Xbox 360 dashboard update: Do I need a bigger hard drive and a Netflix subscription?

Xbox 360 owners have had Nov. 19 imaginary circled on their imaginary calendars for quite some time, as Microsoft is set to unveil a massive dashboard update for the console that includes options to install games directly to your hard drive and to stream Netflix movies.

[OOG]

no netflix in canada :/ but if I could have one I would..........

[N4PS3G]

use a proxy

[kewlkat007]

...Can't wait to install my RPGs. Fable, Fallout, Lost Odyssey, Last Remnant and Infinite Undiscovery.

[ceedubya9]

I refused to play LO and Mass Effect again until this update happened. I wanted to play these games at their best. I didn't even finish LO yet because of this.

[Dmitry Orlov]

I'm currently on disc 3 in LO. I wouldn't say the loading time is that bad or there are any problems with loading the textures.
Oh, and btw, the game is great.

[kewlkat007]

I'm not against anything that can speed load times up though..

I've seen the comparisons of Fable and LO and I want this UPDATE NOW!!

Less noisy DVD-ROm Drive(I've heard/seen comparisons) and Less Heat Of course are other benefits.

IMO, Lost Odyssey is the BEST EPIC JRPG out right now..I love the music, characters and the story is kind of a tear jerker..lol I'm a I'm a big Nobuo Uematsu fan.

Best Track in the Game..."Epsilon Range"

[ceedubya9]

Great game. I didn't have any real issues witht he game's performance. Yeah, it could load a bit faster and be a bit less choppy, but it was far from unplayable. Its just that when I found that you could do the install to make it run better, I just decided to wait to finish the game at a time in which I could play it at its highest performance level possible.

I find it funny how someone disagreed with me because of how/when I choose to play my own games. I would be at all surprised if there are those out there that track people's comments just to disagree with them.

[edhe]

No and.. er, no.

[Firebird360]

Does anyone know how long it takes to install a game to the hdd?

[chester]

i think i read a preview that said 10-12 minutes, but don't quote me on that.

[Bladestar]

I installed CODWW and Fallout 3 and it's around 10-12 minutes... so, it's safe to quote you on that.

[CrazyOrange]

im in the preview
it took me 7min to install 4.7gb orange box

[devilhunterx]

Time to improve on those sandwitch making skills :P

[edhe]

I installed fable in the time it took to go to the toilet, boil the kettle, make a cuppa, eat a biscuit, settle down back into the couch and wonder where all my money went.

[ChrisGTR1]

talking about making sandwitches i remember DMC4 took a 20 minute install on ps3 and it was only 5 gigs! theres the ultimate proof right there. 5 gigs takes 20 mins on ps3, but on 360 6.8 gigs takes 10 mins to install. ultimate proof right there people that ps3 blu ray drive hurts games and therefore the installs are mandatory because loading it from disk is too slow.

[Imallvol7]

it didn't take long at all, however, I noticed no difference in load speeds. just quieter overall.

netflix is the best part, even though the selection is severely limited. great update.

[CrazyOrange]

i heard xboxlive gold = netlifx subs+ gold membership
but when i try to resgist in netflix its ask me to pay !

[Bladestar]

This netflix thing is for people that already have a subscription with netflix. You do get a free netflix subscription if you are a gold member... that wouldn't much sense... if Microsoft charges $4/month and give netflix subscription for free when netflix cost more than that per month... netflix is just another partner of the many other partners that will allow streaming video directly from the xbox 360 to their subscribers... Think of this as a netflix upgrade and not an xbox live upgrade. I think netflix benefit more on this than microsoft...

As matter of fact I believe that this feature will probably be on the PS3 eventually... I do not see why it wouldn't. it would be stupid of netflix not to ask Sony to enable this on the PS3..

[DevastationEve]

Even if you have a 20GB (14GB available) you'll be able to install single disc games. Make some room...you gotta get rid of those stale old demos SOME time anyway.

As for netflix, it's not a deal breaker for me. But it's a great add on. I just care about 3 things: XBL, XNE, and the games.

[Time_Is_On_My_Side]

I how long does it take to install a game because if it takes 5-10 min. then it wouldn't be worth installing and deleting every time?

[DevastationEve]

True. And that will happen on any HDD size, once the limit is reached. So it's an experimental feature. Something for owners of an HDD to only benefit from if and when they decide to install their games. It's not mandatory, and it's not going to hurt gamers if they DON'T do it.

[Pika-pie]

IGN did a test with Fable 2 and it took around 10 mins

[Pika-pie]

2 more days until peace and quiet.

[ChrisGTR1]

i already have this update, i was part of the wave 2 tester thing on major nelsons website. the installing is awesome but due to the stupid 13 gig hdd being so small you can only install 1 game at a time.

[Crazywhitie]

I have the NXE on my off line 360 and let me just say wow, It's not even using the live features and still when I go back to my online 360 I hate that Dashboard so much now lol.. just wait The game install option alone is great

[Magic_The_Celt]

yeh you need a lot of money too since its micro$oft

[Covenant]

I was one of those lucky enough to get the NXE early, so I've put it through its paces. My impressions:

A bigger HD would be great if you want to install games. Let me tell you: I installed Gears 2, and not only are the load times shorter, but there's less pop-in. Plus, while playing Gears 2, my 360 is SILENT. The hum from my TV is louder.

I have an Elite, so HD space is not that big of a concern. Bigger HDs, though, are expensive...the 60GB bundle ($100 w/headset and 3 months of Live) is still overpriced, but not as badly as the 20GB (which went solo for $100).

Netflix streaming is INCREDIBLE. It requires a Gold membership and an active Netflix membership, and you are limited to just the films that are available for instant play, but that number is growing rapidly. The picture and audio quality are good, and I tried four or five different titles (about an hour total) and experienced no stutters or issues.

Is Netflix worth it? Well, I pay about $18/month, and I get 12-15 DVDs by mail and can have around 15-18 hours of instant play for that price. I've had the service for five years, and have never had a problem. Plus, they have almost any film you could want. The only drawback is waiting for your DVDs by mail, and unless you queue them very early, some new releases can take a week or two to come to you.

My .02 worth.

[otherZinc]

to install the update?

[40cal]

Uh, NO! You need a PS3.

I kid, I kid.