XBOX 360 E User Guide

							
46
Xbox 360™Han dbook

Auto-Off: This option turns off your Xbox 360 after six hours of inactivity. Use it!
Screen Saver: Many high-tech gamers should make use of this feature. To avoid image burn-in, enable the
screen saver. After a few moments of inactivity, the screen will dim.
Remote Control:  This option allows you to use either the Xbox 360 Media Remote or the Xbox 360 Universal
Media Remote.
System Info:  This displays your console’s serial number, console ID, and Xbox 360 Dashboard version.
Family Settings
This is the most underused feature on the Xbox 360.
By taking a minute to set up the Family Settings, you
can ensure a safe and healthy gaming environment
for your loved ones.
The truth is that it doesn’t matter how old you are. If
it were only for kids, then it would be called Kids Settings.
This feature is for the benefit of the entire family.
FAMILY SETTINGS CONSOLE CONTROLS
Game Ratings: This section allows you to restrict
games of a certain rating. If you don’t want your loved
ones playing games rated M, then select the T rating. It allows the playing of games that are at or below a rating
of your choosing. If you’re not completely sure what a rating means, this section also has synopses of each rating.
DVD Movie Ratings: This is exactly like the Game Ratings options, but for movies. Mind you, games and movies
have different rating systems, but both are clear and easy to understand. 
Access to Xbox Live: This option allows you to disable access to Xbox Live.
Xbox Live Membership Creation: This option can disable the creation of additional Xbox Live memberships
(Gold or Silver) on the console.
Set Pass Code: After setting up Family Settings, you can set up a pass code to make sure people don’t find a way
around them. Use the  4, 3 , = , + , P , p , or the D-pad, or both buttons and D-pad, to create a four-button
code. Select a security question, input an answer, and you’re all set.
Turn Off Family Settings: If you change your mind down the line and want to reset the Family Settings, choose
this option to reset them to their default.
The Xbox Live controls are functional only when there is an Xbox Live Membership for a minor detected.
Otherwise, these options are grayed out.
XBOX LIVE CONTROLS
Online Friends: Restricts an Xbox Live member’s ability to add friends. If your child receives a friend request,
you can change the Xbox Live controls so that you have to approve the request. Or you can let your child
approve requests.
Communications:  This restricts the level of communication your child can engage in. You can allow messages
from anyone or only from friends, or you can block communication completely.
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading \
expressly prohibited.  
						

							
Gamer Profile:This section dictates which profiles your child can view. You can allow friends, everyone, or no
one. You can also determine who is allowed to see your child’s profile. Choose friends, everyone, or no one.
Online Status: This determines the visibility of your child on Xbox Live. Allow friends, everyone, or no one to see
when your child is on.
Online Games: Allows you to control whether your child plays online or not. 
Member Content: This determines whether your child can view member-created content, like images or text in
their gamer cards.
Downloadable Content:  You can allow or disallow the downloading of premium content from Xbox Live
Marketplace.
Memory
The Memory option is extremely useful. You have a
limited amount of space on your Xbox 360 hard drive
and Xbox 360 memory unit (64MB), so once in a while
you should go in there and clean house a bit.
At the very least, move saves around to create space
on the hard drive for more important stuff. If you have
an Xbox 360 memory unit, back up your save files
onto the unit to ensure they’re portable. To make full use of your Memory option, follow
these steps:
1. Select Memory from the System blade.
2. Select which memory unit you want to use (if you
have the hard drive and memory unit, you can select
both at the same time by choosing All Devices).
3. Refine your search by choosing the type of item
you’re looking for:
>  Games: Full Arcade games, save files, downloaded
content, and so forth
>  Gamer Profile: Xbox Live gamertags or console-only
gamer profile
>  Demos: Game demos
>  Videos: Any video content
>  Themes: Downloaded and preinstalled themes
>  Gamer Pictures: Downloaded and preinstalled
gamer pictures
>  System Items: Additional items like portable
music player support
>  Music: This deletes all music in one fell swoop.
4. Highlight the item you’re looking for, then simply
choose Copy, Move, or Delete.
47
Four Blades, Infinite Possibilities

The Xbox 360 hard drive is also portable, but it’s best to just use the memory unit when
possible. It was designed for portability, and is much smaller than the Xbox 360 hard drive.
NOTE
Copying an item duplicates it on a second-ary memory storage device (hard drive to
memory unit, memory unit to hard drive, or
memory unit to memory unit), while moving an item will transplant it from one to theother. Delete completely erases the item from all memory units.
NOTE
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading \
expressly prohibited.  
						

							
48
Xbox 360™Han dbook

Network Settings
Xbox Live users need to know about Network Settings.
The Network Settings option is your gateway to Xbox
Live. Though going online may seem like a complicated
task, the Network Settings options greatly simplies it.
Test Xbox Live Connection
The initial setup is easy. The Xbox 360 does almost all
of the work. After connecting all the hardware (basically
either plugging in an Ethernet cable from your router
or modem, or using a wireless network adapter via
USB or Ethernet port) run Test Xbox Live Connection.
The test automatically detects your setup and even fills in some of the blanks. If you have a wireless network
using wireless security, select Edit Settings and enter your encrypted code. If you use a password and log-in name to access the Internet, input the necessary information in Additional
Settings and you’re off. Of course, even when 99 percent of the hard work is handled by the Xbox 360, there is
still the 1 percent chance that you will need help. If so, www.Xbox.com/support is a great place to start.

Be careful when deleting an item. If you’re too
hasty in pressing buttons, you can accidentally erase a lot of your investment in time and
hard work. Luckily, there are plenty of prompts before deletion to keep you from making these kinds of hasty mistakes.
CAUTION
Be careful when formatting a device. It willerase all saved data!
CAUTION
Certain items, like gamer profiles, cannot becopied. They can only be moved or deleted.
NOTE
If you need to make room for something, try
erasing downloaded content. If you’ve down- loaded it from Xbox Live Marketplace once,
you can always download it again at no extra cost. Sweet!
TIP
Did you know that by pressing 4on the
Storage Devices page, you can access Device
options? From there you can reformat the device or give it a name.
TIP
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading \
expressly prohibited.  
						

							
Test Media Connection
The Test Media Connection is a more specific kind of
test that searches not for Internet connectivity but for
a connection with a Media Center PC. If you connect
your Xbox 360 to a home network that also hosts a
Media Center PC, run this test to make full use of the
multimedia features.
Edit Settings
This is a shortcut for the tech-savvy gamer. Jump
straight into the Edit Settings if you need to make
changes to your network settings or if you need to
update information on your Internet service provider. 
Windows Connect Now
As if setting up weren’t easy enough already,
Windows Connect Now makes it even easier. Just
follow these steps:
1.Insert a USB device into your pre-configured
Windows XP PC.
2. Copy your wireless network settings to the USB by
using the Wireless Network Setup Wizard from the
Control Panel.
3. After the settings are copied to the USB device,
insert the USB device into a USB port on the
Xbox 360. 
4. Select Windows Connect Now from the System blade.
5. Wait for the Xbox 360 to copy the settings.
49
Four Blades, Infinite Possibilities
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading \
expressly prohibited.  
						

							
50
Xbox 360™Han dbook

Restore to Factory Defaults
Select this option if you’re having a hard time trou-
bleshooting your network connection and you want
a fresh start, or if you need to update your Xbox 360
because you got new hardware (router, wireless
gateway, etc.).
Computers
Because your Xbox 360 can also connect to Windows
Media Center PCs or Windows XP PCs, you will need a
way to monitor the connections it makes with other
computers.Select Computers from the System blade and two
options come up. The first is Windows-Based PC. This is
for Windows XP PCs enabled with the Windows Media
Connect ™
program. The second is for Windows Media
Center PCs. Connecting (and disconnecting for that matter) is a
snap. Simply highlight the computer you want, and press  1. That’s it!
Xbox Live Vision
Gamers with the Xbox Live Vision camera should defi-
nitely make use of this feature. With it, you can select
the lighting preference for your Xbox Live Vision cam-
era or change the type of room it is in. 
If you’re in a room with dark walls, choose Dark
Wall. If the room has light walls, choose Light Wall.
For lighting, choose Incandescent, Fluorescent, or
Daylight. If you’re uncertain, select Default.
Initial Setup
The Initial Setup option activates the first few processes you went through while setting up the Xbox 360 for the
first time. It will trigger the option to create a gamer
profile and set up the system’s locale, time, and so forth. You should probably use this only if you need to
reset your system settings.

Be sure you really want to use the Restore to
Factory Defaults! It will erase previous settings on the Xbox 360.
CAUTION
This is an initial setup, not a wipe-everything-from-memory setup. So don’t be concerned
that running this will delete profiles or game saves. It won’t.
NOTE
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading \
expressly prohibited.  
						

							
Xbox 360™Han dbookThe Official User ’s Guide

04:
Identify Yourself!
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading expressly prohibited. 
						

							
52
Xbox 360™Han dbook
ESTABLISH YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE 
The Xbox 360 is a highly customizable console with a tremendous flair for personality. Whether it’s changing the
faceplate or customizing Dashboard images, there’s so much you can do to make the console reflect your style.
One of the most straightforward, yet powerful, person-
alization features is creating a gamer profile and
gamer card. This establishes your presence in the
Xbox community, particularly Xbox Live and Xbox.com.
Every Xbox 360 user can create a gamer card and
gamer profile, whether that player is a Gold, Silver, or
offline player.Your gamer profile is just what it sounds like: a
profile detailing your particular gaming preferences
and personal statistics. Your gamer card, however, is
the face of your profile. Make sense? Think of your gamer card as your baseball card on
the Xbox 360. Basically, the gamer card is the front of
the baseball card; it details all the skinny on you as a
gamer. Your gamer profile manages all the bits and
pieces that make up your gamer card. Together, these two sides of the same coin make
your mark in the Xbox 360’s online world. They help
you connect with like-minded gamers and have a more personal online experience. People can take a look
at your info and see if you’d make an ideal gaming partner. Similarly, you can find friends who complement
your style of play.
Creating a Gamer Profile
To get started, create a gamer profile via the Xbox
Dashboard or Xbox.com. The process is straightforward
and simple: create a login using the Microsoft® Passport
Network or Windows Live ID, enter some quick infor-
mation, and you’re on your way to conquering Xbox
Live (or hanging out in a little corner of it—it’s really
up to you). On your Xbox Dashboard, the process is
just as simple:
1. Click Join Xbox Live.
2. Click OK to exit current session.
3. Create a new gamertag.
4. If you have a Passport Network or Windows Live ID account, click “Yes, I do” and skip to Step 8.
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading \
expressly prohibited.  
						

							
5.If you don’t have a Passport Network or Windows Live ID account, click “No, create one.”
6. Choose a locale for your Windows Live ID account, enter your language, and birthdate, then click “Next.”
7. Enter an  existinge-mail address, password, and secret question (with answer), then click “Next.”
8. Enter your personal information and click “Next.”
9. Accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Statement by clicking “Accept,” and choose a service plan.
10 . Press continue to accept a one-month trial of Xbox Live Gold, and you’re off!
53
Identify Yourself!

If a minor attempts to create a brand new gamertag
on Xbox Live, the parents will have to take over the
process after a certain point. 
A small pop-up screen interrupts the minor from
continuing and provides all the necessary infor-
mation for parents to help complete the process.
During sign-up, parents are also informed about
Family Settings and safety features. Kid friendly,
parent approved!
Did You Know?

If you have to create an account, remember to jot down some of that information! Things like
your favorite movie when you were a kid might be hard to remember a year down the road.
CAUTION
Offline users don’t need to visit Xbox.com.
They can simply create a user account on their Xbox 360 for game saves.
NOTE
While creating your gamer profile seems easi-er on Xbox.com, you can do it just as fast on your Xbox 360 using a USB keyboard. Just
plug a USB keyboard into your console’s USB
input, and you have a fast way to enter heavy information. It’s much easier than fidgeting with a controller for text entry.
TIP
Nearly all of the following settings can be
adjusted by clicking on your gamer card from any of the dashboard blades. Simply select Edit Profile, and you’re good to go.
TIP
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading \
expressly prohibited.  
						

							
Welcome to the Gamer Zone
To choose the right Xbox Live Gamer Zone, you need to
know two things: 1) what kind of gamer you really are,
and 2) what the Gamer Zone represents. The former is
entirely up to you and can change at any time; the lat-
ter is a bit more complicated than just looking inward.
Gamer Zones Explained
The Gamer Zone is an important indicator of how you
like to play online. Your Gamer Zone helps match you
with other gamers of similar play styles. There are four
Gamer Zones to choose from: Recreation, Professional,
Family, and Underground. Each zone is suited to a spe-
cific type of player.In short, your Gamer Zone refers to the type of gaming you will be doing. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or
a hardcore player who loves to pwn noobs, there is a Gamer Zone just for you.
Recreation: Recreational players value fun over competition; pick this option if you just want to hang out and
play while meeting people. This Gamer Zone is best suited for occasional gamers who aren’t bent on conquering
online. The Recreation Gamer Zone encourages fun and etiquette over victory and smack talk.
Professional : Pro players are all about being the best of the best. Select this option if you think winning isn’t
the only thing, it’s everything. Though Pro players take winning more seriously than recreational players, they
value mutual respect and true skill. Noobs need not apply.
Family : The family zone is family-friendly place that’s
devoid of trash talk and brutal competition. This is the
zone that parents and children can enjoy together. That
being the case, it values etiquette above everything
else. No one wants the family hearing curse words, so
mind your mouth.
Underground : Last but not least is the Underground.
Along with some healthy gaming competition, this is
the place you’ll find the best braggarts on Xbox Live.
Polish up your smack talk and enter the Underground
at your own risk.
54
Xbox 360™Han dbook

The Family Gamer Zone isn’t the only family- safe feature of the gamer profile. Using the
parental controls features on the Dashboard,
parents can limit what profiles can be seen on Live and they can see profiles of gamers ontheir kids’ friends list. While Xbox Live is a
monitored service, the gamer profile parental controls can assure parents that their young ones are playing safely.
NOTE
Don’t fret, brave gamer. You can always go
back and edit your Gamer Zone as your taste for gaming develops.
NOTE
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading \
expressly prohibited.  
						

							
Play Your Card Right
You’re much more complicated than just your planned style of play, aren’t you? Well, your gamer card is made
up of much more than just your Gamer Zone.
Achievements, reputation, gamerscore, gamer picture,
motto...they all play a part in painting your profile.
This gives other players enough information to size
you up at a glance, while allowing you to express
yourself with as little information as possible. Let’s go
over each piece of info.
What’s in a Name?—Gamertag
Come on, you know what this is. This is your name on
Xbox Live and Xbox.com. Pick something that reflects
who you are as a person, what your favorite game genres
are, etc. This is probably the easiest way to see who you
want to play with. For example, first-person-shooter
fans are more likely to gravitate toward someone with the gamertag of “HaLo KiLLarZ” than “spaniel_lover33.”
55
Identify Yourself!

If your first (or second or third) choice for agamertag is taken, try the “generate a
gamertag” feature. You may not necessarily
choose “HornBlower21,” but it might provide you with inspiration for a better
(and more available) gamertag.
TIP
If you ever choose to change your gamertag, you can do so for 800 Microsoft Points from the Edit Profile menu.
NOTE

Gamertag
Reputation

Gamer Picture
Gamer Zone

Gamerscore
Protected by copyright. Unauthorized or unlawful copying or downloading \
expressly prohibited.