Philips DVD727 Progressive-Scan DVD Player
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $89.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Philips's slim, affordable DVD727 features high-end progressive-scan component-video outputs and built-in decoding for MP3 music files, as well as JPEG image CD playback so you can enjoy digital slideshows right in the living room. It also converts non-region-encoded PAL-formatted discs (the standard in Europe) for viewing on standard NTSC televisions.

Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the DVD727 stands ready to deliver the full potential of DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, providing higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts.

The DVD727 also performs 3:2 pulldown. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.

The player will play JPEG images one by one automatically, letting you zoom in, rotate, or flip the picture vertically or horizontally. For MP3 playback, the player offers track time display, album and track selection, and repeat (disc/album/track). It supports nested directory levels up to eight levels, as well as a total of 32 albums and 500 different tracks.

A set of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (one each of RCA coaxial and Toslink optical) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.

Playback options include five-disc resume, which lets you pick-up where you left off on your five most recently viewed DVDs (not applicable for MP3 or JPEG CDs), enhanced parental control (with 80-disc lockout), and picture zoom for magnification of select images.

What's in the Box
DVD-Video player, universal remote control with batteries, user's manual, stereo analog audio interconnect, composite-video cable. ... Read more

Features

• PAL-to-NTSC format conversion--great for viewing non-region-encoded European discs
• Plays DVD-Video, DVD+RW, DVD+R, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3-CD, VCD, S-VCD and Picture CD Format
• Picture CD with MP3-CD playback: Playback MP3's while viewing digital (JPEG) on TV
• Offers progressive-scan output with 3:2 pulldown for distortion-free viewing of 24 fps movies
• Optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs pass Dolby Digital and DTS surround signals

Reviews (67)

Don't be scared off by sour high-enders
If *I* had not inadvertently shut off the video signal by pressing a series of incorrect buttons on the remote, I would have zero days of complaint to report about this DVD player.(Thanks to the directions posted here by JH on 8/4/04, I was able to reactivate the video!)This is a great, basic, few-frills DVD player and a wonderful value for the price.It has standard and S-video outputs and stereo audio.The slim profile is also great for those who don't want another hulking A/V component to house.I have never bothered to explore the gadget-y feature buttons on the remote (zoom, A-B, etc.) because all I want is to play DVDs -- and I have gotten more than my money's worth of that out of this machine.And now that I reveresed the effects of my random remoting, I fully expect that this will continue.

Thanks for the recovery...an audiophile's suggestion
Recovery, yes!
Thanks a million. I bought this playera year ago ($69.00, free ship.!). I am mainly concerned with audio. It is an exceptional player regardless of price. Not strident in the least. You can improve the clarity and sweetness of it's sound by providing for vibrational control. My inexpensive but very effective solutionwas this: I cut some raquetballs in half, put 5 of those halves under the player. I lined one side of a nice piece of plywood of approximately same size as the 727 with felt and placed it on it, felt side down. Then I used a 5-7 lbsweight over the plywood. For me the improvement in
quietness that unmasked valuable ambience information and the overall "sweetnes" of the sound was very gratifying.
I am sure there are many methods. I understand there is a similar new unit that includes SACD, but I am not eager to trade up from this.
It's unfortunate that there are defective units out there. For me it has been quite reliable, still for the price/performance value I get if it only lasted one year I'd be content.

Thank you Amazon
I bought this dvd player for almost a year and today the picture died on me. I went on amazon to search for another dvd player to replace it and saw what JH from CA wrote, and recovered my picture.

Thank you so much JH, you just saved me $100!! ... Read more

Asin: B000093US3
Subjects:  1. DVD Player (Digital Versatile Disc Players)   

TiVo R24008A 80-Hour Digital Video Recorder
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $299.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Early Adopters Pick: November 2002. The only digital video recorder with a content ranking system, Season Pass program recording, and WishList program recording.

TiVo's Series2 DVR delivers more recording capacity at a lower cost and also offers the latest in networked home entertainment. TiVo DVRs record television programming directly to a digital hard drive, eliminating the hassles of videotape. The TiVo Series2 offers up to 80 hours of recording time in TiVo's small, sleek chassis (15 inches wide by 11.5 inches deep and 3 inches high).

TiVo automatically records your favorite shows.

The TiVo DVR Series2 is compatible with virtually every television available. It also works with VCRs, TV antennas, cable systems, and satellite systems. A patented remote control simplifies program recording and controls multiple TiVos within the home (two devices can share your existing phone line). Connections include three video inputs and outputs (S-video, composite-video, and RF coaxial), one set of stereo RCA analog audio inputs, and two sets of stereo audio outputs. A standard female RJ-11 telephone jack is the channel by which the Series2 accesses the TiVo service.

TiVo subscribers can pay $12.95 per month or a one-time product lifetime fee of $299. Benefits of TiVo service include, but are not limited to, Season Pass (TiVo automatically finds and records every episode of a series all season long, even if the network schedule changes); WishList (TiVo finds and records programs that feature your favorite actor, director, team, or even topic); Smart Recording (TiVo detects lineup changes for you and suggests programs to match your interests, if desired); and Showcases (exclusive entertainment plus recording shortcuts from some of the most popular networks on TV).

Now, you through your home network you can access TiVo's Home Media Features. This services provides remote scheduling capabilities from anywhere you have Internet access; MP3 streaming from your PC to your TiVo so you can listen to music through your home theater sound system; digital image viewing from your PC so that you can create slideshows on your TV; and multiroom viewing, which allows you to connect two TiVo Series2 DVRs in your home so that you can record on one and watch on another. ... Read more

Features

• TiVo service fee is not included
• Up to 80 hours of digital audio/video recording capacity
• Works with antenna, cable, digital cable, satellite, and combinations
• Everything required for installation is supplied
• TiVo service eliminates the hassles of VCRs and timers

Reviews (198)

Must have for busy people and families
This product is great. We now have two. Transferring shows between them or to the computer is a breeze. Last Thanksgiving we had a slideshow of all of the pictures we'd taken in the last year showing on our TV in the background. This was a hit with everyone, especially with family we don't see often.

Great concept, problems with product, lots of hidden gotchas
I never had a DVR (aside from my computer) before, so when I finally managed to get my Tivo all hooked up, I was really impressed. I especially love the "Season Pass" feature which will pick out all the times your favorites program airs, and let you schedule recording for all of them in a few clicks.

But then the headaches began...

(1.) First of all, how many of us have the telephone line near our TVs? Normally, the TV and electronic gadgets are on one side of the room, and the phone is on the other - right? Tivo needs a phone line to get it's program information - at least initially. So if your house is configured like mine, be prepared to have phone line extensions strewn all across your living room while you spend up to a day downloading and installing all the program information by phone.

So of course, I almost began to drool when I read in the Manual that you can actually connect the Tivo to your local or wireless network.

(2.) Problem is, you most likely will NOT be able to connect your Tivo to your local or wireless network. I took Tivo's own approved list of hardware (direct network adapters or wireless receivers) to my local geek toy store, and bought the top recommended networking connection on the list. That didn't work, so I returned it and bought the next recommended item on Tivo's list. That didn't work either, so over the course of the next two weeks I tried three (yes, 3) more. Nothing. I finally gave up, and had to buy a long extension cord for my phone line and install it more perminent-like.

(3.) The main reason I'm here today, is because I found this page while searching for an explanation to the weird high pitched whistle noise my Tivo began making last night (after only 2 months of ownership). Turns out this is apparently an increasingly common problem - which I never heard of until today - and even more unfortunately seems to indicate that my Tivo will be totally dead in the next few days. Right now, it's literally delaying everything I do (trying to view my cable box's program guide, etc) by 30 seconds or more (the normal lag time should be around 1 or 2 seconds)

So, since I've already paid for the lifetime membership, I'm now searching for a relatively cheap way I can fix the problem myself. Do I need to replace the harddrive, the case fans, ..or what? By the way, if Tivo goes out of business, how will I get my program guide? Tivo doesn't grab the FREE TV Guide data from your cable like the no-subscription-required Panasonics can.

(4.) Oh, and also wanted to warn people about one more thing that only starts happening after you've had your Tivo for a few weeks - which is actually intentional on the part of Tivo - but which isn't mentioned anywhere in any of their manuals or documentation, for obvious reasons...

After a few weeks (if your Tivo still works), you'll start to get little on-screen pop-up alerts RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR FAVORITE PROGRAM which stay there for atleast 30 seconds until you click it or patiently wait for it to go away. And what are these prompts? ADVERTISING which actually is made to look like a really important subscriber announcement from Tivo. Maybe it's important to THEM, but I'd rather NOT see it in the middle of my TV screen. Actually, that's yet another example of Tivo's dumb implimentation: You'll only see this advertising if you're watching live TV instead of the recorded programming... and since most people with Tivos are watching the recorded programs instead of live TV, Tivo's sponsors are paying for ads that few people will ever see... Great business ideas - yes?)

In addition to these on-screen ads which interrupt your viewing, when you go to your Tivo menu, you'll find atleast TWO links to advertisements. The really bad thing about these links in particular is that they are positioned in the place where your other normal Tivo menu options are listed. So instead of selecting your "To Do List" or upcoming recordings, you might accidently find yourself watching a series of advertisements - WHICH YOU CANNOT DELETE OR REMOVE.

OK, so that's all I have to say at this point. Seems to me that Tivo had a great idea, but terrible implimentation. I don't know about their customer service, but I probably also won't even bother, if it's going to cost me $100 to $150 to ship them back their own defective product anyway.

If I can't fix the Tivo, and I'm not in the mood to pay double-or-triple in trying to get it fixed, then it's apparently just become one nice looking but useless paperweight... to which I have a lifetime subscription.

aviod at all costs!!
I got this for christmas, my first reaction was "awesome i've wanted this for awhile now!" so me and a friend started to hook this up the other day we started at 3:30 PM we finally got it hooked up at 8:30!! yep 5 hours, and i had to drive to radio shack to buy a bigger phone cable, because we brought the tv and the tivo into the kitchen to try and hook it up there but we couldn't because we needed the digital cable box... ok fine so we started over and it still didn't work! at this point im starting to get really angry we head to radio shack and get everything we need and finally we hook it up only to find out the six button on the remote doesn't work! then i tried to fast forward threw the commercials its so slow that buy the time you did you miss half of the program your supposed to be watching!! i can go on forever about this bad product... just skip it ... Read more

Asin: B00006LIQL
Subjects:  1. r-24008A, tevo, pause tv,    2. dvr, tapeless recorder, tapeless, ti-vo, tivoe    3. R240080, 80 hr, pvr, personal video recorder    4. r24008A, 24008A, r240080, 240080    5. TiVo    6. PVR (Personal video recorder)   

Hacking TiVo: The Expansion, Enhancement and Development Starter Kit with CD-ROM
by Jeff Keegan
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 October, 2003)
list price: $29.99 -- our price: $12.00
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

In Hacking TiVo, Jeff Keegan proves that the TiVo television-recording device is far more than an enhancement to the passive lifestyle. By showing his readers how to use known tricks and all-purpose resourcefulness (plus some online community resources), Keegan shows how to make the TiVo perform far beyond its advertised purpose. He provides a chef's tour of the versatile appliance, calling attention to non-invasive tricks (like entering Select-Play-Select-3-0-Select to skip exactly 30 seconds ahead in a recording to bypass an ad) before moving on to more drastic kinds of fun. By the time you're through with Keegan's guide to the TiVo, you'll have it working as a more or less complete Unix workstation, accessible over the Internet via the excellent TivoWeb interface, and showing home videos, telephone caller ID information, and instant-messaging communications on your television screen.

This book mostly is concerned with software hacks, which will void your TiVo warranty as surely as anything involving a soldering iron, but which have the advantage of usually being reversible. Though he says the hacks in this book will work on TiVo Series1 and Series2, he doesn't explain how to defeat the systems' anti-intrusion mechanisms (which prevent the installation of software, and thus preclude the performance of about half the hacks in this book). This appears to be an exclusion for legal reasons, and he points out that the information is easily found on the Internet. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to make your TiVo do more of what you want. Instructions show how to add a bigger hard drive (for greater recording time), access the TiVo's bash command line, use unsupported command sequences, and share files between your TiVo and your networked personal computer. Particularly neat sections deal with using TivoWeb and putting Caller ID information on-screen. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

** Caution:for non-super technical people BEWARE**
First:the majority of the content is not compatible with the current TIVO system, series 2 *** I got SKUNKED!
Second: This book is really for someone with very strong technical skills, particularly a Unix background.

I am fairly technical with a Computer Science degree and would not attempt to do anything with this book and passed it to another fairly tech savvy friend and he gave it right back to me.There is a page or two that has cute shortcuts for the remote but you can get that info off a TIVO user group site.I regard this purchase as a total ripoff.I'll be happy to send you this book to you for $5 + shipping.email: funbeach6@yahoo.com

Very Limited Usefulness
This really is not a book on Hacking Tivo, rather a book on "Hacking First Generation Tivo's."I have a series 2 DVR and expected to see some hacks that would prove worthwhile for my DVR, however there is little for owners of Tivos manufactured in the last two years.Very simple recommendation-if you have a first generation Tivo buy the book, otherwise pass.

Not as comprensive as others for Series 2
I bought this book and "Hacking the Tivo, Second Edition".The two books cover a similar range of hacks and include Linux boot CDs.However there are key Series 2 hacks that are not covered in this book.For example, video extraction is a very valued hack.I want to transfer videos between my Series 2 Tivo and my PC.

"Hacking Tivo" backs away from this hack on Series Two claiming "legal reasons".Bah!"Hacking the Tivo, Second Edition" shows you how to do this and shows the likely reason why "Hacking Tivo" avoided it.It's harder!"Hacking the Tivo, Second Edition" is written by someone who loves every aspect of hacking the machine and it shows.Get this one instead. ... Read more

Isbn: 0764543369
Subjects:  1. Automatic control    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computer programs    4. Computers    5. Equipment and supplies    6. General    7. Interactive television    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Television    10. Television & Video    11. Video recordings    12. Image processing   

Nintendo Gamecube Console - Limited Edition Platinum
Average Customer Review:
Video Game
list price: $149.99 -- our price: $104.95
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Though it looks like a toy, don't be fooled: the Nintendo GameCube is a powerful video game console that rightly deserves its place among the other next-generation game systems. In fact, its playful, appealing design and small size (the unit is a not-quite-cubed 6 inches) aren't the only features that set it apart from the others.

For starters, Nintendo has quite clearly made this a game-only machine. It doesn't try to play your CD collection, run your movies, read your e-mail, or store your MP3 files. The company has concentrated its efforts on games. All the prelaunch titles we've seen play smoothly, with bright, fast graphics and great sound. Nintendo says its engineers have removed traditional bottlenecks that have, in the past, slowed down processing. New components designed by IBM and MoSys, as well as a large-capacity secondary memory cache, keep instructions moving through the system's microprocessor (MPU) at peak levels. In English: the GameCube is optimized to push speed up while pushing costs down; hence its position at the lower end of the price spectrum.

The GameCube is the first Nintendo video game system to use a disc-based medium rather than cartridges for its games. Moving the software to disc media generally means lower development costs for the publishers, which, in turn, trickles down to the consumer not only in price, but also in availability and quality, as it's then easier to try out untested game ideas (Pikmin, anyone?). While most other systems likewise have their games stored on discs, the GameCube's 3-inch format is smaller than everyone else's, and is so designed to fit in a shirt pocket as much as to deter would-be software pirates.

Of course, the main advantage of the GameCube is that it's the home field of one of the world's premier game designers: Nintendo. While powerhouses Electronic Arts and Sega make games for all systems (including this one), you can play Nintendo games only on a Nintendo system. And Nintendo, you might recall, has been hitting them out of the park since it started with Donkey Kong. In fact, here's a roll call of characters and series you won't find on the other consoles: Mario, Legend of Zelda, Perfect Dark, Metroid, Kirby, and, of course, Pokémon. A few names that the GameCube will share with the other guys: Madden, Tony Hawk, Sonic, Batman, and Star Wars.

The system also comes with four built-in controller ports, so you can easily plug in extra controllers and let friends join in for the multiplayer games--it's even got a built-in handle so you can easily move it to a friend's house. It comes with two memory card slots for saving your progress through games, and there's the capacity for future expansion into the world of online gaming.

In short, the GameCube isn't an all-in-one entertainment system, and neither is it the most powerful of the modern video game consoles. But for video game enthusiasts who want to stick with their favorite characters, its value cannot be beat. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

• MPU (Microprocessor Unit): 485 MHz custom IBM PowerPC Gekko
• Graphics Processor: 162 MHz custom ATI/Nintendo Flipper
• Texture-Read Bandwidth: 10.4 GB per second (peak)
• Main Memory Bandwidth: 2.6 GB per second (peak)
• Pixel Depth: 24-bit color, 24-bit Z buffer
• Sound Processor: 81 MHz custom Macronix 16-bit DSP
• Sound Performance: 64 simultaneous channels, ADPCM encoding
• Polygon Performance: 6 to 12 million polygons per second (peak)
• System Memory: 40 MB
• Main Memory: 24 MB MoSys 1T-SRAM
• Disc Drive: 128 ms CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) system
• Data Transfer Speed: 16 Mbps to 25 Mbps
• Media: 3-inch, 1.5 GB capacity disc
• Controller Ports: Four
• Memory Card Slots: Two
• Audio-Video Output: Analog and digital
• Dimensions: 4.3 by 5.9 by 6.3 inches (height by width by depth)

... Read more

Features

• MPU("Microprocessor Unit")
• IBM Power PC "Gekko".
• Manufacturing Process 0.18 microns Copper Wire Technology
• Clock Frequency 405 MHz.
• CPU Capacity 925 Dmips (Dhrystone 2.1).

Reviews (484)

Highly recommended.
Any fan of the Nintendo 64 needs this console to add more depth and knowlegde to their already large collection of games. I highly recommended a Gamecube for any fan. And soon the Gamecube Revolution will be released making another ultimate console due out in the future.

listen up, fanboys...
all you nintendo fanboys are cramping up the xbox reviews. thats our turf! :p but anyway,you say "oh, the crapbox (wow thats clever) is so bad, all the games are just rippoffs, and they're all for pc, and the controller is huge, and this and that and whatever" well, gamecube stinks even worse. i mean, what games do you have for it? animal crossing? pokemon staduim? please. what's that? there are 'mature' games for it? resident evil series, thats it. name ONE 1st party nintendo game that's rated M. you can't. conker doesnt count, he's from rare. or perfect dark, thats rare too. and rare went over to microsoft anyway when they saw how bad gamecube was doing. even the system itself looks like a Playschool product. who makes a purple console? and to the one who said 'xbox players are losers and loners with no friends', that's gamecube's territory. i'm not gonna call the guys over to play a heart-pounding game of butterfly catching on animal crossing. oh, and nintendo STILL HASN'T GONE ONLINE. xbox live is the greatest online gaming service around. and the xbox controller has gotten progressively smaller as time has gone by. and 3rd parties make controllers that are even smaller than gamecube's. so lets see, if i want Billy Hatcher's Giant Egg i'll get gamecube. if i want GTA AND Halo 2 AND just about every other game you could want, i'll get xbox.

Fanboys, get some perspective.
Some of these reviews...Seriously.

Just because you like one console, doesn't mean you have to hate the others. Play what all consoles have to offer, you don't have to be a fanboy to one system...

Anyway, I bought my Gamecube on release, along with Smash Bros Melee. Now, I am a huge Nintendo fan, but I also own an Xbox so rest assured, I play games, not the consoles they come on. I don't care what game the console is on, it's the games that count.

Whilst the 'Cubes selection of games isn't as vast as the PS2s, the quality is a lot higher. Games like Mario, Zelda, Metroid Prime, Smash Bros cannot be matched, and can only be bought for the Nintendo Gamecube. This is main reason to buy a 'Cube, Nintendo games. There are other fantastic games available only to the 'Cube too, like Tales of Symphonia, and Viewtiful Joe.

If you are a casual gamer, get a PS2. The 'Cube has a lot of games for the more pro gamer; don't be fooled by the "child" like graphics, Nintendo games are all about gameplay.
Still put off by the child like graphics? Check out Metroid Prime: Echoes and Resident Evil 4, exclusive to 'Cube.

Finaly, anyone concerned about graphic power of Gamecube, it is much prettier graphically then the PS2. Resident Evil 4 has the best graphics of any console game made, even surpasing games of Xbox, which is more powerful.

So, to sum up, the 'Cube is a powerful console, with a great selection of exclusive games and a controller that is confortable to hold. If you don't play games that often, you might be better with a PlayStation 2, but if you consider yourself a pro gamer, check out the Nintendo Gamecube.
You won't regret it =) ... Read more

Asin: B00006IJJI
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Consoles    4. Bundles   

Microsoft Xbox Console with 2 Free Games and Xbox Live
Average Customer Review:
Video Game (12 October, 2003)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Take the power and flexibility of a dedicated computer gaming system and combine it with the easy-to-use, instant-on format of a high-end console system and what do you get? Well, if you also add in DVD playback ability and broadband Internet connectivity, you get Xbox.

The advanced components inside Xbox make it the undisputed powerhouse among current game consoles. A 733 MHz Intel main processor and 233 MHz graphics processor from industry leader nVidia deliver photorealistic graphics in real time. A cavernous hard drive stores saved games and characters, making flimsy memory sticks obsolete. The built-in Ethernet port enables super-fast multiplayer online gaming over a broadband Internet connection. Four game controller ports allow you and three of your buddies to play at the same time, or you can use them for other peripherals such as gamepads, light guns, and who knows what else?

But Xbox has more going for it than fancy innards. The Xbox's Windows-based operating system is a breeze to program on, earning it grateful accolades from Electronic Arts, Infogrames, THQ, and other game producers. The less time developers spend struggling with the operating system means the more time they spend tweaking gameplay, which ultimately results in better games. And games are what it's all about.

Well, games and the fun of owning a green-glowing game console that looks like it came from Darth Vader's living room. --Mike Fehlauer

The Xbox Holiday Bundle includes the Xbox console, the popular "S" style Microsoft controller, the games Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Tetris Worlds Online, a two-month trial subscription to the Xbox Live service, and all necessary cables to connect your Xbox to your TV. A DVD kit (sold separately) is required to access DVD playback ability. Xbox Live requires a broadband Internet connection and an Ethernet cable to connect your Xbox to your cable or DSL modem (sold separately).

... Read more

Features

• Xbox system comes with two games and two months of Xbox Live
• Includes Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Tetris Worlds Online
• Powerful processor makes Xbox excellent for online gaming
• Also includes S controller
• Easy to get started online

Reviews (86)

Need help with my XBOX
I got my XBOX In Feb 04, its May 04, and already it will not read my games, none of the 10 new games I got for it, or any of the DVDs.Where can I send this or get parts for it.

Excellent System, but not without its flaws.
The Xbox is an excellent system for any gamer. The graphics are amazing, the sounds is killer and {most} of the games are excellent. Unfortunately, just like the PS2 and Gamecube, the Xbox is not without its faults.
Good:

Amazingly detailed graphics
Capable of incredible sound effects
Can play CDs and DVDs (not without a remote though)
4 Controller Ports
Good variety of Games
Well Supported by 3rd party developers
Some excellent exclusive games (Halo, Project Gotham 2, Halo 2)
150 dollar price point is 30 dollars less than PS2 (but still 50 dollars more than Gamecube)
Best Online Service (Xbox Live!)

The Bad

System weighs a lot-don't expecting anything you can bring on vacation
System is ugly-basically a big, clunky box
Lack of RPGS (save Knights of the Old Republic)
Lack of quirky (strange Japanese/Anime/just plain weird) games such as Mister Mosquito and Animal Crossing.
Lack of "kiddie" games- Xbox is geared toward the 15+ crowd
EA Sports games are not online compatible (the PS2 versions are though)

Overall the Xbox is an excellent system choice for gamers who love action/shooter/online games. The Xbox excels in these areas;in fact it blows the competition out of the water. But, due to the lack of games in certain genres, I have to knock the score down a star. That being said, if you are looking for a graphics powerhouse that is home to the best online games (Mech Assault, Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell Pandora's Tommorow) and the best action games (Halo, Halo 2, Brute Force, Deus Ex 2), then you should purchase an Xbox as soon as possible.

Great graphics, but some problems
The Xbox is a great system. It pumps out top notch graphics and has some killer exclusives. Unfortunately, it is not perfect, just like the other 2 next gen systems out.
Pros:

Amazing Graphics (The Xbox's graphics are much better than either Gamecubes' or Ps2's)
Built in 8 GB Hard Drive
Best online service (Xbox Live)
Halo, Halo 2, Project Gotham Racing 2- some of the best games ever
The Controller S is comfortable
Good third party support

Cons:

The system is massive and weighs around 10-12 pounds
Have to buy a remote for 30 dollars to play DVDs
Basically No Rpgs for the system (Except the excellent Star Wars: Knights of the old republic)
Not many niche games (quirky games a la Pa Rappaa or Mr Mosquito for PS2 are absent on the Xbox)

Overall, the XBox is a graphics and sound powerhouse that has a very bright future. Unfortuantely, its lack of RPGs and niche games force me to knock down the score a star. Still an excellent choice for any gamer ... Read more

Asin: B0000C9WBD
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Consoles