Curiousity #1: XBox 360 Wireless Expansion Port
Welcome to the first entry of a weekly serial called 'The Weekly Curiousity'. In these posts we will present interesting, thought-provoking, unanswered or amusing 'things' we have come across related to gaming.
With that background behind us we present Weekly Curiousity #1:
Take a close look both at the Xbox 360 headset connector and the socket it plugs into on the controller. On the headset connector there are two plastic tabs, undoubtedly for stability, on either side of the audio jack. However, looking at the controller you can clearly see a total of 4 metal connectors where the plastic tabs go.
There is a Microsoft Knowledge Base article that calls this an expansion port for 'additional devices' (implying beyond a headset). I wonder if the port is USB compatible making the controller more-or-less a USB hub. Anyone try rigging up a standard USB keyboard to their controller and see what happens?
When will we see accessories that can take advantage of the expansion port and what will they be? Perhaps the pre-launch leak/rumour of an add-on keyboard may point to the first of such accessories.
Other than a keyboard, how about a personal screen (ala Dreamcast), or a motion sensor (ala Wii or PS3), or additional/enhanced controller buttons (ala Steel Battalion)
... so said 'Dan Nieuwland' on 01/29/2007 @ 07:12:45 AM [Direct Link]
The possibilities are definitely interesting. I am curious about two additional things.
a) how do additional devices latch on stably
b) how much bandwidth does the wireless protocol allow
... so said 'Joseph Molnar' on 01/30/2007 @ 12:34:27 AM [Direct Link]