Xbox 360 FAQ

Microsoft currently offers several different Xbox 360 system packages with prices ranging from 9 to 9. The entry-level Xbox 360 Arcade sells for 9, the Xbox 360 Pro goes for 9, and the Xbox 360 Elite comes in at 9.

The Xbox 360 systems can differ in price, accessories, physical appearance, and hardware capabilities. Visit our Xbox 360 console configuration page to find out about the different Xbox 360 retail packages.

The Xbox 360 works with both high-definition and standard-definition television sets, but you'll want to play all games on an HDTV to get the best graphics experience. You will need component, VGA, or HDMI cables for 720p and 1080i resolution support. The three cable types can also support 1080p in games, but copy protection requires HDMI or VGA for 1080p video output.

The Xbox 360 Core and Xbox 360 Arcade systems come with composite cables that can only support standard definition. The Premium and Elite systems ship with combination composite/component cables, and the Elite also comes with an additional HDMI cable.

The Xbox 360 did not have any HDMI support at launch, but Microsoft added an HDMI port to the new Xbox 360 Elite and limited edition Halo 3 systems starting in 2007. Microsoft has also added HDMI to full Xbox 360 systems manufactured after July 2007.

The "red ring of death" commonly refers to an Xbox 360 general system failure message indicated by three flashing red lights on the console. Console owners have reported higher-than-average system failure rates, and Microsoft has extended the console warranty to three years to cover replacement or repair of all malfunctioning systems that exhibit the three-flashing-red-lights error code.

Falcon is the code name for the 65nm CPU hardware shrink in development for the Xbox 360. System manufacturers commonly refine console designs over time to take advantage of technology advancements and reduce production costs. The new hardware will have the exact same functionality as the current components, but moving from 90nm to 65nm chips will lower manufacturing costs and help reduce heat.

All Xbox 360 systems have a built-in Ethernet port that you can use to connect to your home broadband Internet connection. Microsoft also offers a Wireless Networking Adapter accessory that lets you connect the Xbox 360 to a home wireless network.

Visit our Xbox 360 online guide to see the differences between the Xbox Live Silver and Xbox Live Gold online services.

You can find a full list of Xbox 360 backward-compatible games on Microsoft's Web site.

The Xbox 360 can connect to Windows XP SP2, Windows Media Center, and Windows Vista PCs on the same network. You might need to install or update the Windows Media Connect software on Windows XP systems to share data. Visit www.xbox.com/pcsetup to download the software. We noticed that the software is called Zune now, which isn't confusing at all since, uh, Zune is the first thing you think of when you think "media sharing."

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