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The Xbox's online gaming service and its support for 5.1 audio and high-definition TVs are stand out features, and more and more games are taking advantage of these capabilities. You might not want to purchase an HDTV just for the Xbox, but if you have one already, don't forget to get the Xbox component cable to enable HD support. More affordable are the home 5.1 audio kits, which have reached surprisingly affordable prices and let you hear games in full surround-sound glory. For broadband-only online gaming, get an Xbox Live Starter Kit, plus a wireless router and a wireless bridge. |
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Xbox Holiday Bundle
The standard $179 Xbox package now includes two free months of Xbox Live and two games--Tetris Worlds and Star Wars: The Clone Wars--in addition to the Controller S game controller and the composite video connector.
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Extra Controller-S controller
The Controller-S is much smaller and lighter than the original Xbox controller. There's a safety feature on the controller's cord, so if someone trips or yanks on the cord, a short section of the cable will give way and can be later reconnected. |
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Xbox Live Starter Kit
You can get a full year of Xbox Live service by picking up this $49.99 Starter Kit. A communication headset and two demo games (MotoGP and Whacked!) are included in the kit. |
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Dolby Digital 5.1 audio
The Xbox is the only console to encode 5.1 digital audio on the fly. Take advantage of that by matching it with more than your TV's built-in speakers. There are a number of affordable audio products that support this feature, which can also come in handy for playing music and DVDs. |
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High-definition television
Some Xbox games have full high-definition support--up to resolutions of 1080i. A big, bright, sharp direct-projection television is best. Whether you're using a high-definition signal or not, a component cable is the best way to get the Xbox's video to your TV. |
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Wireless router
If you go the online route and want to share a broadband connection between a PC and an Xbox, then you'll need at least a four-port home router. There's now the option of using a WiFi wireless network to avoid the pain of wiring your house. For this, you should get a Linksys Wireless Access Point (a wireless router) and a Linksys Wireless Ethernet Bridge (a wireless connector designed for consoles).
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