Microsoft Responds EU: Blame Users for Scratched Discs Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Microsoft Responds EU: Blame Users for Scratched Discs Posted by XanTium | June 8 09:26 EST | News Category: Xbox360

The European Commissioner for Consumers asked Microsoft about disc scratching issues last week, and here's what MS answered: [QUOTE] In a statement, Microsoft told MCV that it has responded to Kuneva - and that faulty discs are likely to have been caused by 'improper use' of the console. It said: "There has been correspondence between Commissioner Kuneva's cabinet and Microsoft's Belgian offices. "We are working in an open dialogue to help explain our position and all the efforts we are taking across the EU to address any concerns that our consumers may have. "If used properly, Xbox 360 consoles do not damage discs... there is no single root cause or systemic issue with any of the Xbox 360 consoles." [/QUOTE] Full Story: mcvuk.com

[Djpj]

How fast they respond on the EU thing, about a week, just says that MS has great service.

This post has been edited by Djpj: Jun 8 2007, 01:56 PM

[psychoace]

So it's normal when my dvd drive sounds like a dremel tool when it does some weird spin down while loading games? Also is there some secret way to insert these disc's that I don't know about? I treat my disc's with the best of care yet right now I have a bunch of dots on the bottom of one of my games and my Madden 07 disc has a fat crack on the inside circle part. I must just be inserting them wrong. I thought it was done exactly like the original xbox since I never had this kind of problem with the 20+ games I had for it, but I could be wrong.

This post has been edited by psychoace: Jun 8 2007, 02:03 PM

[pablot]

bull shit. I take great care of my console. Haven't even opened it up, yet the dvd drive broke and took the game inside with it (scratched it to bits). MS will just have to recognize that the dvd-drives suck and pay up.

[Deihmos]

bull shit. I take great care of my console. Haven't even opened it up, yet the dvd drive broke and took the game inside with it (scratched it to bits). MS will just have to recognize that the dvd-drives suck and pay up.

I think it is users fault myself.

[zest]

Well its nice to see that m$ still going strong with the "there is nothing wrong with xbox360" approche. Several tousands faulty "ring of death" and there is still nothing wrong. Tousands of consols that hangs coz of to much heat.... and this.. I have discs that have been damage coz of the console. Would be nice if they for once reconsie a problem and said "ok we fucked up"

[mlapaglia]

i agree with it being the consumers fault, but i'm not to savvy with the dvd drive. i know first hand that even touching my 360 when it's on scratches discs.

but i mean, come on ms, just put some god damn foam pads in there, like everybody else lol.

[Deihmos]

i agree with it being the consumers fault, but i'm not to savvy with the dvd drive. i know first hand that even touching my 360 when it's on scratches discs.

but i mean, come on ms, just put some god damn foam pads in there, like everybody else lol.

Changng from horizontal to vertical is the worst thing. When i first got the 360 back in December 2005 i did not read the manual and did that and ruined my COD2 disc. Now the console has a sticker on the DVD drive that states moving it while on can scratch disc.

[d-range]

Never mind loads of people have demonstrated disc-scratching also occurs when the console is left untouched. Or that you'd think a $299 device should be durable enough to not scratch discs anyway. A $40 discman doesn't scratch discs, and neither does my car CD player. And how come only the 360 scratches discs? Are Sega Saturn/Dreamcast/PS1/PS2/PS3/GameCube/Wii owners so much more careful with their equipment than xbox owners?

[philbee]

users fault my ass! i have 70 ish original titles for xbox 1 and no damage done to them, so far 4 of my 360 games have cracked from the center out about 10 mm, most people wont notice cos they dont check for that. luckily, the shop i bought the games in knows about the prob and have replaced all 4. most peeps would think the cracks are from the cases but one game i got replaced was call of duty 2 and i put that in the drive straight out of the box and left it there for 2 weeks without removing, when i did take it out after the two weeks viola! another crack. I also understand why people would say its the users fault cos I would be a doubter too was it not for the experience ive had.

[frontlinep8tbal]

Old news...

User error is always a factor but for many that have had scratched discs there are a few other explanations.
The llamma did a write up on this and a fix. The main problems are the clearance of the laser head and the discs. The other factor is the disc itself. During manufacturing its always a possibility of the disc not being balanced. Example a slightly more dense area on the disc. Naked to the eye but will cause the disc to wobble when spun in the drive.

In short here is the math:

uneven discs + extremely close laser head assembly = scratched or damaged discs.

It doesnt take rocket science to figure it out. M$ pointing the finger to the end user is always the easiest solution. What is the worst the end user will do. File pointless class action suits that dont even dent M$'s wallet nor their pride.

I personally love the 360 but this current model shows that consumers are the major corp's constant BETA testers and are willing to buy poorly made electronics at an extremely high price. In the end we are the ones to be forced with the excuse from large corp's that the reason of their manufacturing flaws is "User fault" due to the consumers lack of knowledge

I have seen this first hand working for a Japan electronics company. Outrageous prices for products that looked like they were built by 6th grade science-fair students. It doesnt matter as long as the consumer does not have any knowledge about whats inside.

Its only going to get worse before it gets better.

[LIVE Prophet]

Bull shit, totally. When I first bought Gears of War I was playing normally in the single player, console layed flat on entertainment center piece, and all of a sudden it sounds like the drive just stopped, game froze, I open the tray and what do I see? The classic f****** circle scratch. At least wal-mart was nice enough to let me exchange it, and it was the collectors edition!

[Harteex]

I think it is users fault myself.

Easy to think when you don't have any problems. I don't have a 360 myself but there are many having problems so I don't think it's entirely the users fault.

[Billyfett]

I have three 360's and I have not had a problem. Mu son once moved a P$2 while it was spinning from a horizontal to a vertical position and it put a few scratches on that disc. Are the drives scratching the dics or are people moving the unit with a dics in the drive or while it is running?

[steveju]

Are the drives scratching the dics or are people moving the unit with a dics in the drive or while it is running?

The drives are scratching the discs. Moving the console while a DVD is in the drive does scratch them too, but that isn't always the case.

Microsoft gets away with this one too, just like they did with the crappy CPU/GPU "fix" in the elite. The evidence is there, but it isn't going to jump out of the box and say hello, you need to open it up and see how it works. TS-H943 and Samsung's SH-D162C look, from the inside, almost exactly the same, wonder if you could spot the differences with your own eye.

This post has been edited by steveju: Jun 8 2007, 04:04 PM