Microsoft Docs Indicate Future Xbox 360 Support For USB Storage

Internal Microsoft documents obtained by Joystiq indicate that its Xbox 360 console will gain support for USB storage devices some time this Spring. "According to the document, the USB mass storage device must be at least 1GB and the system will do a compatibility check. 'The system partition occupies 512 MB of space, and by default the consumer partition occupies the remainder of the device capacity, or 16 GB, whichever is smaller.' 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." There have also been rumors of a new, smaller form factor for the 360, and hacker Ben Heck has given his thoughts on some leaked motherboard pictures.

Still Xbox 360?

[Lord Lode]

They're still developing new Xbox 360 versions? Usually after so many years, there appear new consoles. But this time it seems none of the big 3 console makers has any plans for this.

Another indication that processing speeds aren't really increasing anymore these days?

Oy

[Tridus]

So you can connect an external storage unit, but it'll only use 16GB of it? That's a bit less then the size of the smallest 360 hard drive, which they don't even sell anymore.

I guess they don't want to cannibalize their outrageously priced upgrade drive business.

The 16GB limit

[NeverNow]

In TFA, they asked Heck whether the 16GB limit is a technological limitation of file systems or a deliberate choice. It seems pretty obvious to me that it's artificial and meant to protect their disk drive market. Considering that USB devices will, unlike now, be trusted storage where one can write DLC, XBLA games and even full game installs and GOD, there's no reason why one would use an externally powered USB drive instead of a small pendrive. That would mean 100$ for a 1TB drive, going in the drive maker's pockets, instead of 100$ for a 120GB drive, going in MS's pockets.

Programmer art

[tepples]

It almost seems like you are cheerleading their efforts to break someone's setup.

Once I was looking to develop Wii homebrew games myself. But then I saw two drawbacks.

First, I ran into the so-called "homebrew complexity wall", where a lone developer with a day job will lack the time to provide both high-quality code and high-quality art. In order to replace notoriously bad programmer art, I'd have to charge for my game in order to afford to pay an artist. Reactions to the sale of copies of BootMii-related tools show that the Wii homebrew community likes to keep it strictly non-commercial. Or can you recommend a way to make programmer art better without sticking to making Tetris clones over and over?

Second, I worry that working on homebrew for current consoles, as opposed to PC games, will jeopardize my chances of being hired by an established video game studio once I move out of the backwoods town of 200,000 people where I currently live.

16gb partitions?

[arcade video gamer]

so couldnt you just make 16gb partitions and have it use multiple ones?

what about cheating?

[YesIAmAScript]

When MS dropped the hammer on Datel's large, 3rd party memory cards, they said they had to do it since those devices allowed cheating. That is, they were read/writable from non-Xboxes since they used SD cards for storage and thus you could easily mod saves.

How does MS square that with this action? This device is read/writeable from non-Xboxes since it's regular USB, isn't it?

I personally never believed that MS' actions were for any reason other than to protect their revenue stream. But can't really go back on their story now, can they? Can Datel sue over something like this if they do?

Re:Ha Ha...

[hobbes64]

One strange thing that the 360 supports: If you plug an iPod into the USB port, it recognizes it and lets you have almost complete control in playing music from it through the 360. I'm not 100% positive but I'm pretty sure it plays purchased AAC files not just MP3. If you plug an iPod into a PS3, it thinks it is an unknown USB device. You would think that the PS3 could get the MP3 files off the iPod but that doesn't seem to work.