Falchoon

MICROSOFT has admitted to problems with Xbox consoles distributed in Japan, less than a week before the product's Australian launch.

The company promised to repair the machines after admitting some had caused abnormal scratches on CDs and DVDs. Earlier, Microsoft argued the scratches were caused by natural friction, saying it would not take action unless there was a problem affecting playback.
But yesterday, the company acknowledged the defect and said it would repair the machines and replace scratched CDs and DVDs.

"We found some unidentified scratches on CDs and DVDs. We have yet to determine the cause of the scratches," Xbox spokeswoman Midori Takahashi said, maintaining the scratches did not affect game playing.

An official speaking on the condition of anonymity told finance news agency AFX that disk drives in the consoles were faulty.

Microsoft said it had received 243 complaints about the fault since Xbox's February 22 launch in Japan. It is understood 124,000 machines were sold in the first three days of release on the home soil of rivals Sony and Nintendo.

Xbox, which made its US debut in November, is due to hit European and Australian stores next Thursday. The company sold 1.5 million American units in December and has distributed 250,000 to Japanese stores.

Sony's two-year-old console, the PlayStation 2, also made a rocky debut in Japan.

The company distributed free software to fix a memory card fault in 1.25 million consoles. A second glitch allowed users to view DVDs without region-based controls, contravening an international agreement that restricts their distribution.

__________________
You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen. It said, 'Parking Fine.'So that was nice.

____o00o_=^..^=_o00o____

HSE2

OHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOO I pick my machine up on Thursday. I was going to play a DVD in it straight up, but that won't be happening!!!!!!!!!!!!

MrPlow2

how typical! xbox might be a great concept, but it's STILL a Microsoft product. i have a feeling that this may not be the only problem.

__________________
<p align="center"> *** just because it sells it doesn't mean it's good *** </p>
Tickford Owners Club of NSW

Rastus

I hope what I'm telling you is wrong for your sake Ian. On the radio the other day a guy who does computer hardware reviews and stuff said that the XBox doesnt play DVD's straight out of the box. After saying that, he went on to say that you have to buy some additional thing to whack in it and then you're right to go.
I was one who thought that it played DVD's straight up also.:crazy1:
Russell.

ZH_302

Yeah, you`re right Rastus
You have to buy the remote control for X-Box to play DVD`s
Costs about $50

HSE2

Yeah they do that to avoid paying royalties.

Rastus

Sly pricks eh!
S'pose, first thing anyone does with the PS2 is to go and buy the remote, so nothing different there also. Same deal.
Russell.

HSE2

Yeah, it the same reason. If they sell the DVD capability separate they avoid paying dosh to the DVD licence!

Stacy94PGT

You don't need to buy a remote control to play DVD's on PS2. I've had mine since Christmas, seen more than my share of DVD's on it. Never bought a remote for it. I use the controller........ Something else, PS2 didn't have a rocky debut in Japan. They were selling like crazy. People here in the states were paying $3,000 to $4,000 dollars for them when they came out, even though everything was in Japanese. Hell, in Europe when they came out. In London there was a riot because stores had sold out of them.

__________________
Stacy94PGT
My first car was a 67 Mustang Coupe, 2nd one was a 67 Cougar XR-7, 3rd one was a 66 Mustang Coupe. Why did I get rid of these cars for ? I know why, because I'm stupid, stupid, stupid.

My next Ford.....

HSE2

They had a recall on PS2 in Japan!!!