Xbox Problems: Spoilsport for the Avid Gamer

As much as it is fun, certain Xbox consoles face technical problems that can render it completely useless sometimes. Xbox problems have been a serious issue that took Microsoft to court. Particularly with the release of Xbox 360, it has been noticed that there is a high probability of failure associated with these consoles owing to some commonly occurring problems. These problems are usually manifested as a series of red colored lights flashing on the ring indicator. It means there has been a general hardware failure. Thanks to the high rate of occurrence of Xbox problems, this flash of red light on the ring is nicknamed as The Red Ring of Death.

Xbox problems have put Microsoft in a tight spot, forcing it to monetarily compensate those who have been affected. The problems have surfaced soon after its release on November, 2005. Initially Microsoft tried to downplay the Xbox problems as an errant behavior, claiming only 3% - 5% was the failure rate. As the issues become more prevalent, Microsoft finally openly acknowledged the problem in July 2007.

Some of the stalwarts of the electronics industry identified the root cause of the problem as the errors in the graphics chip. These graphics chips are usually designed by niche ASIC vendors. The cost associated with the design contributes to a major part of the cost towards the console. Microsoft had resorted to in house chip designing to cut down on the total cost.

There are some other causes that were also rumored to have ruined the Xboxs success. One of such prominent cause is the possible soldering defect. There might have been air bubbles in the soldering creating some weak spots. The problems may also be due the failure of the internal cooling system that reduces the operating temperature of the console.

In addition to the technical inadequacies, rounded scratches were found on discs used in the consoles. It turned out that some of the drives didnt have the proper mechanism to hold the discs in place. Some video failures were also reported with consoles that showed no red light flashes. The audio was functioning perfectly during these instances.

Even though it was an ambitious and much hyped product by Microsoft, the enthusiasm around the product died down faster that it was imagined. People who bought the consoles waiting for hours in the queues when it was first released were more than just disappointed. The success of Nintendos Wii also hurt the already technically struggling Xbox. The product is still party to numerous lawsuits and investigations in different countries. Microsoft has not been able to fix the problems completely and catch up with its competitors. Literally, millions of gamers were let down by the gaming console.

The problems that riddled Xbox consoles have given rise to surprise opportunities. Talented technical people have found some quick fixes for some of the minor problems and made easy buck by repairing or upgrading the Xbox 360. Microsoft has recently announced a new interactive gaming experience which is expected to shadow the Xboxs failure.