I know it's been rehashed time and time again - but I got a question about the DVD drive noise with the Xbox 360.

Mine sounds like a small plane taking off when it spins up and I hate it.

I bought my Xbox 360 at Costco about a year ago - so I have the option of returning it for a refund (but I'd prefer not to for reasons already rehashed time and time again in various posts).

Is the BenQ drive really that much quieter than whatever it is in mine? (I'm assuming it must be a MachoDrive or something considering how obnoxiously annoying it is).

Is changing out the DVD drive in an Xbox 360 that tough to do (I do build all of my home and office computers myself but I realize an Xbox 360 is an entirely different animal). Is the newer (supposedly) quieter BenQ DVD drive readily available?

Should I just return my Xbox to Costco and buy an Elite (or newer Premium with HDMI). How do I know if the newer ones have the quieter DVD rom?

Anyone? Bueller?

Put your 360 in a closet.

Putting it anywhere but under my plasma isn't really much of an option given my setup.

http://btz.smugmug.com/photos/179148215-M.jpg

Yeah, I just switched out my 360 for a new HDMI one w/ a benq drive yesterday and YES it is much much quieter. My previous console had a hitachi drive in it. I highly recommend upgrading (or exchanging) your console w/ a new one if you can find one. I'm 99% sure if you get one w/ hdmi you're getting one w/ a benq drive. Happy hunting @ costco.

Also, I know I have said so before but I really like your setup! :)

Thanks for the info and the compliment on my setup! So the new one is really "much much" quieter? I really don't want to go through all the hoo-hah of packing it all up for only a small difference in noise.