[Gikoku Harakami]

Reporter gets stonewalled by Microsoft when asking about Xbox 360 hardware failures

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Dean Takahashi, San Jose Mercury News reporter and author of two books on Xbox and Xbox 360, published in his blog "A question and answer session with Todd Holmdahl", Microsoft’s corporate vice president of Gaming and Xbox Products Group. Takahashi describes Holmdahl as “ultimately responsible for the quality of the game console, having spearheaded the hardware side of both the original Xbox and the Xbox 360.” Holmdahl was previously a part of Microsoft’s hardware division, which designs the company’s branded mice and keyboards.

A hot topic ever since the launch of the Xbox 360 is the seemingly high defect rate of the console. Takahashi poses question after question regarding Xbox 360 failures to the man who ran the design and manufacturing teams for the console, only to be stonewalled on the topic of hardware yields and reliability.

On the anecdotal evidence that the Xbox 360 quality isn’t up to par, including a user who went through seven machines, Holmdahl responds, “We’re very proud of the box. We think the vast majority of people are having just a great experience. You look at the number of games they are buying, the number of accessories they are buying, the Live attach. They love the box. They continue to buy the box. That said, we take any customer issue very seriously. We continue to look into these things very deeply. You have seen we have made some changes to our customer service policy.”

Holmdahl then sidesteps a question about a normal return rate for the console by saying only, “We continue to say the vast majority of the people are really happy with it.” Asked differently about whether or not the Xbox 360 falls into the ‘normal’ three to five percent return rate, Holmdahl said, “We don’t disclose the actual number,” and “We don’t comment on that.”

Moving away from sensitive percentages, the interviewer suggests that the Xbox 360 has a higher rate of user complaints than the PlayStation 3 and the Wii, to which the Holmdahl responds, “I would go back and say the vast majority of people love their experience. We continue to go back and address all of these issues on a case by case basis. There is a vocal minority out there. We go off and try to address their issues as quickly and as pain free as possible.”

Relentless in his questioning, Takahashi poses that a high defect rate could ruin Microsoft’s business model and profits. Holmdahl retorts, “I would say we don’t have a high defect rate. The vast majority of people are really excited about their product, and that we are targeting profitability for next year.”

Regardless of what the official line is on the reliability of the Xbox 360, many of the console’s potential owners are waiting for a chip die shrink to 65nm in hopes of improved reliability. Moving from the current console’s 90nm to 65nm should mean a cooler running box that is less prone to heat issues.

Holmdahl refuses to acknowledge any reliability benefit from moving to 65nm, saying: “Whether it is 90nm or 65nm, we have a high quality bar we target... The quality is good at both of those... We continue to redesign the box, continue to drive costs out. We don’t talk about the specifics of it.”

One of the last attempts at cracking the issue of Xbox 360 hardware failures, the interviewer asks what the top reason is for a hardware return. Holmdahl parrots once again, There are no systematic issues. The vast majority of the people just love the product, have a great experience with it. When there is an issue, we get on it and address it as quickly as possible.”

mm, I've already gotten the "Ring of Death" 3 times already, but it only happens when the power pack is moved or nudged while the console is turned on.

[Dark Drakan]

Ive never had the red ring of death and only know one person who has personally, they do specify that no part of the console should be moved when it is turned on though. That usually goes for most electronic devices of this nature however.

[Gikoku Harakami]

Originally Posted by Dark Drakan

Ive never had the red ring of death and only know one person who has personally, they do specify that no part of the console should be moved when it is turned on though. That usually goes for most electronic devices of this nature however.

Yeah, unfortunately that didn't occur to me, as i was removing cable splitters. But other than that, i've never encountered the RoD in any other form.

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by Gikoku

Yeah, unfortunately that didn't occur to me, as i was removing cable splitters. But other than that, i've never encountered the RoD in any other form.

I know Hex has had it a few times but its never required anything more than her yelling at it and turning it off and on again.

[droded]

Hah, The Ring of Death. My friend has had it many a time.

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by droded

Hah, The Ring of Death. My friend has had it many a time.

Its to do with heating mainly and people not storing them properly or allowing proper ventilation around the console and the power pack.

[droded]

How can you tell for sure when you haven't had it personally?

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by droded

How can you tell for sure when you haven't had it personally?

Because ive read all the articles and looked at the diagnostic reports of them and the fault error code. Plus the fact a press release was released the other day that i posted saying Microsoft themselves had now narrowed it down to that and were adding bigger and extra fans in consoles they repaired and the newer models.

[Gikoku Harakami]

Originally Posted by Dark Drakan

I know Hex has had it a few times but its never required anything more than her yelling at it and turning it off and on again.

Heh. yeah. My heart kinda jumped when i saw the "ring of death" the very first time, so i simply turned it off, and then back on, and everything was fine then.

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by Gikoku

Heh. yeah. My heart kinda jumped when i saw the "ring of death" the very first time, so i simply turned it off, and then back on, and everything was fine then.

Yeah mine would do the same because it can also mean theres been a hardware fault and the console dies then and needs to be repaired or replaced.

[Albion Knight]

I've had the freeze up and had to reboot it but no Red error code lights
The true Red Ring of death means it doesn't come back. The rest are just error codes.

Vote in my Poll http://forums.projectego.net/red-ring-death-3685/
Shameless self promotion

[Tsuyu]

I hate Microsofts policy on things like this. I mean, come on! I love alot of Microsoft games, I love my 360(and I mean it. I "like" my familiy but I "love" my 360) and XBox LIVE is the best thing ever.

But things like these... it is just stupid. I won't stop loving you or my 360, just admit the problem and fix it - I bet that'd make people alot happier with Microsoft than this whole "cover-up"-policy.

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by Tsuyu

But things like these... it is just stupid. I won't stop loving you or my 360, just admit the problem and fix it - I bet that'd make people alot happier with Microsoft than this whole "cover-up"-policy.

I agree with you there, although they have mentioned what the problem is and that they have taken measures to fix it now. Flat out denying it and refusing to comment on fault figures is stupid, just accept the problem and remedy it ... its simple.

[Albion Knight]

Its a political move even if the came out and said that 4% of 360s (it probably more than that) get returned due to problems mainly because of overheating you'd get media saying things like 1 in 25 360 are DOA or Microsoft admits to 400,000 defective 360s (4% of 10,000) not giving details just leaves it at some 360s have problems. You don't hear Sony talking about how reliable the PS3 is. I think that because they don't want people thinking about it too much (or they're dumb***es)

[Dark Drakan]

Originally Posted by Albion Knight

Its a political move even if the came out and said that 4% of 360s (it probably more than that) get returned due to problems mainly because of overheating you'd get media saying things like 1 in 25 360 are DOA or Microsoft admits to 400,000 defective 360s (4% of 10,000) not giving details just leaves it at some 360s have problems. You don't hear Sony talking about how reliable the PS3 is. I think that because they don't want people thinking about it too much (or they're dumb***es)

Flat out denying things doesnt really help their credibility though, i know the media jumps over the slightest sentences but simply saying something like 'We have received feedback about the issues and our technical team is working on fixing them etc'