Xbox 360 wireless controllers aren't (Xbox 360 annoyance #002)
by Vladimir Cole 
{ Dec 5th 2005 at 10:29PM }
Before we get all nitpicky it should be noted out of fairness that the Xbox 360's designers had no easy task. They wanted to give gamers the beauty and convenience of a wireless controller, but they also needed to make sure that help is near when batteries run low in the middle of a critical Xbox Live competitive experience. Hot-swapping of batteries isn't an option in high-stakes scenarios (those of you who are in league 1 of Project Gotham Racing 3 know what we mean).
The only solution to these conflicting concerns is to create a controller that accepts a power cord for charging at any time.
Unfortunately, Microsoft's designers underestimated gamer laziness. Rather than use the play-and-charge kit only when the controllers need to be charged, we find ourselves just leaving them plugged in all the time because it's too much trouble to neatly wrap up then put away the play-and-charge kit. Once we started leaving it in the system, we were able to recharge the controllers more conveniently, but now our living room looks messy! The core wireless design aesthetic has been ruined.
Like us, most gamers are going to leave their play-and-charge cables plugged in to the Xbox 360 so that when their controller runs out of juice they can charge it up conveniently. At that point, it doesn't matter if you disengage from the play-and-charge for wireless gaming because you've still got a spaghetti monster's worth of wires spilling out from your Xbox 360.
Essentially, we're now back to wired controllers. Even if Microsoft were to release the mysteriously absent battery charger, we'd be subject to the fundamental risk of play interruption. But at this point, anything's better than these damned wires. The solution? See photo.
In sum: a beautiful controller is marred by a jumble of wires. It's still the best controller to ever grace a game system, but that doesn't mean it's perfect.
Previous Xbox 360 annoyances: 001.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
striegs @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Let me save everyone the hassle of flaming with some subtle, yet well-meaning, sarcasm:
OMGQQB I NO M$ $HOULD HAVE JU$T FORGOTEN BOUT BATEREI$ ALL TO GETHER AND U$ED WIRELE$$ POWER ,LEIK BLUETOOTH OR $OM $UCH TINHG. (BTW MY $ KEY IS BORKEN SO DO NUT FLAME PLZ!!
Unfortunately, battery storage technology just isn't evolving at a fast enough rate to accomodate the accelerating energy demands of modern electronic devices. The only real solution is to make the battery larger, which often contributes greatly to the device's heft and expense. Hell, my laptop weighs a good eight pounds, half of which is due to the battery (and even when idling the battery only lasts for 90 minutes, maximum).
There have been past demonstrations of devices being charged wirelessly through the use of magnetic fields, but the device receiving the charge must lie on top of the field generator itself in order for it to function, so this technology isn't feasible for charging batteries from distances greater than a few inches. I'll be damned if I let anything projecting a powerful 50-foot wide magnetic field anywhere near my living room.
Since power must therefore be supplied remotely, the only options remaining are rechargeable batteries, the limitations of which are expressed above, or replaceable batteries, ala Duracell. The issue of hot-swappability can be remedied by including two separate batteries which can be replaced independently, however, this is a moot point since fumbling to replace your battery whilst attempting to maneuver your vehicle is hardly better than having to turn off your controller in the first place. Therefore, the only reliable solution is to either:
A) have a fully-charged standby controller ready to take over for your primary controller should the battery give out (do 360 controllers even allow you to set the RF channel manually?), or
B) have your controllers wired to a consistent source of power (i.e. the power grid), defeating the purpose of wireless controllers in the first place.
So, does anyone have anything to say regarding the topic of methanol fuel cells? I'll be on Wikipedia if anyone needs me.
Maguus @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Are you crazy?
There is no reason to leave your controller wired. Just charge the thing and unplug it. Talk about &*^*&^# lazy.
Eih'Beir @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
So...when the circle of light on the controller starts flashing in patterns, that's not the indication that you'll need to charge it soon?
I thought that's what that was about.
So yeah, you see it flash, you plug it in between races. What's the difficulty?
Toast @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Sloth thy name is joysqtiq. Keep it plugged into the system, but if the battery runs low just get the cord neatly tucked near the xbox (keeping your floor clean) and jack it into your controller in dramatic fashion just before the battery dies. I haven't seen the controller, but is there any kind of warning to let you know when you're getting low?
sergio @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
If you haven't charged and the battery runs out keep a wired controller handy and switch to that. Plug it into the back so you can keep it hidden.
John @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
A few questions:
1) How long does the controller's battery last?
2) Does the system come with a plug and charge kit?
3) If not, how are you supposed to deal with this? New batteries every time?
John @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
So let me get this straight...it is now Microsoft's fault that you're too lazy to unplug the unpluggable wireless controller after charging?
Do you blame motorola that you're tethered to a wire when charging your phone?
Seriously, this is just ridiculous.
Embassy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
before i sold my 360 i played it for 4 days at around 5+ hrs a day and the batteries never went on me...and it comes with battereis by the way..so u get a good amout of life with the batteries..and i dont see the problem swappin a pair of battereis every now and then...
djk @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Mine lasts for about 4-5 days before I need to charge it. I play for a couple hours a day. The Console(premium) itself comes with the wireless controller and 2 engergizer double A batteries. NO play & charge comes with the system only AA batteries.
http://www.hack360.com
ralphzor @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Yeah, Annoyance 001 was a valid argument. This one is just nonsense, though. You can easily plug the kit to the rear port (provided you arent't on WiFi) and leave the cord out of sight, if cables really bother you. Most console owners have more than one controller as well, one which could be full & ready. And seriously, leaving things to charge isn't a novel idea. We all have phones, DS's, PSPs, Laptops, PDAs and all other sorts of rechargeable electronics. You sleep, batteries charge.
vc @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Guys, you are missing the point. It's not just us doing this. It's far easier to leave the stupid wires plugged in to the unit so that when you do need a charge, you don't have to untangle, unwrap, or find the things.
The end result of my behavior (which I believe to be very typical consumer behavior) is that you end up with a wired controller.
vc @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Ralphzor: the unit does not charge controllers unless it's on. This is not true: "You sleep, batteries charge."
That's for another annoyance post.
parkeway @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
This has ***GOT*** to be a joke! I've played wirelessly now for 2 weeks of 2plus hours a day and HAVE NOT RECHARGED YET! This, IMO, is one of the greatest controllers/feats in gaming history.
Oh joystiq...puhLEEZ...
vc @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Parkeway: we played the console 44 hours in our first 48 hours of having it. ;) That kinda trumps your 28-hour playtime.
The1 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
You all are nit picking......
Droford @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
In 2 1/2 years, I have never had my Wavebird's batteries die durring gameplay.
In fact, with regular play I think I've had to change the 2 AA batteries like 5 or 6 times..so I dont understand the necessity of Microsoft having to have their wireless controllers need to be plugged in to recharge.
parkeway @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
VC -
2 Jobs + 2 kids = 2 little time!!!
mrdelayer @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
I know how to fix this.
Step one: Sell your Xbox 360.
Step two: Proceed to place something else in its place, such as a refrigerator, coffee table, or Sun X25 server.
Problem solved.
vc @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
I hear ya bro, and don't envy you. But you made it sound like it's not possible for us to run our charge out. Heck, play some PDZ while sitting on a machine gun turret -- that'll run that battery right down, because the vibration is constant.
Twist @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Personally I am waiting for a play and charge kit that plugs into an AC outlet since those are slightly more convenient than USB ports.
firerock @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Are gamers this lazy??? It is like complaining your cordless phones ran out of battery when you on the phone. What do you do? Either you put the phone back to charge or you end the call and get a new battery. This applies to all product that runs battery. You have to recharge the battery sometimes.... :(
Eih'Beir @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Well, personally I wasn't expecting wireless charging technology when I picked up my 360.
I sit only a few feet from my TV and 360, and I already have a mess of AV and power cords laying behind my stacks of consoles, so leaving the charging cable plugged in would not be a problem for me.
However, I continue to only plug in the charging cable only when it needs to be charged. Why? Because it's one less cable to have around, and it's about 20 seconds of work.
Two other points. First, the controller can be truly wireless, however you will have to take 30 seconds every 15-20 or however many hours to change the batteries or pack.
The other, the controller CAN be charged while you sleep. Plug the charger in, turn the auto shut off feature on, turn the TV off, go to bed. After six hours the console will shut itself off, and you'll have a nicely charged controller the next day.
parkeway @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
VC
What the heck did you play for 44 hours? So far King Kong and PGR3 has taken all of my time (pretty equally). PD0 still in the shrinkwrap :o
!!!
striegs @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Oh, Vlad, you and your vibrations.
Bo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Okay here is another scenario for you lazy people. Instead of plugging into the Xbox 360 to charge, why don't you buy a cheapy powered USB HUB and put it near your couch and have Play and Charge cable plugged into the hub to charge. You won't be running cables from far away from the Xbox and it'll charge your batteries even if the Xbox 360 is off. Well DOH, a laptop usb port would work too btw.
KanoBlade @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
You have to walk up to put the game in, maybe they should have made the console completely wireless so it could rest in your lap!!!
OMGZORZ!!!
Don't assume joystiq, don't assume.. but hey, can't blame you for this one.
Tobor is robot spelled backwards @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
"Heck, play some PDZ while sitting on a machine gun turret -- that'll run that battery right down, because the vibration is constant."
You just hit the nail on the head right there VC.
This is why Nintendo did not include rumbling on the Wavebird. You are also using the headset I assume, which I'm sure is slaughtering your battery life as well. Turning off the vibration will probably buy you a couple more hours.
KanoBlade @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
just to add, if you're lazy, most likely you don't clean up anyways.. so a few cables will actually make your "place" look better
GamerZero @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
I remember reading that you can change the settings of vibrations or totaly switching them off to increase wireless play.Some people don't want numbness of the hands caused by vibrations and 9 out of 10 women prefer sitting on them...
DOWN @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Allright, so now you're clearly just trying to be absurd, right?
"The end result of my behavior is that you end up with a wired controller."
That's YOUR behavior, Einstein. Taking advantage of a convenience combined with your own ridiculous laziness results in an "annoyance" with the CONSOLE?
Unbelievable.
Hey- here's my annoyance: there is no voice support in any game on Xbox LIVE.
No, seriously. See, MS left open the option of leaving my headset off of my freaking head, and I do. So, the end result of my behavior (which I believe is common among morons) is that I can't hear anyone talking and they can't hear me. Hence, we are essentially back to online games with no voice chat.
No really- it's not just me.
Doug teh H-Nut @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
"In 2 1/2 years, I have never had my Wavebird's batteries die durring gameplay."
In however long I've had it (When did Mario Party 4 came out?) it's gone long periods of time without working. As with the second one. Right now, I've got this first one working, but the second one still doesn't.
Logitech owns you all. Cordless Action Controller. PS2. It wants your love.
Actually, I'll probably just have it set up where I can plug in the controller really quick. Besides, I won't be using Live, so it won't be too big of a deal if it runs out.
Dezro @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
I have one wireless controller plugged into my computer whenever it's not in use, and I swap that with the other every so often. People without computers can use a powered USB hub, or maybe a nearby Tivo. Is the Tivo port powered?
I think I'd rather have a battery charger and save the Play & Charge cable for emergencies, though.
oboreruhito @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
What, you mean a controller dock accessory _isn't_ coming out for the 360?
Isn't there anything else going on in the world of gaming? It's kinda sad when Idle Thumbs is scooping you guys on just plain old POS day-to-day news.
Mullinator @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Wireless power transfers FTW!
Too bad the only one I think exists is the use of high powered lasers being beamed into a dish which can convert the light into electricity. Which at the moment is most likely far too dangerous and expensive for any consumer product.
Oh well.
Steve @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
The xbox 360 will charge your controller even when shut off if it was plugged in and charging when you shut if off. I just did it last night and my controller is as fresh as ever! Plus having alkaline backup is super cheap albeit environmentally unfriendly. Now if they could only do something about the DVD drive noise.
ralphzor @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Quoth Wired: "Even if the console is turned off, the controllers recharge if left plugged in."
http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,69602,00.html
And for good measure, a video created by Xbox 360 forum member BlackhawkV8, showing this feature of the console.
Scan to minute 9
http://www.sscx.net/xbox/x3608.wmv
miguel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Yeah in all honestly, I thought this was ridiculous at first but as I type this I can see my own play and charge kit laying across my coffee table as well as my 360 headset AND the original battery pack that came with the wireless controller. they've been laying there for days.
Clone45 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
I've been playing my 360 almost everyday since the 22nd and the batteries that came with the controller just died the other day. I was going to buy the charge kit thingy but found it to be a waste of $20 since I have a pile of rechargable batteries that are perfectly good.
MosquitoControl @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
I don't even HAVE a 360 and I agree with these guys.
I figured this would happen. Unless you're out of the wireless range it's easier to keep it plugged in. Why? Because winding cords is a bitch.
Docks are a great idea.
What I'll probably do is run the wires to where I keep the controllers. That way they're waiting for when the controllers get put away (assuming they don't just sit on the coffee table next to the couch as the Wavebirds do.) But then you can't play-n-charge...
puh_fifer @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
pshhh, my wireless 360 controller somehow bans me from joining games and optimatch. I plug in the wired and can join my friends in a second. So why does my wireless make my 360 not talk to other people, I dunno.
BUT THATS ANNOYANCE NUMBER 1
That and no killer app.
vc @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Ralphzor: the console isn't actually off when it's in that mode. Sure, the ring of light is off, but the fans are still going (noisily).
GamerZero @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Why they didn't they make the console completely wireless.It's just ridiculous why we can't have fusion powered consoles these days.Next generation....pah!
Aiden @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Whats with the revolution controller picture?!?
TRega123 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Hey Joystiq, I may have a solution to your problem. I found my comcast cable box charges my controller better than the Xbox 360, because the cable box's USB ports are always on.
http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=00005463zr.jpg
TRega123 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Hey Joystiq, I may have a solution to your problem. I found my comcast cable box charges my controller better than the Xbox 360, because the cable box's USB ports are always on.
http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=00005463zr.jpg
fraeone @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
First, 98% of these posters didn't even read the article.
I for one thank Joystiq for insights like these. Of course it makes sense. You don't want to sit down and start a game only to find the batteries are dead, so you leave it wired up when not in use. Even if you disconnect the wire prior to play, it's still been laying there in a snaky pile the entire time.
It's a minor annoyance, but that's what the article was about right?
Ed @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
I think the main complaint here is that the controller does not charge while the system is off, which means you have to charge it while the system is on. I don't own an Xbox 360 but for all other consoles I have owned, leaving a system powered on when you are not playing it is purely a waste of power.
This leaves us with a dilemma: only when the system is on will you be able to recharge the controller batteries, yet, only when the system is on will battery life be drained; quite a disturbing conundrum.
Microsoft could have rectified this by making wireless controller charging more like the philosophy of other electronic devices you can be completely void of anything to do with the item while it is charging. Having to leave the system on does not support this. The system will likely not power down when the battery is full, like the way a standalone charger works, so you may find yourself having the system on for absolutely no reason at all once the battery is fully charged.
Can anyone confirm or deny whether the battery charges while the system is off? If it does not, then this is a valid point and a huge oversight by Microsoft. Joystiq was right in documenting this. I just dont think they accentuated the proper points.
Consider an iPod connected to a computer charging. The iPod only charges while the computer is on, but your computer is on for many reasons - many or all of which do not require you to use and drain the battery of your iPod. The Xbox 360 wireless controller on the other hand is the exact opposite. When your 360 is on, 100% of the activity uses the controller, so charging is almost redundant. Of course, just like the iPod, you can only charge it while its connection is powered. (Actually there is a wall unit adapter for iPod available.)
ZeroCorpse @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
OK. This is just stupid.
Why even bother using the Play & Charge kit? It's pointless. Buy a set of four NiMH rechargable batteries and a 15/30 minute charger. When your batteries run down, pause the game, swap your batteries for the two backups that are charged, and then continue. Charge the run-down batteries and set them aside for 50 hours later when the controller runs down again. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Is that so hard?
Benefits: NiMH batteries work in other devices (while the P&C kit is only for the 360), and they cost less than the P&C kit.
Seriously. Just skip the P&C kit. It's a useless add-on.
robrob @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
i'm still using the alkalines that came with the system on launch day.
I almost bought a couple play and charge kits.
then i also almost bought some recharageable AAs and a rapid charger.
and then i said screw it and bout a 16 pack of alkalines for $8 at bestbuy. those will probably last me at least 6 months.
bendak @ Dec 18th 2005 9:06PM
Jesus christ...this is bar none the most ridiculous xbox360 thing I've read yet.
I've had my 360 for 22 days now and I've done a LOT of playing and I have only swapped my rechargable batteries twice. Yes, that's right, I wasn't forced at gunpoint to buy a play-n-charge kit and attach wires to my wireless controller, I use my regular rechargable AA batteries. Even if I did use play-and-charge, I would simply charge it when I'm not playing.