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[Eggo]

Mine died yesterday night. Last I checked the Xbox Guide menu (the battery life is listed top left of the Xbox Guide menu when you click in on the logo on the controller), it was at 2 out of 4 bars, but my friggin roommate played the hell out of GUN without telling me, so I was surprised when the controller died last night. Totally unexpected. The guide button started flashing in all 4 quadrants, then I got the "Controller has been removed" message in the middle of a crazy gun fight in Call of Duty 2.

Fortunately, I had planned for this eventuality beforehand and bought a plug and charge kit when a friend told me he had already burned through his first set of batteries. However, the P&C battery kit is sealed in one of those "if the world ends today, this item will survive the blast" super plastics. I really despise products that are sealed this way that don't have the pull off backs. To make matters worse, I couldn't find a knife, so I was stuck trying to hackjob my way through this plastic with a combination of dull, crappy scissors and creative tearing with teeth, brute strength, and unadulterated anger. Ten minutes later, I had my rechargeable battery and was back in the firefight without a hitch.

Total battery life from the stock double AA's for Xbox 360 was probably 20-25 hours, although I can't say for sure since I don't know how long my roommate played. What has your experience been like?

 

[datamage]

I've put plenty of time into my 360 and it's still @ 3/4 bars. Gotta say I'm pretty impressed with the logevity.

I do have a P&C kit waiting for whenever the initial batteries die.

- D.

 

[raYne]

All the 360 accessories come in the "plastic hell" packs. That's part of the reason why I opened all of them as soon as I got them home.

Your controller should've been lighting up the whole time you played the last time because the lights come one way before you get to your last drop of juice.

Anway, I already had both of mine die out on me.. as well as the original set of batteries that came with one of my wireless controllers. Then again I've been playing the hell out of the system since the 19th, so that's to be expected. :lol

Bless you P&C Gods!

 

[pj]

then I got the "Controller has been removed"

Good to know it actually pauses the game, unlike WAVEBIRD WHICH JUST DIES AND LEAVES YOU WONDERING WHY YOUR DUDE STOPPED RESPONDING TO YOUR INPUT

 

[Jeff-DSA]

Yeah, mine ran out last night playing CoD2.

 

[DDayton]

Is 20-25 hours the expected life span of these things on standard alkaline AA cells? Yikes... rumble does kill battery life.

 

[Mrbob]

Is 20-25 hours the expected life span of these things on standard alkaline AA cells? Yikes... rumble does kill battery life.

Zuh? Why do you think this is so bad?

I actually have my P & C battery attached so I'm not sure. I used the AA for my TV remote since I was out of batteries at the time!

I do hate the plastic kits all these accessories are stored in.

 

[evilromero]

Good to know it actually pauses the game, unlike WAVEBIRD WHICH JUST DIES AND LEAVES YOU WONDERING WHY YOUR DUDE STOPPED RESPONDING TO YOUR INPUT

Wavebird cutting out + spider-balling in Metroid Prime 2 = AAAHHH SHIT.

 

[jmoe316]

ya, that does seem pretty short. I can't remember exactly, but isn't the Wavebird supposed to have an expected battery life of 100 hours? If so, then the question is would you give up 3/4 of your battery life for rumble?

 

[Snaku]

I just finished playing Jade Empire, which took 28 hours, and I've spent a good 4 hours on Kameo. Yet the batteries in my controller aren't dead yet. It'll happen soon I'd imagine.

 

[Rummy Bunnz]

Zuh? Why do you think this is so bad?

I went a year without changing the batteries in my Logitech PS2 pad, and I used that thing a LOT. I keep the rumble off, though, so that has a lot to do with it. Wavebird lasts forever, too. Wonder if the 360 pad gets similar life if you turn the rumble off?

 

[raYne]

ya, that does seem pretty short. I can't remember exactly, but isn't the Wavebird supposed to have an expected battery life of 100 hours? If so, then the question is would you give up 3/4 of your battery life for rumble?

Without a doubt, especially considering that there are games where rumble is needed (puzzles and the like). 100 hour battery life doesn't mean a thing without it... especially if you're using the battery pack instead of actual batteries, so you won't be buying a bunch of them in the first place.

Is 20-25 hours the expected life span of these things on standard alkaline AA cells? Yikes... rumble does kill battery life.

The battery pack gives around 25hrs playtime with actual AA batteries giving you a bit more.. 30-40.

I went a year without changing the batteries in my Logitech PS2 pad, and I used that thing a LOT. I keep the rumble off, though, so that has a lot to do with it. Wavebird lasts forever, too. Wonder if the 360 pad gets similar life if you turn the rumble off?

I expect much improved battery life without rumble, but nowhere near "a year". :lol

Rumble or bust!

 

[Mrbob]

Someone needs to test 360 pad with rumble off now. :lol Not me, though! I need rumble!

I don't see this as a big deal. Battery runs out, game automatically pauses, I insert charger onto controller, continue on with the game as the battery charges and take it off when it is done.

 

[Sp3eD]

Wired controllers ftw.

 

[Ristamar]

Zuh? Why do you think this is so bad?

I don't know if it's bad, but it looks rather measly compared to the 100+ hours of the Wavebird.

 

[raYne]

I don't see this as a big deal. Battery runs out, game automatically pauses, I insert charger onto controller, continue on with the game as the battery charges and take it off when it is done.

Exactly... that is unless one had to buy batteries...

 

[Gaspode]

the P&C battery kit is sealed in one of those "if the world ends today, this item will survive the blast" super plastics. I really despise products that are sealed this way that don't have the pull off backs. To make matters worse, I couldn't find a knife, so I was stuck trying to hackjob my way through this plastic with a combination of dull, crappy scissors and creative tearing with teeth, brute strength, and unadulterated anger. Ten minutes later, I had my rechargeable battery and was back in the firefight without a hitch.

I think it's one of the best C+A+D strips ever. :lol

 

[jobber]

I replaced mine last night too. The flashing lights were getting on my nerves. Also, when I put fresh batteries in there, the batter life on the guide was already 1 bar down.

 

[Sp3eD]

I replaced mine last night too. The flashing lights were getting on my nerves. Also, when I put fresh batteries in there, the batter life on the guide was already 1 bar down.

You have to let it get used to the batteries for a bit. Cellphones, Ipods, camara's are all the same with this. Battery indicaters are always wrong.