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Microsoft not allowing Red Octane to produce wireless guitar

etoychest.org — Red Octane, says not to hold your breath for a wireless Xbox 360 guitar controller, because the Microsoft wireless technology is "proprietary."

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  • rushpage, on 10/12/2007, -4/+24LOL!

    Serves 'em right for stopping 3rd parties from making GH controls.
    • 23r17i05o42n, on 10/12/2007, -38/+9Despicable! OK Microsoft fanboys, let's see you try to defend this crap.
    • marix, on 10/12/2007, -2/+33the solution is hardly difficult.

      put an rf reciever on a controller port.

      sync it with a guitar that produces rf

      mission accomplished.

      WTF?
    • sq377, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8Where's a reverse engineer when you need one.
    • carapi, on 10/12/2007, -15/+3923...gee..Apple NEVER does ***** like this.

      Oh wait...they ALWAYS do it.

      Sorry..you lose AGAIN. I guess you are used to losing by now.
    • brstilson, on 10/12/2007, -32/+11"23...gee..Apple NEVER does ***** like this."

      One only needs to look at the vast array of 3rd party iPod accessories to see how idiotic your statement is.
    • seithon, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7brstilson:

      Apple makes a lot more then just Ipod.
      Also Don't forget the outputs on the Ipod are rather rudimentary so its not that hard for people to make accessories for the Ipod.

      Try replacing Apples special built apple only hardware with 3rd party hardware, as a rule I've not seen much, tho I will admit I do not service that many Apple machines.
    • pyrotechnick, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@marix

      i was about to suggest that. do you think they have anything in place to stop this?
    • marix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I don't see how they could stop it, any rf jammer would be illegal and stupid and from the console end it wouldn't look any different than a corded device.
    • daza, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4brstilson:
      Do you even know how much Apple charges 3rd parties to display a "Made for iPod" sticker on their devices? Exactly 10% of the wholesale price.
    • Cerebral, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Obviously you all do not know what you are talking about. The 360 is a propriatary format and in order to be "allowed" to make accessories for the 360 you must be licensed, MS tests the product and then once passed all tests then you get your approval (for said device only). This keeps crappy 3rd party controllers off of the market. Of course the flipside is that MS then gets to allow/deny as they see fit.

      Basically you have to look at it like Apple. This will ensure compatability for ALL accessories. BTW when I say Apple... I am not speaking about the iPod, more like soundcards and video cards, they all go through testing and they have to pay money to get the little apple logo and be certified.

      In the end it really does help the consumer by filtering out crap accessories. Even though, let's face it, we've all purchased the crap controller(s) at one point in time or another... usually an emergency situation.
  • durwood, on 10/12/2007, -20/+4go PS3. But i wonder if Red Octane's wireless ps2 controller will be ps3 compatible too?
    • WhereAmI, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4sure-just buy the USB contoller adaptor.
    • djSyndrome, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1What USB controller adaptor?
  • BadassCheese, on 10/12/2007, -6/+26I totally see where MS is coming from. I mean, why would you let people make more immersive and better games for your system?
    • Shorties, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11It isn't that, it is because they are trying to keep a bunch of cheap wireless controllers flooding the market, I personally liked the idea before the release of the 360, but there are times that they need to give the go ahead to produce a 3rd party controller. Possibly Microsoft should just produce it, last resort Red Octane could easily make an RF receiver as mentioned earlier that plugs in via USB just like the PS2 (Except in the PS2 controller port) will be getting with its wireless guitar.
  • Erfus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+27Less immersive... don't electric guitars HAVE wires? Not saying I support this, just pointing it out.
    • otatop, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12You can get wireless kits for guitars. They're a bit pricey for one that'll give you a decent connection, though.
    • kelkitty, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3Not more recent ones, at crazy blockbuster concerts and such, which in effect is what you are in Guitar Hero. Now you just see little stubbly antannae to replace the wires. No modern artist wants to trip over perilous electric snakes of doom.
    • feaks, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13"Enough is enough! I have had it with these ***** snakes on this ***** stage!"
    • Klisk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2There are plenty of big name bands, even, that absolutely refuse to use a wireless kit since they feel it degrades tone. So they still play with good ol' fashioned wires.

      But really, just about every band you see will use tube amps. Which is "old" technology. Many will use "vintage" guitars, and use classic styled pickups since the newer models are too "hifi". Guitarists don't embrace technology and new gear if it ***** with their classic sound. Which wireless kits do, even the good ones.

      Of course, on that same note, there's plenty of guitarists who just don't give a damn as long as it works. They might have horrible tone, but then again, the audience never notices that type of thing anyways.
    • TheNik, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I imagine wireless cables and pickups would make the distortion and any effects, you know, digital. Nobody wants that.
  • Scopitone, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16Easy, killer. "Microsoft not allowing..."? They're simply reluctant to hand out their PROPRIETARY CODE to a third party. It's damn near flawless, I've never had a problem with it, and they're looking at the big picture here in order to guard a trade secret. Not pissing on Red Octane.

    Still, I hope to hell the 360 gets a wireless axe because I'm done buying guitars for the PS2 version. Downloadable tracks ftw.
    • SakisRakis, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14Couldnt that be solved by having Red Octance sign a NDA type contract concerning the code?
    • dfltr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1downloadable tracks + explorer body on the controller = ultimate victory.

      i'm guessing that they're waiting to see how sales on GH2 do for the 360 before they commit to a first-party wireless axe.
  • topbravo, on 10/12/2007, -11/+1Thats why I am happy that PS3 is going to let you use all the available 1.2 bluetooth codes...

    You are able 2 use a regular cellphone bluetooth headset on it


  • carapi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Do people become stupid once they get on the internet? Why would anyone think a comma belonged after Red Octane?
    • ImTheDarkcyde, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3To answer both questions- yes, and no idea.
  • MackPrime, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Easily fixed with a USB receiver, could even fit behind the USB slot tray.
    Could be NDA'd if needed to be.
    Real guitars have cables, atleast as long as to go to the wireless transmitter.
    How far do you want us to stand from the xbox ?
    • pixelate, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3More HDTV's are entering the equation, especially with the 360... and that means bigger screens, people starting to sit further away than before. The wireless controllers have been a godsend, I've had to order extension cables for my older game systems so I don't fry my eyes sitting 5' away from a huge screen.

      That said, the wireless guitar controller would obviously be awesome. As others have noted, it shouldn't be a big deal to do a controller with a wireless dongle that doesn't use the 360's own protocol. Framing the story as Microsoft "not allowing" it is FUD.
  • Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Microsoft should have kept their proprietary XBox API secret too. Can't have people, y'know, making Bill richer.
  • MackPrime, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1unwired controls wont make much difference. No one is really tossing up getting it or not, can't think this makes or breaks deals.
    • eridius, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Have you ever played with a wireless guitar? This bit of news right here is making me seriously think about getting the PS2 version of Guitar Hero 2 instead of the Xbox 360 version just so I can keep my wireless guitar.
  • Snakedal337, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm probably going to pick up the wireless one for my PS2, it be nice to have the freedom to actually jump and spin around and whatnot without fear of yanking the PS2 off the shelf :-)
  • StatusQuoRules, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2who cares? guitar hero is gay anyway

    get a real guitar and guitar rig 2 and its unbeatable. play with any song you want!
    • slickrick2k1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2He's got a point. Now mod me down you talentless nerds.
    • StatusQuoRules, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Pressing those buttons on the guitar hero isn't going to teach you how to play a real guitar either.
  • h0liday, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0The argument that if M$ opened the wireless spec on the x360 there would be a ton of cheap wireless controllers is fairly thin. They won't release the spec because they haven't made enough money on their overpriced models yet. Somebody's gotta pay for the hit they are taking on the cost off the system. A simple solution would be to only release the spec to reputable device makers.

    Where Red Octanes point is, why should I pay for the wireless hardware to plug into the USB port when it's built in x360?
  • bprice25, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is a stupid decision on Microsoft's part. I can see keeping some of the generic controllers from using the wireless setup and giving the system a bad name, but to not allow anyone to make a wireless controller is just stupid. Listen to your customers Microsoft, we want wireless guitars and HDMI cables.

    And before any Sony fanboy starts yelling about Microsoft's proprietary technology, need I remind you of Betamax, Memory Stick and all its siblings, ATRAC3, Minidisc, UMD, and of course Blu-ray.
  • LocalH, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is inaccurate - headline positions Microsoft as specifically disallowing RO from making a wireless guitar, when it actually applies to ALL third-party manufacturers.
  • razorsharp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0You guys are missing the point. Microsoft is charging so much to let Red Octane use the proprietary tech (which is no different than most wireless technology, it's just intentionally set up slightly differently so MS doesn't have to adhere to existing standards which they can't charge people to use) that it's NOT WORTH IT to make the wireless 360 guitar. They're a business, and business decisions are made because of money. It's not so Microsoft can filter out crappy accessories - that's a load of crap. Most third party 360 controllers suck, and it's probably because MS is taking such a large cut. This probably explains why I have yet to see a 360 Logitech controller.

    Red Octane probably asked to be excluded from the bogus licensing fee because Guitar Hero is such a successful PS2 game that only a really dumb company wouldn't go out of their way to get the game on their system.
  • protogenxl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2So what redoctane will do is go to Nintendo be welcomed with open arms Nintendo will make a first party Guitar add-on for the Wiimote (hopefully modeled after the Gibson Thunderbird IV) and sell a million copies, then Microsoft will come around.
    • terminalpariah, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm pretty sure Red Octane could make their own Wiimote-powered guitars if they wanted to. I mean, the Wiimote expansion port is made for stuff like this.
      Man, can we get confirmation on Guitar Hero Wii already? Didn't they say it would hit all major consoles? Do they consider Wii to be major?
  • bbong80, on 01/27/2008, -0/+0they kept their proprietary XBox API secret too
    http://medpills.org
  •  

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