Just look at the Team/ Lot # label on the box for a 175 Watt Power rating. Apparently the new Falcon boards use less power and a lower Power brick: 175 vs 203 watts!!!


http://www.altuscreative.com/graphics/175w.jpg

Thanks to OceanAve for providing this shot of the new labels:cool:

Here's the thread talking about it: http://forums.xbox.com/79/15804553/ShowPost.aspx#15804553

It sure is a lot easier than gambling on lot #s or doing visual inspections after the fact!!!

ALSO
There is an "intermediate" model discussed however....

Yes it is possible to have the new board with an old power supply since obviously it is possible for a higher rating supply to power the machine... ie You might be lucky and pick up a Falcon that is still in a box with the 203 watt label:

Since the new boards dont NEED 203 watts then it makes sense that MS "saves" $$ by givin us the smaller PS.

OF COURSE the old boards cannot run with this 175 watt supply thus boxes marked with this Power Rating are definitely Falcons!!!

I got one at Walm and I even got the BenQ drive as well!!

Please let us know where you guys are finding the new falcons, so we can track how fast the new stock is replacing the older 203 watt Elites/Premiums :D:D:D

Hey caribwoy2000. Congrats! :cool: on your 360 purchase.

Thanks ....

BTW any recommendations on a cheap solution for a wireless bridge to hook up the 360 and my dvd player???

what does this improve?

Thanks ....

BTW any recommendations on a cheap solution for a wireless bridge to hook up the 360 and my dvd player???


I have no idea. :)

The "falcon" unit uses less power because the cpu is smaller and runs cooler, heat sinks improved, etc. Other than that it is an open question. Personally if I was getting a new 360 I would get the newest mobo and cpu if I could. But most people have no idea and will not care.

The "falcon" unit uses less power because the cpu is smaller and runs cooler, heat sinks improved, etc.

But most people have no idea and will not care.

Errr How bout the thousands of pissed off people returning RROD boxes to MS since it came out :eek: A Lot of people are waiting to find out if indeed the new falcon motherboard and cooling system will prevent the mass failures we've been seeing up to this point

Jus tryin to help out:)

Thank you. This was the most informative post I have read in the game forums here. I just returned my arcade 360, for a new pro bundle with 175watt psu. Did the flashlight test and yes, no copper pipe and 2 inductor rings. Falcon yes!, and as a added bonus I got the benq drive as well. quiet as a mouse.

Thanks ....

BTW any recommendations on a cheap solution for a wireless bridge to hook up the 360 and my dvd player???

Buy a Linksys WRT54GL and flash it with DD WRT firmware (google it). Turns your $50 router into an awsome bridge and it has features that a $500 router would have.

I have 3 in my house. 1 is the access point and the other two are bridges.

Errr How bout the thousands of pissed off people returning RROD boxes to MS since it came out :eek: A Lot of people are waiting to find out if indeed the new falcon motherboard and cooling system will prevent the mass failures we've been seeing up to this point

Jus tryin to help out:)

Correction, the average AVS member and the hardcore gamer care. When Joe Schmo walks into EB to pick up a new 360 he's not going to care about the mother board, much less know what advantages having a Falcon presents.

Even still I say just buy a damn box and have fun. I bought a Halo 360 figuring I'd get the Falcon, two months later I find it's got the Zephyr and may not even have the freakin heatsink. Do I care? A little but I'm too busy playing Halo 3 and Team Fortress 2 to think about it.

My box doesn't give off a lot of heat either, I dunno if that means it's running cool or if all the heat is trapped inside and isn't getting pulled out fast enough. Time will tell.

good tip, thanks!

NOW are the Falcon Elite's coming with a BENQ drive or a Hitachi?

Get one where the label says 175w.

The 90nm OLD chips need up to 203w, they can't use the 175w brick.

The 65nm NEW Falcon chips only need to draw 175 watts, they can use either power brick.

All 175watt power supply 360's are FALCONS!
http://www.altuscreative.com/graphics/175w.jpg



http://www.anandtech.com/gadgets/showdoc.aspx?i=3152&p=5

THE GPU HAS CHANGED TO! :)

http://www.altuscreative.com/graphics/175w.jpg

Buy a Linksys WRT54GL and flash it with DD WRT firmware (google it). Turns your $50 router into an awsome bridge and it has features that a $500 router would have.

I have 3 in my house. 1 is the access point and the other two are bridges.

I did the same thing with a Buffalo router. I bought a regular Buffalo router for $45 and sold my official 360 wireless adapter for $65. I now have my 360, HD DVD player, and DirecTV DVR connected to my network.

Thank you. This was the most informative post I have read in the game forums here.
Falcon yes!, and as a added bonus I got the benq drive as well. quiet as a mouse.

:D Glad I could share some internet love ;)

And yes I got the BenQ drive...dunno about the elites

Guitarlp: Thanks for the tip bout the router/bridge transformation!! They are on sale everywhere right now...

I know just a little about networking so I might PM you about how to set it up.....

Cheers Julian

IS there a way to know whether yuo are getting a BENQ drive or Hitachi drive from looking at the box

Its complicated but this database of lot #s and drives may help u

http://www.360drives.com/list/page1?v_pack=3&v_videomode=ntsc&v_hdmi=2&v_country=US

Cheers

Any Arcades with the Falcon yet?

Mine is a 203w, but it DEFINITELY has the Falcon/65nm board/processor.

Mine is a 203w, but it DEFINITELY has the Falcon/65nm board/processor.

Please explain how you know this

Mine is a 203w, but it DEFINITELY has the Falcon/65nm board/processor.

If it had the new chips, it would take less energy like all the rest.

This could be a sticky thread, best way yet to identify the Falcon as the UL label CANNOT be tampered with, awesome.

Mine is a 203w, but it DEFINITELY has the Falcon/65nm board/processor.

I know there is only 80+ pages in the thread on Xbox.com:)

This "intermediate" model is discussed however.... Yes it is possible to have the new board with an old power supply since obviously it is possible for a higher rating supply to power the machine... In fact you might even get cleaner power since it operates at lesser capacity!!;)

However since the new boards dont NEED 203 watts then it makes sense that MS "saves" $$ by givin us the smaller PS.

OF COURSE the old boards cannot run with this 175 watt supply thus boxes marked with this Power Rating are definitely Falcons!!!

Please explain how you know this

Because I've checked for the heat sinks and the inductors known to be installed.

If it had the new chips, it would take less energy like all the rest.

Check caribwoy2000's reply to my post, as well as the numerous posts on xbox.com

203w is PEAK consumption.

Glad you got lucky too....

I wandered around Costco and BestBuy and couldn't find a single box with a 175 watt label!!!

Good hunting guys!!

Before the smaller capacity PSU (175w) became common Internet knowledge (at least on the xbox.com thread) I lucked out and picked up a 360 Premium with the old 203w PSU (Lot# 739 Team FDOU manufatured 9-24-2007). It definately has the new CPU heatsink w/out the copper heatpipe and 2 flat inductors on the MB instead of 3 upright ones. It runs substaintially cooler than my launch premium (10-23-2005) and Elite Zephyr with add'tl GPU heatsink do. I've been fortunate enough that none of them have failed. Sold the launch unit to a friend for cheap and picked up the Falcon to use in the basement with the Sanyo Z-5 projector ;-)

Apparently there were a fair number of Falcon MB 360s between July and early October that shipped with the 203w PSU. I makes sense if MS either already had a surplus purchased or was under contract with a supplier to produce a certain number of units.

One thing I was curious about is the 203w PSU with my Falcon doesn't have those nice locking plastic tabs on the plug that attaches to the 360. Is this the same for all new PSUs (including the 175w ones)? I can't imagine it's cost cutting, maybe a safety issue so the 360 will break loose? I don't think that would be the reason cause it should just come off the brick at the other end. I really liked how the old one 'clicked' on securely, the new one is a little suspect.

Thank you for the info!!!

I went to Costco to pick up the Xbox 360 bundle yesterday and all they had were the 203W versions.

Went to Best Buy and they price matched the Walmart cyber monday ad, and replaced the messenger bag with $40 of credit. They had many 203W versions so I went through the box stack until I found the 175W. I walked out with a Falcon Xbox 360 Premium w/Forza2/Marvel Alliance, an extra wireless controller, Half Life 2 and Assassin's Creed for $420.

I wouldn't have gone to purchase without this thread - so thanks again!!!!

I got a 175w Xbox 360 Pro yesterday. I assumed it was a falcon, based on what I read here and at the xbox forums. However, it really looks like something copper on the inside using the flashlight method. Without taking the system apart, is there any other way to know for sure if it is a falcon?
It isn't really that big a deal but since I was getting a new second xbox, I wanted to get the newest version.
Btw, I got the 175w version at Target in Arlington, VA.
Thanks!

I just bought a Elite with the Marvel/Forza 2 bundle form GameStop about 2 weeks ago. It has a build date of 2007-06-13. The Lot is 724, Team: RDOU, 203 watt power brick, and I believe it has a Hitachi drive because its loud. As yall can see, I don't have any clear ways to tell if its a Falcon. So finally I did a flash light test and i don't have any copper wire and most importantly, it stays pretty cool after hours of gaming. So I probably have a Falcon, but its manufacture attributes aren't a dead give away. Its seems that looking for 175watt power brick is the most efficient to get a Falcon

I got a 175w Xbox 360 Pro yesterday. I assumed it was a falcon, based on what I read here and at the xbox forums. However, it really looks like something copper on the inside using the flashlight method. Without taking the system apart, is there any other way to know for sure if it is a falcon?
It isn't really that big a deal but since I was getting a new second xbox, I wanted to get the newest version.
Btw, I got the 175w version at Target in Arlington, VA.
Thanks!

Doing the same flash light test, look at how manyinductor rings are inside. If you have 2 and a blank space were a third was then you have a falcon. If you have 3 inductor rings and zero copper on the heatsink then you dont have a falcon, just a new heat sink. You have to pass both test to be a falcon. 2 inductor rings and zero copper. Benq drive is a also nice.

I bought mine labeled as a zephyr but I believe it is a falcon. From looking on the inside, although I will have to inspect again closer.

Lot 737, and team:FDOU on it, runs way cooler then my last one.

Date on it was 09/09 I believe

But also has 203 watt.

Doing the same flash light test, look at how manyinductor rings are inside. If you have 2 and a blank space were a third was then you have a falcon. If you have 3 inductor rings and zero copper on the heatsink then you dont have a falcon, just a new heat sink. You have to pass both test to be a falcon. 2 inductor rings and zero copper. Benq drive is a also nice.

IF you power brick says 175w on it...it is a falcon....

the 90nm chip can not run off the 175w brick....its really that simple.

Thank you for the info!!!

They had many 203W versions so I went through the box stack until I found the 175W. I walked out with a Falcon Xbox 360 Premium w/Forza2/Marvel Alliance, an extra wireless controller, Half Life 2 and Assassin's Creed for $420.

I wouldn't have gone to purchase without this thread - so thanks again!!!!

What a great deal :cool:

Once again to those guys picking up the "Intermediate" models with a 203W Power brick and a Falcon board(confirmed by visual inspection) DON"T Stress... Yah just got lucky :D

As for those about to buy... As the thread says

To BE SURE just pick up a box with the 175 W Label ...EASY

Sweet! I am glad that the 175w that I bought is a falcon. Also, after some time playing it, I have noticed that it does run cooler and significantly quieter compared to my previous xbox.

Bump!

Have there been any reported cases of "falcon" 360's getting the RROD?

Have there been any reported cases of "falcon" 360's getting the RROD?

Probably too early to tell.:D

After all people are still trying to figure what's inside their shiny new boxes... Seriously though, since MS is just beginning to roll out the new motherboards, it will take some time as the base of confirmed Falcon owners grows to know whether we have a cure for RROD

"Be patient my paduan friend"

I can report on my findings about the Zephyr vs. Falcon Xbox Premiums
and give some important details. I've never owned an Xbox, and I
intend to use the device as a media center extender mainly.

I purchased a Zephyr Xbox Premium this past Sunday from a local
Best Buy. I thought I had the selection method worked out (Team
FDOU, Lot 0741), but when I opened the case, I discovered it was a
Zephyr. I was not aware of the 175w power adapter difference at
that time -- I discovered this thread Sunday night. The box said
203w on the outside.

I did use the 203w Zephyr Xbox as a media extender for a couple
of days. This is what I found:

1) The Zephyr Xbox itself was about as noisy as my regular HP Pavilion
Media Center PC. It was loud but not unbearably so.

2) The 203w power adapter was actually quite noisy -- perhaps
more noisy than the Xbox itself. The 203W adapter has a high-
pitched whine that I found bothersome, and the air moving through
the small holes in either end of the adapter created a lot of
broadband noise. I tried using a plastic enclosure to try to
mitigate it somewhat without restricting airflow very much, but
it didn't really help. In combination with the Xbox noise,
the two made for an unfriendly pair in my desired application as
a media center extender.

3) The air coming out of the back of the Xbox was hot, almost
immediately after turning the device on. If I held my hand close
to the vents, it became uncomfortable rather quickly, as if I was
going to get burned.

4) Suspending the Xbox so that all holes had adequate airflow
didn't help with the heat issue.

5) The Xbox had the extra heatsink, the copper metal tube on
the original heatsink, and the three flat toroidal transformers.

6) The DVD drive was a BenQ.

7) Once while watching some high-def programming, I heard
the fans kick into high gear. It was pretty loud to be noticeable
over the program (NFL).

Today, I returned the Zephyr Xbox to Best Buy in exchange for
a Falcon. I dressed well and explained exactly why I was changing
it out: too loud, too hot, Microsoft's silent launch of new hardware
with the same UPC, and the 175w/203w difference. I even had
my energy calculations handy, but I didn't have to use them, e.g.,
(1) I'd like to save $10 a year on my energy bills, please.
(2) By analogy, which version of a particular car would you want:
a 26MPG one or a >30MPG one? They had no problem doing the
exchange.

Now that I have the Falcon, I can say the following:

1) The Falcon Xbox is about as loud as the Zephyr Xbox
at idle. The fans sound like they might be spinning slower
in the Falcon Xbox, but the noise is not decreased very much.

2) The 175w power adapter is much quieter than the
203w power adapter. This is the biggest change to me.
There is a whine to the 175w adapter, but the airflow
through the small holes on the adapter seems to be less
than that for the 203w adapter, resulting in less noise
from turbulence.

3) The air coming out of the Falcon Xbox is cool after
turning it on. Heat at idle is not an issue with this version.

4) The 175w power adapter has a plastic surround connector
and is friction-fit into the plug on the Xbox. The 203w power
adapter has a metal surround connector and "clicked" when
it was inserted.

5) The DVD drive is a BenQ.

Overall, I'm much happier with the Falcon for the heat issue
alone. I'll put it in a closet to mitigate any remaining noise
issues, with adequate ventilation, of course.

Jazzman

Anyone else notice that the Falcon 175W power supplies are not grounded? Aren't the 203W power supplies grounded? I can't remember if it was the 360 itself or the HD-DVD drive that introduced a ground loop to my system.

If you have banding on your display, you know what I'm talking about. Since AV components are generally not grounded, it would be nice to not need the ground for the 360 - that is if your cable is not properly installed like mine.

Anyone else notice that the Falcon 175W power supplies are not grounded? Aren't the 203W power supplies grounded? I can't remember if it was the 360 itself or the HD-DVD drive that introduced a ground loop to my system.


I have two 360's. One of them has the ground pin and the other(newer) one does not. The newer one is a 203W according to the box.

Glad you got lucky too....

I wandered around Costco and BestBuy and couldn't find a single box with a 175 watt label!!!

Good hunting guys!!

I bought another elite yesterday and the box said 203w, but the power supply in the box was 175w. The box might not have the updated sticker for some reason.

The date of manufacture on mine is 10/20/07.

Thanks for the info. I know two people who want the 65 and didn't know how to check it. I just emailed em the jpeg. Thanks.

Get one where the label says 175w.

The 90nm OLD chips need up to 203w, they can't use the 175w brick.

The 65nm NEW Falcon chips only need to draw 175 watts, they can use either power brick.

All 175watt power supply 360's are FALCONS!
http://www.altuscreative.com/graphics/175w.jpg



http://www.anandtech.com/gadgets/showdoc.aspx?i=3152&p=5

THE GPU HAS CHANGED TO! :)

http://www.altuscreative.com/graphics/175w.jpg

I just picked up a premium at Fry's this morning. I went there on Tuesday and they were out of stock on everything but the Halo systems. Today they had premiums and arcades. Went and checked the stickers and got a...
Week: 0743
Team: FDOU
175w p/s

:D:D:D

Thanks for posting this info. Very helpfull.

Jim

Does buying and Elite = Falcon?

THe elite boxes do not tell you what power supply they use

Does buying and Elite = Falcon?

THe elite boxes do not tell you what power supply they use

No.


For anyone interested, I was in the Silverdale, WA Bestbuy looking for an elite (none in stock) but every premium I saw was labeled 175w.

Does buying and Elite = Falcon?

THe elite boxes do not tell you what power supply they use

Yes, they do show on the label. Just picked one up at Best Buy in CA - Label says 175W

Good Luck!:)

I went all over the place today. Went to 2 BBs, 1 CC, Gamestop, 2 Targets. All of them had only 203w XBOXs. :mad:

Will continue to search until I find one. Hopefully I can grab one by the middle of next week.

Yes, they do show on the label. Just picked one up at Best Buy in CA - Label says 175W

Good Luck!:)

What part of CA?

I went all over the place today. Went to 2 BBs, 1 CC, Gamestop, 2 Targets. All of them had only 203w XBOXs. :mad:

Will continue to search until I find one. Hopefully I can grab one by the middle of next week.

At least you KNOW what you are looking for :eek:

Good luck... all we can hope for is that a bunch of suckers will buy up all the old stock before Christmas and the stores will bring in more Falcons :cool:

What part of CA?
So. Cal - Downey. The guy started to laugh when I told him I wanted to see the label. Guess he knew, cuz he told me it was the new chip ones 175W. They got a new shipment today - 15 Elites.

if you have no idea and dont care then you are stupid.

also WTF are you doing here if you dont know the difference or care, these forums are mostly for people who know what they are doing

noobs dont stay noobs for long here they either learn fast or stop using because they are incompetent at learning

Why the hostility? Get back to me when you've passed 3rd grade reading comprehension.

:cool:Why the hostility? .

LOL you'd think he would have posted back on page one if Kidney felt that strongly :D:D:D

:)

To OceanAve, big props for putting this info into a picture...

As the wise man says : A picture is worth a thousand words
:p

Guys keep posting where you are able to find your 175 Falcon Elites or Pros,etc... that way we can see where and how fast they are rolling out the new stock!!

I posted this in the Elite sticky but since it is relevant I'll post it here as well. Got an Elite from circuitcity . com this week and it turned out to be a Falcon. Here are the specs....

Team: CSON
Manu date: 2007-10-20
Lot: 741
203W on the sticker
BenQ drive
2 inductors laying down
no copper pipe showing
Falcon chipset

Kill a Watt meter reads 89w when idling.
My old Premium read 120w when idling.

When I saw it was CSON and saw the 203w on the sticker I was bummed (FDOU has put out many more Falcon model Premiums). I just knew it would be a Zephyr but after opening it up and breaking out the flashlight I was pleasantly surprised. Wow, this thing is so much quieter and cooler than my original launch Premium unit and my refurb Premium. I could not be happier!

I went to Best Buy today to do a final check on the Pio Kuro 50" Elite, (gonna pull the trigger on Monday), and I thought to myself that I would pick up an Elite 360 as well. They didn't have any, so I looked at the halo edition boxes. I didn't see any information about power consumption on the outside of the box.

So I just wanted to clarify: you can look at the power supply ratings on the OUTSIDE of the box, without having to open it? Thanks in advance.

I went to Bustbuy to look for the premium with 175 Watt Power rating. No luck, but they have quite a few of the Elites. I picked one up to look at the lable, sure enough there is a 175 Watt Power rating on it. Lot #742, bulit date 10/16/2007. I bought it on the spot. It's a falcon. I looked inside to check out on both of my new and old Elites. The heat sinks are completely different. Thanks for the info, I'm a happy camper.

So I just wanted to clarify: you can look at the power supply ratings on the OUTSIDE of the box, without having to open it? Thanks in advance.

Thanks to OceanAve I added a picture of the label on the OUTSIDE of the box to the first post of the thread :)

As we get more reports it seems this definitely works on the Elites and Pro's,...

Dunno bout the Halo edition...seems strange not to have a power rating on the outside (packaging law requirement???)

Anyone :confused:

Kill a Watt meter reads 89w when idling.
My old Premium read 120w when idling.

Wow, this thing is so much quieter and cooler than my original launch Premium unit and my refurb Premium. I could not be happier!

And your Electric bill will be reduced by a quarter :eek: LOL

I went by CC today and they brought out a premium system that wasn't marked as having the 2 free games in it. She opened it up to see if the games were there and while it was open I looked at the build date and it was 2006! I asked the girl, very nicely, to look for a label that had 175w on it instead of 203w. She looked through them, quite a few, and the last one she came to said 175w. We opened it and the build date was 10-26-07 and it also had the free games! My son was excited :) BTW it has HDMI.

A very big thank you for this information.

One quick question. We've got a Microsoft repaired 360 that claims a build date of 11-7-07. It runs fairly cool even after hours of play. It does not have HDMI. How can I tell what chip it has without voiding the remaining warranty?

Have a look at the first few pages of the thread on Xbox.com mentioned in the first post here: the visual inspection of the heatsinks method (also on Anandtech.com with pictures)

Cheers

I can report on my findings about the Zephyr vs. Falcon Xbox Premiums
and give some important details. I've never owned an Xbox, and I
intend to use the device as a media center extender mainly.


1) The Falcon Xbox is about as loud as the Zephyr Xbox
at idle. The fans sound like they might be spinning slower
in the Falcon Xbox, but the noise is not decreased very much.

2) The 175w power adapter is much quieter than the
203w power adapter. This is the biggest change to me.
There is a whine to the 175w adapter, but the airflow
through the small holes on the adapter seems to be less
than that for the 203w adapter, resulting in less noise
from turbulence.

3) The air coming out of the Falcon Xbox is cool after
turning it on. Heat at idle is not an issue with this version.

Jazzman

Thank you for the detailed report. I just found a 175w system last Friday at Fry's. It is replacing my Dec. 2005 360.

So far everything you said is true but with mine the 175w power brick has a high pitched whine to it. The 360 does run cooler than the old one. I need to find a way to quite down that power brick. I had it at the back of my cabinet then moved it inside and it seemed a little better but it is still annoying.

Thanks again.

Jim

found a new shipment of elites (10 or so) at bb. 3 with the "Go Big" printed box, all strangely have no information on outside of box pertaining to lot no., or wattage; team=TMEM & mfg dates 10/25/07.

all others had date codes of 10/19 and 10/23; lot no.=0742 and 0743; team=FDOU; 175 watt pbs.

i bought "Go Big" unit, opened up to find 175 watt pb. haven't had a chance to check internals for falcon; or drive type but will do tonight & post data.

Hey guys...thanks for the info! I was able to use my previous best buy warranty on my launch premium console to upgrade to a new falcon elite. The launch console suffered from random artifacting on the screen.

Anyways, I had to pay the difference of $49.99 to get the elite, but had to pay 79.99 for the 2 year warranty. That seems kinda high since i only had to pay 49.99 for the extended warranty on the launch console. How much are you guys paying for the extended warranty on your elites? Thanks.

Finally found a Falcon XBOX pro. 175w on the box, and build date of 11-1-07. Been searching all over for at least 2 weeks. Had one at GS but the box looked kind of beat up. I still bought it.

Stop by BB to pick up a new TV stand (bought a new TV on BF) and saw a bunch of Falcon XBOXs stacked up on the floor. Picked one up at BB cause the box was cleaner. The one from GS looked like it was kicked around. Will be returning that one today. Time to set up all my Christmas toys now. :D

Finally found a Falcon XBOX pro. 175w on the box, and build date of 11-1-07. Been searching all over for at least 2 weeks. Had one at GS but the box looked kind of beat up. I still bought it.

Stop by BB to pick up a new TV stand (bought a new TV on BF) and saw a bunch of Falcon XBOXs stacked up on the floor. Picked one up at BB cause the box was cleaner. The one from GS looked like it was kicked around. Will be returning that one today. Time to set up all my Christmas toys now. :D

LOL I got my virgin box sitting in front of me waiting to get wrapped for Christmas!!! ... The agony feels so good:D

I picked up my third 360 last night. The falcon is quieter then the release date elites. By quite a bit. I'm looking forward to a long game session this weekend. Buying a 3rd copy of halo 3 sucks, but co op is so much fun. I am glad the new 360's are quiet, but the ps3 is still quieter. Took about 2 hours to sign up on xbl and download all map packs and get it set. (graw2 map packs, cod3 valor map pack, crimson skies extra planes, etc) I can't wait for saturday.

LOL I got my virgin box sitting in front of me waiting to get wrapped for Christmas!!! ... The agony feels so good:D

Yeah this is what Christmas is truly about. :p

Yeah this is what Christmas is truly about. :p

unless you are in your "forty's...then you have a non-virgin box & no agony cause you are playing weeks before christmas:p:p

update: elite "Go Big" box; Team=TMEM; mfg date=10/25/07; is in fact a falcon with benq drive:)

I think I have figured out what the problem was. At BB, some of the boxes have a secondary label over the label from the factory where the power rating would be. It is very difficult to see through the label, although you can make out lettering. The placement of the label on the 360s (and the Elite in particular) doesn't seem to be consistent, but it is there. I tried to peel it away, but it wouldn't have come off easily. I asked a clerk if he could do it, but he said that he couldn't.

If you are near the bay area, I have found quite a few 175 watt 360s (picked up an Elite last night). Thanks very much Caribwoy (I'm guessing you are from the Carribean, by the way you have spelled 'boy' like 'bwoy' :) ).

Now...does anyone know where I can get a transfer cable without having to buy a 120 gig HD separately? :)


Thanks to OceanAve I added a picture of the label on the OUTSIDE of the box to the first post of the thread :)

As we get more reports it seems this definitely works on the Elites and Pro's,...

Dunno bout the Halo edition...seems strange not to have a power rating on the outside (packaging law requirement???)

Anyone :confused:

All the 360s at both the Concord Fry's and the PH bestbuy are the falcons. Elites seem to sell out, but the other flavors are available.

Buy a Linksys WRT54GL and flash it with DD WRT firmware (google it). Turns your $50 router into an awsome bridge and it has features that a $500 router would have.

I have 3 in my house. 1 is the access point and the other two are bridges.

I have been recommending this solution to many people and on other boards. I always get the same response, "its too complicated to setup!"

This is what I have been running and I get no issues or lag whatsoever. Signal is always strong even if my my AP and my Bridge are 3 rooms away. I have by bridge setup in my entertainment center and all of my consoles, and HD DVD player are attached to it.

Now...does anyone know where I can get a transfer cable without having to buy a 120 gig HD separately? :)

What do you need to transfer? If it's your XBL arcade games, you can just re-download them.

Really? I didn't know that. I do have game saves on my old 360. I don't mind starting some of the games over, but if I could get my old saves over that would be ideal (I want to give my old 360 to my lil bro, who will have now received a PS3 and now a 360. Lucky guy :) ).

I've invested alot of time in some games like Oblivion, so I'd rather not have to start those over.

What do you need to transfer? If it's your XBL arcade games, you can just re-download them.

Thanks very much Caribwoy (I'm guessing you are from the Carribean, by the way you have spelled 'boy' like 'bwoy' :) ).



Glad I could help :D:D:D:D

Now I know the word is out there I can rest in peace!!!...

and get back to playing:cool:

Grew up in JA and became hooked on gaming since playing that old "Text Only" dungeon crawl back on a IBM AT green screen "computer" with:

You meet a Troll! Do you want to throw the Axe or run away?

Lol.. light years away from Halo 3

found a new shipment of elites (10 or so) at bb. 3 with the "Go Big" printed box, all strangely have no information on outside of box pertaining to lot no., or wattage; team=TMEM & mfg dates 10/25/07.

all others had date codes of 10/19 and 10/23; lot no.=0742 and 0743; team=FDOU; 175 watt pbs.

i bought "Go Big" unit, opened up to find 175 watt pb. haven't had a chance to check internals for falcon; or drive type but will do tonight & post data.

I bought an Elite last night at BB. It looks like the the new "Go Big" boxes do not list the wattage on the outside sticker. Mine had a new UPC sticker over the old one. I still bought it and it definitely is a falcon, has a 175w brick. Build date was Oct 25th or close to that.

Now...does anyone know where I can get a transfer cable without having to buy a 120 gig HD separately? :)Well, you can print, fill in, fax or snail-mail this (http://assets.xbox.com/en-us/support/MigrationKit-OrderForm.pdf) form to get one for free. I thought that there was also a number that you could call to just tell them the information, but I don't see it. Wouldn't hurt to call 1-800-4MY-XBOX and ask--maybe they'll take your request on the phone.

There's a page on the transfer kit at Xbox.com here (http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemuse/xbox360/console/datamigration.htm).

Thank you very much Michael for the link. That will help out alot. I was hoping that someone would have a used one that they wouldn't mind selling, but this will work too (I'll just have to be patient).

PS-'That's what she said, Dwight' :)

Well, you can print, fill in, fax or snail-mail this (http://assets.xbox.com/en-us/support/MigrationKit-OrderForm.pdf) form to get one for free. I thought that there was also a number that you could call to just tell them the information, but I don't see it. Wouldn't hurt to call 1-800-4MY-XBOX and ask--maybe they'll take your request on the phone.

There's a page on the transfer kit at Xbox.com here (http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemuse/xbox360/console/datamigration.htm).

I didn't see it mentioned in this thread (and I don't really want to go searching for the answer on a video game forum). Can anybody tell me why people want the benq drive? I'm getting an arcade system for Christmas, and have only recently been researching about the xbox.

I didn't see it mentioned in this thread (and I don't really want to go searching for the answer on a video game forum). Can anybody tell me why people want the benq drive? I'm getting an arcade system for Christmas, and have only recently been researching about the xbox.The DVD drive is probably the noisiest element of the system--I have the Hitachi and it's horrible. When you run a game with a lot of asset streaming (like Gears), it can sound as if there's a Briggs and Stratton lawnmower engine in there. The Benq drive is supposed to be the quietest.

You can tell the difference visually by the differences in the tray. There's a guide to that here (http://www.llamma.com/xbox360/Xbox_360_DVD_Drive_Comparison.htm).

Anyone seen a Falcon at Costco? I have been looking but am only finding Zyphers at all the local Costcos.

Just to be clear if I find a box that says 175w does it for sure have these things? :

Benq drive
65 CPU
65 GPU
HDMI

Or does it only promise the 65 CPU / GPU?

Thanks.

I don't believe that there are 65nm GPUs and even that DailyTech article doesn't claim that there are. They've changed and become smaller, but not by the proportional amount that the CPU has. There's an 80nm process that they may have transitioned to--ATi went there for some of the GPU chips in their PC-board products. The rumor is that the GPU will make a transition to 65nm with a new board to be launched in 2008 codenamed "Jasper".

The claim is that you will get the new 65nm CPU and new, smaller GPU if you get the 175W power supply. The Zephyr was seen in experiments to draw 173W while running a game and could not be run on 175W supply.

It is extremely unlikely that you will get your hands on a product without an HDMI port; they came in with the Zephyr board, which still featured the original 90nm CPU and GPU. All Zephyr boards have HDMI and all Falcon boards will have it also; they don't manufacture a 360 motherboard without it anymore. If the 175W PS indeed does insure the Falcon board, it also insures HDMI.

AFAIK, the 175W power supply does not promise any particular DVD drive.

Thanks for the info michaeltscott.

I bought an Elite box at Sams and an Elite Box at Costco around the 20th of November....both had 203 on the box, but both bricks were 175s.

I bought an Elite box at Sams and an Elite Box at Costco around the 20th of November....both had 203 on the box, but both bricks were 175s.

Did you buy them locally or online? I have never seen an Elite in my local Costcos.

Did you buy them locally or online? I have never seen an Elite in my local Costcos.

I bought the Sam's Club locally and the Costco one online..... I've only seen the Costco Premium in the stores.

And from this blog....09 could bring even more:

IBM made a major announcement today that they will be offering 32nm chips to their partners in the second half of 2009. This would mean that, yes, the Xbox 360 could get even smaller chips than the 65nm "Falcon" CPUs..or the rumored 45nm upgrade. We're talking power savings of 45% and speed boosts of 30% over IBM's last generation of hardware...it's flat-out better technology that will reduce the propensity of overheating drastically, and maybe even make way for a smaller console.

So it will be interesting to see if Microsoft opts to go with 45nm chips (available next year) and then 32nm chips, or ends up skipping one of these technologies. Most of us probably won't know the difference—actually, most of us will know the difference—but only because we're obsessing about it here.

This reference database might help - if this allows me to post a link:
http://www.360drives.com/list

If not, its 360drives . com / list

I think I have figured out what the problem was. At BB, some of the boxes have a secondary label over the label from the factory where the power rating would be. It is very difficult to see through the label, although you can make out lettering. The placement of the label on the 360s (and the Elite in particular) doesn't seem to be consistent, but it is there. I tried to peel it away, but it wouldn't have come off easily. I asked a clerk if he could do it, but he said that he couldn't.

The one I bought at Sam's had a secondary label. I had to pull it completely off the box and hold it up to the light to see what was on the label. The original label read 739/FDOU, while the secondary label read 744/TMEM. Again, this one had 203 on the box, but 175 brick.

I just got a 360 "Arcade". It's a falcon with Ben-Q drive. Lot #742.

It said 203W on the box, but the power brick inside was 175W.

I'm amazed at how much cooler it runs. After using it for an hour,the back wasn't even really warm. My old Elite Zyphr was a freakin' space heater in comparison. Ben-Q drive is about as quiet as you're going to get with anything that spins that fast.

I got a 65nm falcon this weekend at gamestop. I asked the less than polite employee if he knew if they had a new shipment of 360s and if he knew or could see if they were the 175w versions. He looked at me and said, that there wasnt a new version of the xbox and he only had the arcade, pro, halo3 and elite versions. i asked him to get me an elite and i would check. He refused so i started to walk out and his manager came after me when i was outside and told me they did have them. Gamestop is probably the worst thing to happen to video games.

while i will agree that gamestop sucks, i hate hearing people complain about it.... i mean seriously, i'll never step foot on gamestop property again, therefor i have no problems and nothing to bitch about, i suggest everyone else do the same.

try best buy, they keep them in a huge stack in the game section.

Well, I purchased the Xbox Holiday Bundle @ Costco (online) and it arrived today. Much to my dismay, it's a 203w/Lot 728/July '07 manufactured console. Does anyone know if I Costco's have the newer version, and if I could take mine in for an exchange?

Well, I purchased the Xbox Holiday Bundle @ Costco (online) and it arrived today. Much to my dismay, it's a 203w/Lot 728/July '07 manufactured console. Does anyone know if I Costco's have the newer version, and if I could take mine in for an exchange?

728? Damn,that's old. I think they have like 745's in stores.

I looked all over the place two days before i even considered Gamestop and I cringed having to go in there. I still believe they robbed me of 10 dollars worth of preorders i never picked up but went and asked for my money back but they refused and said that there was nothing in their records, obviously i had lost my receipts, but thats not the point haha. Unbelievably they were the only ones who had the 175w systems, I think its because they get lesser numbers of systems and they go through them quicker having to refresh systems often, Your best buys order huge stacks of hundreds that sit around, that was the case with my BB they have four about 60 trays of 360s every single one 203w. Sorry for the rant. haha just happy i got a quieter and cooler 360, now off to play.

I looked all over the place two days before i even considered Gamestop and I cringed having to go in there. I still believe they robbed me of 10 dollars worth of preorders i never picked up but went and asked for my money back but they refused and said that there was nothing in their records, obviously i had lost my receipts, but thats not the point haha. Unbelievably they were the only ones who had the 175w systems, I think its because they get lesser numbers of systems and they go through them quicker having to refresh systems often, Your best buys order huge stacks of hundreds that sit around, that was the case with my BB they have four about 60 trays of 360s every single one 203w. Sorry for the rant. haha just happy i got a quieter and cooler 360, now off to play.

I totally agree. BB and CC have massive amounts of stock that sit around forever so I think you're less likely to get one there as opposed to a place like Gamestop that has smaller inventory.

FYI, I got mine at GS even though I can't stand that place.

I went into Gamestop last night and asked if they had the new 360s with the Falcon and they had no idea what I was talking about. I showed him on a display box what I was looking for and he went in the back and checked. About half of his stock was F Boards - even the Pros. I picked one (742/FDOU/11-07) up for someone last night. I can say that this one does runs a LOT cooler than the Z Boards but I wouldn't say its a lot quieter. After 3 hours of play, I could actually feel somewhat cool air blowing through the vents. The new brick puts out about half as much heat as the old one.

Does it have 175W on the brick only or the console as well?
ta
PS Enyone in HK seen these new units?

Anyone know whether Gamestop.com would provide new stock or older stock?? Falcon likely??

So my Elite system that i bought in Oct '07 that had the 2 games with it... After seeing e/body's post i went home to check and the sticker on my box has the TEAM:TMEM on the label. i pealed it off and held it under a light to see the sticker below it and it had Lot 729 FDOU 203 W Power supply... So what do i have? Why the sticker over the other with TMEM on it?
Where are you all looking to see the actual power supply and can you do this w/o taking it apart?
thanks!

So my Elite system that i bought in Oct '07 that had the 2 games with it... After seeing e/body's post i went home to check and the sticker on my box has the TEAM:TMEM on the label. i pealed it off and held it under a light to see the sticker below it and it had Lot 729 FDOU 203 W Power supply... So what do i have? Why the sticker over the other with TMEM on it?
Where are you all looking to see the actual power supply and can you do this w/o taking it apart?
thanks!

You should be able to see it on the sticker on the PS. I had a hard time finding cause the writing is so small but its near the top about 5-10 lines down. It should say 203w or 175w. You should also be able to check in the xbox by shining a light inside to see what type of heatsink and motherboard you have.

Is it safe to say if you find an Elite, it should be a Falcon? I don't know why this version is so hard to find... Maybe people like the colorway like the OG Xbox.

Anyone know of a way to detect a Falcon on a 360 Pro if those extra stickers are on there covering the sticker with the wattage listed? I have encountered this annoying feature at both my local Best Buy and Circuit City...

Anyone know of a way to detect a Falcon on a 360 Pro if those extra stickers are on there covering the sticker with the wattage listed? I have encountered this annoying feature at both my local Best Buy and Circuit City...

no absolute way that i know of..check the mfg date. if it is late October build then you are probably safe. it seems that the (top) extra sticker is usually team TMEM. if so, you will probably be ok.

buy it...take to parking lot and open..if the pb is 175 watts it a falcon...then the drive issue:eek: if not...take it back. 203 watt doesn't asbsolutely mean its a Z but get one with 175w.

good luck...we're all counting on you....;)

I bought an arcade at BB the other day. Since I all ready had the 120 gig hd and picked up a hdmi adapter when I found one for 1/2 price, I didn't need a pro or elite. It was Team:CSON, Lot No: 0739, and was dated 09/30/07. The power supply was 203W. The motherboard is a Falcon if having the new heatsink and 2 inductor rings is correct. It has a hitachi drive which is not too loud but not as good as the benq. The fans are completely quiet. Just posting for info purposes. I guess it could still have the old chips in it even though it is the new board. But the lack of the heat pipe on the heat sink probably means the chip is smalller.

Is it safe to say if you find an Elite, it should be a Falcon? I don't know why this version is so hard to find... Maybe people like the colorway like the OG Xbox.

No that isn't the case. Most of the Elites I have seen at BB, CC, Walmart, Target and Gamestop are the Z-Boards with the 203W sticker. I have started seeing some of the Pros/Premiums at BB this week with the new 175W stickers. I've also talked to my MS TAM from work and he said that if it has the 175W sticker.....its a Falcon period. There are some Falcons out there with 203W stickers, but that was to finish off inventory of what the builder had on hand.

I guess it could still have the old chips in it even though it is the new board.No, it couldn't. The board has gone through a certain amount of redesign to accomodate the new chips, which have different power requirements; different resistor values, etc.
Is it safe to say if you find an Elite, it should be a Falcon? I don't know why this version is so hard to find...Microsoft could certainly help make it easier, but they'd rather people didn't hunt down specific versions. It's like picking cherry jelly beans out of a bowl with a small variety of flavors, all of them colored red :).

How much of a size difference (if any) is there between the 203 and 175 watt power supplies?

How much of a size difference (if any) is there between the 203 and 175 watt power supplies?

As I remember, the 175W power supply is a bit thinner -- maybe 1 cm thinner along its second-largest dimension -- and it might have fewer vents on it. It is definitely smaller than the 203W supply, but not significantly so.

JM

Just got back from Costco in Seaside. 203 W 360s and 40 G PS3's (w Ratchet and extra controller).

i bought my elite (Go Big) a few weeks ago (team=TMEM, mfg date=10/25/07) was a falcon; benq:)

was in bb tonight looking for lcd, etc. decided to drop by the xbox aisle...a motherload of Go Big elites...noticed the labels were single, boxes crisp and clean...labeled 203w????? team=CSON; lot=0744; mfg date=11/07/07; i am glad i have my elite cause this makes little sense:eek:

just got a pro holiday bundle today for a family member. 203watt ps, but it's a falcon as I looked at the mobo. EB games.

i searched sears, cc, target and finally found a pro bundle at ebgames with the 175w. also picked up a cooling fan just in case. i dont care if it is loud since i have my own home and can crank my games loud with surround sound. i think manufactured date of 10-12-07 and upper 740's lot number. dont worry if the sticker is over the old one cause most places let me peal it off and you can read the watts through the back. they just taped them back on for me after it was the 203w models.

I just got a unit back from ms, due to the RROD, manufacture date of 11-14-2007. It is just the standard box, no hdmi. What are the chances this has the new processor?
Rob

^You could look inside with a flashlight and see. There's a link with pictures on what to look for. I don't remember where though... Hopefully it is a new Falcon, but chances are without HDMI, I don't think it is...

Went to Wally today, 2 elites left. Scooped one up, going to sell my friend my premium which is still under warranty.

Falcon

:)

So happy now. Got a BenQ too! Do all the falcons have a plastic end where the brick connects into the console? My premium has a metal end that goes in... Maybe that is just as easy as looking on the label for the 175w...

try best buy, they keep them in a huge stack in the game section.
My local BB has stacks of Halo & Arcade editions - all with the 203w label on the tag. They have had these units since before Thanksgiving by the look of things.

Fry's Electronics in San Jose, 175 W Elites as of today.

Picked up an Elite at FYE today. As other have said, the sticker on the box gives no indication of the PS wattage. The sales guy knew all about the new mobo, and eventually he opened the box to look at the brick... clearly stated 175W. Build date 10-24-2007, Team: TMEM. Has the BenQ drive.

Did not really need the Elite, but extra HD space is always welcomed. Too bad MS did not make all Xbox 360s in a black case.

-T

I just exchanged my 203w for a 175w at the BB on the corner of Sydney Marcus and Peidmont. Yesterday at lunchtime they had 4 in stock. As of now they have 1 left after I swapped mine. Just a heads up if anyone is interested... :D

Just got an Elite (in Calgary, AB, Canada) with a Oct 17th production date in the 0741 lot. On the outside of the retail box it says 203W but the power brick says "175W Max". YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! :D

:( my xbox was bought early this month from EB online. 203W on both brick and box :(

I'm a little confused on whether or not I got a Falcon tonight.

My previous box (an August 2006 core unit) hadn't given me any problem, up until about 2 weeks ago when I started getting intermitent disc read errors on brand new games (Rock Band, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect). This continued, and has gotten steadily worse (I couldn't play for more than a half-hour or so before I got an error), so I decided to trade it in and upgrade to an Elite.

The one I picked up had a sticker over the normal one that said it's team TMEM, and I couldn't see through enough to read all of the original (can't tell Team or Lot), I could make out 203W down in the lower poriton though. However when I opened it up, the brick itself says 175W and the build date on the system itself is 10/27.

I'm just wondering if I got an F or a Z board in this bad-boy.

I'm a little confused on whether or not I got a Falcon tonight.

... I could make out 203W down in the lower poriton though. However when I opened it up, the brick itself says 175W and the build date on the system itself is 10/27.

I'm just wondering if I got an F or a Z board in this bad-boy.

I'm in the same situation where the box says '203W Max' but the brick is '175W Max'. According to the info in this thread and on the Web you got a Falcon :cool: Don't think the Z board can run on 175W.

I'm in the same situation where the box says '203W Max' but the brick is '175W Max'. According to the info in this thread and on the Web you got a Falcon :cool: Don't think the Z board can run on 175W.

Nice, that's what I was hoping. Taking a closer look this morning, I do indeed have a Falcon (two flat coils, no heatpipe), and checking the DVD drive, it's one of the new BenQ's.

Thus far, it's damn near silent compared to my old 2006 box, it's almost as quiet as my 20GB PS3. Now, I just need to pick up a transfer kit and start rocking on the 120GB HD (I was stupid and though MS would include it w/ the Elite itself).

Nice, that's what I was hoping. Taking a closer look this morning, I do indeed have a Falcon (two flat coils, no heatpipe), and checking the DVD drive, it's one of the new BenQ's.

Thus far, it's damn near silent compared to my old 2006 box, it's almost as quiet as my 20GB PS3. Now, I just need to pick up a transfer kit and start rocking on the 120GB HD (I was stupid and though MS would include it w/ the Elite itself).


Congrats. I also just bought an Elite (my 2nd 360) with a 175W power supply and a BenQ drive. Got lucky.

I don't want to get too off topic, but you mention getting a transfer kit. I just popped my old 20GB onto my Elite to get going quick and everything is working fine after it installed the updates from the drive. Doing this won't cause any problems with using the 120GB drive later on, will it?

Congrats. I also just bought an Elite (my 2nd 360) with a 175W power supply and a BenQ drive. Got lucky.

I don't want to get too off topic, but you mention getting a transfer kit. I just popped my old 20GB onto my Elite to get going quick and everything is working fine after it installed the updates from the drive. Doing this won't cause any problems with using the 120GB drive later on, will it?

It shouldn't cause any problems at all. I would just go to the 120GB right now, but I have nearly 2 years worth of saved games (got my first 360 at launch) on my 20, and I don't want to start from scratch on stuff like Mass Effect, Oblivion, Enchanted Arms, etc...

Another easy way to tell is if your power cable end that connects into the Xbox is plastic, it would be a falcon. The ones that aren't Falcons are metal.

It shouldn't cause any problems at all. I would just go to the 120GB right now, but I have nearly 2 years worth of saved games (got my first 360 at launch) on my 20, and I don't want to start from scratch on stuff like Mass Effect, Oblivion, Enchanted Arms, etc...

Thanks. Yeah, that's the same reason I started with the 20GB.

I borrowed a transfer cable (and the transfer s/w) in advanced and I moved everything to the new 120GB drive, including all three Live profiles. I haven't had the chance to check everything out but on a quick glimpse everything is there. Too bad the transfer deleted everything on the old 20GB drive since I was hoping to use the old Premium in the bedroom. Sorry if I hijacked this thread but can I use one of those memory card thing to transfer my profiles and saved games from my new Elite to my old Premium?

Another easy way to tell is if your power cable end that connects into the Xbox is plastic, it would be a falcon. The ones that aren't Falcons are metal.

Yes, that's what I have on my 175W power brick.

Just curious... can I use the 203W brick on the Falcon? Wouldn't more power on reserve mean more stable run (i.e. like a PC)? I was going to try it last night when I unpacked my Elite but want to make sure if it is OK. I didn't look really closely at the 360 side power connector but I think they are the same except for the metal part you mentioned.

Another easy way to tell is if your power cable end that connects into the Xbox is plastic, it would be a falcon. The ones that aren't Falcons are metal.Game saves aren't the problem with transfers, since they can be moved around on memory cards. The big problem is any XBL Arcade stuff that you bought; that stuff is tied to account that you bought them under and the machine that you bought them on. Once you move them, you can only play the full game when online and logged into the account that you bought them with; on the original machine, you could have played the full game on any account and when offline.

When the Elite was launched they said that they were trying to develop a solution for this, but nothing's been announced yet. They may be hoping that people will forget about it :rolleyes:.

Game saves aren't the problem with transfers, since they can be moved around on memory cards. The big problem is any XBL Arcade stuff that you bought; that stuff is tied to account that you bought them under and the machine that you bought them on. Once you move them, you can only play the full game when online and logged into the account that you bought them with; on the original machine, you could have played the full game on any account and when offline.

When the Elite was launched they said that they were trying to develop a solution for this, but nothing's been announced yet. They may be hoping that people will forget about it :rolleyes:.

So, can I redownload those arcade games again on my new Elite such that it is "native" to this console?

So, can I redownload those arcade games again on my new Elite such that it is "native" to this console?You can probably delete them and pay for them again using the Elite to make them native to it; to do that, you'd probably have to use an account other than the one that you used to buy them the first time, since the full versions will show up as a already-owned-free-download for that guy.

You can log into any friend's machine and use your account to download the full versions of any arcade game that you previously purchased under that account and play the full version of that game while you're logged in there. That act will not make it "native" to that machine and when you log out, anyone else trying to use that game will only get demo functionality out of it. The same situation exists with the Elite, even if you purchased it to replace your original machine and don't own the original machine anymore.

I can see where creating a secure operation which would make your your owned games "native" to another machine which couldn't easily be hacked and used to liberate all XBLA titles will be difficult.

Game saves aren't the problem with transfers, since they can be moved around on memory cards. The big problem is any XBL Arcade stuff that you bought; that stuff is tied to account that you bought them under and the machine that you bought them on. Once you move them, you can only play the full game when online and logged into the account that you bought them with; on the original machine, you could have played the full game on any account and when offline.

When the Elite was launched they said that they were trying to develop a solution for this, but nothing's been announced yet. They may be hoping that people will forget about it :rolleyes:.

Well I assume that since I've had my old premium 360 replaced under warranty (going on 3 times now), I'll have this problem regardless of moving to the elite.

Well, my premium just died again (new one is gonna be my 4th unit). S0 I have the BB replacement warranty. I have a coupe of questions here.

1- So if I want the new unit with falcon and BenQ, I need to look for a unit that has a 175W labeled on the box correct? Is upgrading to the Elite from a premium better from a quality standpoint?

2-Now, I'm considering upgrading to the Elite. Since this is a swap I'll be doing at BB because of the 2 yr replacement warranty I purchased and I currently have a premium (20GB HD), how do i go about returning the premium unit with all the accessories for the Elite with the 120GB HD without having to include my current 20GB HD with all my game saves, personal info, etc?

3- Are the current units being sold today still covered by the MS Warranty for 3 years?

Thanks in advance....

1- So if I want the new unit with falcon and BenQ, I need to look for a unit that has a 175W labeled on the box correct? Is upgrading to the Elite from a premium better from a quality standpoint?As has been said many times above, a 175W PS should guarantee the Falcon board, since the Zephyr board could max that out at peak.

There is no way that I've heard of of insuring that you'll get the BenQ DVD drive. You can't tell whether you have one or not until you open the box and plug it in and can slide out the drive tray to examine it. MS continues to use an assortment of DVD drives in these units; using multiple sources for every part that you can is just smart manufacturing. It'd be nice if they'd establish a better standard for acceptable drive noise.

The only difference between the Elite and the Premium is that the former is black, comes with black accessories and comes with a 120GB HDD rather than a 20GB one. It also comes with an HDMI cable and an audio-only dongle which is convenient if you plan to use HDMI without an HDMI-sound capable receiver (note that people have found that they can strip the casing from the A/V connector plug on the standard component cable and thereby get it to fit while an HDMI cable is also plugged in, using its optical S/PDIF connector for surround sound). Quality-wise, the Elite, Premium and Arcade versions are identical; they only differ in case color and the set of accessories packed in.

As has been said many times above, a 175W PS should guarantee the Falcon board, since the Zephyr board could max that out at peak.

There is no way that I've heard of of insuring that you'll get the BenQ DVD drive. You can't tell whether you have one or not until you open the box and plug it in and can slide out the drive tray to examine it. MS continues to use an assortment of DVD drives in these units; using multiple sources for every part that you can is just smart manufacturing. It'd be nice if they'd establish a better standard for acceptable drive noise.

The only difference between the Elite and the Premium is that the former is black, comes with black accessories and comes with a 120GB HDD rather than a 20GB one. It also comes with an HDMI cable and an audio-only dongle which is convenient if you plan to use HDMI without an HDMI-sound capable receiver (note that people have found that they can strip the casing from the A/V connector plug on the standard component cable and thereby get it to fit while an HDMI cable is also plugged in, using its optical S/PDIF connector for surround sound). Quality-wise, the Elite, Premium and Arcade versions are identical; they only differ in case color and the set of accessories packed in.


Thanks Michael for your clarifications. If I have a chance today, I'll run to BB and try to get my replacement 360 with the 175W power source. :)

After unpacking my son's new 360 Elite this morning, I found that is is a 203W. I'm not real concerned about not getting a Falcon, I am somewhat concerned about heat issues. The bigger concern was making sure that it had the HDMI connector. I'm wondering if getting an add-on cooling fan would be helpful or useful as far as heat buildup is concerned. Right now it's located in an entertainment center oriented on it's side. There's plenty of space around it, but it seems most people have it sit vertically, rather than horizontally.

Also, I've read a bit about Benq drives being desirable. What's the story there?

Thanks,

Andy

After unpacking my son's new 360 Elite this morning, I found that is is a 203W. I'm not real concerned about not getting a Falcon, I am somewhat concerned about heat issues. The bigger concern was making sure that it had the HDMI connector. I'm wondering if getting an add-on cooling fan would be helpful or useful as far as heat buildup is concerned. Right now it's located in an entertainment center oriented on it's side. There's plenty of space around it, but it seems most people have it sit vertically, rather than horizontally.

Also, I've read a bit about Benq drives being desirable. What's the story there?

Thanks,

Andy

IMO, the add-on coolers are a waste of money and I don't think they really help. I'd sit it horizontally. Less chance for discs to be scratched loading from the side, and the vent that would normally be on the bottom will be open horizontally.

The BenQ drive is the quietest drives.

Good luck and congrats on the 360 :cool:

Thanks. My son is already loving Madden 08 on it. :)

I haven't checked all the numbers but my Elite I opened on Xmas has a 175W power supply and MFG. on 11-9-2007.

It is still a lot louder than my PS3 but(fan wise) quieter than my buddies launch premium.

I haven't checked all the numbers but my Elite I opened on Xmas has a 175W power supply and MFG. on 11-9-2007.

It is still a lot louder than my PS3 but(fan wise) quieter than my buddies launch premium.

Thanks you pretty much hit it nail on there :)
I also picked up an Elite here in Hong Kong and its 175W on the brick. Its just a tad quieter than my old launch unit other than that, its loud and not suprising they don't do to well out here.
Off topic - i'm addicted to Ace Combat 6 now and in a week or so my wife may well kick me out ! :D