WMC PC, see “More Than A Gaming
Console” on page 23.
Simply connecting A/V cables and pe-
ripherals to an Xbox 360 will give you an
engrossing entertainment experience, but
the Xbox 360’s online capabilities can
connect you to a community of gamers
who are itching to get their game on just
as much as you are. Whether it’s a Perfect
Dark Zero head-to-head match against a
CEO from Sunnyvale or a Madden 2006
gridiron contest with a college freshman
from Stony Brook, Xbox Live and the
other online resources are the carton of
Marlboros to your online Xbox 360 nico-
tine cravings. The Xbox Online section
beginning on page 35 has your 411.
It’s A Setup
We introduced our trusty pocket knife
to the box’s seal to start the festivities.
The Xbox 360 rested comfortably in the
top half of the box; a cardboard partition
separated the console from the accessories
and cables, and each piece was individu-
ally wrapped (with the exception of the
20GB HDD, which was already attached
to the console).
After we carefully lifted the console
out, we removed each individual acces-
sory. And in the cosmically unlikely
event you’ve been parasailing off the
SETTING UP
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B
uying an Xbox 360 Core
System isn’t the greatest
crime against humanity you
could commit, but it’s close.
Although we exaggerate, you’ll
definitely get more bang for you
buck if you opt for an Xbox 360.
But at the same time, we un-
derstand your reasons for
wanting to snatch the green-
boxed Core System off the shelf.
At press time, it was still easier
to buy an Xbox 360 from an on-
line auctioneer such as eBay
than prowl the aisles of Circuit
City each day in hopes a new
shipment would arrive. But with
auctions ending well over the
retail price, you might actually
save money if you buy the Core
System and extra accessories at
the retail price.
After purchasing the Xbox
360 Core System, you’ll need a
Microsoft Component HD AV
Cable ($39.99), headset
($19.99), wireless controller
($49.99), and the Xbox 360
Hard Drive ($99.99). These ac-
cessories and the Core System
will cost $509.95, but you’ll
have two controllers. Adding a
wired controller to the Xbox
360 package brings that total
to $439.98, so upgrading a
Core System is about $70
more expensive. See “Two
Ways To Play” on page 8 for
more information.
Once you’ve gathered your A-
Team of Xbox 360 accessories,
assembling the individual pieces
is easy. To attach the Xbox 360
Hard Drive, remove the plastic
grille covering the Core System’s
hard drive bay and line the hard
drive up with the back of the bay
(the wider end). Make sure the
hard drive rests below the bay’s
lip. Line up the connector on the
hard drive with the port in the
hard drive bay and press down
on the front end. You’ll hear a
click if the hard drive is secured.
If your TV is equipped for
HDTV or you have a 5.1 sur-
round sound system, spending
$40 on the Component HD AV
Cable is a worthwhile invest-
ment. Connect the cable to the
proper A/V inputs on your TV
and/or receiver, and slide the
switch on the cable from TV to
HDTV. For more information
about living in a high-definition
wonderland, see “Resolution
Evolution” on page 21.
To add the wireless con-
troller, press its Xbox Guide
button to turn it on. Press the
connect button on your con-
sole (located to the right of the
memory unit ports) first and
on the controller second. The
ring of light surrounding the
Xbox Guide button will flash,
indicating you’ve connected
the controller. ▲
The Xbox 360’s Ethernet port opens up the world
of Xbox Live and a community of gamers from
around the world.
We had to slip a couple of AA batteries in our
wireless controller’s battery pack before we could
fire up our 360.
Push the small circular button to the right of the memory
unit slots to connect other wireless controllers.
Reference Series / Xbox 360 17