xboxscene.org forums

Author Topic: Altimeter In 360?  (Read 51 times)

bzerk187

  • Archived User
  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 9
Altimeter In 360?
« on: October 31, 2005, 01:47:00 PM »
About halfway through this Xbox.Com article: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/xbox360...x360theguts.htm (Dev Interview: Guts of the Console)
they say: " Plus there's the operating environment (ambient temperature and altitude of the console) to consider." This was stated in relation to how the 360 is cooled. Any thoughts on if this means the 360 will contain an altimeter and/or  ambient temp monitor?
Logged

twistedsymphony

  • Recovered User
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 6955
Altimeter In 360?
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2005, 02:08:00 PM »
Doubtful... All ambient cooling systems need to take into account air density, which is typically proportional to altitude.

In other words they needed to make sure the console can function properly in everything from extremely hot dense air conditions to really cold thin air conditions.

It's just a really fancy way of saying that if the current fan speed isn't fast enough it makes it go faster  :lol:

This post has been edited by twistedsymphony: Oct 31 2005, 10:09 PM
Logged

m_hael

  • Archived User
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 818
Altimeter In 360?
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2005, 04:02:00 PM »
ahh.. nicely put... take a long complex stream of words and put it into southern lingo.
Logged

liqwidsky

  • Archived User
  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 42
Altimeter In 360?
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2005, 04:58:00 AM »
From the article:

QUOTE
The water cooled term is being used loosely; actually it is a heat sink constructed of a copper base, aluminum stamped fins and copper heat pipe. The heat pipe contains water and a vacuum is pulled on the pipe prior to sealing.

Water under a vacuum boils at a lower temperature than at atmospheric pressure, so when the water boils and becomes steam, the steam rises and moves the heat higher into the fins where the air flow from the fans can extract the heat more efficiently. Once the steam is cooled it condenses and flows back down the pipe as water to the copper base of the heat sink, which is attached to the processor to continue the condensing and cooling processes cycle.


This sounds like the cooling effectiveness of the heat sink will be much greater when the console is in horizontal placement, since gravity is required to draw the condensed water back to the base of the heat sink. I don't see how this could work very efficiently in a vertical orientation, and even though Reents claims they applied for a patent on this thing, it doesn't seem to be on the USPTO site. Patent #6,867,985 is the closest I could find though, if anyone is interested.
Logged

LowProfileWurm

  • Archived User
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 895
Altimeter In 360?
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2005, 01:34:00 PM »
QUOTE(m_hael @ Oct 31 2005, 07:37 PM)
ahh.. nicely put... take a long complex stream of words and put it into southern lingo.
*

Ain't nuthin wrong with suthern lingo.  We love us some Gawga speakin!
Logged