You might all want to unplug your Xbox at the wall before going to bed...

[will2003]

http://www.xbox-scene.com/xbox1data/sep/EEEEEApFuEPfcZdkPo.php

I've fixed loads of Xboxes with this very same fault, and most of my customers are aged 16+ and generally understand that sparks shooting out the back of their console probably isn't a great sign, so they do something about it.

But, and I don't know the demographics, there must be a a hell of a lot of households where kids aged 6 and up use an Xbox - as someone says on the above article somewhere, it really is just a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt or has their house burn down.

Apparently there are 14.1 million Xboxes in the world, if MS had to recall and replace them, it would be the single most financially damaging recall they could possibly imagine. Proebaly one of the biggest in history. That'd be one to tell the kids... Bill Gates getting screwed by a load of $6 power supplies

[bash]

Lol, Im using my old DC or Ps2 one (cant remember which now) so I should be ok. . . . if not I'll blame it on the mod you done and send you the bill

[Ginza]

There was a huge safety recall whereby Microsoft is issuing out new power supplies to everyone who bought their Xbox console from a certain date which I forget. They didn't actually recall anything. More sent out new power supplies. I got a letter about it from MS and it's been everywhere saying to ring them up or get one online from MS. It's been quite big news where have you been Will

[pointlessalias]

The one in the link WAS one of the machines which had been 'recalled' - Microsoft have only been sending out new power-cords though, not power supply units. The xbox scene article suggests that the problem may lie with the actual PSU inside the machine, and the fact that a machine with a supposedly 'safe' replacement cord has basically burned up someones face is kinda worrying, no? Particularly for anyone with youngsters using Xbox's in bedrooms.

Best bit is they've taken the carcass of the busted up machine 'for research', and there's a quote from an eight year old kid who says he's "sad I can't play my games anymore". You'd think they'd at least have given him a replacement or something!

[Gruce]

"the whole apartment smelled of the burn"

[will2003]

There was a huge safety recall whereby Microsoft is issuing out new power supplies to everyone who bought their Xbox console from a certain date which I forget. They didn't actually recall anything. More sent out new power supplies. I got a letter about it from MS and it's been everywhere saying to ring them up or get one online from MS. It's been quite big news where have you been Will

No, I know - everyone has known about this for ages - my post was to highlight that the replacement power cord has nothing to do with it, as multiple reports of severe failure / burning keep coming in, even with the new power cords. They haven't sent out a single power supply to anyone - just new cords with a circuit breaker in them. They could never, and will never send out new power supply boards - legally impossible, as it would mean people would have open the Xbox and be working around live 240v power, plus it'd void your warranty opening the box, would probably result in countless broken Xboxes, 23468976 law suits for electrocution, and everyone would need to buy special Torx screwdrivers to open the Xbox, not to mention have a basic understanding of electronic repair to be able to replace the PSU at all.

The way the Xbox is designed is fundamentally unsafe - the PSU, which has obviously many exposed mains voltage areas, isn't properly contained from the rest of the Xbox. I did a machine repair for someone who had opened the machine up, taken all 11 metal screws out that hold in the motherboard, done his modding, put it all back together, but failed to correctly put one of these screws in properly. It came loose, was rattling about inside the Xbox, and one day he picked it up when it was turned on, the loose metal screw rattled down over to the PSU area, caused a short and blew up - loud bang, smoke, the whole 9 yards. There is NO way MS will have people changing their own PSU for this exact reason. You just cannot have unqualified people safely working on the innards of 240v PSU machines like a games console.

Point is, like someone at xbox-scene siad, it's what they call a Band Aid fix - doesn't address the problem at all, just tries to limit any danger / damage when it happens. A bit like Vauxhall selling a new car, finiding out the engine sometimes blows up, and sending all owners of the car a fireproof jacket... it's just rubbish. I think this is going to run and run....

[nips]

I like the toaster analogy:

It's like a manufacturer selling faulty toasters that burst into flames every now and again, but giving out free fire extinguishers, just in case it's you.

[charlesr]

I've got all my consoles on gang sockets with a switch on, so I turn them all off each night. Having power supplied to PSUs 24/7 unattended is just insane. I also turn my TV off and stuff. I leave the microwave on though. How weird's that?

[will2003]

I've got all my consoles on gang sockets with a switch on, so I turn them all off each night. Having power supplied to PSUs 24/7 unattended is just insane. I also turn my TV off and stuff. I leave the microwave on though. How weird's that?

Bingo. Not to mention wasteful, as well as dangerous. Most modern switched mode power supplies use non-looped phase transformers (don't ask) which draw current as soon as they are connected to the mains - regardless of if they are turned on or not. It's not much, but why pay for electricty unnecessarily?

The only thing I leave on 24-7 is the PC, as it's always running Outlook and webserver app thing - so I bought one of those expensive but very effective combo surge protector and trip switch sockets. Call me paranoid, but it's just not about burning the house down with some sketchy mass produced PSU deciding to catch fire at 3am

[mid]

Actually, my XBox lives not only disconnected, but a good 10 foot from its power cable when not in use. But then I'm not using my "replacement" cord, as I've not gone digging down the back of the amplifier yet.