It's become a common joke that the new Xbox 360 Slim prevents Red Rings of Death simply because Microsoft took the red lights out. However, it's been revealed that there is a real preventative measure built into the Slim, as opposed to a simple aesthetic avoidance of the issue. The new Xbox 360 SKU voluntarily shuts itself down if it's not ventilating properly, in a bid to avoid damage from overheating.
If the 360 detects that it isn't getting enough ventilation, it will give the player a warning message before entering shutdown mode, whereupon its power light will flash. The system can then be switched on again once the light ceases to flash. The idea is to increase the lifespan of the console by powering down before it gets too hot and suffers internal damage.
A smart idea in theory, but one wonders how annoying a 360 that shuts itself down will be, especially if Microsoft hasn't fixed the issue of overheating in the first place. Has Microsoft fixed the RRoD only to replace it with an even more embarrassing and widespread problem? We'll have to wait and see just how often this shutdown feature needs to kick in before we know for sure. I just have a bad feeling about this, given Microsoft's commitment to making terrible things happen.
[Via NeoGAF]
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
10:40 AM on 06.21.2010 | 
thanks Microsoft for bringing the Windows experience to consoles.
Also - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu0mnpbFMt4
If I'm a dumb fuck and leave my console in a Tupperware box, wrapped up in a towel and still playing games then at least this will prevent me from burning out my console.
I'll contribute: "I'm afraid I can't let you play that, Dave."
frying it than one that cooks itself from the inside out, I'd rather have a console that didn't do either, but what's the alternative? A ps3? No thanks.
Just hope that the tolerance level is pretty reasonable...
So you'd still buy this thing knowing it's a piece of shit? Nice. As long as there are people dumb enough to buy it, why should Microsoft fix it????
I can see it being annoying in certain situations, but I'd rather have it shut down if need be then brick.
1. You'd think I'd be easier and cheaper to solve the RRoD problem rather that develop a program to automaticaly shut it down.
2. What happens when your in the middle of a very important game online or off, and THIS happens? No thank you.
3. We can't make the 360 fail by rapping it in towels and forcing a red ring so MS will take the damn thing.
4. pancakes : awesome
I'm not buying this new xbox
Rapping : wrapping
Your : you're
Having the console shut down before it gets too hot is a good start, but stopping the console from getting too hot in the first place would be even better.
For the record, I know about 5 people that have had 360's RRoD on them and ALL of them had their systems in decently ventilated areas. The system ITSELF was designed in a faulty manor, it's not the consumer's fault in the least that RRoD's happen.
But what about Battletoads and Ghouls and Ghosts?
I blog using a $50 dollar refurbished dell laptop & a $60 G1. They've never shut down due to overheating and they run 24/7. The fact is that M$ continues to sell products that are overpriced and poorly designed. I like a lot of the xbox360 games, yet due to poor reliability I couldn't bring my self to buy one. Maybe when it costs $120 or so.
I really want to see the environments that cause this to happen.
what did happen: do i really need to say that between 30%-50% of all 360's crash and burn. and still people spin and spin and spin like fucking politicions.
nobody with a brain says 360 has no good games... 360 hardware = shit.
When you gonna get it son? Nobody wants space marines. It's just something that's gotta happen.
If that solves the problem (cleaning and dusting) then we're good. But if the problem is still that the shitty hardware overheats for no reason, then your Xbox is still bricked; if you can only play the thing for an hour* at a time before it shuts itself down, then I still consider that a bricked console.
*pure speculation
Now I haven't updated my firmware in forever so maybe they've changed that but there was at least a time I know where the Wii just fuckin' shuts down without warning and it's SOOO annoying.
I don't mind a shut down to avoid overheating but gimme a few minutes to find a spot to save at.