Microsoft Responds to Disc Scratching Issue

[Marcus Yam]

We recently heard through court documents that Microsoft allegedly was aware of Xbox 360 scratching game discs.
In fact, the hardware “quirk” was supposedly known even prior to the console’s launch, but no changes were made to the hardware to help stav

Microsoft Responds to Disc Scratching Issue : Read more

 

[bin1127]

less than 1%?! approx 22 mln are sold, so that makes 200,000 complaint about this problem. I can't see how they can brush off such a large number of complaints by blaming the users.

@Microsoft: go fix the problem.

 

[bunz_of_steel]

bunch of A-holes those Micro$oft guy$ are!

 

[squidrott]

First off, I dislike the 360, so I'm no fanboy.
However, with that said, who the hell moves a console while the disk is spinning. I doubt there is an anti-skip device in place like in an vehicle's CD player. So...why?!
imo, I think MS assumed more intelligence of it's user base.

 

[Tindytim]

[citation][nom]SquidRott[/nom]First off, I dislike the 360, so I'm no fanboy. However, with that said, who the hell moves a console while the disk is spinning. I doubt there is an anti-skip device in place like in an vehicle's CD player. So...why?!imo, I think MS assumed more intelligence of it's user base.[/citation]

They assumed wrong. There are always stupid people. They may as well add an anti-skip device to weed out the idiot, and to get to the people with real problems, if they actually exist.

 

[slapdashzero]

Ahh, SquidRott, and there was their first mistake. Assume intelligence, and you will always be sorely disappointed. Certainly, though, it is pretty much a given that CD/DVD drives with no anti-skip (read: nearly all computer based drives), will totally jack a disc is you bounce it around, but maybe that's only obvious to old computer guys like me (who learned the hard way a long time ago.)

 

[Guest]

Now... isn't this article just a rehash of the User comments from the last time you guys posted this article?

 

[TwoDigital]

What about bringing the Xbox into a vehicle? This may sound dumb... but I have small children and a minivan with an overhead LCD they could hook this into. Would I need to worry about games getting scratched if we (heaven forbid) hit a bump while driving in the van?

 

[E7130]

[citation][nom]slapdashzero[/nom]Ahh, SquidRott, and there was their first mistake. Assume intelligence, and you will always be sorely disappointed. Certainly, though, it is pretty much a given that CD/DVD drives with no anti-skip (read: nearly all computer based drives), will totally jack a disc is you bounce it around, but maybe that's only obvious to old computer guys like me (who learned the hard way a long time ago.)[/citation]

Yes assuming intelligence is bad ideal, and if you tried to design something stupid proof you will go bankrupt. I haven't had a problem with my Elite; I think it's just another empty attack at Microsoft.

 

[Guest]

You have to make everything "idiot proof", because idiots are using it.

 

[Guest]

"You have to make everything "idiot proof", because idiots are using it."

Wrong, we should encourage evolution by not idiot proofing things. It seems ironic that the people who are militaristic evolutionists also are the ones that want do dumb down the human race.

 

[bfstev]

i still have my first gen 360. it runs games and NXE without problems. It does however get some weird visual errors when playing DVDs from the drive, but nothing I cant live with, just annoying and it seems to be more of a heat issue.

Only real solution I see to the scratching would be to change to a laptop type dvd drives where the tray holds the disk in place while spinning, some kinda motion detection like laptops have to protect against shock to the HDD, or maybe even a firmware update to insert a pause before trying to refocus the lens to hopefully "ride out" the shock.

 

[bfstev]

[citation][nom]TwoDigital[/nom]What about bringing the Xbox into a vehicle? This may sound dumb... but I have small children and a minivan with an overhead LCD they could hook this into. Would I need to worry about games getting scratched if we (heaven forbid) hit a bump while driving in the van?[/citation]

Very possible, the system wasn't designed with that application in mind.

 

[michaelahess]

Why not just put a hub in like laptop drives have, simple solution, relatively cheap I'm sure.

 

[hellwig]

[citation][nom]TwoDigital[/nom]What about bringing the Xbox into a vehicle? This may sound dumb... but I have small children and a minivan with an overhead LCD they could hook this into. Would I need to worry about games getting scratched if we (heaven forbid) hit a bump while driving in the van?[/citation]
I remember my cousins had their Super Nintendo hooked into their van years ago. Back then everything was cartridge. I never even thought of this application for the 360 myself. I doubt anyone at Microsoft ever considered people would want these in their cars either. I guess you'll just have to get your kids a DS or PSP.

 

[JonnyDough]

[citation][nom]slapdashzero[/nom]Ahh, SquidRott, and there was their first mistake. Assume intelligence, and you will always be sorely disappointed. Certainly, though, it is pretty much a given that CD/DVD drives with no anti-skip (read: nearly all computer based drives), will totally jack a disc is you bounce it around, but maybe that's only obvious to old computer guys like me (who learned the hard way a long time ago.)[/citation]

It isn't a matter of intellect but one of technical knowledge. You can move a Nintendo while in use without repercussion. Your car CD doesn't scratch. So why would a costly machine like an XBox have built in stupidity? It is not the users that are stupid, but the product designers trying to cut costs that are stupid. Ultimately, scratched CDs = more game sales was probably what they thought. Corporations do not care about ethics and their buyers, they care about making money. I'm always preaching on here about the real root of the problem being greed and capitalism. Is anyone listening?

 

[Nimmist]

Why is this only happening to the Xbox 360? And if the cause is stupid users, does this then mean that the Xbox 360 attracts more stupid users than other consoles?