The Glade 4.0

Current status: I have a launch day Pro console. It RRODed a while back and was refurbished. However, Microsoft's lack of foresight prevented the inclusion of an HDMI port, and there is of course only the 20 GB HDD attached.

That 20 GB gets devoured pretty quickly, and the lack of HDMI is a pain, since my new TV doesn't offer an VGA input. So I'm currently running component cables. This annoys me for several reasons.

I'd love to eventually purchase an HDMI switcher that has optical out and a remote control; why these aren't more ubiquitous I don't know. In preparation for that, and given the HDD space I constantly don't have (install a game to the hard drive? ha!), I'm mulling the purchase of a new 360, since they've A) improved the guts of the machine, B) now have HDMI ports standard, and C) offer nice chunky HDDs with most of the SKUs.

What say you, o gentle Gladers?

You say the 20 GB gets devoured. Get the Elite when you're able.

Also, what you should be looking for is a receiver with good HDMI capabilities. That's why switches (particularly ones with remotes!) aren't more ubiquitous -- because by that point, you're essentially a receiver.

Bonus time! The black Elite also matches the invariably black receiver.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

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Elite

Plus, here's a nice receiver I just got:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VEI2NG

By the way, Lenas, did you find a good wireless satellite speaker solution?

I decided not to go wireless. The decision was a combination of the facts that a) I don't want to rely on batteries and b) I have no outlet on the wall on which the satellites would reside.

Just going to run my speaker wires alongside the moulding on my floor.

Also, wireless ends up being a little more pricey than I cared for.

Ah, crud.

I've always held off on actually installing the satellite speakers of my sound system, because of a lack of permanence in my abode. Even though I purchased a house, it appears now that it was probably best that I didn't immediately go through the trouble of installing them in my home, what with the likelihood of moving again soon.

I was thinking a wireless solution would be the answer to my problem, but if it's going to be uber-expensive, I'd rather just wait a while longer and run them in a permanent settlement.


Ah, that would explain it...it's been so long since I've been in the market for a receiver that I didn't realize that.

Receivers generally come with an output and (multiple) input HDMI ports now, I take it?

I use this setup for my wireless satellite speakers. I haven't had a problem with them, though I wouldn't consider myself an audiophile.

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I don't claim to shop the receiver market thoroughly enough to make any claims about generally, but I bought my Onkyo 3 or 4 years ago now, and it's got 3 (or 4?) HDMI ins, and several assorted others; and will pass-through or upscale (depending on the input type, obviously) all of those to its HDMI out. So, yes, I'd be baffled if it were difficult to find what you need, now, as well as if it were prohibitively expensive.

Also, in my brief experience with my old roommate's wireless satellites, they played havok with our wireless networking devices when they were on. His was a somewhat cheap unit, and one of my other roommates was limited in his channel options, so this is probably not universally the case, but it's something to consider.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

I don't get the deal with HDMI. It looks much the same as Component cables.

Oh, and if my HDMI cable is connected to my DVR, I can't watch PPV movies. I don't get that either.

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Holy shitsnacks!

Elite, because it's black. And elite. It's the Johnny Cash of the Xbox world.

Not all TV's will accept a 1080p signal over component. Also, it's a convenience thing - 1 plug (or 2, if you need an extra digital audio-out) is preferable to 5.

Ah. I see. The 1080p thing.

Either way then, HDMI doesn't matter to me. My projector only does 720p, and I don't sit close enough to the screen to tell the difference.

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Holy shitsnacks!

Well, then...

Shoo!

I've never regretted upgrading.

I have regretted not upgrading.

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The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

Intriguing...

And "audiophile" certainly doesn't describe me either. Audio is the red-headed stepchild of video, in my world, though I can tell a difference between "crappy" and "not crappy," though I'm sure that line will probably be different from others'. For example, I hate listening to MP3s encoded lower than 192kbps, but anything over that doesn't much matter to me.


...

Dammit. That...that clenched it for me. I wish I were joking.

the elite also comes with a 120 Gb HDD still.

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Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut

Your TV (or, reading down a few posts, projector?) is not HDCP compliant. Thus, when you connect it to your DVR, your DVR can't verify an HDCP compliant signal path, and will refuse to display HDCP protected content.

Though, why they'd turn on the HDCP protection while still allowing a component connection, I haven't a clue.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

Glad to be of service. Hopefully it won't fall into a burning ring of fire. Though I don't think I've heard too much about RROD on the Elites. Have not had any problems with mine at any rate.

I used the same concept when voting in 2008.

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"It's real, grew up in trife life, the times of white lines
The hype vice, murderous nighttimes and knife fights invite crimes" - Nasir Jones

Racist!

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My elite did RROD a year ago. It was a launch day elite, though.

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"Aaaah! Emotions are weird!" - Amdee
"... Mirrorshades prevent the forces of normalcy from realizing that one is crazed and possibly dangerous. They are the symbol of the sun-staring visionary, the biker, the rocker, the policeman, and similar outlaws." - Bruce Sterling, preface to Mirrorshades

My Launch Day Pro is still kickin'

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Mine just started making awful grinding noises when reading a disk, so I replaced it with an Elite.

This is after I got it back last summer for a RROD repair.

Mine started doing that too, under the exact same circumstances, except it's only doing it on one disc (so far), Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.

Next paycheck, I'm looking to get an Elite.