Xbox 360: Everything you need to know!

[SmokiestGrunl]

Xbox 360

 

Made By: Microsoft

 

Release Dates

US: April 28th 2007

Europe: August 24th 2007

Japan: October 11th 2007

Rest Of World: N/A

 

Special Edition Halo Console Release Dates

US: September 2007

Rest Of World: N/A

 

Premium and Core Release Dates

US: November 22nd 2005

Europe: December 2nd 2005

Japan: December 10th 2005

Rest Of World: Spring 2006

 

As of 8th August the 360 has had a US Price drop for all SKUs.

 

Prices:

 

Core: $299.99 U.S./âââ¬Å¡Ã¬299.99/Ãâã209.99: Core Edition

 

Premium: $349.99 U.S./âââ¬Å¡Ã¬399.99/Ãâã279.99: Premium Edition

 

Special Edition Halo: $399.99 U.S: Halo Edition

Elite: $449.99 US/̣̉329.99

 

 

 

 

You can buy the Xbox 360 in 4 configurations.

 

The 'Elite' package comes complete with:

[*] Xbox 360 Elite console. Sexy black styling that packs a punch âââ‰â¬Â three powerful core processors are poised to pump out 720p/1080i output, 16x9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound and DVD playback right out of the box. The Elite version of the console also supports HDMI.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Hard Drive (120 GB). 120 GB and detachable, the hard drive allows gamers to store their games, music, downloaded trailers, levels, demos and community-created content from Xbox Live Marketplace.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Black Xbox 360 Wireless Controller. Hassle-free high-performance precision wireless gaming features the Xbox Guide Button for quick access to digital movies, music and games libraries as well as a range and battery life of up to 30 feet and 30 hours of life on two AA batteries.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Faceplate. The removable Faceplate comes in stylish black and can be swapped out with custom Faceplates to reflect gamersâââ‰â¢ personalities or decor.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Headset. This lets gamers strategize with teammates or trash-talk opponents while playing games on Xbox Live.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Component HD-AV Cable. This connects gamers to the world of Xbox 360 games and graphics through high-definition and standard-definition connections.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox Live Silver membership. With this, gamers can chat with friends online, send and receive voice and text messages, and access new content from Xbox Live Marketplace demos such as trailers and casual games from Xbox Live Arcade.[/*:m:2qzhpcw8]

 

 

 

The 'Special Edition Halo' package comes complete with:

* Halo themed Xbox 360 Elite console. Sporting a special edition Halo paintcoat, this console has styling that packs a punch âââ‰â¬Â three powerful core processors are poised to pump out 720p/1080i output, 16x9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound and DVD playback right out of the box. The Elite version of the console also supports HDMI.

[*] Xbox 360 Hard Drive (20 GB). 20 GB and detachable, the hard drive allows gamers to store their games, music, downloaded trailers, levels, demos and community-created content from Xbox Live Marketplace.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Halo themed Wireless Controller. Hassle-free high-performance precision wireless gaming features the Xbox Guide Button for quick access to digital movies, music and games libraries as well as a range and battery life of up to 30 feet and 30 hours of life on two AA batteries.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Faceplate. The removable Faceplate comes in stylish black and can be swapped out with custom Faceplates to reflect gamersâââ‰â¢ personalities or decor.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Halo themed Xbox 360 Headset. This lets gamers strategize with teammates or trash-talk opponents while playing games on Xbox Live.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Component HD-AV Cable. This connects gamers to the world of Xbox 360 games and graphics through high-definition and standard-definition connections.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox Live Silver membership. With this, gamers can chat with friends online, send and receive voice and text messages, and access new content from Xbox Live Marketplace demos such as trailers and casual games from Xbox Live Arcade.[/*:m:2qzhpcw8]

 

 

The 'premium' package comes complete with:

 

• Sexy styling that packs a punch âââ‰â¬Â three powerful core processors are poised to pump out 720p/1080i output, 16x9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound and DVD playback right out of the box.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Hard Drive (20 GB). 20 GB and detachable, the hard drive allows gamers to store their games, music, downloaded trailers, levels, demos and community-created content from Xbox Live Marketplace.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Wireless Controller. Hassle-free high-performance precision wireless gaming features the Xbox Guide Button for quick access to digital movies, music and games libraries as well as a range and battery life of up to 30 feet and 30 hours of life on two AA batteries.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Faceplate. The removable Faceplate comes in stylish âââ¬Ãâchillâââ¬Ã (white) and can be swapped out with custom Faceplates to reflect gamersâââ‰â¢ personalities or decor.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Headset. This lets gamers strategize with teammates or trash-talk opponents while playing games on Xbox Live.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Component HD-AV Cable. This connects gamers to the world of Xbox 360 games and graphics through high-definition and standard-definition connections.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox Live Silver membership. With this, gamers can chat with friends online, send and receive voice and text messages, and access new content from Xbox Live Marketplace demos such as trailers and casual games from Xbox Live Arcade.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] A bonus Media Remote: Included for a limited time, the integrated control center for the entire digital experience lets consumers play DVDs, movies and music, as well as access their Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005-based PC's controls with a single remote.[/*:m:2qzhpcw8]

 

 

The 'core' package comes complete with:

 

• As with the premium edition, three powerful core processors pump out 720p/1080i output, 16x9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound and DVD playback right out of the box.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Controller. This wired controller features an extended nine-foot cable and a comfortable, enhanced ergonomic design.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Faceplate. Like no other console before, the Xbox 360 console allows customization and a removable Faceplate that comes in stylish âââ¬Ãâchillâââ¬Ã (white), which can be swapped out with other custom Faceplates to reflect gamersâââ‰â¢ personalities or decor.

[/*:m:2qzhpcw8][*] Xbox 360 Standard AV Cable. This connects gamers to the world of Xbox 360, delivering great next-generation graphics and games using standard-definition connections.[/*:m:2qzhpcw8]

 

 

Xbox 360 Specifications:

 

Custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU

âââ¬Ã¢ Three symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz each

âââ¬Ã¢ Two hardware threads per core; six hardware threads total

âââ¬Ã¢ VMX-128 vector unit per core; three total

âââ¬Ã¢ 128 VMX-128 registers per hardware thread

âââ¬Ã¢ 1 MB L2 cache

 

CPU Game Math Performance

âââ¬Ã¢ 9 billion dot product operations per second

 

Custom ATI Graphics Processor

âââ¬Ã¢ 10 MB of embedded DRAM

âââ¬Ã¢ 48-way parallel floating-point dynamically scheduled shader pipelines

âââ¬Ã¢ Unified shader architecture

 

Polygon Performance

âââ¬Ã¢ 500 million triangles per second

 

Pixel Fill Rate

âââ¬Ã¢ 16 gigasamples per second fill rate using 4x MSAA

 

Shader Performance

âââ¬Ã¢ 48 billion shader operations per second

 

Memory

âââ¬Ã¢ 512 MB of 700 MHz GDDR3 RAM

âââ¬Ã¢ Unified memory architecture

 

 

Memory Bandwidth

âââ¬Ã¢ 22.4 GB/s memory interface bus bandwidth

âââ¬Ã¢ 256 GB/s memory bandwidth to EDRAM

âââ¬Ã¢ 21.6 GB/s front-side bus

 

Overall System Floating-Point Performance

âââ¬Ã¢ 1 teraflop

 

Storage

âââ¬Ã¢ Detachable and upgradeable 20GB hard drive (Comes with Premium Package, must be bought separate if you did not buy Premium Package)

âââ¬Ã¢ 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM

âââ¬Ã¢ Memory Unit support starting at 64 MB

 

I/O

âââ¬Ã¢ Support for up to four wireless game controllers

âââ¬Ã¢ Three USB 2.0 ports

âââ¬Ã¢ Two memory unit slots

 

Optimised for Online

âââ¬Ã¢ Instant, out-of-the-box access to Xbox Live features with broadband service, including Xbox Live Marketplace for downloadable content, gamer profile for digital identity, and voice chat to talk to friends while playing games, watching movies, or listening to music

âââ¬Ã¢ Built-in Ethernet port

âââ¬Ã¢ Wi-Fi ready: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g

âââ¬Ã¢ Video camera ready

 

Digital Media Support

âââ¬Ã¢ Support for DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA CD, MP3 CD, JPEG Photo CD

âââ¬Ã¢ Ability to stream media from portable music devices, digital cameras and Windows XP-based PCs

âââ¬Ã¢ Ability to rip music to the Xbox 360 hard drive

âââ¬Ã¢ Custom playlists in every game

âââ¬Ã¢ Built-in Media Center Extender for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

âââ¬Ã¢ Interactive, full-screen 3-D visualizers

 

High-Definition Game Support

âââ¬Ã¢ All games supported at 16:9, 720p, and 1080i, anti-aliasing

âââ¬Ã¢ Standard-definition and high-definition video output supported

 

Audio

âââ¬Ã¢ Multi-channel surround sound output

âââ¬Ã¢ Supports 48KHz 16-bit audio

âââ¬Ã¢ 320 independent decompression channels

âââ¬Ã¢ 32-bit audio processing

âââ¬Ã¢ Over 256 audio channels

 

Physical Specs

âââ¬Ã¢ Height: 83 mm

âââ¬Ã¢ Width: 309 mm

âââ¬Ã¢ Depth: 258 mm

âââ¬Ã¢ Weight: 7.7 lbs.

 

System Orientation

âââ¬Ã¢ Stands vertically or horizontally

 

Players: 4 Per Machine, 2+ via Xbox Live

 

Customisable Face Plates

âââ¬Ã¢ Interchangeable to personalize the console

(estimated retail price $19.99 U.S./âââ¬Å¡Ã¬19.99/Ãâã14.99)

 

Vist the following link to see a few faceplates: [Click Here]

 

 

 

Upcoming Xbox 360 Games:

 

Halo 3

BioShock

Madden 08

Two Worlds

Stranglehold

Blue Dragon

Medal Of Honor: Airborne

Project Gotham Racing 4

NBa Live 08

Fifa 08

The Orange Box

Ace Combat 6

Jericho

Guitar Hero 3

Rock Band

Need For Speed ProStreet

The Simpsons Game

Virtua Fighter 5

Mass Effect

Army Of Two

Assassins Creed

Lost Odyssey

 

Most/All of these games have already been released.

 

All these games will arrive in the next year. (Bearing no delay)

 

Xbox Live

 

Multiple Levels of Service

On Xbox 360, you'll have a choice of service level. The Xbox Live Silver service means you can connect your Xbox 360 console to a broadband Internet connection and get functionality right out of the box. The premium Xbox Live Gold service delivers the complete online connection package. The breakdown is as follows:

 

Xbox Live Silver level

 

 

Create an online Gamer Profile

Access the Xbox Live Marketplace

Engage in voice and text messaging

Talk to a single friend at a time using voice chat

Receive video messages from Gold level members

Access massively multiplayer online games (additional fees may apply)

 

Xbox Live Gold level

 

All the features of Silver level, and additionally:

o Play multiplayer games online

o Video chat

o Multiplayer online tournaments

o Participate in Xbox Live online programming, such as Game with Fame, Play and Win, and Prime Time activities

 

Xbox Live Marketplace

 

The Xbox Live Marketplace will provide a one-stop shop for consumers to download new game trailers, demos, and episodic content, along with new game levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, âââ¬Ãâskins,âââ¬Ã and other types of new content on demand. The Xbox Live Marketplace is accessible to everyone who connects their Xbox 360 console to a broadband connection and creates an Xbox Live account.

 

Ubiquitous Chat

 

You can now voice chat with your friends anytime, while doing anything on your Xbox 360 system, regardless of subscription level. You no longer have to be playing the same game or be in the same game session to communicate; you can be playing a game while your friend is watching a movie, for example. Video chat will be available to all paying Xbox Live members. Requires Xbox 360 compatible headset for voice chat and Xbox 360 compatible camera for video chat.

 

Windows Live Messenger Integration

 

As part of the Spring update, Microsoft added integration with Windows Live Messenger. Gamers can access all their contacts from the console, and chat with them either via a fullscreen window, or a small overlay box. The future chatpad will seamlessly integrate with this feature.

Gamer Profile

 

On Xbox Live, every member will have his or her own gamer profile, which is a summary of their preferences, achievements, and online personality. Your gamer profile can be used for everything from deciding if the person who just sent you a friend request is worthy of addition to your Friends List to creating online matches between players who are more similar in background, styles, and skill. Elements of your gamer profile include the following:

 

Gamer card

 

Get a quick look at the key stats for your friend or that new player who just challenged you to a multiplayer match. Like a personal identification card, the gamer card gives you a quick overview of other personalities on Xbox Live: their Gamertag, Gamerzone, Achievements, Reputation, and Gamerscore. Gamer cards let you instantly connect with people with similar skills, interests, and lifestyles, as well as maintain bragging rights over your achievements and scores.

Gamerscore: A cumulative score of all achievements allows you to quickly compare profiles between other gamers.

Reputation: A rating provided by the community indicates how you are perceived by other players. Think of it as the Xbox Live equivalent of a reliability rating.

Gamerzone: Your Gamerzone indicates your style of social gaming. The choices are R&R, for those who just want to hang out and play without undue competitive stress; Pro, for those who are fiercely competitive and must win at all costs; Underground, for those who take an alternative approach to gaming; and Family, for those who want to make sure the environment they play in is kid-friendly.

Achievements: Whether offline or on, you can earn achievements and accolades in all Xbox 360 games to indicate progress, skill, and accomplishment. Taking achievements online lets you compare what you've accomplished with your friends, or use them as indicators of skill to new friends. Achievements are bragging rights redefined.

Intelligent Matchmaking

Using profile data such as location, Reputation, Gamerscore, and Gamerzone, the matchmaking system on Xbox Live will help ensure that you are matched with the users you want to play with.

 

Spectator Mode

 

This is the "virtual arcade," a chance for you to watch other gamers compete in supported titles. Games that support this feature will give you the ability to participate online without having to compete. Learn tips and tricks, or just sit back and enjoy the show.

 

Feedback

 

With Xbox 360, Xbox Live lets you provide feedback on other players that will determine how frequently you are matched with them. Give them a good rating, and matches will happen frequently if you're both available. Give them a bad rating, and you're far less likely to play with them online again.

User Safety and Security

 

The new, more robust safety and security features in Xbox 360 help parents control the online and offline game experiences of their children by determining whether they can play online and whom they play with, and by locking the console to play only games that meet a certain rating.

 

Message Center

 

All of your notifications, voice and video messages, and even system- and service-based communications will be stored in one location.

 

Enhanced Friends List

 

Not only will you be able to review a prospective friend's gamer card to help determine whether or not to add them to your Friends List, but you'll also be able to see your friends' Friends Lists.

 

Exclusive Programming

 

Xbox Live is "always on"âââ‰â¬Âsomething's always happening. The exclusive Prime Time Calendar is your destination for all information about events on Xbox Live. Play your favorite Xbox Live titles against real-world celebrity gamers through programs like Game with Fame and Mystery Gamer, and participate in unique promotions like "Play and Win."

 

Tournaments and Competitions

 

Xbox Live-sponsored tournaments will continue across a multitude of different titles and genres. More and more games will also support gamer-created tournaments on Xbox Live for Xbox 360.

The Xbox Live Service

 

Xbox Live remains the paramount leader in online games and entertainmentâââ‰â¬Âit's the world's first global, unified online console games service that quickly and easily connects friends around the world.

 

More than 85 broadband providers in 24 countries offer broadband plans that are certified as "Xbox Compatible." The Xbox Compatible program helps gamers identify broadband packages and equipment that let them connect to Xbox Live quickly and intuitively, making it even easier to enjoy Xbox Live.

 

Xbox Live offers the only comprehensive, high-performance unified online console gaming service without the hassle of wires. The Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter offers a simple setup process that easily configures the adapter to a network, and powerful security through an exclusive Xbox interface on the dashboard. Premier security features, including Wired Equivalent Privacy, help protect the network.

Availability

 

Xbox Live on the Xbox video game system is a global service currently available in the following 24 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Requirements

 

To experience Xbox Live on Xbox 360, you will need an Xbox 360 system and a broadband connection.

[hiddenspoiler=Credit:2qzhpcw8]Giga Phil, IGN & CVG[/hiddenspoiler:2qzhpcw8]

[Curtis]

Whoa...

 

Nice post. That's allot of info.

[iBotPeaches]

Some of the core 360 stats, of the harddrive info. Really helped me out. Thanks.