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Xbox 360 gaining USB storage support in spring 2010 update...16gb cap? smh

D

DuckRacer

Member
Mock and petition to bring back a proper search function if old.

joystiq-xbox-usb-support-580.jpg

Documentation obtained by Joystiq – and subsequently confirmed with two separate sources – reveals that "USB Mass Storage Device Support on Xbox 360" will soon be a reality. The document, authored by a senior software development engineer at Microsoft, states that due to "increased market penetration of high-capacity, high throughput USB mass storage devices, a 2010 Xbox 360 system update" will allow consumers to save and load game data from USB devices. The update is purportedly coming in Spring 2010.

Once the update occurs, Xbox 360 owners will be able to download Xbox Live Arcade games, Xbox Live Indie games, Games on Demand, DLC and Title Updates to the storage device. "USB storage devices may, however, have far greater memory capacity than MUs (at the date of writing, the largest MU is 512 MB), and may therefore support previously infeasible operations-such as installation of a full disc-based title." That's right, you can also store disc-based games to the USB device; however, it will require the disc to be in the tray for authentication, identical to the current functionality.
Click to expand...
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/18/xbox-360-gaining-usb-storage-support-in-2010-update/

edit: rtfa, there's a 16GB cap. Don't hook up a terabyte HDD and expect to use all of it
 
M

Matrix

LeBron loves his girlfriend. There is no other woman in the world he’d rather have. The problem is, Dwyane’s not a woman.
Awesome news.
 
pr0cs

pr0cs

Member
holy shit, I never expected this to happen. God I hope it's true.
no more overpriced drives again.

perhaps this relates to the 360 pseudo-slim thread where it wasn't obvious where the HDD connector was. IE: the 360 slim will come with no HDD and you can just use your own USB device instead.
 
B

brain_stew

Member
Something tells me that Datel's court case has something to do with this. That's so very unlike Microsoft.

I have a spare 40GB USB HDD kicking around that'd be perfect for this. This news just made the Arcade a bloody steal.
 
K

kaskade

Member
Upon inserting a blank USB storage device, "consumers are offered two choices: 'Configure now' or 'Customize'." The "Configure now" option will use "the entire device capacity, up to the maximum of 512 MB plus 16 GB" meaning, regardless of the overall size of the device you're using, the Xbox will only enable 16 GB of usable, non-system storage. The "Customize" option will allow you to "preserve some pre-existing, non-console data on the device" such as music.
Click to expand...

So I guess we can't just use a 250gb external hard drive. At least it's a step in the right direction.
 
S

Smokey

Member
I have 120GB HD so this doesn't really affect me, but man this is great news.

Upon inserting a blank USB storage device, "consumers are offered two choices: 'Configure now' or 'Customize'." The "Configure now" option will use "the entire device capacity, up to the maximum of 512 MB plus 16 GB" meaning, regardless of the overall size of the device you're using, the Xbox will only enable 16 GB of usable, non-system storage. The "Customize" option will allow you to "preserve some pre-existing, non-console data on the device" such as music.
Click to expand...


Ok, this sounds a little more like MS. Can't use your own HD really, but the option to use up to 16GB is still an improvement.
 
D

desu

Member
brain_stew said:
Something tells me that Datel's court case has something to do with this. That's so very unlike Microsoft.
Click to expand...

That was also the first thing that I had to think of when reading this.
 
S

Skiptastic

Member
Holy fuck. Awesome!

Even 16GB would be great so you could store XBLA games and game saves there, while my 120GB could be where you burn games to the hard drive.
 
D

Deleted member 22576

Unconfirmed Member
Holy Fuck dude!
This is awesome!

Gravijah said:
Oh fuck yes. I guess this also probably confirms that the slim 360 won't support the old HDDs, no?
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's the first thing I thought.
It porbably won't even support the Memory Units, but if I can just throw my saves on my USB stick and transfer them over it won't even matter!
 
D

DRock

has yet to tasted the golden nectar that is tag
Hell fucking yes! I win microsoft, I win! I only have 1gig left on my 20GB, but I still refused to pay for your overpriced harddrives!
 
The Shift

The Shift

Banned
FTW - disc based games too. Was seriously hoping for the 250GB but this news is far better as I have a 320GB external spare!!
 
U

UpperCaseN

Member
Funk yeah! I can't read the article (blocked at work) but are we thinking it'll allow for anything at all? Including flash drives and external hard drives? Or do you think it'll still be a new line of proprietary devices made by Microsoft?
 
N

Nuclear Muffin

Banned
Bugger me, FINALLY! Though this may potentially open up a loophole or two for piracy I'm sure. Surprised that MS actually went through with it!
 
F

FrankT

Member
kaskade said:
So I guess we can't just use a 250gb external hard drive. At least it's a step in the right direction.
Click to expand...

Step in the right direction. I wonder why only 16gbs though.

adelante said:
Well this pretty much lends some weight to my theory that they're doing away with memory cards for the slim360 :D
Click to expand...

I think you might be right.
 
F

Fatalah

Member
Awesome!

Edit: How fast are USB transfer rates compared to running a game straight off a DVD?


Also: One step closer to turning the console into a DVR!
 
D

Dipswitch

Member
Very exciting. Those will be a massive boon to all us poor saps still rolling with a 20GB drive. I would have some concerns about transfer rates over USB though - I can't see how it wouldn't impact loading times. By how much we'll have to wait and see.
 
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