Wal-Mart "Shuts Down Xbox 360 Pods"

[fitbabits]

According to Next Generation (http://www.next-gen.biz), anecdotal information seems to suggest that Wal-Mart has turned off their Xbox 360 pods due to interference with the company's retail systems.

You can read the short news piece by clicking here (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1403&Itemid=2).

Online postings from people describing themselves as Wal-Mart employees or customers say the Xbox 360 pods were shut down because they had been interfering with the company's SMART system. This is used for internal communication and check-out duties.
Is anyone able to confirm or deny this? If so, please state your source. And could this interference have caused the lackluster visuals that many on here have reported?

[bapenguin]

Man...what a disaster this roll out has been.

And could this interference have caused the lackluster visuals that many on here have reported?

I hope that was a joke. :)

[Heretic Machine]

I hope that was a joke.

He was referring to the problem with the config of the 360 that is causing some horrible video quality. Someone set them up at the factory with the wrong settings for the monitors they use.

[fitbabits]

I hope that was a joke. :)
Bingo, bapenguin. :)

[JediSanf]

If the 2.4ghz wireless controllers are really interfering with Wal-Marts POS (Point of Sale) equipment then how will they affect peoples wireless phones (and vice versa)? This reminds me of the first wireless internet setups, you couldn't use certain freq. phones around them either.

[Heretic Machine]

...If it were just the controllers, couldn't they replace them with wired controllers? Hell, I don't even know why the kiosks would be using wireless, it's going to have to be plugged in anyway unless they are going to keep replacing it's batteries so that they can have a wireless controller running which is tethered to the kiosk.

[agentgray]

Looks like the 360 is getting off to a great start. Why even market this? They're gonna sell a kajillion of these anyway.

Little Timmy is not getting one for Christmas because of all the hardcores. Why tick little Timmy and his parents off?

[JediSanf]

...If it were just the controllers, couldn't they replace them with wired controllers? Hell, I don't even know why the kiosks would be using wireless, it's going to have to be plugged in anyway unless they are going to keep replacing it's batteries so that they can have a wireless controller running which is tethered to the kiosk.

That makes sense to me, but what else could be causing the interference (assuming this is actually happening). If that behemoth of a power supply is what's putting out the EM radiation we're going to have to wear lead vests to play PGR3. Kinda takes away from the expierence if you ask me.

[bapenguin]

...If it were just the controllers, couldn't they replace them with wired controllers? Hell, I don't even know why the kiosks would be using wireless, it's going to have to be plugged in anyway unless they are going to keep replacing it's batteries so that they can have a wireless controller running which is tethered to the kiosk.

I really don't think they are using wireless controllers. Kinda why this whole thing doesn't make sense to me....

My guess is it's a wired controller hooked up to the rear USB port on the system. They'd have to replace the batteries or charge it daily.

Found this picture (http://users.adelphia.net/%7Ejdortega/uploaded_images/xbox360_back-734450.jpg) which confirms there's something plugged into the rear USB port.
Source (http://users.adelphia.net/~jdortega/index.html).

[score]

Didn't think the demo pods had wireless controllers...

[Vandenh]

Sounds more like a totally bogus article to me.

[DrHogie]

FWIU, it may not be the controllers themselves putting off the interference, but the 360 unit. The 360 unit -- even though it has wired controllers being used -- may still poll for wireless controllers. If that's the case, then it could interfere with their SMART system I suppose.

[Vandenh]

>their SMART system

Not so smart after all apparently ;)

Maybe the 360s are taking over?

[Heretic Machine]

Excellent point DrHogie, I hadn't taken that into consideration.

[Syrinx]

>their SMART system

Not so smart after all apparently ;)

Maybe the 360s are taking over?

Damn you! Beat me to it.

[Nerv]

Or, if the stories about the graphics looking dire because they haven't been installed properly are correct, I'd be surprised if the execs in MS and WalMart haven't thrown a shit fit over it, the "interferance" could be a pr creation to cover a swift return to MS for proper configuration.

[Mrbunchypants]

My guess is the polling thing. and that fact that the telzons (the hand held units they have) send out data that the xboxs pick up. while the telzons wait for a replay from the server the xbox send its own data to try and connected to the telzon to find out what type of controller it is. tezlon gets all messed up with the different data it's getting and gives a error to the holder.

Now I know some tills might work on this wireless system so then you have a big problem. One of the big reasons I never buy wireless.

[BabyJesus]

I think its bogus. I can see it interfering with a local inventory unit, but I'm sure thier registers are wired. And it would only be in a small radius around the xbox anyway.

[JediSanf]

Mrbunchy's theory could work, I know that the demo kiosks are within 10 feet of the electronics desk register. And WalMart has been moving towards a wireless installation in the test bed supercenters. Cuts down on construction costs, increases the stores ability to recofigure, and preps them for some RFID stuff I don't understand.

Saying that, I'm still thinking the story is bogus.

[LilEvilFish]

Any word of these kiosks surfacing in the UK? or are the supplies of 360's that limited that we don't get them? uhoh.. I here Allard coming, erase my post!!

[agentgray]

Going from experience the SMART system is a piece of work. Even though it is old, it's probably one of the best national real-time inventory systems I've ever seen.

The hand-helds that Wal-Mart used (at least 10 years ago) never got any interference from power supplies or power surges. Of course, there was no wifi then.

My guess: The RFID anti-theft terminals. However, are these kiosks located near one (which has only a 3-5 foot range)? Wal-Mart does have wireless registers but not in the electronics department.

[DoubleUranium]

So all you have to do to bring Walmart to its knees is walk into the store with an 802.11 handheld or laptop in ad hoc or ap mode? Cool.

[Amalor]

I work in Wal-Mart, in Home Entertainment dept. The problem with the 360 is the same thing that happened with a wireless home theater surround system by Sanyo a few months back, The 2.4g wireless uses the same bands as the portable "Telxon 960" units and thus created a small dead zone around the 360 which meant you could not do price changes or label changes in Home Entertainment. Thats pretty much it nothing store wide chaos related... unfortunately :)

-Cheers
-Amalor

[phantomhitman]

what if you add the wireless booster ;)

I thought Gates was trying to take over walmart, then he would have the power and money to....wait a sec...nevermind.

[Zulu107]

I checked out the XBox-360 at Wal-Mart this weekend and everything went smoothly...the only thing that Wal-Mart could complain about is people crowding the aisle and hogging the systems and wouldn't let anyone else give it a try. One father came and yanked his son off the system and wrinkled his son's jersey. I tried to hear what was said after the scene was made but my spanish is rusty. I'm happy to see parents take action though because don't fool yourself...XBox360 is for grown ups but Trix are for kids :D

[Twigz'N'Berries]

Well, it would have been better if the 360 display was up and running. But honestly, I wish they would have waited until a week before launch to have these kiosks setup. It leaves less time for forums to rip the 360 beforelaunch. I was able to play a 360 at IGN on a HD 42'inch widescreen setup w/surround sound. This was what the 360 was optimized for and let me tell you, the system is a beast!! Call of Duty is easily the system seller needed at launch. Best Buy ran the setup and let me tell you, they couldn't get people to play Tony Hawk, but Need for Speed and Call of Duty were big draws. Call of Duty however had drawn a crowd and people waited in a long line (some people including myself waited several times in that line) to play it.
What was funny, is that Shadow of the Colossus was maybe 20 feet away and it looked HORRID. When compared to the 360, it really showed what a difference in tech power could do for a game. The line for Shadow was not that long (when there was one), and I kept noticing people who were playing it notice Call of Duty and then come over to the Best Buy booth.

Trust me, when it is displayed properly, the 360 is beautiful. It reconfirmed that I made the right choice and preordered mine. CoD, Condemned, Oblivion and Kameo are my preorders at the moment....but I'm probably going to pick up Quake too.

[Heretic Machine]

What was funny, is that Shadow of the Colossus was maybe 20 feet away and it looked HORRID. When compared to the 360, it really showed what a difference in tech power could do for a game. The line for Shadow was not that long (when there was one), and I kept noticing people who were playing it notice Call of Duty and then come over to the Best Buy booth.


...You know, Shadow of the Colossus could of been on the PS1 and I still would of been more interested in it than Call of Duty.

[bobbler]

What was funny, is that Shadow of the Colossus was maybe 20 feet away and it looked HORRID.

I'd actually say thats really sad... the fact that one of the best games in the last 5 years was almost ignored for something that happens to be shinier and has more sparkly bits.

[Talanvor]

But are you surprised at all, bobbler?

[bobbler]

But are you surprised at all, bobbler?

Not really, but it's still sad!

[Bushi]

It was just lame of them to use a custom 2.4 config rather then blue tooth, something sony did right. It was a greedy money grab for proprietary control and licensing. Not surprising it's starting to bite them in the ass. How is Mom going to feel when her laptop stops working or her phone is getting broken up whenever the kids play a game. There is a reason for standard bodies.

[Groo]

It was just lame of them to use a custom 2.4 config rather then blue tooth, something sony did right. It was a greedy money grab for proprietary control and licensing. Not surprising it's starting to bite them in the ass. How is Mom going to feel when her laptop stops working or her phone is getting broken up whenever the kids play a game. There is a reason for standard bodies.

Wow, you make no sense. And you are just pulling stuff out of your ass. Wireless 2.4ghz is a well established standard that a lot of home electronics (including phones) have been using for a long time. Just because the PS3 is supposed to have Bluetooth controllers doesn't mean that Bluetooth is #1.