Will people seriously drop the PC and XBox360 comparisons?
If you want a gaming console, go buy an XBox360 and hook it up to your SD or HD TV. Enjoy.
If you want a multipurpose machine capable of business applications, gaming, multimedia.. then buy a PC, hook it up to a nice monitor. Enjoy.
A lot of people love to talk up that their PC is more capable games/graphics wise than the 360, but if you do the math you're flat out wrong-- as I've said in other comments, you cannot build (for $400) a PC capable of 1920x1080 3d gaming (at 4x antialiasing, smooth frame-rate) and 5.1 Dolby Digital audio. If gaming is your main goal, then the 360 is the way to go.
I'll wait to buy my 360 until it has a solid Linux port, and I can get a DVI cable to plug it into my monitor. Even then, I might just buy an original xbox -- they're getting cheaper every day.
A linux port? You represent like.00001% of the people who are interested in a 360. Who really cares?
Also, you can buy a VGA cable (360 has no digital video out) for your XBox360 today and be playing HD on your monitor.
HD is a technology advancement/benefit. If you want to focus on gameplay rather than graphics, then go right ahead-- You'll have the tools available to use HD if you want.
HDTV's are becoming more and more common in homes.. and even if you don't have an HDTV, you can pick up a $20 XBox360 VGA cable and enjoy 720i HDTV gaming on your PC monitor.
And if you want to develop for the XBox360, you'll have to do your development in HD as well as SD. Don't like that? Then go develop for another console; maybe Nintendo, since they haven't announced HD support yet?
Okay, let me know when XBox/PS2/Gamecube can handle CoD2.
And don't tell me CoD2 is out for those systems, because it ain't. "Big Red One" isn't the same game; and I dare you to tell me it looks just as good as the XBox360 does.
You guys are really funny. If you want a PC, that's great, more power to you. But for console gamers, the XBox360 is where it's at right now.
You'd like to think open source drivers would help, but I beg to disagree. Who would know their hardware better; themselves or a bunch of freelance hardware coders? Do you even realize how complex a GPU is?
Also, they have constantly stated (and so has nVidia, I believe) why they cannot open source their drivers completely.
Anyhow, I used to have problems with ATI drivers years ago, back in the Rage days. I was a strict nVidia guy up until about a year ago, when I decided to get an X800. Haven't had any problems with the driver or card itself.
The issue you mention (Vista chrome turning off) only happens if you're running a windowed OpenGl app, as far as I know.
Anyway, it's an issue that people are freaking out over for no reason. It won't kill the framerate on your OpenGl games, it won't stop you from playing OpenGl games, etc.
Some people around here should be reading the WPF blog.
It's funny how you're comprimising costs and quality now. Why not just buy the friggin XBox360 to begin with and get HD+4xAA, etc., not to mention an easy to setup system (no motherboard, videocard, soundcard drivers, etc.) We haven't even touched on the fact that there are hardly any soundcards that can encode to a Dolby Digital 5.1 stream. Only one card comes to mind (the nForce and it's MCP)
If you want a PC, buy a PC. If you want a videogame console (with a few other nice features), buy an XBox360. There ya go.
Also, your complaint about game prices can apply to PC games as well. You are well within your right to sell your used game. Should be able to sell your Xbox360 games and make back a nice chunk of change.
I used to be strictly nVidia after bad experiences with ATi in the page (Rage Pro, yuck!), but a year or so ago I switched to an ATI X800 and haven't looked back. Drivers have been rock solid. I'd say ATi has really stepped up their driver/testing team.
Huh? Microsoft is just removing their OpenGL support-- your video card vendor/maker can still supply their own. The mainstream ones (ATi/nVidia) come with their own already.
Their beta drivers for Vista might not yet..but they should eventually.
XBox360 gaming = high def. Your PC = not high def.
I'd like to know what $80 graphics card can do CoD2 in 1920x1080 with 4x anti aliasing and maintain a smooth 30+ FPS. That's right, there is none.
Re:360 - A Complete And Total Disaster
on
The Shadow of Kong
·
· Score: 1
I'm guessing you've never played Kameo or PGR3 on XBox360? They are hardly "graphics that have yet to exceed the worst of the last generation of game systems." Call of Duty 2 looks gorgeous as well. I'm sure we haven't even begun to fully tap the capabilities of the system, either (same goes for any new console launch.)
You're assuming Microsoft doesn't run stress tests, which is complete baloney. Of course they stress test the units before shipping them. But they can't account for damages caused during shipping, little Billy putting his XBox360 in an enclosed space (or the power brick), etc...
Also, I'm assuming you have no experience in the electronics/manufacturing industry, where there are "accepted"/"anticipated" failure rates. Ask anyone developing a brand new electronic product from nearly the ground up if they expect no problems after launch day. I can bet what the answer would be..
At the end of the day, my XBox360 is working just fine, thanks, and if your's isn't, you should call Microsoft. I'm hearing one week turnaround times for repairs on the units, and that's pretty dang good for an electronics device.
And if you still don't like that, then either don't buy an Xbox360, or if you already have.. return it.
1. Masked. The film is shot in the standard ratio, but the top and bottom of the picture are hidden or masked off by mattes in the projector. Alternatively, a hard matte in the camera may be used to mask off those areas while filming. The picture quality is reduced because only part of the image is being expanded to full height. Sometimes films are designed to be shown in cinemas in masked widescreen format but the full unmasked frame is used for television.
2. Anamorphic. As used by CinemaScope, Panavision and others, anamorphic camera lenses compress the image horizontally so that it fits a standard frame, and anamorphic projection lenses restore the image and spread it over the wide screen. The picture quality is reduced because the image is stretched to nearly twice the original area, but improvements in film and lenses have made this less noticeable.
3. Super gauges. The full negative frame, including the area traditionally reserved for the sound track, is filmed using a wider gate. The print is then shrunk and/or cropped in order to fit it back onto release prints. The aspect ratio for Super 35, for example, can be set to virtually any projectable standard.
4. Taller pull down. 35mm pull-down, as used for Cinerama, can facilitate better and brighter 3D projection, or offer a low cost means to approach 70mm image brightness and clarity using 35mm film and an anamorphic lens. Commonly referred to as "Cine-160" by recent advocates.
5. Large gauge. A 70mm film frame is not only twice as wide as a standard frame but also has greater height. Shooting and projecting a film in 70mm therefore gives more than twice the image area of non-anamorphic 35mm film with no loss of quality. No major dramatic narrative film has been filmed on this format since 1996 (the last being the Kenneth Branagh version of Hamlet), although big release-films do sometimes strike 70mm "roadshow" prints from 35mm masters. Paramount's VistaVision was a large gauge precursor to 70mm film; it ran standard 35mm film through the camera horizontally to achieve a widescreen effect. VistaVision is still used for shooting special effects, and is notable for its use in Lucasfilm's original three Star Wars films, among others.
6. Multiple cameras/projectors. The Cinerama system originally involved shooting with three synchronized cameras locked together side by side, and projecting the three resulting films on a curved screen with three synchronized projectors. Later Cinerama movies were shot in 70mm anamorphic (see below), and the resultant widescreen image was divided into three by optical printers to produce the final threefold prints. The technical drawbacks of Cinerama are discussed in its own article. Only one feature film, How the West Was Won was shot in "pure," three-camera Cinerama. With the exception of a few films created sporadically for use in specialty Cinerama theaters, the format is essentially dead. A non-Cinerama, three-projector process was famously pioneered for the final reel of Abel Gance's 1927 epic, Napoleon. Consisting of three 1.33 images side by side, the total aspect ratio of the image is 4:1. The technical difficulties in mounting a full screening of the film, however, make most theaters unwilling or unable to show it properly.
7. 70mm anamorphic. 70mm with anamorphic lenses creates an even wider high-quality picture. Known as Ultra-Panavision and MGM-65, and most famously used in the 1959 version of Ben-Hur, this system is basically obsolete, although it would likely be technically easy to revive.
It's also worth reading up on Super 35, which is a format that James Cameron typically shoots on; it's easier to go straight from Super 35 to the mainstream formats (widescreen/fullscreen/cinema), due to how the image is stored on the film and the lenses involved.
And where are you getting your inflated figures from? Microsoft themselves has said approx. 3% of the units have had problems. This seems like a pretty normal failure rate (in the hardware industry.) Every complicated piece of machinery or electronics is assumed to have some percentage of problem units, and they are dealt with like any other problem, through customer service. That's why if you're having problems, you'd just call Microsoft. And according to reports around the web, you'll probably get your XBox360 back within a week. That's pretty darn fast.
Like I said, I have one (won it through the Mountain Dew contest) and have been playing it for a while.. no problems so far.
Regarding tabs, are you going to apply this same thinking to FireFox stealing "tabs" from Opera? Are you going to get upset over Opera stealing "tabs" from Microsoft's common controls?:)
You also must not be aware that Microsoft has been in the web-based satellite imagery business for quite some time (search for Terraserver..) -- they have also had mapping capabilities before Google (see MSN Maps, MapBlast)
It appears the Xbox360 external power brick also "shuts off" when not in use-- there's an amber light when it's off, and green when it's on. It would be stupid for it to just draw max current continuously-- it's essentially a computer's power supply.
Slashdot Mirror
Will people seriously drop the PC and XBox360 comparisons?
.00001% of the people who are interested in a 360. Who really cares?
If you want a gaming console, go buy an XBox360 and hook it up to your SD or HD TV. Enjoy.
If you want a multipurpose machine capable of business applications, gaming, multimedia.. then buy a PC, hook it up to a nice monitor. Enjoy.
A lot of people love to talk up that their PC is more capable games/graphics wise than the 360, but if you do the math you're flat out wrong-- as I've said in other comments, you cannot build (for $400) a PC capable of 1920x1080 3d gaming (at 4x antialiasing, smooth frame-rate) and 5.1 Dolby Digital audio. If gaming is your main goal, then the 360 is the way to go.
I'll wait to buy my 360 until it has a solid Linux port, and I can get a DVI cable to plug it into my monitor. Even then, I might just buy an original xbox -- they're getting cheaper every day.
A linux port? You represent like
Also, you can buy a VGA cable (360 has no digital video out) for your XBox360 today and be playing HD on your monitor.
This article/question is stupid.
HD is a technology advancement/benefit. If you want to focus on gameplay rather than graphics, then go right ahead-- You'll have the tools available to use HD if you want.
HDTV's are becoming more and more common in homes.. and even if you don't have an HDTV, you can pick up a $20 XBox360 VGA cable and enjoy 720i HDTV gaming on your PC monitor.
And if you want to develop for the XBox360, you'll have to do your development in HD as well as SD. Don't like that? Then go develop for another console; maybe Nintendo, since they haven't announced HD support yet?
Okay, let me know when XBox/PS2/Gamecube can handle CoD2.
And don't tell me CoD2 is out for those systems, because it ain't. "Big Red One" isn't the same game; and I dare you to tell me it looks just as good as the XBox360 does.
You guys are really funny. If you want a PC, that's great, more power to you. But for console gamers, the XBox360 is where it's at right now.
You'd like to think open source drivers would help, but I beg to disagree. Who would know their hardware better; themselves or a bunch of freelance hardware coders? Do you even realize how complex a GPU is?
Also, they have constantly stated (and so has nVidia, I believe) why they cannot open source their drivers completely.
Anyhow, I used to have problems with ATI drivers years ago, back in the Rage days. I was a strict nVidia guy up until about a year ago, when I decided to get an X800. Haven't had any problems with the driver or card itself.
The issue you mention (Vista chrome turning off) only happens if you're running a windowed OpenGl app, as far as I know.
Anyway, it's an issue that people are freaking out over for no reason. It won't kill the framerate on your OpenGl games, it won't stop you from playing OpenGl games, etc.
Some people around here should be reading the WPF blog.
It's funny how you're comprimising costs and quality now. Why not just buy the friggin XBox360 to begin with and get HD+4xAA, etc., not to mention an easy to setup system (no motherboard, videocard, soundcard drivers, etc.) We haven't even touched on the fact that there are hardly any soundcards that can encode to a Dolby Digital 5.1 stream. Only one card comes to mind (the nForce and it's MCP)
If you want a PC, buy a PC. If you want a videogame console (with a few other nice features), buy an XBox360. There ya go.
Also, your complaint about game prices can apply to PC games as well. You are well within your right to sell your used game. Should be able to sell your Xbox360 games and make back a nice chunk of change.
Congrats, out of all the operating systems running ATi cards, your Linux OS represents probably 2%. Who cares?
No problems over here in Windows land and my ATi drivers.
I used to be strictly nVidia after bad experiences with ATi in the page (Rage Pro, yuck!), but a year or so ago I switched to an ATI X800 and haven't looked back. Drivers have been rock solid. I'd say ATi has really stepped up their driver/testing team.
Huh? Microsoft is just removing their OpenGL support-- your video card vendor/maker can still supply their own. The mainstream ones (ATi/nVidia) come with their own already.
Their beta drivers for Vista might not yet..but they should eventually.
You're not thinking from the mind of a gamer, or someone who would purchase a console in the first place:
1) Hi-definition gaming.
2) Way more advanced/the best console out right now, no competition.
Also, see my other post about playing "hi def" on your PC; it ain't happening cheap. It'd be much cheaper for you to just get an XBox360.
XBox360 gaming = high def. Your PC = not high def.
I'd like to know what $80 graphics card can do CoD2 in 1920x1080 with 4x anti aliasing and maintain a smooth 30+ FPS. That's right, there is none.
I'm guessing you've never played Kameo or PGR3 on XBox360? They are hardly "graphics that have yet to exceed the worst of the last generation of game systems." Call of Duty 2 looks gorgeous as well. I'm sure we haven't even begun to fully tap the capabilities of the system, either (same goes for any new console launch.)
So you'd rather spend $1000+ to play CoD2 on your PC, than just $300+$50 for HD CoD2 on your TV?
You're assuming Microsoft doesn't run stress tests, which is complete baloney. Of course they stress test the units before shipping them. But they can't account for damages caused during shipping, little Billy putting his XBox360 in an enclosed space (or the power brick), etc...
Also, I'm assuming you have no experience in the electronics/manufacturing industry, where there are "accepted"/"anticipated" failure rates. Ask anyone developing a brand new electronic product from nearly the ground up if they expect no problems after launch day. I can bet what the answer would be..
At the end of the day, my XBox360 is working just fine, thanks, and if your's isn't, you should call Microsoft. I'm hearing one week turnaround times for repairs on the units, and that's pretty dang good for an electronics device.
And if you still don't like that, then either don't buy an Xbox360, or if you already have.. return it.
SP2 added a feature like this.. have you downloaded an EXE and ran it? It will warn you that it came from the internet.
[from WikiPedia's entry on "Widescreen"]
It's also worth reading up on Super 35, which is a format that James Cameron typically shoots on; it's easier to go straight from Super 35 to the mainstream formats (widescreen/fullscreen/cinema), due to how the image is stored on the film and the lenses involved.
And where are you getting your inflated figures from? Microsoft themselves has said approx. 3% of the units have had problems. This seems like a pretty normal failure rate (in the hardware industry.) Every complicated piece of machinery or electronics is assumed to have some percentage of problem units, and they are dealt with like any other problem, through customer service. That's why if you're having problems, you'd just call Microsoft. And according to reports around the web, you'll probably get your XBox360 back within a week. That's pretty darn fast.
Like I said, I have one (won it through the Mountain Dew contest) and have been playing it for a while.. no problems so far.
No problems here. Your mileage may vary, however.
If you're having issues, you should call Microsoft. The device does come with a warranty, ya know!
Regarding tabs, are you going to apply this same thinking to FireFox stealing "tabs" from Opera? Are you going to get upset over Opera stealing "tabs" from Microsoft's common controls? :)
You also must not be aware that Microsoft has been in the web-based satellite imagery business for quite some time (search for Terraserver..) -- they have also had mapping capabilities before Google (see MSN Maps, MapBlast)
Give me a break.
Microsoft is in control of Windows, and can integrate MSN search, and any other Web services, directly into Windows.
Microsoft can bundle its own anti-virus and spyware checking into Windows.
Microsoft can bundle its own accounting software with Microsoft office.
So? They are well within their "rights" to do such things. It's their operating system/software.
Microsoft's business model is failing? Oh man, that's a good one.
You let me know when your company has reached Microsoft's profit status, mmmkay?
Alright, the Xbox360 power brick.. in standby mode.. consumes a whopping 0.02 amps & watts.
I also tried my Dell LCD, and it failed to draw any real amperage/wattage.
You have no case.
When I get home today, I'll start measuring some "standby" devices with my Kill-A-Watt and let you know how they fare.
It appears the Xbox360 external power brick also "shuts off" when not in use-- there's an amber light when it's off, and green when it's on. It would be stupid for it to just draw max current continuously-- it's essentially a computer's power supply.
See my other /. comment about "entertainment centers".