XBOX US or UK ???

[DanT]

Treat me like a novice please.
I thought the point of importing was to do away with the borders and have the games running faster ?

So if the UK Xbox has a 60hz option why should i be importing from the US ? What other benefits are there?
I can see the US being cheaper and the games coming out quicker, but technically....what's best ??!!
I have
Tosh 42WH18B tv so i can do both !!

[Azrikam]

The only real benefit I can see, is that you'll have access to games that are released in the US, but not in the UK.

Of course, with MS adding a few bonus tweaks to its Japanese and UK games (over the US versions) before their release (ie, DOA3), that doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore.

The same could be said as a negative, as there will probably be several titles released over here that are never released in the US. (footy, for instance)

So, from a non-technical point of view, the differences are minimal until we see what we are dealing with. Now, the techies may have something different to say on the matter, but I'll leave that to them.

[DanT]

Thanks for the reply. If i bought UK then i would get it chipped so i'm hoping that covers all bases for games running at top speed and all games playable - unless someone can tell me differently !

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

My underestanding from my contact at Xbox development is that , although it may be possible to hack DVD region replay, it's VERY unlikely that you'll be able to hack the games.

I'm not technical on this but he seemed very sure about it.

Gordon

[alanrob]

Usual response this, about piracy and a new console.
The same was said about the PS2 until the crackers got their hands on it and ripped games down onto CD's (not everyone has a DVD burner yet!)

I'm sure in time both an X-box emulator for the PC and copies of X-box games will appear. Nothing is totally secure when it comes to gaming.

You'll find this is what makes or breaks a console in today's market place. Even though the companies (Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft) will say that piracy hurts theirs buisness it also makes their consoles sell.

Just how many people had an origianl PS1 due to the fact they could get copies of games from a m8 who know someone who know someone that copies them? I'm betting a few of us.

[brattle]

But games companies all lose money on hardware, so a unit sold just for pirating games is definately something they don't want.

Benefits of importing over buying domestic:

- Games released sonner
- Larger library (as has always been the case with other consoles)
- Definite 60hz picture (some naff Pal conversions may still slip through the net)
- HDTV quality pictures (May not be relevant now, but you may be grateful if HDTV capable TVs become cheaper in the future)
- More chance of online support if you have BB (MS has put all their eggs in the BB basket, for which the take up in the UK is very small)

Originally posted by brattle
- Games released sonner
- Larger library (as has always been the case with other consoles)
- Definite 60hz picture (some naff Pal conversions may still slip through the net)
- HDTV quality pictures (May not be relevant now, but you may be grateful if HDTV capable TVs become cheaper in the future)
- More chance of online support if you have BB (MS has put all their eggs in the BB basket, for which the take up in the UK is very small)

Games Released sooner - well it's like that with most games and videos, just the way things are. Even Half Life on the PC was released in the US first, and they did not have to do anything to to make it UK compatible!!!!

Larger library - This could change with the Xbox due to it being a US Company and not Japanese. Also MS do not force the developer to region lock there games.

Definite 60hz picture - 99% percent of PAL versions will be, as MS put the drivers for this on the Xbox, the developer does not need to do anything for 60Hz other than test it (remember PAL 60 uses a NTSC signal, the only diference is the colour codes are PAL)

HDTV Quality pictures - Anyone in this forum got a HDTV (not including projectors), also somone has tested the HDTV kit on the UK Xbox and you do get a 480 Progressive option.

More chance of Online Support - So buying a US Xboxs means they will connect you with a long lead to a US BroadBand Connection??? Nope.
You will still need to sign up to a UK based BB provider like Telewest, it makes no difference to who you play, if you want you can play against a US player with a UK Xbox (watch the press video where they have people from diferant countrys playing each other)

BTW: I find it funny that people moan about the UK Xbox not having full HDTV support (I bet less than 1000 people in the UK would be able to use that anyway)
And they then moan about the Xbox only having Broadband support (there are currently over 139,000 ADSL end-users and 196,000 cable modem end-users in the UK!!!!!)

Broadband is the way forward, and if I had to choose between HDTV or Broadband, I would always go for Broadband.

BB= Voice chat, No disconection Time, Very low ping, Low lag etc.

Anne

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

Anne: I don't think loads of folk are complaining about hidef on UK box. I think that it's an important feature for some folk, like me, on this forum. On XBOx forums no-one mentions it.

I am actually very happy they went broadband. It's just a pity I live in an area of the country where it's going to be YEARS until there's a connection like that out here. If I move house I'll be making sure I'm in a BB netwrok area. I can't wait to play games against folk in other countries....what a laugh!

Gordon

I agree with Gordon, and you will find more people will be disgruntled with lack of hi-def support as more people invest in projectors/plasma screens etc......its a shame the machine looks a it has been downgraded for the uk market....i regard that issue as a point that cannot really be denied....less features = lower specification model in my book, whether it be software or hardware related feature......

[brattle]

In reply

Games Released sooner - well it's like that with most games and videos, just the way things are. Even Half Life on the PC was released in the US first, and they did not have to do anything to to make it UK compatible!!!!

Agreed. It’s still a benefit though and some dev co’s are notoriously slow at releasing stuff in Europe. We are subject to European release dates which require many different language translations which we in the UK will never use.

Larger library - This could change with the Xbox due to it being a US Company and not Japanese. Also MS do not force the developer to region lock there games.

It could change, but then again it may not. MS don’t force region locks, but you can bet your bottom dollar nearly all games will have them. Europe has always come off worse with regard to releases and there have been many classic games that have been released in both Japan and the US but never here. Although the X-Box is an American console, the Japanese will still have the ultimate decision about which games of theirs get released in each territory.

Definite 60hz picture - 99% percent of PAL versions will be, as MS put the drivers for this on the Xbox, the developer does not need to do anything for 60Hz other than test it (-remember PAL 60 uses a NTSC signal, the only diference is the colour codes are PAL)

PS2 developers don’t have to do much to allow a 60hz mode either, but it hasn’t stopped some key titles from missing it. You may well be right that most Pal games will have a 60hz mode, but with an import console you are guaranteed it.

HDTV Quality pictures - Anyone in this forum got a HDTV (not including projectors), also somone has tested the HDTV kit on the UK Xbox and you do get a 480 Progressive option.

As someone has already mentioned, HDTV may become more prevalent as time passes (and I don’t see why you should exclude projectors?). Better to have the option now than not.

More chance of Online Support - So buying a US Xboxs means they will connect you with a long lead to a US BroadBand Connection??? Nope.
You will still need to sign up to a UK based BB provider like Telewest, it makes no difference to who you play, if you want you can play against a US player with a UK Xbox (watch the press video where they have people from diferant countrys playing each other)

I already have a BB connection and have played Halo over the net in both the UK and the US using my PC and Gamespy. When MS release their own network service it will offer better performance (naturally the US one comes out first). There is a chance that the network will be region protected, so that a UK console won’t be able to connect directly to a US network, it will have to go through the UK one first.

With the relatively slow take up of BB in the UK (335,000 users is still a paltry number. How many of those will also decide to buy an X-Box?) it is possible that the UK servers will be poorly supported by MS. This is especially so if UK gamers don’t support them. Most gamers here still need to warm to the idea of online gaming. Aside from PSO, the DC servers were often empty with many a great online game wasted because there was nobody around to play them. In the end, Sega started cutting out the online options from their games in the UK versions because they felt there was no justification to pay for expensive servers which were empty 90% of the time.

In summation, I feel there are several areas where the US X-Box offers small improvement over the UK version. On the other hand, the UK version offers no real incentives over the US. Better to go foreign I feel and get the guarantee of full speed, larger library, full functionality rather than take a chance with the UK machine.

Hopefully more people will get BroadBand when BT lowers their prices in 2 weeks.

Also Broadband is now going to be pushed more by the Goverment (Ok so they have said that before, but since a Dec 2001 report from Oftel they have decided they are going to push it more).

The coverage of broadband is improving, and this is the order I recomend you check to see if you can get BB.

Telewest or NTL Cable Broadband - Works out the cheapest at £20 (£25 if you rent modem).
BT ADSL Broadband - Wait 2 weeks and the price should drop to around £25.
Wireless Broadband - Tele2 have a good wireless service, and if there is enough demand in an area they will help it get BB access (includes Villages I have been told)

To help pay for your BB access you could try and persuade other Household members to share the cost.

Anne

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

Cable companies have said they have no plans to come to my wee village. I'll try BT but doubt it...

Thanks for tips though Anne

Gordon

[alanrob]

You might be in the same boat as me Gordon when it comes to ADSL or cable. BT have confirmed that I'm over 5Km away from my local exchange so can't get ADSL.

NTL say they have no plans before 2007 in adding my area to their network!

I have found out from a friend that another cable company is putting cable in his area. Their web site is at www.omneuk.co.uk

They are putting cable into Ayrshire at present (can't remember where you stay). Fingers crossed they get to me soon cause I ani't moving just so that I can get broadband.

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

I'm 25 miles south of Glasgow down the M74. 6 miles south of Hamilton.

I have a digital exchange. But it's probably miles away. The BT site said F off a couple of months ago...

Gordon

And they then moan about the Xbox only having Broadband support (there are currently over 139,000 ADSL end-users and 196,000 cable modem end-users in the UK!!!!!)

Yeah.. fine IF you live in an area that has a BT enable ADSL exchange, or Cable in your area. However, the number of people who can NOT get these services is far greater than those who can !! If you live in an area that is dominated by BT, then you are doomed. And YES I fall into this area... so I will moan.

Not a problem IF the games developers make games that WILL run with a 56k modem in mind. But I bet they will not. Regarding consoles, developers etc only care about the USA and Japan.

Tasco