Turtle Beach X3 Wireless Headset - Afterthought

So after a week of putting the X3 wireless headset through it's paces, here is my impression:  While I don't play much multiplayer, I do enjoy playing co-op online so having independent volume control for in-game audio AND online chat was definitely a plus when choosing this headset.  I used the headset this week with Dead Space (no chat), just yesterday with Scene It? Box Office Smash (online chat) and movies/tv (more on that later).  While it doesn't do wireless 5.1, (that's the $200 X4), it has a "stereo expander" option via a switch on the headset to expand the sound.  More info on that feature and others, check here.  

The headset has nice weight to it.  Not too heavy to the point where you get tired of wearing it nor too light that you would forget you have them on after awhile.  Deep ear cup cushion was very welcome but i'm someone that only wears in-ear headphone buds when listening to my ipod so having my ears pressed against my head takes getting used to for me.  The mic is adjusts to move closer or farther from your mouth or have it pointed straight up away from your face if you're not going to use it.  I was impressed with the sound when playing Dead Space as the little creepy sounds from the game were transmitted quite impressively.  I can just imagine how the X4 would sound with 5.1.  It does, however, leave you totally oblivious to your surroundings.  I was playing Dead Space last Monday with a mostly empty apartment.  Everyone but my daughter Angelise was gone for the day.  She stayed home sick and was sleeping while I fired up a round with the headset so as not to disrupt her sleep.  While crawling along a corrider, tense as all hell, here comes Angelise, bolting from her room.  Didn't hear her coming and scared the bejesus out of me.  

Another impressive feature is microphone monitoring.  Ever have headphones on while listening to music and talk to someone very loudly, only because you can't hear your own voice giving you the assumption that the person you're talking to doesn't either?  Well, the boom mic on this headset allows a small amount of your voice volume in so you actually hear yourself in the headset when you chat.  A nice feature considering the people you're chatting with don't have to hear the audio from your game.  Pretty cool.  

The headset isn't without it's drawbacks.  When connected, I get a faint hissing sound which I can only imagine is feedback.  It's all dependent on where I place myself in my home theater room.  It's not obtrusive as it's mostly audible when there isn't any audio coming through the headset, but it's there.  While chatting during my Scene It? session last night, the chat wasn't as good as the xbox 360 wireless controller.  I was told I sounded ok but the other party sounded too muffled.  I didn't think about it at the time but I should've told my opponent (who has the same headset) to pull his boom mic away from his mouth to see if that would clear up the audio.  I'll test it out more this week as I plan on getting in some Vegas action with my brother Jorge and friend Junior.  They'll let me know.  

Finally, since I have all audio from my hd-dvd player, ps3/blu-ray and dvr pumping into my receiver AND the IR transmitter is connected to my receivers headphone jack, I can now enjoy late night movie and tv marathons without disturbing the family.  

One last thing, the headset isn't wireless in the truest sense of the word.  Unlike the Xbox 360 wireless headset, which connects wirelessly with the console, the X3 needs to connect to the 360's controller in order to chat, similar to the original headset that comes with the 360.  But that's only if you want to chat.  The cable that plugs into the controller can be detached from the headset in addition to the controller for it to be truly wireless.  No chat, no cable needed.

If someone wants me to post pics, let me know.

Coming up short...

10 movies. TEN MOVIES!!! That's all I could muster for this years HTF Scary Movie Challenge. I used to watch that many in a week. Oh well, don't have as much time as I used to. Besides, I have a Halloween themed excuse: After 10 chapters, I've put 16 hours (and counting) into Dead Space. Hey, that counts for something... right? 

RIGHT?!?

Anyway, here's the list so critique away:

First time viewings are in bold.

1. The Thing (1982) [HD-DVD]
2. Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954) [DVD] 1/2
3. The Wolf Man (1941) [DVD]
4. An American Werewolf In London (1981) [HD-DVD)
5. Wolf Creek (2005) [HD-DVD]
6. Hostel: Part II (2007) [Blu-ray] 1/2
7. Fright Night (1985) [DVD]
8. Rest Stop (2006) [Blu-ray] 1/2
9. The Happening (2008) [Blu-ray]
10. Prom Night (2008) [Blu-ray] 1/2

I did go to the movies with Jeanette tonight and caught Saw V (enjoyed it although I still haven't seen IV) and could've added it to the list but didn't want to "pad" the list by being dishonest. :)

Guitar Hero World Tour

Still busy playing Dead Space but my pre-order for Guitar Hero World Tour has come in.  Now, Rock Band has become my go-to music game of choice so Guitar Hero really has to innovate to pull me from RB but here's hoping.  In the meantime, here's a commercial for GHWT starring Alex Rodriguez, Kobe Bryant, Tony Hawk and Michael Phelps.

Official 9th Annual HTF October Scary Movie Challenge

I've been taking part in the Home Theater Forum's annual October Scary Movie Challenge since 2003.  With the exception of last year, which I didn't participate in, I've done just ok and have to admit that I'm not the movie fiend I used to be.  The rules are pretty simple:  watch as many horror movies (tv shows are excluded) as you can in the month, list them on the forum and maybe even write a few words about them.   When I first heard of it, I though... eh, why not.  Although geeky by nature, it was a fun way to interact and discuss with other forum members who share a common love of horror movies.  What I really like about it is that, by reading what others have been watching, I'm introduced to some movies that I haven't heard of before with the intention of someday getting around to watching said movie(s).   So every year, a group of members stock pile a bunch of horror movies to watch during the month.  The goal is to watch a minimum of 13 (unlucky, get it?) movies either theatrically, on cable/satellite or any form of dvd.  Averaging 1 per day gets you into the exclusive "Splatterhead" club.  I've only cracked 31 once but have managed at least 13 every year that I've participated.

Last October was an unusually busy one for me with a handful of some great new tv shows that I got hooked into in addition to the favorite returning ones.  On top of that, September through November is usually when the best games are released so, being an avid gamer, I was consumed with some great games.  This year, I'm not doing so well as, again, I'm being consumed with great tv shows and games that are too good to put down.  With just 2 more days until the end of the month, I'm still 4 short of my goal.  Let's see how it goes.

I'll post a follow-up this weekend.

Turtle Beach X3 Wireless Gaming Headphones

I picked up the X3 today after reading some online reviews and a resounding recommendation from fellow LCVGer Joey.  The X3 is replacing the Xbox 360 Wireless Headset which was a very good headset but died a very mysterious death.  I've had the headset about a year and never had any issues with it other than an occasional annoying buzz sound within the first few months of purchase which was eliminated upon an update sent my Microsoft.  

One day, can't remember when, I plugged the headset in to charge to have it ready for my next online adventure.  That was the last time the headset was operational as it never turned on after that.  Normally, that wouldn't deter me from picking up another since I was quite fond of my wireless friend but since it had happened three times to my godson Brian, I decided that once was enough for me.  For the next few months, I used an old wired Nokia headset while I looked online for a replacement.  It worked but the quality and convenience wasn't the same.  I had seen the X3 mentioned around but thought the $100 price tag to be quite steep.  Well, after reading many positive reviews online, I finally took the leap.  I'll return with some opinions on the headset after putting a few hours into it this weekend.  In the meantime, here's one of the reviews I read online that finally sold me on the product.

Currently playing: Dead Space

Dead Space is a third-person survival horror-action game.  Set in the distant future, Dead Space revolves around Isaac Clarke, a space engineer who works for the Concordance Extraction Corporation (C.E.C.), a company that operates giant mining ships throughout the galaxy.  When the C.E.C. receives a distress call from the USG Ishimura, a "Planet Cracker"-class ship that destroys planets in order to extract valuable ore, Isaac and four other C.E.C. employees set out to rendezvous with the Ishimura in orbit, all the while assuming that a mechanical failure is the only problem.  At the same time, Isaac repeatedly watches a video sent to him by his girlfriend who is currently onboard the Ishimura, along with about one thousand other residents/workers. What Isaac and his crew find instead is a stricken mining ship infested with Necromorphs, a hostile virus with the ability to reanimate the bodies of the dead, turning them into grotesque monstrosities.   Source: Wikipedia

What I love about this game is how atmospheric it is.  I've played scary games before: Doom 3, the Resident Evil 4 and even BioShock had it's fair share of scare moments.  Dead Space has them all beat in the tense department. Being a fan of horror movies growing up, you would think that I wouldn't find a video game scary.  But what a game does better than a movie is that you're put in the situation where your every action (and reaction) is the determining factor in your survival.  I can watch a movie and get scared but mostly it's of the cheap variety.  In a game like Dead Space, I'm not watching as this character makes his way through the unknown but controlling him. I ask myself how many times I've watched a horror movie and said "I wouldn't go there if it was me" so when playing these games, you can actually choose to not take certain paths until you feel more readily capable of handling whatever situation may rise.  

This game is unique in that the character you play, Isaac Clarke, is not this super soldier with all the necessary firepower to handle the extreme conditions he's about to be thrown in.  No, Isaac Clarke is only an engineer assigned with task of repairing a mining ship.  So, guess what, all he has to defend himself with are mining repair tools.  Mind you, they get the job done but they're not your typical shotgun/rifle/rocket launcher variety.  

Another thing that is unique about this game is the combat.  Where most shooters are basically about getting the most powerful weapon and getting that "headshot" to take the enemy down.  In Dead Space, getting a headshot is about the worse thing you can do as all it will do is piss off the creatures.  "Strategic dismemberment" is the method used to achieve success in battling the Necromorphs.  Trying the conventional method will only have them adopt new stances and tactics, eventually sprouting new limbs and even giving birth to more creatures in the process.  The limbs need to be individually severed in order to have a chance at defeating them.  

I'm currently sitting in chapter 7, half way through the game and have had numerous "creep out" moments.  Playing late at night with the lights out and the 5.1 surround turned up is the only way to play this game.  

There are more games coming out between now and the end of the year but Dead Space, although not through with it yet, already has Game of the Year written all over it.

Available for the X-Box 360, Playstation 3 and PC, I can't recommend this game enough.

Cutting costs

In a move to help our economic situation, I no longer park my car in a private lot.  I'm now at the mercy of vandalism which I've experienced a few times before.  Also, I canceled my account with Storage Deluxe and have started to bring everything that I'll be keeping over to the apartment.  I gave my 10-day notice and will have everything out by Halloween.  Wow but we sure have alot of junk stored away.  

Eliminating the parking and storage will save us $300 a month.  :)

Finally...

Well, it's been a couple of hectic months with all the overtime I've been putting in but am happy it's over.  Lots to write about and am looking forward to sharing some thoughts with my friends.  Also want to thank those of you that helped Jeanette out with the 2008 Walk To Cure Cancer Charity.  Your help was appreciated.  :)

October is here and it can only mean one thing.... well, ok, two.  Halloween is almost upon us but more importantly, for us gamers, the top titles are releasing in time for the holidays so there seems to be a solid game coming out just about every week.  I already picked up and started Dead Space and am absolutely loving it.  I've been wanting a Doom-style game to hit the next-gen consoles and Dead Space is it.  Don't want to spoil it for those that want to play it but will get into it more at a later date.

Already pre-ordered are Guitar Hero: World Tour, Call Of Duty: World At War, Left 4 Dead, Gears Of War 2, Mirror's Edge, Scene It and Prince Of Persia.  Yes, I'll be doing alot of gaming in the weeks to come.  :)

Can anyone believe the Tampa Bay Rays?  Last I blogged, the Yanks were trying to stay close to the Red Sox while the Mets were sitting pretty in 1st place.  I stopped blogging and the baseball world stopped spinning on it's axis.  No need to recap how the season and play-offs turned out but the Rays are something special.  To say that all of NY would be pulling for them is an understatement.  Mets fans should want the Phillies to lose the Series while Yankees fans should want the Rays to win it all as a thank you for taking down the hated Sox, even if the Rays themselves are division rivals.  

Been trying to keep up with lots of TV and am really liking some of the new shows while old favorites (Shield, Smallville, Prison Break, Bones, House, Dexter, Entourage) and 2nd year offerings (Life, Dirty Sexy Money, Californication) are still holding my interest.  New to my TiVo season pass this year are True Blood, The Mentalist, Fringe and Sons Of Anarchy.  Can't say there's a bad show in the bunch.  

2008 Walk to Cure Diabetes

What's up everyone?  I know I haven't been on in awhile and I'll start throwing some blog posts in the coming days to bring up the things that have been going on but I just wanted to come on and let everyone know that my good friend Jeanette is taking part in the 2008 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Walk to Cure Diabetes.  Some of you know from last year that Jeanette has been doing this for a few years now and this year continues to do so with one-half million other walkers across the country.  Please help fund research for a cure to type 1 diabetes by making a donation.  Any amount will go a long way in helping.  

If you would like to make a donation, please visit Jeanette's Walk To Cure Diabetes Fundraising page.  

Thank you.

Sweet and Sour Weekend

Just a few words to follow up on some topics I touched on in my last post.

For the most part, it was a good (sweet) weekend.  The Yankees won 2 out of 3 over at Fenway Park, and I'm ecstatic about that, but it's hard to not want to take all three after winning the first two.  I went to the movies with my good friend Jeanette on Saturday to see The X-Files movie and, while I enjoyed it, felt it could've worked as a movie by any other title.  The film was very light in the paranormal department but made up for it by putting the spotlight on the relationship between Mulder and Scully and their respective inner struggles.  I'll be looking for this when it releases on blu-ray later this year along with Fight The Future.  

I worked overtime on Sunday and am happy to have some extra cash coming in real soon.  

To put a cap on the sweet weekend is finding out how The Dark Knight continues to dominate at the box office.  As of today, it owns or shares 30 records in it's 11 days of release.  Amazing.  But this brings me to the one sour note for me: the box office take for the X-Files movie.  I so wanted this movie to do well so the franchise can continue on the big screen.  As a matter of fact, I previously stated that it would  "be lucky to make more than $25 million" and "I wouldn't be surprised if the new Will Ferrell movie Step Brothers does better".  Well, both happened.  Final weekend tally for X-Files: I Want To Believe?  $10 million.  Even Step Brothers made $30 million so it wasn't all about The Dark Knight.  Heck, Mamma Mia made $30 million last weekend in direct competition with TDK.  I want to believe that the X-Files franchise isn't dead but I'm afraid it is.  RIP X-Files.  You'll forever live in my dvd collection.  :(

On a lighter note: after much thought process, I figured out who would be ideal to follow Heath Ledger should the suits over at Warner Brothers decide to bring the character back.  Actually, I have two candidates as I can't chose one over the other.  I'll let you decide:

 

 

WB would be foolish not to seek out these clowns.  :D