Printable View
2/17/05
I have just seen a report on the news: Microsoft is recalling XBoxes because the power cable is a fire hazard. there have been reports of burns and damage to carpeting and entertainment systems.
I thought that this should go in security, because it involves your homes security.
This shows, in my opinion, just how much Microsoft cares about the people. I know of no other gaming system that contains a fire hazard.
they're not recalling xboxes - they are recalling the power cables and it only effects xboses made before 23 October 2003
as there have only been 30 reports of any actual problems with them this seems like MS has done something right and decided that a preventive measure is best in this case
source also helps ;)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4274035.stm
v_Ln
You are right, I was trying to paraphrase the news report on tv as best I could.
And still, you think microsoft wouldve noticed something like the power cord getting super hot.
edit:XTC, please post in the thread if your going to neg me.
Well, it is a sign of the times I would say.
Has anyone bought anything recently that wasn't made in China?...................the stuff has different "badges" on it but they are all made by someone else.
Hey, I bought a jug water filter a few days ago..........Boots (a big UK drug store chain)...........it was made in??????///...................yep........China.
Now, if you outsource your production, you are at the mercy of the suppliers' production standards and their quality assurance standards. Not only that, you involve the people they sub-contract to as well.
just my £0.02
Well, as a fence stradler regarding MS (It's quite the love/hate/love/hate...........lovehatelovehate relationship) *AND* an avid XboX player, I've gotta pipe up in their defense.
How many millions of units have been sold, prior to 23-Oct-2003? 30 confirmed reports? That ain't too shabby. Ford, GM, and Chrysler can't claim that sort of record on many of their works-of-infamy (anyone remember the Pinto/CarBomb?)Quote:
there have only been 30 reports of any actual problems
I know, I know, they've done a lot of things wrong (by some peoples measure, anyway), but this seems a bit extreme. 30 cases reported out of how many units sold? They've done the right thing, issue a recall and fixed the problem. I mean, really, how much QA testing can you expect them to do on a home gaming console? I have no doubt that most people would agree, given the data, that a reasonable amount of effort was put into QA (especially after the first handfull of XboX's got slammed so hard in the press for being faulty.) This is a trivial number of failures.
I know that they are doing the right thing. Now that i read what i wrote in the origional post, it seems way too harsh for the situation. The main reason I made this thread was to inform people about this possible danger in their homes. I think that MS mightve been able to send their power cable to an establishment like UL to test it, but this WAS an unlikely turn of events. So I would like to apologize for taking a jab at Microsoft, they are doing the right thing. -_-
ok now to simulate (kinda) the situation that many of these power cords may have been in up to this point MS would need to have tested it turned on for 80days (taking approx 480 days since cords made till now - avg 4hrs per day switched on [higher than most people might play but gotta take into account those people who play non-stop])Quote:
And still, you think microsoft wouldve noticed something like the power cord getting super hot.
thats alot of testing for just a power cord - plus you factor in it doesn't say how long the 30people who experienced problems played per day - maybe they never switched console of! How could MS be expected to leave an xbox switched on for over a yr just to test if their power cord can take it - you try justifying that kind of delay for just a power cord ;)
also there is other factors that need to be taken into account which they coudn't test for - user damage to cord, general wear & tear etc.
In actual fact the normal warranty given with any electrical product is 1yr - so really MS could have done nothing and just said 'tough out of warranty' so i wouldn't go bashing them for this - plenty else to bash them for anyways ;)
v_Ln
And guess who is excempt to the Kyoto Protocal that everyone is yammering about.Quote:
Has anyone bought anything recently that wasn't made in China?...................
Didn't take long for the boys at PA to jump on this subject!
http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2005-02-18
God, I love them. The embelishment of narcisistic wit they display is scrumptious.
From what I read in the BBC's article, it would seem to me to be the plug and not the cable that is faulty. This would indecate that people who use the box and pack it away after use, would be more exposed to any danger, more so than those that leave the system setup on standby. Continuos pluging in and unpuging could result in early fatique in the connectors. Leading to poor contact and so exessive heat.
Having worked as an electrical tester, for a company that made industrial floor cleaning machines. We would run a machine through an earth continuity test, then a flash test and finaly a max current draw test, using a Claire. Having done the electrical testing we would run the machine in a test bed for 20/30 minutes depending on the model. None of these tests would show the fault being discused.
I bet some purchasing numbnut, shaved a cent or two of the purchase cost of the plugs and they were sub standard.
jinxy
Yes, but what do we manufacture today?
I may sound paranoid but I have just done a quick audit of stuff around me at this desk................
A digital wireless thermometer from some American outfit who use the TM "Smart Home"..........made in China..........
A RayTek "MiniTemp" laser guided spot thermometer...................made in China............
A flashlight (torch) bought at a local supermarket...............made in China.............
An electronic calculator......................made in China...........
A pair of Bushnell 8 x 21 waterproof binoculars..............made in China..............
A fancy toothpick dispenser....................made in China................
I won't even mention the computer equipment :(
Now, we have given up manufacturing and sub-contracted it to the Chinese, which is probably why they have the fastest growing economy in the World?................but they are not like us...........health and safety?????????????????? QA ???????????????hah!
If the ying pong pang workers' collective have contracted to supply 100,000 plugs to the makers of the power cables for X-boxes, then they will do that because it is a matter of pride............not quality..........
Sure, most of the time the stuff is OK, but if it wasn't, would you trust them to pull it? They are a "communist" regime after all, you can't sue them :D
We are becoming too dependent on them?
Just my £0.02
If a product is has a possability of having a problem that could be considered a fire hazard.. it is LAW, in many western countries, to take action to rectify the problem.. this includes product recalls, removing product from sale..Quote:
MS has done something right and decided that a preventive measure is best
MS isn't being responsable it is preventing the government kicking their arse..
and massive lawsuits.Quote:
MS isn't being responsable it is preventing the government kicking their arse..
Anyone remember Firestone...the after-the-fact recalls and lawsuits almost put them out of business...in Canada Firestone started selling all their tires under the Bridgestone moniker for a long time after that.
MS is protecting their bottom-line...not the consumers. They know that most people won't even bother returning the product ( like those product guarantees you see on info-commercials )...and once they've issued a recall their liability drops considerably...it's in their interest to issue a recall.