Elite data transfer headaches--already?
(Credit: CNET Networks)New owner of an Xbox 360 Elite? Well, if you were planning on transferring your Xbox Live Arcade games along with the rest of the data from your old 360, think again. There seems to be a major problem with how the transfer kit imports the games, involving DRM--yes, even games now suffer from this poorly thought-out technology. After a successful hard drive transfer, all of your purchased Arcade games will magically downgrade to demos. In order to have full access to these games, you must sign into Xbox Live (thanks to Joe at The Pensive Gamer for pointing this detail out).
Even more upsetting is that the DRM woes aren't exclusive to Xbox Live Arcade games. It seems that any movie or TV episode you've downloaded and transferred is susceptible to viewing limitations. In order to watch a television show, you must also be connected to Xbox Live in order to verify your identity. Microsoft is now recommending against performing a data transfer should you ever desire to view your shows offline.
As far as movies are concerned, all hope is lost. Any movie transferred using the kit cannot be viewed at all off the new hard drive. And what was Microsoft's actual solution to this issue? Watch your movies before you transfer your data.
In light of all the recent trauma, the transfer kit is currently being offered free from Microsoft by filling out this PDF form.
[Source: Gamespot]
[referring to DRM]
Okay, wait a second. Since when did software NOT involve some sort of DRM? DRM is not new. It is new, in the sense of controlling media such as MP3s or videos, (which are relatively young in the overall sense of things that are stored on your computer's hard drive) but people have had to deal with software that requires licenses since... well... since always?
Granted, the technology that controls whether or not you can use your purchased office software, games, whatever, has developed over time (as has other DRM technology since its inception), but honestly, it's not like software and games have always been free to share and use and have only recently, since the release of the XBox 360, been inundated with rights management...
I mean, hell, here's an example: The Sega Saturn's discs contained a ring around the outer edge that supposedly makes them more difficult to copy (it does, but of course, that's been broken long ago and there are methods around it - as there is with any DRM). Or how about the differently-shaped Nintendo cartridges based on region?
That just seemed, IMO, like kind of a silly thing to say, kind of ignorant and not mindful of the fact that DRM was not born yesteday (neither were 'blogs', either, but that's a whole different story.)
There was no "marriage" of a specific piece of content with a specific piece of hardware. That is what makes DRM different and that is what makes it "poorly thought-out technology"
It is rediculous that if I own ...ehh, excuse me .. purchase the right to play, a piece of content that I, the licensee, cannot transfer(permanently) that right to another piece of hardware of my choosing (like my new Eilte).
system key from your old 360 to the elite. Maybe, like a swap. Old
to New and New to Old?
The fact that this was obviously not thought out is obvious, but
Microsoft shouldn't just give up and tell people not to copy content
they ever want to watch offline again. That's just bad customer
service.
- xbox media centre extender
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by woolster0
January 3, 2008 9:18 AM PST
- i have an annoying problem can anyone help, i have an xbox 360, i can connect to xbox live, but cannot transfer data from my vista laptop to the xbox via the media centre extender,they both pair together ok and for about 10 to 15 seconds transfer music etc to the xbox but then keep getting message on tv screen saying the connection had to be closed due to a U I problem can u help!!!!
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