Even though the 360 only plays WMV and MPEG2 video, audio gets transcoded automatically if you use the 360 an extender. Most of my music is stored as LAME encoded 192/256 kb VBR MP3's and the 360 in the living room plays them just fine. I don't know what the media extender software does internally - you probably do lose some quality as the XP or MCE pc transcodes your music on-the-fly.
Video can be transcoded using other apps like Transcode360: http://www.runtime360.com/
I haven't tried this myself though.
I was quite vocal about it. I spent half an hour arguing with two persons of the CD department. They kept on repeating it was company policy and that they could not make exceptions.
I'm not starting a lawsuit because of this - I cannot affort that. But since then I've never set a foot inside a FNAC. I also recommended against FNAC whenever possible, and I explained the danger of copy-protected CD's to friends and relatives.
I think bad publicity is the only thing the labels and large retail chains fear. Consumer organisations have the power to get things like this mass media. These problems have been known to FNAC for more than a year. They did not care. They only the offer to repay the price now because of the bad publicity.
I'll never set a foot inside one of the FNAC stores anyway. Two years ago I was a log-time fnac customer. About a year ago I bougt a 'protected' CD - Buscemi's 'Camino Real'. At that time I wasn't aware of the fact you shouldn't buy any audio CD without an official Philips logo on it. My problem was the CD refused to play on the Denon DVD-100 (part of my Denon mini hifi/home cinema set I bought... at the very same FNAC). FNAC did not want to take the CD back, as the do not take back any opened CD or software package claiming this is to 'deter copying copyrighted material'. This is common practice at large retailers were I live. The Carrefour retail chain does it as well: they refuse to take back any CD or software. Carrefour even refuses to take back any pc you bought since these have a pre-loaded OS. So much even for the 'if you don't agree to this licince return the software and return it to get a refund-klick through agreement' I guess. But what can you do against this as a consumer? Go to small claims court and lose a lot of money over a CD? I have some confidence in Europe still.
Actually, these providers do exist. My (Belgian) DSL provider charges a monthly fee of 40 Euro for 10 GB transfer volume per month (down +upstream, at 3000/128. If I used about 8 gig, I get a nice mail saying I still got 2 gig left.
If the 10 gigs have been used, I can buy one or more additional 5 gig volumes for 5 euro each, otherwise I'm capped at ISDN speeds for the rest of the month. If I buy 5 additional gig, the part that hasn't been used gets carried over to the next month I exceed the limit. And you can check the volume you used thus far on-line any time you want to.
I really like this system because it's published clearly so you know what to expect. The cap is communicated in every possible way, and you have the choice of buying an extra volume or sticking with DSL speeds for the rest of the month. I really wouldn't like getting capped for some obsure reason burried in the t&c's. I prefer this system over a fake 'unlimited' plan. When will companies realize they can do business respecting their customers, only with a little effort.
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Even though the 360 only plays WMV and MPEG2 video, audio gets transcoded automatically if you use the 360 an extender. Most of my music is stored as LAME encoded 192/256 kb VBR MP3's and the 360 in the living room plays them just fine. I don't know what the media extender software does internally - you probably do lose some quality as the XP or MCE pc transcodes your music on-the-fly. Video can be transcoded using other apps like Transcode360: http://www.runtime360.com/ I haven't tried this myself though.
I was quite vocal about it. I spent half an hour arguing with two persons of the CD department. They kept on repeating it was company policy and that they could not make exceptions. I'm not starting a lawsuit because of this - I cannot affort that. But since then I've never set a foot inside a FNAC. I also recommended against FNAC whenever possible, and I explained the danger of copy-protected CD's to friends and relatives. I think bad publicity is the only thing the labels and large retail chains fear. Consumer organisations have the power to get things like this mass media. These problems have been known to FNAC for more than a year. They did not care. They only the offer to repay the price now because of the bad publicity.
I'll never set a foot inside one of the FNAC stores anyway. Two years ago I was a log-time fnac customer. About a year ago I bougt a 'protected' CD - Buscemi's 'Camino Real'. At that time I wasn't aware of the fact you shouldn't buy any audio CD without an official Philips logo on it. My problem was the CD refused to play on the Denon DVD-100 (part of my Denon mini hifi/home cinema set I bought ... at the very same FNAC). FNAC did not want to take the CD back, as the do not take back any opened CD or software package claiming this is to 'deter copying copyrighted material'. This is common practice at large retailers were I live. The Carrefour retail chain does it as well: they refuse to take back any CD or software. Carrefour even refuses to take back any pc you bought since these have a pre-loaded OS. So much even for the 'if you don't agree to this licince return the software and return it to get a refund-klick through agreement' I guess. But what can you do against this as a consumer? Go to small claims court and lose a lot of money over a CD? I have some confidence in Europe still.
I couldn't care less if there were non 200/400 GF2 MX cards with 64 MB. My point was there were 64 MB MXs. Now let me get back to my game of Doom 3.
Are you trolling? The original MX had 32 megs, but there were plenty GF2 MX 200's and 400's with 64 megs.
or at least, it sits in the corner of the pc store and doesn't eat very much.
R oo m/0,,51_104_608,00.html
The athlonXP is the new duron. Later on, the XP will be replaced by another budged chip (probably called the Sempron)
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Corporate/VirtualPress
Another reson to completely ignore the celery imho.
Actually, these providers do exist. My (Belgian) DSL provider charges a monthly fee of 40 Euro for 10 GB transfer volume per month (down +upstream, at 3000/128. If I used about 8 gig, I get a nice mail saying I still got 2 gig left. If the 10 gigs have been used, I can buy one or more additional 5 gig volumes for 5 euro each, otherwise I'm capped at ISDN speeds for the rest of the month. If I buy 5 additional gig, the part that hasn't been used gets carried over to the next month I exceed the limit. And you can check the volume you used thus far on-line any time you want to. I really like this system because it's published clearly so you know what to expect. The cap is communicated in every possible way, and you have the choice of buying an extra volume or sticking with DSL speeds for the rest of the month. I really wouldn't like getting capped for some obsure reason burried in the t&c's. I prefer this system over a fake 'unlimited' plan. When will companies realize they can do business respecting their customers, only with a little effort.