The title pretty much sums it up. I bought my 360 from Target about a year and a half ago. Before the extension to 3 year RROD coverage. Bought the 3year, $30 extended electronics warranty for piece of mind.

Fire up GOW2 last night and immediately freezes and when rebooted, RROD.

Long story short, been on the phone this morning with target and all they claim to be able to do is refer me to MS. They won't even file a claim for the console if it has RROD, not to mention the possibility of in store exchange.

Yea most of you probably knew this already or don't care, but I am just pissed and venting because my box just died the day before a 4 day holiday weekend. I cancelled travel plans to go home specifically so I could get some things done around the house, including catching up on some overdue gaming with the GF gone and all.

So, what are my options. I have already considered a $199 arcade. Anyone know if people are buying used 360's without the HD cable pack, HDD, and headset? What could i get on ebay, $50?

The title pretty much sums it up. I bought my 360 from Target about a year and a half ago. Before the extension to 3 year RROD coverage. Bought the 3year, $30 extended electronics warranty for piece of mind.

Fire up GOW2 last night and immediately freezes and when rebooted, RROD.

Long story short, been on the phone this morning with target and all they claim to be able to do is refer me to MS. They won't even file a claim for the console if it has RROD, not to mention the possibility of in store exchange.

Yea most of you probably knew this already or don't care, but I am just pissed and venting because my box just died the day before a 4 day holiday weekend. I cancelled travel plans to go home specifically so I could get some things done around the house, including catching up on some overdue gaming with the GF gone and all.

So, what are my options. I have already considered a $199 arcade. Anyone know if people are buying used 360's without the HD cable pack, HDD, and headset? What could i get on ebay, $50?

Grab a 200 dollar Arcade. Put your HD or memory card in it. Send your original back to MS for repair. When you get it back, ebay it to recoup some of the cost of the Arcade.

1.5 years ago, you are highly likely to have a system that isn't even a Falcon mobo. You will be happeir w/ your new Xbox as it will run cooler and quieter. Doubt you'll get a Jasper mobo as there are none sighted *yet*. But with a system as old as yours, you will likely be pleasantly surprised w/ the Falcon.

My 2 cents.

Jopopsy

PS, FWIW, I got a 40 dollar PRP from Gamestop. Its only 1 year, but they WILL replace it.

My advice (which is what I did after my first 360 RROD'd) - get Microsoft to repair your broken 360 and throw it on eBay (clearly stating that it is a refurbished console). Buy a new 360 on Black Friday from Best Buy (I think they have a deal going on with extra games) and purchase the extended warranty. If anything goes wrong with that one, you can swap it out in the store very easily.

Well, thats one vote for the new arcade. Any ideas what a used system is selling for.

Also, does the arcade come with the HD AV cable or just SD?

And yes, my unit is pre-HDMI (surely pre falcon) so that would be a nice bonus to. Although my TV does accept 1080p over component. I would definately welcome a quieter system though.

Edit: 2 votes, another while I was writing this

if you don't mind buying another one.....now's a good time with sales and all. but if you don't need another one (my case), i simply purchased a Costco or Sam's club membership, bought one and used it for two months. once i got my elite back from ms, i simply returned it for full refund and even got a refund for my membership fees......worked with no issues.

Do not buy a used console, its more than likely junk or a banned unit. Do as the others suggested and pony up for a arcade model and slap your HD on it and go...sell the refurb turd when it comes back...

I also have the one year extended warr thru gamestop, which I had to use so I ponied up another $40 for another year and I really intended to "swap" it out beofre my year was up but I forgot..nopw I'm on my own when it fries

Do not buy a used console, its more than likely junk or a banned unit. Do as the others suggested and pony up for a arcade model and slap your HD on it and go...sell the refurb turd when it comes back...

I also have the one year extended warr thru gamestop, which I had to use so I ponied up another $40 for another year and I really intended to "swap" it out beofre my year was up but I forgot..nopw I'm on my own when it fries

Well I wasn't considering buying a used one myself. I was thinking of selling my refurbished one once I get it back and keeping a new arcade. But it is the attitude that you have that makes me wonder if I can even sell the refurbished box for more than $20.

I second the question regarding the arcade having HD cable pack. My elite rrod'd last night and I'm thinking about picking up an arcade for the meantime and then throwing it into the bedroom when the elite comes back.

Is there any reason I need to send optical audio out if I have an hdmi audio receiver and only use the xbox for gaming and netflix movies ( no DVD or HD DVD)?

I agree with buying the arcade for $200. Here is a semi deal and I am sure there are other deals around.

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=A2036136&cs=19&c=us&l=en&dgc=CJ&cid=24471&lid=566643#Overview

You get an extra controller, and a game free. Keep the controller, Sell your old core without a controller, and sell the game.

I second the question regarding the arcade having HD cable pack. My elite rrod'd last night and I'm thinking about picking up an arcade for the meantime and then throwing it into the bedroom when the elite comes back.

Is there any reason I need to send optical audio out if I have an hdmi audio receiver and only use the xbox for gaming and netflix movies ( no DVD or HD DVD)?

I have only the HDMI cable connected to my premium xbox. I get sound without issues.

Have you even bothered to search eBay's completed listings for used consoles? That would answer your question right there.

You'll get more than $20 from an older console because of the DVD drive. The new ones aren't hackable so they need an old drive to put in the new Lite-On DVD consoles. They then mod the old drive to tell the console it is a Lite-On drive (since that info is linked to the console). Even RROD consoles that haven't been repaired have value due to this.

Have you even bothered to search eBay's completed listings for used consoles? That would answer your question right there.

You'll get more than $20 from an older console because of the DVD drive. The new ones aren't hackable so they need an old drive to put in the new Lite-On DVD consoles. They then mod the old drive to tell the console it is a Lite-On drive (since that info is linked to the console). Even RROD consoles that haven't been repaired have value due to this.

Yea, I checked a little bit. There wasn't a lot of them out there. But it looks like anywhere between 50-150 depending on how lucky you are and what accessories or games are included.

MSFT has a deal where you can get a refurbished 20 gig HD for the Arcade for $20. Might be worth grabbing if you get the arcade, that way if you sell the RROD after repair, you can chuck a HD on there and get more money.

I would recommend just boxing it all up and just take it to a local target. I think that is your best bet. Easier to escalate to management if needed.

Jason

bottom line, there are no great black friday deals on Arcades this year, so you should look into the Target deal where you get a free $60 gift card with the purchase of a Pro. then just sell your refub 360 when you get it back from MS, along with pretty much everything that came with it, because everything you get with the new Pro is going to be bigger (60gig HDD) and better (HDMI compatible, lower wattage power brick, ect)...

i know you're probably not a big Target fan now, but this is the best 360 deal i've seen this black friday. either that, or buy a Pro (only because they don't sell Arcades) at Costco, and have peace of mind that you could return it at ANY time (for a full cash refund) if you ever have a problem with it because it falls under their lifetime return policy, as do their video games...

If this helps anyone

Black Friday is mere moments away, so before you hit the streets at unbelievable hours, prepare yourself with everything you need to know before you get shopping—after all, knowledge is power. I've prepared a one-stop crash course for Black Friday 2008, so get ready to get your read on, because this one is going to be a good one.

Before you go out and start shopping...

1. Find the ads: This is where it all begins. You can find scans of advertisements and other information from major retailers on a variety of sites, like bfads.net, blackfriday.info, and blackfriday.gottadeal.com, but my personal favorite Black Friday information source has been SlickDeals.net. SlickDeals.net has a constantly updated page with uploaded scans of all major Black Friday ads (located here), and the website also created a comprehensive Excel spreadsheet (located here) organizing all Black Friday items into one neat place, so getting a quick overview of items and prices won't require having to scan through tons of color ad pages. Once you've gotten a general idea of what you're interested in buying...
2. Prioritize your list: It's probably impossible to get every single thing that you want on Black Friday (I know it is for me), so prioritize your items so you know exactly what you're getting and where you're getting it. Try to have a printed list on hand with model numbers and prices for reference, because it's going to be hard to remember what's going on amidst all of the chaos.

3. Learn the rules: Many stores are having special store hours specifically for Black Friday. For instance, Best Buy, Sears, Circuit City, and Wal-Mart locations will be opening at 5:00am, while Kmart, Target, Meijer, and a few others will be opening at 6:00am. Additionally, some stores will be giving out tickets/vouchers several hours before opening, so be sure you know exactly what to expect before you you head out. Also, knowing the number of units in stock can be helpful—most ads usually print store minimums for reference, or if you're really hot for an item, scope out the store just before closing the night before, find the exact item's location, and remember it or stash it in a secret location.

4. Coordinate with others: If you can, go with at least one friend or family member. Not only will it help pass the time in the wee hours of the night, but having a friend/ally will also help you be able to pick up hot sale items, and they'll also be able to hold your place in line while if you should ever need a bathroom/food/random break. If you want "doorbuster" sale items from multiple locations, coordinate a "Strike Team" with other Black Friday adventurers to divide and conquer. Strength in numbers is always nice to have on your side. Additionally, if you can, try and make friends with others in line. This will not only help pass the time, but it will also keep order and will keep "line-jumping" to a minimum.

5. Pack accordingly: If you're thinking about waiting in line with just a coat, think again. As someone who has done many overnight camp-outs, I have to personally recommend that you bring a fold-out chair, a blanket, something to do (Nintendo DS or PSP is nice, or you can go old school with a book), snacks, and water. Trust me, if you're comfortable, the time will pass much faster, and you'll have a much better experience to remember.

Now, on to the deals!

I've taken a good, hard look at this year's Black Friday ads, and here are the ones that stood out as the best deals this year.

HDTVs: This year, the deals on HDTVs seem slim to none, but there still are some hidden gems if you look hard enough. Plasmas: Meijer will have a 42" 1080i GFM Plasma TV for only $499, and Circuit City will have a 42" Samsung Plasma for $699 (50" for $899). A 50" Panasonic Viera (nice) will be at Best Buy for $899 as well. LCDs: 32" Emerson LCD for $388 at Wal-Mart, 32" 1080p Sceptre LCD for $399 at MicroCenter, 42" 1080p Sylvania at Sears for $699 and a 46" Sharp 1080p LCD for $899. Best Buy will also have an Insignia 47" 1080p LCD for $999.

Laptops: As of now, the hot laptop spot this year will be at Best Buy—A Toshiba 15.4" Dual-Core Turion 64 X2 with 3GB of RAM and 120GB of hard-drive space for $379. Best Buy will also have a 14.1" HP Pavilion (nice size for working on the go) with Core 2 Duo technology, 3GB of RAM, and 160GB of hard-drive space for $499. For $100 more, you can get a printer included as well as more hard-drive space and more RAM.

Video games: If you're looking for an Xbox 360, there are a few pretty good deals floating around right now. Best Buy will have a $299 Xbox 360 Pro bundle which includes four games—Lego Indiana Jones, Kung-Fu Panda, NBA 2k9, and Tony Hawk. Another great deal is Wal-Mart's $199 Xbox 360 Arcade pack which includes Guitar Hero, but you will probably have to shell out extra cash for a hard drive down the road. Circuit City will also have an excellent deal—Xbox 360 Arcade with 20GB hard drive and an extra wireless controller for $199. This is a really great deal if you don't mind having a 20GB hard drive (not a huge deal in my opinion.) On the other hand, Playstation 3 deals are pretty much nonexistent, except for one bundle that includes Ratchet and Clank and a Casino Royale Blu-ray for $399. Another hot bundle will be the Guitar Hero III 2-player pack at Wal-Mart for $50 for Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii—expect those to be flying off the shelves.


http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/yoon/2506

What Target is doing is illegal. They cannot sell you an extended warranty policy that doesn't do anything. I would do what others have said and escalate this issue with management. Otherwise your state's attorney general would be my next contact.

If this helps anyone

Black Friday is mere moments away, so before you hit the streets at unbelievable hours, prepare yourself with everything you need to know before you get shopping—after all, knowledge is power. I've prepared a one-stop crash course for Black Friday 2008, so get ready to get your read on, because this one is going to be a good one.

Before you go out and start shopping...

1. Find the ads: This is where it all begins. You can find scans of advertisements and other information from major retailers on a variety of sites, like bfads.net, blackfriday.info, and blackfriday.gottadeal.com, but my personal favorite Black Friday information source has been SlickDeals.net. SlickDeals.net has a constantly updated page with uploaded scans of all major Black Friday ads (located here), and the website also created a comprehensive Excel spreadsheet (located here) organizing all Black Friday items into one neat place, so getting a quick overview of items and prices won't require having to scan through tons of color ad pages. Once you've gotten a general idea of what you're interested in buying...
2. Prioritize your list: It's probably impossible to get every single thing that you want on Black Friday (I know it is for me), so prioritize your items so you know exactly what you're getting and where you're getting it. Try to have a printed list on hand with model numbers and prices for reference, because it's going to be hard to remember what's going on amidst all of the chaos.

3. Learn the rules: Many stores are having special store hours specifically for Black Friday. For instance, Best Buy, Sears, Circuit City, and Wal-Mart locations will be opening at 5:00am, while Kmart, Target, Meijer, and a few others will be opening at 6:00am. Additionally, some stores will be giving out tickets/vouchers several hours before opening, so be sure you know exactly what to expect before you you head out. Also, knowing the number of units in stock can be helpful—most ads usually print store minimums for reference, or if you're really hot for an item, scope out the store just before closing the night before, find the exact item's location, and remember it or stash it in a secret location.

4. Coordinate with others: If you can, go with at least one friend or family member. Not only will it help pass the time in the wee hours of the night, but having a friend/ally will also help you be able to pick up hot sale items, and they'll also be able to hold your place in line while if you should ever need a bathroom/food/random break. If you want "doorbuster" sale items from multiple locations, coordinate a "Strike Team" with other Black Friday adventurers to divide and conquer. Strength in numbers is always nice to have on your side. Additionally, if you can, try and make friends with others in line. This will not only help pass the time, but it will also keep order and will keep "line-jumping" to a minimum.

5. Pack accordingly: If you're thinking about waiting in line with just a coat, think again. As someone who has done many overnight camp-outs, I have to personally recommend that you bring a fold-out chair, a blanket, something to do (Nintendo DS or PSP is nice, or you can go old school with a book), snacks, and water. Trust me, if you're comfortable, the time will pass much faster, and you'll have a much better experience to remember.

Now, on to the deals!

I've taken a good, hard look at this year's Black Friday ads, and here are the ones that stood out as the best deals this year.

HDTVs: This year, the deals on HDTVs seem slim to none, but there still are some hidden gems if you look hard enough. Plasmas: Meijer will have a 42" 1080i GFM Plasma TV for only $499, and Circuit City will have a 42" Samsung Plasma for $699 (50" for $899). A 50" Panasonic Viera (nice) will be at Best Buy for $899 as well. LCDs: 32" Emerson LCD for $388 at Wal-Mart, 32" 1080p Sceptre LCD for $399 at MicroCenter, 42" 1080p Sylvania at Sears for $699 and a 46" Sharp 1080p LCD for $899. Best Buy will also have an Insignia 47" 1080p LCD for $999.

Laptops: As of now, the hot laptop spot this year will be at Best Buy—A Toshiba 15.4" Dual-Core Turion 64 X2 with 3GB of RAM and 120GB of hard-drive space for $379. Best Buy will also have a 14.1" HP Pavilion (nice size for working on the go) with Core 2 Duo technology, 3GB of RAM, and 160GB of hard-drive space for $499. For $100 more, you can get a printer included as well as more hard-drive space and more RAM.

Video games: If you're looking for an Xbox 360, there are a few pretty good deals floating around right now. Best Buy will have a $299 Xbox 360 Pro bundle which includes four games—Lego Indiana Jones, Kung-Fu Panda, NBA 2k9, and Tony Hawk. Another great deal is Wal-Mart's $199 Xbox 360 Arcade pack which includes Guitar Hero, but you will probably have to shell out extra cash for a hard drive down the road. Circuit City will also have an excellent deal—Xbox 360 Arcade with 20GB hard drive and an extra wireless controller for $199. This is a really great deal if you don't mind having a 20GB hard drive (not a huge deal in my opinion.) On the other hand, Playstation 3 deals are pretty much nonexistent, except for one bundle that includes Ratchet and Clank and a Casino Royale Blu-ray for $399. Another hot bundle will be the Guitar Hero III 2-player pack at Wal-Mart for $50 for Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii—expect those to be flying off the shelves.


http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/yoon/2506

Nice list.. I worked 3 black Fridays at BB.. Last yr.. I was in the store for the opening.. It's really a site to see.. & many customers have no clue.. A couple were asking me about some low priced LCD's near home theatre.. They were door busters!! Could they not see this? & don't be rude.. I will pretend to get lost in the storm of people, which isn't hard to do..

Theft is also on the rise.. & is really easy on Black Friday.. It's mayhem.. I was told, they get a group of people & push themselves out the door with other customers.. Pretty funny to see..

bottom line, there are no great black friday deals on Arcades this year, so you should look into the Target deal where you get a free $60 gift card with the purchase of a Pro. then just sell your refub 360 when you get it back from MS, along with pretty much everything that came with it, because everything you get with the new Pro is going to be bigger (60gig HDD) and better (HDMI compatible, lower wattage power brick, ect)...

i know you're probably not a big Target fan now, but this is the best 360 deal i've seen this black friday. either that, or buy a Pro (only because they don't sell Arcades) at Costco, and have peace of mind that you could return it at ANY time (for a full cash refund) if you ever have a problem with it because it falls under their lifetime return policy, as do their video games...

Funny you should say that. I actually get like 20% off basically everything I buy at target, so I was probably going there again anyway. That is why I got the first one there. So with that and a $60 dollar gift card sounds like a good deal to me. Then I can sell the old one with HD cable, HDD, etc.
Except I certaintly aint going at 6am. If they are out when I get up, I'll just wait until my old one gets back.

The title pretty much sums it up. I bought my 360 from Target about a year and a half ago. Before the extension to 3 year RROD coverage. Bought the 3year, $30 extended electronics warranty for piece of mind.

Fire up GOW2 last night and immediately freezes and when rebooted, RROD.

Long story short, been on the phone this morning with target and all they claim to be able to do is refer me to MS. They won't even file a claim for the console if it has RROD, not to mention the possibility of in store exchange.

Yea most of you probably knew this already or don't care, but I am just pissed and venting because my box just died the day before a 4 day holiday weekend. I cancelled travel plans to go home specifically so I could get some things done around the house, including catching up on some overdue gaming with the GF gone and all.

So, what are my options. I have already considered a $199 arcade. Anyone know if people are buying used 360's without the HD cable pack, HDD, and headset? What could i get on ebay, $50?

If you read your extended warranty policy as most DO NOT as they just listen to the sales pitch it will say that any manufacturers warranty will supersede there policy and being RRoD and MS policy on RRoD is 3 years from either date of purchase and/or mfg date then that explains why they refer you to MS. If it was a dvd-drive unread error for example then they would point you in right direction to get fixed under the policy that you bought. For $30 you got a great deal as Target's policy WONT cover RRoD being that MS has 3 years on it as well. Im sure the salesperson that day didnt explain that however your policy will state that.

Don't be afraid to send it to MS as they seem to be sending BRAND NEW xbox's that are using recycled shells hence the older mfg dates on the RRoD returns.



Good luck on your search for a replacement.

If you read your extended warranty policy as most DO NOT as they just listen to the sales pitch it will say that any manufacturers warranty will supersede there policy and being RRoD and MS policy on RRoD is 3 years from either date of purchase and/or mfg date then that explains why they refer you to MS. If it was a dvd-drive unread error for example then they would point you in right direction to get fixed under the policy that you bought. For $30 you got a great deal as Target's policy WONT cover RRoD being that MS has 3 years on it as well. Im sure the salesperson that day didnt explain that however your policy will state that.

Don't be afraid to send it to MS as they seem to be sending BRAND NEW xbox's that are using recycled shells hence the older mfg dates on the RRoD returns.

Ding, Ding, Ding, we have a winner

What you just wrote is exactly what was explained to me by the warranty people when I called and bitched. Unfortunately, I wasn't given a sales pitch when I bought one, nor was I able to read the full terms of agreement. All I knew was that at the time I bought my xbox, there was no 3 year warranty, and I wasn't getting stuck with a $400 paper wt.

Anyway, my gf went to target while I was sleeping and got me a new 60GB holiday bundle. sometimes she really surprises me

Anyway, my gf went to target while I was sleeping and got me a new 60GB holiday bundle.
a. you ARE going to send your RRoD 360 back to MS, so you at least have a 360 you can to get some of the money back, right?

b. did she keep the free $60 giftcard? :D

a. you ARE going to send your RRoD 360 back to MS, so you at least have a 360 you can to get some of the money back, right?

b. did she keep the free $60 giftcard? :D

a. that is the plan. Hopefully I can get some decent cash for a full 20GB system

b. more than likely yes. But, she also got me 20% off and will probably just spend the $60 on groceries which I will then eat. So really a win, win. :D