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A simple look at Xbox One elicits an image of a VCR :woot: . On a serious note, I think Microsoft was actually aiming for the Xbox One to fit or blend in with your other entertainment hardware (reason it looks like a DVR, etc)

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I noticed they emphasized the new Xbox's multimedia capability alot more than its gaming capability throughout the presentation. I've come to believe Microsoft really wants the next Xbox to be more as a media player first, and a gaming machine second.

People already have smartphones, tablets, Google TV, Apple TV, DVRs, Smart TVs, they don't need a $400-500 console that does everything they already have.

That is the problem - people today need a multitude of devices to get all the entertainment content at once on the TV. Why not a single 400-500 USD device to replace most of them. A TV and a smartphone - all that one should need for your entertainment. And don't get me started on smart TVs - they are underpowered, laggy, weird UIs and physical interfaces - they are more hassle than worth. I like my TVs to be able to just display what was sent to them, and one device to decide what should be sent to them. If the XB 0ne can be this device that pools together all your entertainment content - live TV, streaming videos services off the Internet, physical DVDs, local and streamed music, content on your NAS/home server/computer, games, photos everything, what's wrong with it?

This just keeps getting worse and worse. You have to pay full RRP for used games!

"But what if you want to bring a game disc to a friend's house and play there? You'll have to pay a fee?and not just some sort of activation fee, but the actual price of that game?in order to use a game's code on a friend's account. Think of it like a new game, Harrison says."

http://kotaku.com/you-will-be-able-to-trade-xbox-one-games-online-micros-509140825

Are MS trying to bomb on purpose?

You could jus log in with your account. Easy.

I am a bit disappointed actually. Most of the hardware specs were in line with what was expectable.

The only critical point for me was the backward compatibility: I have a huge backlog of games on my 360.

Since it is not there, for me, the new Xbox has been moved from an easy no-brainer day-one purchase to a 'I'll be it when a game makes me swoon'

Now, Microsoft, impress me with more games reveal

Reveal event was fairly disappointing for me personally. Don't pay for cable as I don't really watch TV and there was very little with regards to actual games that was shown. They mentioned their 15 exclusives coming within a year and was hoping to see more than 2 of those being shown there. Guess we'll have to wait a few weeks for E3 to see what they have in store. Very underwhelming as I expected a lot more from them after the PS4 event back in February and there was way too much entertainment stuff when I'm buying this to primarily play games.

I noticed they emphasized the new Xbox's multimedia capability alot more than its gaming capability throughout the presentation. I've come to believe Microsoft really wants the next Xbox to be more as a media player first, and a gaming machine second.

That's exactly what they said they were going to present at this reveal. How did you expect any different? The games are going to be at E3, like they also stated. And they've always been going this direction. Xbox One os your one stop for all your media needs. Its not less about games as it ever was bit it is more about other things as well on top of games.

Did you not read a single thing I said? Just because you don't, doesn't mean that others don't.

I've asked this in another thread, but what good does this system actually bring to consumers?

I can switch games instantly without switching disc, I can go upstairs and play any of my games, without bringing the discs to my other Xbox.

I noticed they emphasized the new Xbox's multimedia capability alot more than its gaming capability throughout the presentation. I've come to believe Microsoft really wants the next Xbox to be more as a media player first, and a gaming machine second.

Ah no, they want it to be an all in one device, that does everything equally awesome.

Of course they're going to emphasize on the media capabilities cuz it's something new, also, not everyone is a gamer so MS is targeting it at a larger audience.

They did show off the gaming capabilities just as much, and proved how incredible it will be at gaming.

I don't understand how people cant fathom the idea that it's designed to do everything. Like they mentioned, to be the number one thing in your living room.

post-8424-0-16029100-1369198982.png

I noticed they emphasized the new Xbox's multimedia capability alot more than its gaming capability throughout the presentation. I've come to believe Microsoft really wants the next Xbox to be more as a media player first, and a gaming machine second.

Not really, but gaming is for E3 and we already know it can play awesome games, it's a game console after all. They're focusing on new stuff and features.

Ah no, they want it to be an all in one device, that does everything equally awesome.

Of course they're going to emphasize on the media capabilities cuz it's something new, also, not everyone is a gamer so MS is targeting it at a larger audience.

They did show off the gaming capabilities just as much, and proved how incredible it will be at gaming.

I don't understand how people cant fathom the idea that it's designed to do everything. Like they mentioned, to be the number one thing in your living room.

Ah no, they want it to be an all in one device, that does everything equally awesome.

Of course they're going to emphasize on the media capabilities cuz it's something new, also, not everyone is a gamer so MS is targeting it at a larger audience.

They did show off the gaming capabilities just as much, and proved how incredible it will be at gaming.

I don't understand how people cant fathom the idea that it's designed to do everything. Like they mentioned, to be the number one thing in your living room.

Especially since the competition - specifically, Sony's PS3 - is used more as a BD player than anything else - including a gaming console. (And THAT shocking result came from a poll comissioned by Sony itself.)

Then there IS that price issue (which originally reared its ugly mug WITH the PS3) - with a price that high, gaming won't be enough to sell large quantities - especially to families. And that is even in a GOOD economy, which the current one is anything but. Games aside, XB ONE plain and simply thrashes what is out there today. (I don't own a console - therefore, I am taking no sides whatever.)

Until I have a better idea of content for both XB ONE and PS4 (which won't be until E3) and price (same deal applies), Sony, you are on the clock.

I can switch games instantly without switching disc, I can go upstairs and play any of my games, without bringing the discs to my other Xbox.

If you really can switch games without switching discs that explains the used games fee.

Honestly I don't mind this happening at all, I don't lend games or borrow games from friends anyway.

After a quick skim of the Architectural roundtable thing after the event they said that the GPU does 768 operations per cycle. The leak that came out a couple of months ago which got all the PS4 specs right said that the X1 GPU will be 12CU with a combined 768 shader threads.

Which means the X1 will have a GPU that is 50% weaker than the PS4 GPU.

Microsoft has made a terrible mistake banking on the media functions that will only work in the US at launch with weak specs to bring the price down so they can bundle kinect in the box.

I was hoping it wouldn't be true but like this gen with the PS3 dragging the graphics down for multiplatform, the X1 is going to do it next gen.

Yeah lets move those goalposts.

They can't have cloud computing supplementing the graphics, not everyone will have an online xbox, can you imagine the sh*tstorm if they allowed cloud connecting Xbox to have better graphics.

As for "other parts" none of which were talked about in the Architectural briefing, no move engines, no secret sauce. Having a tiny pool of fast memory isn't going to offset the graphics power.

If only the ops per second was the ony thing affecting graphics performance, but lets ignore the other parts of the console that may offset this. As well as the cloud computing.

What 'other parts'? Don't tell me you still beleive things like those so called 'move engines' that were mentioned in the leaks will somehow magically make a significantly weaker gpu able to compete with the ps4.

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    • Creative Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe review: your headphones will love it by Steven Parker If you have been reading Neowin for any length of time, you may remember that I reviewed the Sound Blaster Audigy FX Pro back in April. I found it to be an excellent budget sound card, even though it lacked support for formats such as DTS over the included SPDIF port. Anyway, Creative reached out to me again asking if I was interested in reviewing the Sound Blaster AE-X. It is a card mainly targeted at headphone wearers, which I'll get into a bit later. Before we get underway, here is a disclaimer: Creative Labs provided a free sample without any review pre-approval. Here are the full specs of it: Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Dimensions: 179 x 126 x 18 mm Weight: 263g / 9.28 oz Platform: PCI-e DAC: ESS ES9039Q2M Connectivity Options Side: Rear: 1 x HD Audio Front Panel Connector, 1 x ⅛“ Headphone port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Left) port, 1 x RCA Line-out (Right) port, 1 x Coaxial SPDIF-out port, 1 x ⅛“ Mic in/Line-in port, 1 x TOSLINK SPDIF-in port Surround: No DNR / SNR: THD+N: 0.0001% Dynamic Range 130 dB Recording Resolution: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Direct Mode: Line Out (Stereo): PCM up to 32-bit  384 kHz Coaxial SPDIF Out: PCM up to 24-bit 192.0 kHz Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 384kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128, DSD256 Output Impedance: 1Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 8–600Ω, IEM: 0.5Vrms, Low: 1.5Vrms, Mid: 3Vrms, High: 6Vrms, Maximum output power: 350mW @ 32Ω (High), Maximum output voltage: 6Vrms (High) Front Panel Headphone Amp: PCM up to 32-bit / 192kHz (Stereo) Native DSD: DSD64, DSD128 Output Impedance: 10Ω, Supported Headphone Impedance: 32–300Ω, Maximum output power: 40mW @ 32Ω, Maximum output voltage: 1.9Vrms ASIO: ASIO 2.3 Total Harmonic Distortion: THD+N: 0.0006% Dynamic Range: 114 dB Scout Mode: Yes EMI shielding: No (but it passed all the FCC emission tests) Operating temperature: 0–45°C Input Power: 12V⎓0.5A Warranty: 1 Year (MSRP) Price: $179.99 / £169.99 The Sound Blaster AE-X was announced at the end of May, and it becomes clear that it is mainly for headphone wearers. I should also note that the card does not support DDL/DTS encoding technology, but it is said to support decoding through the coaxial SPDIF port. I was able to test this working with the classic Windows Sound properties, but I could not get a DTS (decode) signal through my Logitech Z906, it defaulted to 3D sound whenever I played DTS content through Plex or Emby. In addition, this card only supports two channels (stereo) over the speakers. The surround support is limited to the Headphone Amp, so before I get underway, what we have here is a card mostly intended for headphone use, especially with its SPDIF In (Toslink) port where you could connect another device like a console. So what about the highlights of this card? The AE-X is powered by the ESS SABRE DAC (ES9039Q2M), which is capable of a 130 dB dynamic range. In addition, it supports 32-bit/384 kHz playback for deeper detail and clarity. The headphone amplifier delivers up to 350 mW @ 32Ω, which admittedly far surpasses standard onboard audio, offering support for studio-grade headphones. DSD256 and ASIO 2.3 are also supported. What doesn't it have? No support for What-U-Hear, Super X-Fi, or the SmartComms Kit No EMI shielding, but it passed all the FCC emission tests (from the FAQ) I also want to make it clear that I am no audiophile. For me, it's purely subjective and it should just "work" out of the box. First impressions As I said in the introduction, I was a bit sad to see that the AE-X only supports stereo output, meaning it would not be on par with my ALC1220 over my speakers, as I mentioned it seems like this card is marketed toward headphone users. Since I am not an avid gamer that would rule me out as a potential customer, but I can still test its capabilities! The card arrived in a nice-looking box, as shown above. It's quite a bit larger than the Audify FX Pro that I reviewed back in April, and at first I thought the covering meant that it was EMI shielded, but it isn't as mentioned above in the highlights section. What's in the box: 1 x Sound Blaster AE-X PCIe card 1 x 3.5 mm CTIA TRRS to Dual TRS Headset Splitter Cable 1 x Quick Start Guide Aside from the Quick Start Guide, which someone at my age (I guess) needs a magnifying glass to read thanks to the tiny fonts, Creative Labs also has the manual online, which first requires you to prove that you're human in order to access it (so I can't direct link it). Anyway, the box is mostly made up of cardboard, and the only plastic in it is the anti-static bag for the card itself. Design Top Bottom The card itself looks pretty cool and actually wouldn't look out of place in an all-white build. There's only one connector, and for some reason it is awkwardly placed on the side (front-facing) that is for the front panel audio connector, which will let you use the headphones through the front PC audio jack. Since the front panel Headphone Amp has fewer capabilities than the rear headphone port, I decided not to use it. Rear of card PCI-e interface The rear of the card is completely open and is normally where you would find the front panel connector. The PCIe interface side is completely covered, which initially made me think it was EMI shielded. I/O panel Side (front-facing) with Front panel connector On the outer rear bracket side we have the TOSLINK SPDIF in, Coaxial SPDIF out, RCA line out (Right), RCA line out (Left), Headphone out, and Mic/Line in ports. On the front facing portion of the card itself is the F-panel connector. Usage Test System Our test system consists of the following: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER (BIOS F12) Corsair RM1000x (2024) Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut (33x33x0,2mm) 2x 32GB Kingston Fury Beast RGB DDR5 6000MT/s CL36-38-38-80 T-Force Z540 2TB (PCIe Gen5) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition (NVIDIA) Creative Sound Blaster AE-X Windows 11 25H2 Pro I installed the card into the Gigabyte X870E AORUS MASTER which includes the RealTek ALC1220 onboard audio. For our subjective listening tests, I used the Coaxial SPDIF port to my Logitech Z906 speakers. For headphone tests I used the OneOdio Studio Max 2 Wireless DJ Headphones that I reviewed last month. After installing the audio driver, I installed Creative Nexus, which is a relatively new app designed for the latest Sound Blaster cards. Then I discovered the AE-X needed both a driver update from 1.00.15.0001 to 1.01.09.000 and a firmware update from 1.00.06.0000 to 1.00.06.0002, then I was set to go. It should be noted that the card did not work without the driver (not Plug and Play). As you can see above, you can manage the firmware, driver, and inputs via Advanced Settings on the Device tab. By default Nexus enabled "Direct Mode". Upon clicking on Acoustic Engine, the Equalizer can be enabled and set to four different presets, which are: Gaming Music Movies Footsteps Enhancer There's also a dedicated Scout Mode for gamers. I mainly used Tidal and Spotify in the past week to listen to some of my Liked Songs (which now total over 700) in Shuffle mode; there were no pops or interference that I could hear. I also found a 5.1 Surround Music playlist on Tidal that sounded really great over Studio Max 2 headphones. When I reviewed the Audigy FX Pro, I went out and purchased a Logitech Z906 set second-hand for €100 specifically to use with the card, but in this instance all I could get on the AE-X was the 3D output of surround sound through Coaxial SPDIF and although it still sounded great, it isn't quite as good as DTS Interactive via my onboard Realtek ALC1220. Conclusion So what have I learned? The AE-X lacks multi-channel support for 5.1/7.1 setups and drops support for modern surround technologies like Dolby or DTS, functioning strictly as a stereo output device. So to really benefit, you will need Studio-grade headphones to "hear" the benefits of this card. With that being said, I can imagine it will appeal to gamers who are switching between console and PC. By utilizing the SPDIF in port, you could just plug your headphones into the AE-X (front or rear port) and then switch between PC and Console without having to move the headphones to a different port. As I said in the Sound Blaster Audigy review, the EQ in the Creative Nexus app offers safe presets, which allows a user to further tweak the lows, mids, and highs for a personal listening experience. Of course it all depends on the headphones you hook up to it. Speaking of headphones, I kind of wish I had higher-quality Studio-grade headphones to really test this card with; I'm not usually wearing headphones in my day to day duties. The only time I will wear them is if I want to listen to music very late at night and I don't want to disturb my neighbors, so my rating (verdict) is based on this fact. Someone with a PC/Console setup and wears headphone religiously to game, and consume media will benefit much more than I from the high-quality Headphone Amps that are included in the AE-X. Once again, I do feel like Creative could have gone the extra mile to support the S/PDIF port a bit more. Why include it if you're not supporting the main popular digital formats? It seems like the decision was more of a legacy-based one, offering uncompressed 2-channel PCM audio, for users with high-fidelity audio systems and external DACs. Maybe I will be lucky enough to review a card that truly includes all these features in the future. I am sure readers with far more knowledge on audio systems than me will correct me in the comments below. I'll just say I am happy to learn what I don't know! Where to buy The Sound Blaster AE-X is available to purchase now in preorder for $179.99 on the U.S. Creative website, or for £169.99 on the Creative UK website and will start shipping to customers from June 25.
    • $80 or 90%, anything else would be financial suicide one way or another.
    • Or... just use Bitwarden. Free, and has on-prem option as well. Works both on desktop and mobile, wherever you are. The age of local password files is over.
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    • I actually got to use one of those so called "backup codes" once. It was for a customer, I choose the backup code option, and by the grace of god, they actually hade them printed out. Imagine my surprise, when after using the backup code, Google then told use we had to enter a code they just sent to the gmail address we currently did not have access to. I was not amused, Google backup codes should be the end all get out of jail free card, because you had to have access to the account to even get them.
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