periods. Over a period of 6 hours at 250mb per 5 minutes the total data transfer for incoming data alone would be roughly 17.5gb.

So if you are a Comcast customer or use an ISP that has a monthly cap. I suggest you watch your data usage if you decide to run this through completely. I use Comcast with a 250gb/mo cap and I already get close sometimes.
 
[quote name='Thrinn']Quick checks like these probably occur every time you log onto Live.[/QUOTE]
I know people that have used modded systems for years now, and haven't been busted yet. Same thing for achievement glitchers. Fortunately, most of them have been reset by now (after a year or 2 of getting away with it), but there's still many that exist.
I'm still hoping this is a legit way to improve connectivity and decrease lag/latency issues. Here's hoping they forward they're info to the Bad Company 2 servers.
 
[quote name='Jaysonguy']You mean they're not pretending to find a cure for cancer like the people at Sony lied about for years you mean.

Simple mistake I know[/QUOTE]
Folding@home doesn't have the sole purpose of just finding a cure for cancer, but rather a better understanding of how it works. It also focuses on Alzheimer's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Malaria, Parkinson's, and other aspects.

I don't think anyone expected a message to pop-up on their screen saying "Congratulations, your PS3 was the one that just found the cure for cancer". I'm not clear on how Sony lied about anything in this regard, especially when they aren't the ones running the project. Care to explain?
 
I'm really wondering what kind of into they're sending back and forth. I wonder if it's some kind of new data transfer system they're testing to improve large file's dl speed.
 
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