Melted Processing Chips are pretty

So, yesterday I was forced to go buy another XBox. I must say that I'm not too excited about it, but secretly I'm okay with it.

I've always wanted the XBox 360 Elite model and yesterday I was finally "able" to buy one. It all started with Grand Theft Auto IV and a simple phone call from BH. I was playing GTA IV when my iPhone rang. I saw that it was BH and figured I'd answer, but first, I paused my game. The phone conversation was not long, long enough to decide that we would kill bitches in Halo 3 later that day. Upon returning to GTA IV, I notice a few fuzzy, faint vertical lines statically located on the left side of my screen. They weren't terrible enough to effect gameplay or anything, but figuring it wasn't a good thing, I saved and powered down the box.

After a few minutes of rest, I flipped the switched back on only to be greeted with XBox Hardware System Error code "E 74". For those who don't know about the MANY error codes an XBox can throw at you, "E 74" is the error code for an A/V Cable failure. Not too terrible as cables aren't that expensive. Well, I dug a little deeper into the internetz and was able to find the "E 74" is also the error code for a video processing chip malfunction. HOT DAMN!!! I can has fucked up gaming system plx?!?

Thoroughly pissed and concerned, as well as noticing that my XBox is no longer under warranty, I took apart the fucker myself to take a gander. Looking inside, I see this shiny display of magical colors. Checking against schematics and plans from XBox modding sites, I soon realize that the pile of melted whatever (silicon maybe?) is the video chip.

Now, I work at a job that uses LOTS of surface mount chip components and we do testing on those boards and chips at 170*C. 170 FUCKING DEGREES CELSIUS!! Nothing melts and we have a 96% success rate of solder not melting, meaning that after the test, nothing is fucked up. Also on a side note, I keep a 14" box fan constantly blowing on my system at all times while it's powered up. "Fresh" air is constantly being blown right onto and over the system to keep it nice, cool, and happy. So, for a chip of the much importance to the system to melt, with a fan blowing right on the system, is no less than down right impressive.

So, in the end, I of course had to buy another system and eagerly sought out the Elite bundle. The 120GB HDD is a massive upgrade to the standard 20GB HDD and is easy to transfer data between the two with Microsoft's free Data Transfer kit. I'm also pleased that none of my Arcade games fucked up with the serial number switch.

In the end it worked out okay. I got two "free" games in the Elite bundle, Kung Fu Panda and Lego Indiana Jones. Both of which are actually pretty fun. Plus, I got everything hooked up in time to talk to people.... SP, you are teh awesomeness!!

Currently Listening to:
Tool - The Pot
Deftones - Change (In The House of Flies)