Inside Microsoft's Xbox 360
by Anand Lal Shimpi, Kristopher Kubicki & Tuan Nguyen on November 16, 2005 5:09 AM EST- Posted in
- Systems
Storage Devices
The Xbox 360 ships with a standard dual layer DVD-ROM drive, our unit had a drive manufactured by Hitachi-LG.
The drive features a standard SATA interface, but like the DVD-ROM drive in the original Xbox, the 360's DVD drive also features a proprietary power connector as you can see from the picture below:
Since we're still dealing with a dual layer DVD drive, disc capacity hasn't grown since the release of the original Xbox, which may serve as a limitation for future games (potentially forcing them to multi-disc releases). Generally speaking, original Xbox titles used less than half of the 9GB DL-DVD capacity, leaving some room for growth for Xbox 360 games.
Microsoft has also reduced the size of the data that is required to be on each disc by a few hundred megabytes, combine that with the fact that larger game data can be compressed further thanks to more powerful hardware and game developers shouldn't run into capacity limitations on Xbox 360 discs anytime soon.
The $399 Xbox 360 system ships with a removable hard drive by default, which can be used by game developers to enable disk caching to reduce subsequent load times, as well as for content to be downloaded onto from Xbox Live. If you wish to play any original Xbox games, you will need to have a hard drive present, as that is where the emulation data is stored since original Xbox games are not directly compatible with the Xbox 360's hardware.
Final Words
And there you have it, four years since the original Xbox launch, Microsoft is back with part 2 (or 360 if you prefer). While many doubted that they would last beyond the first installment, Microsoft has proven its worth and credibility in the console gaming industry.
While we do have tons of long term questions about the architecture and platform of the Xbox 360, only time will answer them. Until then, the Xbox 360 launch is less than a week away so if you're eagerly awaiting one to be delivered, at least now you don't have to worry about taking yours apart - happy gaming!
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
91 Comments
View All Comments
PrinceGaz - Friday, November 18, 2005 - link
Just google "cpu dies" - although you get some hits about dead processors, there are many more abot processor manufacturing, more than you get by googling "cpu dice" (the vast majority of those are to do with random number generation).The correct trm for more than one CPU die is "dies".
KristopherKubicki - Sunday, November 20, 2005 - link
CPU "die" is called that because the CPU is cut from silicon in a specific term called "dicing". "Dice" is in fact the correct word.Just because I had nothing better to do this weekend besides beat Kameo in 10 hours, I put together an etymology of all words related to "Die". I'll put that on a website sometime in the near future.
Kristopher
yacoub - Monday, November 21, 2005 - link
That makes little sense. You dice food but you don't call the resulting piece(s) "die" or "dice". However, a processor is made from a die (remember die-cast metal cars when you were a kid?), and if you have more than one of that type of die, you have dies. Even the Google search comparison between "dies" and "dice" confirms that to be true.akugami - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
Anandtech with a comic from www.gucomics.com about their xbox 360 article.yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
As with the last article here that did this, you want "dies" not "dice".yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
"Dice" are only in gambling. You want "dies".
yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
pl. dies A device used for cutting out, forming, or stamping material, especially:An engraved metal piece used for impressing a design onto a softer metal, as in coining money.
One of several component pieces that are fitted into a diestock to cut threads on screws or bolts.
A part on a machine that punches shaped holes in, cuts, or forms sheet metal, cardboard, or other stock.
A metal block containing small conical holes through which plastic, metal, or other ductile material is extruded or drawn.
pl. dies Architecture. The dado of a pedestal, especially when cube-shaped.
pl. dice
A small cube marked on each side with from one to six dots, usually used in pairs in gambling and in various other games.
dice (used with a sing. verb) A game of chance using dice.
tr.v. died, die·ing, dies
To cut, form, or stamp with or as if with a die.
yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
DIES. DIES DIES DIES. Yarrr...
yacoub - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
The worst part is people reading the article who've never heard it used like that before (because it's wrong) are going to think you've got it right and will start saying it.xbdestroya - Thursday, November 17, 2005 - link
Seriously, is grammar commentary the extent of your thoughts on the article?