Microsoft admitting Xbox has a thermal issue?

[OutlawTorn]

In this story from Joystiq (http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/13/microsoft-beefs-up-xbox-360-cooling-freaking-finally/), it appears Microsoft is improving the cooling of the 360. If the heat generated from a 360 is, in fact, causing the red rings, why would Microsoft discourage people from using third-party products like the Intercooler?

Do any of you use an Intercooler and if so, what do you think. I disparaged these third-party cooling rigs as a waste, but now it seems as if it might help stave off the Red Rings.

[Bobby Beats]

The Nyko intercooler broken my 360 so i hope after they fix my 360 they'll add those heat stinks

[C0lin]

Next, Sony announces that the sky is blue.

[Funnydale]

The problem with the Intercooler is that it actually harms the Xbox 360 hardware. Since it attaches from the back, it steals power from where the power supply attaches to the back of the 360, causing system instability.

[Hendrix]

I've been running an intercooler ever since my first 360 died from overheating. The difference in the amount of air that it pulls through your 360, is very noticeable.

[Green]

I thought the Intercooler was a problem because it had a design flaw that channeled hot air right back into the system. I could be wrong though.

[Emptythought]

I thought the Intercooler was a problem because it had a design flaw that channeled hot air right back into the system. I could be wrong though.
this is WAY more likely than the power draw issue. the fans couldn't draw more than 4 watts or something, that's total crap. it's basically a pass-through. i would believe it has some design flaw like that though.

[Hyperion]

MS needs to send all current 360 owners a complementary phase cooling kit.

[JoEDigiTECH]

I wonder if computer and games in general will ever do away with fans and install AC units. There must be some way to recycle the condensation.

[kagemaru]

In this story from Joystiq (http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/13/microsoft-beefs-up-xbox-360-cooling-freaking-finally/), it appears Microsoft is improving the cooling of the 360. If the heat generated from a 360 is, in fact, causing the red rings, why would Microsoft discourage people from using third-party products like the Intercooler?

Do any of you use an Intercooler and if so, what do you think. I disparaged these third-party cooling rigs as a waste, but now it seems as if it might help stave off the Red Rings.

the red ring of death is not from overheating, it is the sign of a hardware failure, usually not from the heat sink but the x-clamp holding the heat sink itself. so basically this move is to shut people up no the thought of an overheating 360, when usually the people are wrong and there is an actual reason if your 360 heats up, not because it was designed to do so. basically there was no winning in this instance, now that microsoft changed the cooling system people will think that they were right and that there is a reason that microsoft is changing the system around, but if they didnt do anything people would still think that something is wrong and question why nothing is being done.

microsoft discourages the intercooler because its not needed and it saps power from the unit which is not good. yeah it does make your system a few degrees cooler but if it's "needed" for your system, then there is something wrong with your system and your just delaying the inevitable. take the PS3 for example, there have been less complaints about overheating ps3's but they still released an intercooler for that as well.

its nothing more then companies playing off of the fears of the consumer.

[Lord Moon]

Actually they've released "intercoolers" for the Xbox, PS2, and GameCube also. I don't ever remember hearing overheating problems for them.

[Vizruy]

About time they did something. I'm afraid my 30 will dye anytime now... However, I must admit that it has never had any problems at all.

[Hyperion]

I wonder if computer and games in general will ever do away with fans and install AC units. There must be some way to recycle the condensation.

It's been around for while now actually. If you're too lazy to assemble one your self you can get one of these ;-p
(http://www.asetek.com/content/view/51/101/)

If I'm not mistaken there are mods to install them on 360s already.

[JoEDigiTECH]

It's been around for while now actually. If you're too lazy to assemble one your self you can get one of these ;-p
(http://www.asetek.com/content/view/51/101/)

If I'm not mistaken there are mods to install them on 360s already.

Cool! <== Pun.

[OutlawTorn]

the red ring of death is not from overheating, it is the sign of a hardware failure, usually not from the heat sink but the x-clamp holding the heat sink itself.
If I understand correctly, the problem isn't overheating per-se, but the heat in the unit causing the board to warp, thereby placing stress on the solder points causing them to fail. So it may not be OVER-heating, but heating to a point where the hardware fails.
so basically this move is to shut people up no the thought of an overheating 360, when usually the people are wrong and there is an actual reason if your 360 heats up, not because it was designed to do so
but if they didnt do anything people would still think that something is wrong and question why nothing is being done.
Companies don't redesign a unit, change the manufacturing process, re-train workers on assembly just to throw a bone to its fear-filled consumers. Microsoft probably spent millions on the re-engineering of the box, getting it all to fit in the case, buying new parts from new suppliers, changing the manufacturing floor, and training employees on the new way to build the Boxes. ;)

I totally agree Microsoft is less than genuine with their official failure rates for the 360. I also agree they have an interest in downplaying the fact that their box dies way too often. I just don't think they redesign their box to cool better if they don't think there is an issue there. That being said, you guys have talked me down from the Intercooler buying ledge. :D

[jwg]

I wonder how many people who work for Microsoft have had their Xbox 360s break?

[kagemaru]

If I understand correctly, the problem isn't overheating per-se, but the heat in the unit causing the board to warp, thereby placing stress on the solder points causing them to fail. So it may not be OVER-heating, but heating to a point where the hardware fails.


Companies don't redesign a unit, change the manufacturing process, re-train workers on assembly just to throw a bone to its fear-filled consumers. Microsoft probably spent millions on the re-engineering of the box, getting it all to fit in the case, buying new parts from new suppliers, changing the manufacturing floor, and training employees on the new way to build the Boxes. ;)

I totally agree Microsoft is less than genuine with their official failure rates for the 360. I also agree they have an interest in downplaying the fact that their box dies way too often. I just don't think they redesign their box to cool better if they don't think there is an issue there. That being said, you guys have talked me down from the Intercooler buying ledge. :D

well your right on everything, i really dont care to assume either way because i havent had a problem with my 360 yet, and this is coming from someone who went through 4 DCs, 3 ps2s, and 3 xbox's last gen.

as for their revisions of the hardware, last i checked this would be their 5th or 6th revision to the hardware, so it does happen all of the time. while i agree that the original launch models were shakey, i dont see a reason to fear purchasing a 360 now even before this new cooling process was in place.

i understand that i am only applying my personal experience that many dont share, but it's all we really can go on.

[Alpha Factor]

I'll just wait till Microsoft releases an official fix for it. I'll probably get an Intercooler because my Xbox is getting around to actually putting red rings on games and I'd rather have the game freeze than it be ruined.

[Octocamo]

I didn't know where to post this so I decided this was a good place instead of making a new thread.

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/7415/pelicanairflo3602007061jk8.jpg

I was at Gamestop and saw this thing with the 360 accessories. There were a bunch of cheap ass Intercoolers for like $9.99, and I thought those voided your warranty so I didn't even check them out. But I saw one for $29.99 that caught my eye. It was the Pelican Xbox 360 Pro Cooler. It caught my eye because it had a VGA output and I've been wanting to buy the VGA cord for my 360 but it's like $40-60 just for a cord. I wasn't sure if it voided my warranty or not so I said I'd wait and do some research. Well I searched online and found out it doesn't void your warranty because it doesn't plug into the power part of the 360, just into the USB, etc.

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/1130/pelicanairflo3602007061lh7.jpg

Here's a review:

Everyone knows the Xbox 360 has a bit of a heating problem that can result in consoles kicking the bucket rather prematurely. Since launch we've seen numerous add-on cooling systems come to market, like Pelican's The Cooler (review) and Nyko's Intercooler 360 (review). Even Microsoft is somewhat surreptitiously working on making the console cooler via retrofitting additional heat sinks on repaired consoles, at least in Europe (story). Though the first consoles off the assembly lines (those manufactured before 2007) seem to be the most prone to developing the Red Eye of Death, newer consoles still encounter the issue, which will likely not be directly fixed by Microsoft until the long awaited 65nm CPUs go into full production, which speculation suggests will happen sometime this year.

Among the many add-on cooling solutions that have come to market, the differences between them have been pretty much restricted to how they draw power (USB or AC) and how they attach to the console (bottom or back). One, however, aims to do quite a bit more, and we've had our eye on it for months. Now finally shipping to retail, Pelican's Air Flo 360 goes where no add-on cooler has gone before and actually provides some rather interesting extra features in addition to a pair of cooling fans.

These extra features are, in fact, dedicated video outputs for each and every format the Xbox 360 supports, namely composite, S-Video, component, and VGA. Whereas owners in need of various outputs would previously have had to shell out a considerable amount of cash for specific dongle cables, the Air Flo 360 offers each and every output with no need for individual purchases. As such, all it takes to see if VGA looks better on your HDTV is a male-male VGA wire that is probably already kicking around the house. The diverse range of outputs are also useful for 360 gamers on the go, as carrying all the dongle wires to make sure you can play on your grandmother's ancient CRT as well as your computer monitor at work would be a serious hassle. The Air Flo 360 also expands the 360's single rear USB port into four, in case you're running short for some reason.

The install process is as simple as pressing the cooler evenly against the rear of the 360 so that each of its three connections (video, USB, Ethernet) seat properly in the 360's outputs. Once attached, a pair of sliding switches is used to designate the desired output format as specified by a chart printed on the Air Flo. The two cooling fans draw power from the 360's USB port, and as such are lower RPM than alternative cooling solutions that tap power from the 360's AC supply, like Nyko's new Intercooler EX (review). Though lower RPM fans move less air, they're also significantly quieter, and in the Air Flo 360's case are only slightly louder than the console's own cooling fans.

Pelican added a nice touch to the Air Flo 360 package by including a component video wire so as not to force owners to buy extra if they happen not to have a spare male-male wire on hand. The Air Flo 360's retail price of $29.99 is about $10 more than competing products, though considering the added features the Air Flo boasts, the price seems pretty reasonable. 360 owners feeling the need for some extra cooling and diverse video outputs are advised to check it out.

Performance
Provides extra cooling and the full range of Xbox 360 video outputs without a hitch.
9.5

Build Quality
Cast in 360-matching off-white plastic. Video output connections are apparently gold plated.
8.5

Audio Quality
Did not effect optical or RCA audio out in our testing.
10

Video Quality
Did not cause interference or degredation of video in our testing.
10

Ease of Use
Simply press the Air Flo 360 firmly on the rear of the console.
10

Value
$29.99 is more than other cooler add-ons, but the extra features offered by the Air Flo justifiy the increase.
8.0

OVERALL
9.3



I think I may spend the $30 and get it. If it cools my 360 AND I get to use VGA, that's pretty bad ass. Extra USB ports don't really matter, but it's nice to have them.

Gamestop page (http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=802686)
This all-in-one device features: a cooling fan, USB hub and Optical sound capabilities, as well as Component, S-Video, Composite, and VGA video outputs. USB hub adds three additional USB ports to your system, making it even easier to hook up MP3 players, digital cameras, and additional controllers! However, the best part about The AirFlo Cooler is that it keeps your system cool with out randomly shutting the power off during crucial gameplay. A set of bonus Component Video Cables are included.

[H.A.W.G.]

I just set up a small fan I had left over from my dorm room. put it behind my Entertainment Center ( Its in corner) it seemed to help alittle. Had no problems really. But it definatly stays cooler behind the Tv and Xbox, which cant be a bad thing