Xbox 360 controller range: Can you hear me now?
by Dan Choi 
{ Nov 19th 2005 at 1:32AM }
After a bit of a scuffle for control of what to download next from the Xbox Live Marketplace, we
decided to test how far signals from our wireless controllers would register from their associated 360s. (The better to
snipe the choice of trailer download, of course.)
So we conducted a rigorous scientific experiment by simply walking away from the 360 and jamming on the new D-pad
until the console's cursor would move no more. Walking to the farthest corner of Vlad's place wasn't enough to exhaust
our wireless interface's mettle, so we took it to the door and then outside to produce a range of approximately 53 feet
(as far as the Chris'll walk).
In other words, range is a non-issue. However, we should note that our WaveBird wireless controller exceeded the range
of the 360 controller by about 10 feet. In the words of reader GamingPhreak, "Awesome! Now I can snipe people in
Halo 2 from my neighbor's house!"
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
corkman @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
indeeeeeed it is awesome.
Nintendo make their hardware very very very well. So the wavebird is a better wireless controller than the 360's ??
BTW I am having trouble convincing the wife i need a 360 plus HDTV ! pfffffffft f@#king women. they never understand.
Boys take my advice and never marry someone who scoffs at games.
crazedcow @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
corkman - if anything, from what i've been reading over the last couple of days, joystiq will be biased against the 360 instead of in favor of it, regardless of whether they got it for free. every negative 360 post seems to be over the top, while every positive one seems to need to include some sort of negative comment.
corkman @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
perhaps. all the reviews ive now seen for 360 games are muted, mostly.
oh
anything on the controvery of retailers RIPPING OFF CONSumers WITH core bundles at huge prices ??? surely ms should be answering to this as it is their fault ????
corkman @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
Projectors
Red Leather Couche
Dev 360
3 Copies Of Kameo
Media Bundle
And up until a few weeks ago Joystiq did nt even reveiw games !!!! Co Incidence or what ???? Hmm ?
I don't like bought reviews and no matter how hard you can deny its influence the fact that you are playing games and a system you didnt earn means you cannot convey an honest opinion.
vc @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
Corkman... buddy.
1. We do not keep the products we review. We have no personal conflict in terms of reviews.
2. You will see that we are very careful to point out issues that we find. Read us this weekend and tell me on Monday whether you still hold this opinion.
3. The couches were purchased in September, when I moved into the apartment. ;) They're from Ikea. They're cheap. The projector was also purchasd with my own $.
- v
Ryan @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
awwwwww, is corkman jealous?
Its okay buddy, just because we cant have an xbox360 before the release date doesnt mean we shold start to make pointless negative comments. ;-)
corkman @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
Its big business vc. Couple of poor reviews and MS have a dead duck.... a billion dollar disaster... not to mention creating a false demand by shrinking initial deliveries. It smells off to be honest when celebrities can walk out with one in each hand ! Very Off. Its not dignified to treat the common gamer (the xbox's bread and butter )with such contempt by limiting supplies while giving them away free to 'celebrities'.
Shiny new plastic and very convenient functions do not a game machine make, especially when people 'feel' priveledged to receive advance copies.
Keep Up The good Work And dont mind the drunken ramblings of an Irishman.
Remien @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
I thought the celebrities only got the metal suitcases filled with accessories (wireless unit, memory card, and a plug and charge kit), not actual systems? At least that's what I thought I saw on MSN.com, but then again I didn't pay a load of attention, just skimmed the article.
bkk @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
Stop your damn whining.
Back to remote... is it possible to go into a room with flourescent lights and test this? There's a lot of noise with these lights and usually causes problems with IR, if there are any.
HotShotX @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
53 Feet on a wireless controller?! Ummm....what's preventing the wireless channels from interfering with one another? I'm sure in suburbia this won't be an issue, but this will most definitely piss off the college crowd.
~HotShotX
Pixelantes Anonymous @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
corkman, would you rather see no reviews at all? EVERY XBox 360 review ANYWHERE is done with free hw and sw.
Pixelantes Anonymous @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
Hey Joystiq staff. Give us some news on the wireless interference or lack thereof using the wireless controllers. Turn on microwaves, cordless phones, cellphones, all wifi devices, wireless routers, etc. and let us know how well the wireless controllers still work.
Anonymous rep @ Dec 18th 2005 9:37PM
Your comments about the range of the controller pretty well duplicate what I saw earlier this year.
Note that when we were testing the range just to play, there was a closed glass door between the console and the controller, and I don't even want to think about how many cell phones and/or other wireless devices in operation - not to mention about 10 other Xbox consoles, all within a fairly small area.