Topic: Slimbox 360 on the horizon?

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Is the power supply any slimmer?

[BlackNMild2k1]

Why does it look like there is an industrial air conditioning unit or some sort of fancy vacuum in there?

[BranDonk Kong]

The power supply is the same dimensions but uses 150 watts (Jasper) instead of 175 (Falcon) or 203 (Xenon/Zephyr) now, and the "vaccum" is an air duct, the fans are in the back. So anyway, same size motherboard in every console. Screws are in the same place, same exact case (only differfence is the HDMI port). Also, you can use a 203 watt PSU on any revision, but the 175 watt only on Falcon/Jasper, and 175 watt only on Jasper.

[Ymeegod]

The Jasper is stated to fix alot of issues with RoRD too, my newest 360 is one and hopefully I get 5 years out of it (bought the extended warranty anyhow).  Going for 90 to 65nm seemed to fix the heating issues.

You can tell what system is a Jasper because it has built in memory (512/256MB) where the older versions don't.  Picked up mine when walmart did that $100 deal .

[BranDonk Kong]

The switch to 65nm made a *huge* difference in temperatures within the console. Now the system doesn't get hot enough to cause the board to flex like it used to. It also draws about 26% less power than before. Other ways to tell which motherboard you have is by looking at the power ratings on the back (it's visible through the hole in the retail box of the console). Xenon and Zephyr (which have been out of production for nearly 3 years) will have 16.5A for the 12V, Falcon (which they stopped making about a year and a half ago, though it's still possible to fine one somewhere I suppose) has 14.2A for 12V, and Jasper has 12.1A for 12V. There is one other motherboard, called Opus, which is essentially a Jasper, but does not have HDMI, and they are only in refurbished (though not all of them) units that replace older non-HDMI consoles that get sent in.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Looks like Surfer girl has caught another wave.

Slim   360 to be unveiled at e3... 360 rebrand inbound         

MS will reveal a slim 360 natal bundle at one of their two (yes,  two) press conferences at this year's e3.

What's  more the 360 will be getting a subtle rebrand, with a new logo and  black as the new primary colour of the console. They feel that the new  system needs to be black because a white Natal wouldn't sit well next to  the typical gloss black tv.

The new system  design is pretty neat.

And Natal? Let's just  say you'll probably be both very surprised and very pleased by one of  the games revealed... what is it? Might  Get  Shot  if I were to tell.

You'll see.

So now I get to update the list of things we expect to see at E3

Slimbox360
Natal
Move
Vitality Sensor
3DS
PSP2
Zelda Wii

That is 1 piece of hardware and 1 piece of accessory for each of the Big 3.
E3 should be really good this year. Wish I was going.

[Chozo Ghost]

If the Slimbox will address the RROD issues then it may be something worth considering. I'll wait and see.

[nickmitch]

They've had other (minor) hardware revisions to deal with the RROD in the past, cooler chipsets and what not. I think the main focus should be on the size and built in Wi-Fi.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Slimmer size makes it easier to ship after your RROD.

[Chozo Ghost]

Slimmer size makes it easier to ship after your RROD.

LOL

Well, that's one way of looking at it.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I don't know if these 2 things are related, but since these pics most likely came from an Asian source and this news involves an Asian update, I'll post this here.

Microsoft Upgrades 360 to support 3D Gaming
New hardware or just a firmware update? nobody knows...

The US technology giant revealed yesterday that it had signed a strategic partnership with the electronics company LG, as it prepares to bring 3D gaming to the Xbox 360.

The memorandum of understanding seems to involve a marketing deal to sell the South Korean group's 3D televisions alongside Xbox 360s that have been upgraded to support 3D gaming. Gamers in the UK will have to control their excitement for now, as plans seem to be limited to the Asian market at the moment. Yet experts believe the rise of 3D in other formats makes the format's expansion more likely. The move follows recent announcements by Sony, which has upgraded its PlayStation 3 console to support 3D, and Nintendo, which is planning to release a 3D version of its popular DS handheld.

Piers Harding-Rolls, an analyst at Screen Digest, said: "Microsoft had been concentrating on its motion-control releases this year, but they are aware Sony has gone into 3D not just in games, but across the whole group. This is its competitive response."

Sony announced in April that it had released an upgrade of the machine's "firmware" which users could download via the internet to tweak its operating system so it can support 3D games when they become available.

It was unclear from yesterday's statement whether gamers would have to buy a new Xbox or whether they would be able to follow PlayStation users and simply download additional firmware.

"The big question is what technology is needed to deliver 3D in the home, and whether consumers are ready to spend on new television sets and glasses," Mr Harding-Rolls continued.

Sony said that the move towards 3D had been driven by cinema and television's move into the area, "and the Avatar effect cannot be underestimated". James Cameron's special-effects blockbuster smashed box office records when it was released last year, prompting a rise in 3D cinema releases and plans to bring the technology into the home.

Gaming in 3D is in its infancy. Sony has several games in development and testing, ready for launch when customers begin buying 3D televisions. The company said: "We're excited about it, but we are treading quite carefully."

Super Stardust in 3D is "demoing internally", Sony said, adding: "The gameplay really benefits. You can see it in racing games. Petrolheads want to be behind the wheel. In D you don't get that sense of depth; 3D brings the experience to life."

He added: "Many games are designed with 3D landscapes; [it's] just [that] so far, they haven't been designed to be watched in 3D." Other games set to be released include Wipeout and MotorStorm.

Nintendo said in March it was to launch the 3DS before the end of March next year. The 3D version of its top-selling handheld device will not need glasses, the company said. Details, however, remain sketchy. Nintendo has remained quiet over whether the Wii will be updated to become 3D-capable. Mr Harding-Rolls said: "Gaming will be one of the key drivers for getting 3D into the home. It is just not there yet."

Microsoft is preparing to release the Natal motion-sensing kit in the UK in October. The gear will be officially launched at the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles next month. Sony also has a rival motion-sensor product in the pipeline.

"There will be lots of news at E3," Mr Harding-Rolls said. "I don't think 3D is as important to Natal. That's the big hope as it gets into areas currently dominated by the Wii."

The race for 3D gaming

* Microsoft has been concentrating heavily on taking the fight to Nintendo's extraordinarily successful Wii console, whose motion-sensor-based games have encouraged a whole new group of players into the market. This culminates in the launch of Project Natal at the E3 expo next month. Yet the group clearly believes it needs to offer an alternative to Sony, and yesterday news from South Korea emerged that the Xbox 360 will support 3D games.

* Nintendo surprised the gaming market in March by revealing that it was developing a hand-held device that could support 3D gaming. Even better, it said, the new technology will not need the silly glasses. "The hand-held needed to be energised," Screen Digest analyst Piers Harding-Rolls said, and Nintendo believes taking it 3D is the way forward. More details are expected at E3.

* Sony stole a march on its rivals last month. It released firmware that allowed PlayStation3 owners to upgrade their machines to support 3D gaming. While there is little content and few consumers have 3D televisions, the company is betting on the popularity of gaming in the format to soar. It is also preparing to release motion-sensor gaming.

Now take that NEW (?) 360 and pair it with this

16.2 - Backlight for View-Sequential Autostereoscopic 3-D (4:00 PM -   4:20 PM) Adrian Travis, Neil Emerton, Timothy Large, Steve Bathiche,   Bernie Rihn
  Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA
 
  Conceptually, a simple concept to display a 3-D image will be described.   A backlight, which emits collimated light whose direction can be   scanned through 16°, has been demonstrated. Combined with a   high-frame-rate LCD, stereo 3-D can be viewed without the need for   glasses.

source: https://www.sidmembers.org/ScriptContent/PaperAssignments/SID2010_SessionList.cfm?selSession=&selApp=DSY&btnGo2=Go

And you have a new 360 and a MS branded Autostereoscopic Glasses-less 3D TV likely to be made by LG

What everyone seems to be forgetting though, is that Nintendo has been ready and waiting for 3D since the Gamecube. 3D support has built into the GPU from day 1 which means that all the Wii needs is a game to take advantage of it.... and Nintendo has plenty of developers already working on just that (3DS at GC/Wii level graphics anyone)!

[broodwars]

Thanks a lot for buying into the 3D fad, Nintendo.  Now even Microsoft's diving into it, rather than just letting us all laugh at Sony's sad attempt to cash in on the gimmick.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I updated that post just incase you missed it.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

I DON'T WANT YER STINKIN' 3DTV

[BranDonk Kong]

I take back what I said about the motherboard pics in the first thread - apparently they are actual prototype pictures (according to xbox-hacker BBS), but everything else I said about the size of the motherboards, etc, stays the same.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Looks like the Slimbox360 has 250GB and WiFi built in according to this ad

[Chozo Ghost]

Will this cost the same as the arcade model?

[broodwars]

Will this cost the same as the arcade model?

$300, so no.

[BlackNMild2k1]

cost the same as the Elite

[Kytim89]

cost the same as the Elite

If Sony could drop the price of the PS3 from $600 to $300 with their slim model, why the hell can't Microsoft atleast lower the price of the 360 slim atleast $50, or $100 to compete with the wii?

[BlackNMild2k1]

They have lowered the price.

They just keep adding more and more tot their $299 model while the basic Arcade keeps dropping lower in price.
you can get an Arcade right now for $199 and if you took advantage of certain sales, you could've gotten one for $99.

[Spinnzilla]

Oh wow, that thing is ugly.  But, built in wifi would betotally worth it.

[ShyGuy]

Just a bad design on the case. multiple angles makes it look off kilter.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I think it looks much better than the regular case they have now.

[Mop it up]

Funny how both of these slim systems are still noticeably larger than Wii.

Still, Nintendo should release a slim model to fit in, although they probably couldn't make it any smaller without sacrificing durability. So they should go the opposite route and announce Wii XL, complete with the advertising campaign "Don't you want your Wii to be 93% bigger?"