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Xbox Official DVD Movie Playback Controller
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38 Customer Reviews
RRP: £19.99
Amazon Price: £17.99
You Save: £2 (10%)
Availability: Usually dispatched within 4 to 6 weeks
Platform: Xbox
Publisher: Microsoft
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Editorial: Got an Xbox? Do you enjoy watching DVDs? Then you need one of these. This DVD playback kit unlocks the DVD functionality of Microsoft's powerful Xbox and helps make the console an even more important addition to your home entertainment system. This remote features large keys that feel rubbery yet firm. The kit sports some of the basic functions you'd expect from a common controller, including chapter skip, play, pause, and number buttons. There's also handy 32x fast-forward and reverse controls. Pressing the display button calls up a friendly onscreen menu that allows access to more features, including up to 10x magnification, A-B playback loop (for cueing and viewing favourite scenes repeatedly), and subtitle and audio options. It's worth noting that many lower-cost DVD remotes have access to such features through the press of a button. The fact that this one requires you to use a menu to access such common commands may rankle DVD aficionados, as the menu is a bit slower than using buttons. Still, the menu is quite intuitive and couldn't be much easier to use. For the remote to work, you'll need to plug the included infrared receiver into an open controller port on the Xbox. Most gamers will never need to unplug the receiver again, as you can plug it into the rarely used fourth port. Interestingly, the receiver works best when the remote is operated almost directly in front of it, and can be a little finicky when signals are sent from the far left or right. The couch potato crowd won't be thrilled to learn that the remote does not include power or eject buttons. Why such standard features were omitted escapes us, but that is far and away the worst thing we can say about an otherwise decent control. --Mark Brooks
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"If you have no DVD player, it's worth it..." - 11 February 2003
I was a little irked to be forced into buying an additional item for my xbox to "unlock" its functionality. The facility was always there, seemingly they just want some more cash. The remote itself is cheap feeling. It's lightweight, is vacuously roomy inside, and the buttons don't have that great, responsive feel to them. Not only that, but the battery cover design/placement is terribly located at the top of the unit. It doesn't really plug in well, and noticeably shifts around under the hand. What's even more naff, is the infra-red diode at the front. This thing is recessed into the casing a little, so there's some hope. Why on earth they have couldn't spent a few more pennies and covered that whole front-end with some shiny black plastic, just like that found on the Xbox itself, is beyond me!
No power button as people have said - but maybe with the Xbox Linux project, they can develop that functionality with multiple taps of the buttons. The DVD dongle that fits into the front of the Xbox is simply ugly. I joke not. It's not flush with the machine, it protrudes by a few centimetres at least. On the up side, the menus on the Xbox itself are pretty cool, and all the text uses that Xbox style. Anyway, the short answer - no DVD player ? It's worth the spend.
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"Good piece of kit" - 5 March 2004
It does the job, and does it well. The remote sensor is very sensitive, and so I don't always require a line of sight to use the remote, and the DVD playback is excellent; much better than that of the PS2, or even a lot of the cheaper DVD players out there.Only downside to the remote is the fact that it cannot be used to turn the console on and off, unless you buy a third party modification from http://cheaplpc.com/xir/, which does involve opening up your Xbox to add, but requires no soldering at all, and allows you to turn your Xbox on with either the Display or Select buttons, and off with the 0 button. I myself have installed this without a hitch, and although it costs more, I'm lazy, and so it's worth it ;)
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"XBOX DVD Remote does the job." - 7 February 2004
The XBox DVD remote, although should have been included with the console, unlocks what is quite decent DVD playback.If you own an XBox but not a DVD player spending less than 20 quid is a fantastic option compared to spending over 100 quid to get a player of the same quality. The Dolby Digital 5.1 is flawless and if you already have your XBox linked to a surround sound system then the DVD remote will suit you more than a new DVD player will.
There are better players out there but none that will play your favourite games brilliantly and your favourite DVDs quite well. A must for those people without too much spare cash or space near a tv.
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"Essential kit." - 30 January 2004
If you have an xbox and want to play DVDs, get one. Picture quality is noticably better than on PS2. Still not a match for a decent standalone player though, though better than some cheap ones.To clarify other points, by releasing the xbox without playback capability, microsoft can keep the tax tarrifs lower on the xbox. Video playback devices recieve higher taxes than plain consoles. By separating the two, costs are lower for microsoft and also the consumer.
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"Satisfying." - 19 December 2003
Yes, it's a pain having to buy a remote just to play DVDs. However, the playback it unlocks is pleasing, there is a full suite of controls, a tidy on-screen display, and it simply works. The frequently-used direction and select buttons are strong, thick, and glow in the dark, for maximum practicality. The casing is also very comfortable. It's also surprisingly robust, as I discovered after stepping on it.Twice. The remote sensor is similarly well-made, clicking solidly in place, flush to the front of the console. The only real flaws are that it's needed at all (is that a flaw of the remote, or the Xbox, though?), and that it doesn't allow you to eject disks or switch the console off. PS2 owners will be familiar with these gripes- the hardware simply doesn't allow a power-down or eject via the controller port. Sony's recent upgraded PS2s, with built-in remote ports, added this, so it's possible that Microsoft will at some stage. It's unlikely, though and it shouldn't put you off buying this satisfying bit of kit.
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"fantastic" - 26 November 2003
my opinions before buying were simply that it should have come with the Xbox. Of course, now Microsoft have realised this they seem to package it alot within bundles. I would have been annoyed by spending 20 quid on a remote had it not been for the amazing playback and ease of use.since purchasing this item i have never watched a dvd on my PS2, the xbox quality is so much better. the remote if very simple to use, light and even glows in the dark. The speed that you fast forward/rewind is amazing too and i would definetly recommend this to every xbox owner.
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"XBOX DVD Remote does the job." - 7 February 2004
The XBox DVD remote, although should have been included with the console, unlocks what is quite decent DVD playback.If you own an XBox but not a DVD player spending less than 20 quid is a fantastic option compared to spending over 100 quid to get a player of the same quality. The Dolby Digital 5.1 is flawless and if you already have your XBox linked to a surround sound system then the DVD remote will suit you more than a new DVD player will.
There are better players out there but none that will play your favourite games brilliantly and your favourite DVDs quite well. A must for those people without too much spare cash or space near a tv.
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"Handy For Those One Off Occasions!" - 21 April 2007
This is a very handy little piece of device, which can help you out on a couple of occasions! Obviously it is mainly used for DVD purpose, but you can actually also use it to move and make selections in the XBox Main Menu system which is ideal for me as sometimes I use the XBox to listen to music while I wrap up Birthday/Christmas Gifts and clean my bedroom and I think to myself "Why Do I Have To Keep On Reaching For That Controller All The Time When I Can Use This DVD Remote!"
A advantage with the remote as well is that it just requires 2 AAA Batteries which can last for a long time, and it is wireless with built in Infrared technology!
My Grade For This Device: 8/10: Enjoyable, Fair-Play, Thumbs Up
My Wish: Where the number digits are located, I wouldn't say no for if these numbers had letters like featured on Telephones and Remote Controls as if you need to rename something on the XBox Main Menu system, it would be helpful if you just use this rather than connecting and using a controller!
Final Comments: At the end of the day, this is a very handy and ideal controller! I'd fully recommend it if you're intentions are to use you're XBox for DVD Video use!
Review By Captain Chris Kipper!
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"Another Microsoft con, but worth it" - 11 January 2004
We should not have to buy a playback kit, but at least this provides a pretty strong remote control, with keys that glow in the dark and with a fairly painless installation. And, if my sources are true, it plays DVDs with a sharper image quality than the PS2.Obviously, the lack of the eject button is not a huge problem, because if you pressed an eject button you would, of course, be intending to get up, go over to the console and change/remove the disc. No harm in that, but it's a little annoying that there's no power button. Never mind, though, because sometime you'll remember to turn the Xbox off. Just as obviously, the playback kit is a Microsoft con, because technically, the Xbox isn't supposed to even know what a DVD is unless the kit is connected, but instead, the console without the kit plugged in effectively says to you "I know full well this is a DVD and I'm not going to play it unless you spend more on a playback kit." There's still a problem for Microsoft to answer - will the playback kit be able to be used with the future Xbox consoles, or does it become obselete upon release of the second console? If it becomes useless, I'll change my rating to 2 stars.
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"Another Microsoft con, but worth it" - 11 January 2004
We should not have to buy a playback kit, but at least this provides a pretty strong remote control, with keys that glow in the dark and with a fairly painless installation. And, if my sources are true, it plays DVDs with a sharper image quality than the PS2.Obviously, the lack of the eject button is not a huge problem, because if you pressed an eject button you would, of course, be intending to get up, go over to the console and change/remove the disc. No harm in that, but it's a little annoying that there's no power button. Never mind, though, because sometime you'll remember to turn the Xbox off. Just as obviously, the playback kit is a Microsoft con, because technically, the Xbox isn't supposed to even know what a DVD is unless the kit is connected, but instead, the console without the kit plugged in effectively says to you "I know full well this is a DVD and I'm not going to play it unless you spend more on a playback kit." There's still a problem for Microsoft to answer - will the playback kit be able to be used with the future Xbox consoles, or does it become obselete upon release of the second console? If it becomes useless, I'll change my rating to 2 stars.
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