-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
#Xboxnoise - Kinectless Xbox Ones may have a problem?
- Thread starter ThoughtsOfSpeaking
- Start date
This is exactly the noise that the two I returned made, though they never stopped making that noise during gameplay unlike most people here.
PapaJustify
Member
I have the same noise issue with my Kinect-less model I fired up today.
It sounds like a fan spinning to slowly. Oscillating on its axis, not set right, or hitting something. I doubt a hard drive would make noise like that.
Listen to this once again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooZzPbxvT_o
My interpretation
At 0:42 to 0:51 the hd flushes some buffers to disk. (this one really sounds like a hd)
After 0:52 some defrag or indexer starts running wild.
SEGAvangelist
Member
I'm getting the noise when my XB1 is in standby. Launch day unit.
This has been an issue since launch. Both my console and power supply produce an audible noise, with the noise of the console being louder when on the dashboard vs in a game. How loud the sounds are vary from Xbox One user to Xbox One user. I only know one other friend with an Xbox One and theirs is louder than mine. I would really love to check out the system of someone that has a "totally silent" system so I can really compare.
I dont know I've never heard a HD sound like that(but maybe because I havent heard a HD in a while). I still think it could be a fan spinning up and down, have you tried the Xbox in different positions, or putting pressure on parts of it. If it is the hard drive then I doubt its healthy for it long term.
I've heard some harddisks like that, but they were quite old (I remember some 300MB and some 20G models sounding like that). They were healthy for a long time.
A quick youtube search gives this for example (1TB WD example from a normal PC):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20E3RZ0uQIs
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
Sure, I can hear that when I get right next to it, but it's practically inaudible just a foot or two away. Of course it's making some noise, it has moving parts inside. My Xbox 360 does as well, not to mention my PC.
If the noise is loud on your unit, however, then it's definitely an issue.
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
Entrecôte;129145907 said:
It makes no difference whether Kinect is attached or not, every unit gets the boost.
its not fan noise, that would have a consistent noise pattern.
this is definitely coil/capacitor whine. its pretty common with pc's, and typically it happens when something is being over rendered. for example the first crysis pre-patch would render the logo fmvs at crazy high frame rates and it would cause the noise.
as someone mentioned earlier in the thread it is possible to stop the noise by applying glue/varnish/etc. to the trouble coils however that voids warranty. luckily this is something that Microsoft should be able to fix in a firmware update. people need to spam them to make sure they know its a top priority to get fixed.
I don't have a xbox one and I also don't judge, whether it is an issue or not.
I'm just damn curious to know what exactly it is.
Edit:
If it is coil whine, how do you explain the fact that people say it occured only after a firmware upgrade? My money is still on hd. Does really nobody want to void the warranty to check?^^
Yes I had assumed this was the case, but just saw some stupid website claims so wanted to double check
After switching from Destiny to another game last night for the first time I heard the main system fan at full rpm. What a beast! If that thing kept on more than a few minutes I expect the room would have started to lift off, it dwarfs 360s and slims alike.
Was just a weird glitch however, went back down again after a minute.
FWIW Target had no issues with my two exchanges to get one that worked.
SEGAvangelist
Member
I wouldn't worry. It seems like something that will be fixed in a firmware update.
JumpJeff84
Member
Wow, had never heard of this before...
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
Not necessarily, I've had plenty of weird issues with fans in my PC, including one that sounded pretty much like this, only louder.
DVD drives can also produce similar sounds with some discs, but this occurs even with no disc in the drive, so that's not it.
sometimes firmware updates have bugs that can break previously working aspects.
If I thought that way, I'd now be on my 4th month of an unbearably loud console.
SEGAvangelist
Member
Unbearably? It's probably not the same thing I'm hearing, then.
That's not what I meant. What I meant was: Coilwhine is a hardware issue. It cannot really be influenced by a firmware upgrade.
Now before everybody shouts: YES IT COULD.
Yes, it could, it's true. In the unlikely event that the firmware upgrade for example contained a new sleep mode for the CPU, the coil voltage could be different after the firmware upgrade and due to the different voltage a whine could be there.
Imho the harddisk / idle process theory is more likely.
BruiserBear
Banned
What's confusing to me is the varying descriptions of this sound we're getting. With the Kinect unplugged my console makes a sound similar to a hard drive being kind of noisy when reading/writing. It's hard to describe that sound, but if you've heard it you know it. It's certainly something most people would call minor, and there is no way you could hear it with any sort of white noise in the room.
But others are describing a "whine", which sounds nothing like what I've heard. So I suspect we could have different things going on here, and people are lumping them all together.
But others are describing a "whine", which sounds nothing like what I've heard. So I suspect we could have different things going on here, and people are lumping them all together.
Update to post #77.
YouTuber called Sir Avalon from Netherlands had this to say on YouTube comments section:
"i Found the problem. Its called Coil Whine (Coil Noise). Its a defecte coil on the mailboard (at the right lower corner under the heatsink).
On this Image on the top left, just right above the E.
It is resonating and reacts to processor load. This is why when you play a game the sound is changes or even is gone.
Fix is to put superglue on it, But then you will lose your warranty. (and is a hell of a job to do) if you have warranty, send it back to Microsoft."
I asked for more information...
"Hi! Thanks for the info about Xbox One noise issue. Could you tell more about your research. You opened the case and located the noise source? When did you buy your Xbox One? American or European model? Is the noise still there, if the Kinect is connected to the console? Are you 100% sure about this?"
...and he just responded:
"Hi, yep i opened up the housing. Thinking it was the HDD but then i discovered that the noise came from under the heatsink. Its an European model bought on sept 5 (releasedate of one in Holland). When i touch the coil with my fingers the sound is almost gone."
What do you think?
More Xbox One noise videos: 1. Xbox One noise, 2. Xbox One noise problem, 3. Xbox One noise without Kinect & 4. Xbox One noise
YouTuber called Sir Avalon from Netherlands had this to say on YouTube comments section:
"i Found the problem. Its called Coil Whine (Coil Noise). Its a defecte coil on the mailboard (at the right lower corner under the heatsink).
On this Image on the top left, just right above the E.
It is resonating and reacts to processor load. This is why when you play a game the sound is changes or even is gone.
Fix is to put superglue on it, But then you will lose your warranty. (and is a hell of a job to do) if you have warranty, send it back to Microsoft."
I asked for more information...
"Hi! Thanks for the info about Xbox One noise issue. Could you tell more about your research. You opened the case and located the noise source? When did you buy your Xbox One? American or European model? Is the noise still there, if the Kinect is connected to the console? Are you 100% sure about this?"
...and he just responded:
"Hi, yep i opened up the housing. Thinking it was the HDD but then i discovered that the noise came from under the heatsink. Its an European model bought on sept 5 (releasedate of one in Holland). When i touch the coil with my fingers the sound is almost gone."
What do you think?
More Xbox One noise videos: 1. Xbox One noise, 2. Xbox One noise problem, 3. Xbox One noise without Kinect & 4. Xbox One noise
Smartphone microphones are not as sensitive as the human ear. I was getting 60-70db on a decibel app, that is certainly out of range from what it's supposed to be.
I can assure you this is audible from across the room. I even went down the hallway a little bit.
It's the pitch more than anything.
SenjutsuSage
Banned
Yea, I got my titanfall bundle in April, but I still call it launch since it was still pretty close to release.
So, correction, April.
Edit:: Plus I would assume there aren't many differences between a titanfall bundle that came out so soon after launch and the launch units, but maybe I'm wrong.
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
That's the impression I got as well, some of these recordings sound nothing alike.
goombatommy
Member
I just bought an Xbox One on Sunday, and mine too has this "coily" noise to it. It's very faint though and tbh, I hardly notice it unless I'm intentionally trying to hear it. As long as it doesn't effect the console or software itself, I'm fine with it.
Plus I have two kids running around all the time drowning everything out anyway lol.
Plus I have two kids running around all the time drowning everything out anyway lol.
As I figured, this doesn't appear to be something that can be fixed with a firmware update. I still can't believe MS didn't know about this before releasing thousands more of these things into Europe/Asia/South America as well as continuing to sell known defective units in the US and UK for months.
goombatommy
Member
Okay so hears my question. If you decide to return it to the store you bought it at (say you purchased it recently) who's to say you won't just get another one with the same issue?
MS support.
But yeah. At this point it seems you should either just deal with the sound, or get a refund.
That's exactly why I haven't gone back to Best Buy yet. I'm sure they're all the same batch
BruiserBear
Banned
We've had no reliability issues reported with either of the new consoles. I don't know why you're even making that leap.
Usually it does not impact reliability at all.
goombatommy
Member
MS support.
But yeah. At this point it seems you should either just deal with the sound, or get a refund.
True, forgot about MS Support (sorry, running on 2 hrs of sleep here and at work)
. However - what if even MS's supply has the same issue? I think we need some sort of official word from MS. Whatever the case may be, please do not let this turn into another RROD-esque fiasco.
goombatommy
Member
Yea, I agree completely. I finally got all acquainted to the UI, got my games installed, everything setup - and just to blow it all away, start over again all while taking a chance if a new unit would "fix" the issue.
SenjutsuSage
Banned
Okay, this video does a very good job of showcasing the issue. I'm guessing if it really is the coil thing some are referring to, then no firmware update can fix that I suppose.
Would be curious to know how widespread this issue is, as don't want to jump to conclusions and assume it's a tremendous number of folks. Could be a limited number of units or more than that, but time will tell.
Yea, seems to just be a noise issue, not a case of the system somehow not working or dying. Hardly worth comparing to RROD where your console is literally fucked.
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
This is huge -_-
Gormless Noodle
Member
Nah, in the end the console still functions. Though I guess it also depends on how many people will send the thing back to MS for this and how widespread it really is. But even then it's cheaper to fix this then the RROD which required them to replace the entire motherboard at the repair centre most of the time, though it won't do them much good in terms of consumer faith.
True, forgot about MS Support (sorry, running on 2 hrs of sleep here and at work)
I think we need some sort of official word from MS. Whatever the case may be, please do not let this turn into another RROD-esque fiasco.
My understanding of coil whine is that it's an annoyance and not a sign that a device is dying. Unfortunately for me it was so bad that it did render my console unusable because I couldnt stand the noise.