xbox live

[Luv Donald Duck]

Hi! My son really wants xbox live for christmas. Does anyone out there have this to provide me some info? I have no clue what I need to buy in order to get him up and running. We have an xbox. And games. Controllers. I looked online and see a keypad, points and subscriptions. I am so confused. Also does this give him the possibility to check his Facebook via the xbox? Sorry for so many questions. But Thank you to anyone who replys.

 

[princessmom29]

You cna do it wireless or wired. For wired you will need to run a cable from your modem to the xbox. The wireless adapter is $100 and plugs into the back of the unit. Other than that, all you will need is a subscription. A year is like $60. A wireless headset is noce, but not needed. A wired headset should have come with the system. Keybords are really an extra. Points are used to purchase extra content online. You can buy game add ons or full games and download them straight to the xbox. If your unit doesn't have a hard drive you may want to invest in one of those too.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

This I can help with!

Is his Xbox connected to the internet already? Find that out. Do you have a wireless connection in your house? There's a wireless adapter, they run about $65-90. DH has his connected by cable, it's faster, but most people choose wireless.

Xbox live has 2 tiers: Silver and Gold. Silver is free, probably what he has already. Gold is the paid subscription, allows you to download content. You can get the gold subscription monthly charged to your credit card, this is the most expensive option. Last I checked it was abut $9 a month. DH was doing this for awhile until I realized how much it was costing us per year! You're much better off purchasing the 12 month card, I wouldn't bother with the 3 month, they're usually half the price of the 12 month . Amazon has it for $45 right now, which isn't a bad deal, but often you'll find a better deal. Keep an eye on the deals websites-- I usually check Spoofee daily (I dont know if I can post the link, so google it) to check that day's deals. I've seen them for $25-30, which I'd buy that without hesitation as long as it's from a reputable source. (GameStop, Walmart, Amazon, etc.) I'd also buy him a points card, so that he will be able to download game content like songs for Rock Band etc, or other games, or even clothing for his avatar. (LOL, I know.)

I don't know about facebook. I'll say probably?

The keypad might be a nice little add-on. Typing messages with the controller is a pain!

Is he into the shooter games? (I don't know his age) Call of Duty Black Ops is coming out in November, it's *the* hot game. DH is drooling over it, he's a big Call of Duty fan. I don't think I'd recommend it for the 17 and under crowd, though. That's the mom in me coming out, DH agrees.

Another nice little stocking stuffer might be the Game Stop card. It's like their "rewards" type card, for $15 you get a year subscription to Game Informer (DH is thrilled when it comes in the mail) and also little perks and extra 10% on game trade ins.

Let me know if you need any more clarification or have any additional questions.

 

[JB2K]

DH has his connected by cable

As the word "cable" is subject to interpretation, Mrs. C. means a simple ethernet cable, which can be purchased at nearly any store, is all that's needed for a wired connection.

As for XBox Live, you can purchase access cards at nearly any checkout stand in most stores.

Budget tip: for those who have AT&T U-verse, "going wireless" is not necessary, since AT&T's cable boxes have an ethernet port in the back, which, in turn accesses the internet for devices like XBox/PS3/Blu-ray players.

It's also a good time to give props to Mrs. C. and remind non-gaming gift givers there are a lot of XBox/PS3 games (Call of Duty) that are rated "M", which may not be a good thing for the kids...

 

[Luv Donald Duck]

Thanks for the info! My son is 15. He is asking for the Call of Duty game as well its #1 on his Christmas list. Not sure if he will get it now that I know its for 17 and up. Guess we will have to talk about that one.

We do have wireless in our house. So I will get that connector for the xbox. I got so confused about the points. I guess I just assumed that if I bought him a yearly subscription everything would be included.

 

[h518may]

I have one thing to add. The xbox gold year subscription is going up from $50 to $60 as of Nov 1. So I would look into buying a year subscription now instead of waiting. You can buy a card now that doesn't have to be activated until later.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

As the word "cable" is subject to interpretation, Mrs. C. means a simple ethernet cable, which can be purchased at nearly any store, is all that's needed for a wired connection.

As for XBox Live, you can purchase access cards at nearly any checkout stand in most stores.

Budget tip: for those who have AT&T U-verse, "going wireless" is not necessary, since AT&T's cable boxes have an ethernet port in the back, which, in turn accesses the internet for devices like XBox/PS3/Blu-ray players.

It's also a good time to give props to Mrs. C. and remind non-gaming gift givers there are a lot of XBox/PS3 games (Call of Duty) that are rated "M", which may not be a good thing for the kids...

Sorry I wasn't clear about the cable, we're a nerd household.

Thanks for the props. DH plays the first person shooter and Grand Theft Auto type "sandbox" games, and we hear a lot of younger boys on there that probably shouldn't be playing these games. The GTA type games have a LOT of *adult* content. As much as we're a "gaming" household, our kids won't be playing these until they are good and ready.

(You know you're getting old when you agree with the ratings systems, lol)