Xbox 360 Wireless Reciever for Windows Review

Until recently, PC gaming could be a tiresome excercise of system configuration. PC gamers typically upgrade their systems to harness the most powerful graphics imaginable, but have to tweak and configure their systems to provide a smooth gameplay experience.

PC Gaming has never really reached the simple and cohesive experience of a dedicated gaming console. Microsoft has been trying to make the PC a serious and simple gaming experience with iinitiatives like DirectX (which led to the birth of the original Xbox), and “Games for Windows”. Now Microsoft is releasing products that not only allow you to use your Xbox 360 hardware on your PC, but do so with the same ease of its console brother.

Microsoft has finally released the Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows, which finally allows your PC to use all of your wireless Xbox 360 peripherals.

The wired version of the Xbox 360 controller for Windows (reviewed here) worked well with Windows XP, via a simple driver installation. This was nice, and was one of the best gamepads for the PC, but didn’t make use of all of the controller’s features like the Xbox 360 does. Genres that benefit from a gamepad (like fighting or platform games) have never really had much of an audience on the PC, as most PC gamers either play casual games with the mouse or First-Person-Shooters like Doom, Half-Life 2, and Battlefield 2142 (although a gamepad is almost essential when piloting a fighter jet or helicopter). Complicating the matter further is that many PC games do not have native gamepad support, which requires tedious manual assigning the game’s functions to the controller’s buttons. Some PC games do not support gamepads or joysticks at all.

That has all changed with DirectX 10 and Windows Vista. To qualify for the “Games for Windows” branding, game developers will be required to, among other things, support all Xbox controllers via the ‘DirectInput’ subset of DirectX. The requirement should finally make a gamepad a feasible option for hardcore and casual PC gamers alike and will be a strong factor in unifying Vista as a gaming platform.

Windows Vista will be Microsoft’s warmest embrace of gaming yet. Vista’s Games Explorer consolidates installed games and offers features like parental control. That’s actually only the surface of a broader “Games for Windows” push that Microsoft is only just beginning to ramp up, which will shortly include a lot of marketing, unified design for game boxes and more prominent retail placement in stores. The Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows lets you take your quality, wireless gaming experiences that you enjoy on your console and experience them on your Windows gaming platform.

• Will work with future Xbox 360 Wireless Accessories.
• Provides up to a 30-foot range for complete wireless freedom.
• Use up to four Wireless Controllers and four Wireless Headsets simultaneously with one Wireless Gaming Receiver.
• Easily integrates with PC gaming scenarios and utilizes the same binding technology as Xbox 360.
• Provides a great value by eliminating the need for additional accessories for Windows-based gaming at an attractive price point.
• Plugs into a PC USB port and has a six foot cable.
• Future drivers available for Windows Vista™ and Force Feedback for the Wireless Racing Wheel.

The package comes with the wireless receiver, which is permanently attached to an 8 foot USB cable, a quick-start guide, a small manual, and the driver CD. There is a paper label stapled on the USB connector reminding you to install the software CD before plugging the unit in.

This message is repeated on the quick-start instruction guide. When I put the CD into the drive and ran Setup, I was greeted with a message that this software “does not work on your version of Windows”. I am running Microsoft’s latest and greatest (Windows Vista Ultimate), so I was surprised at this message. The dialog box does redirect you to a download page with the drivers for the Vista versions (both 32-bit and 64-bit) of the software.

I figured that since Vista was brand new, that it probably had native support for Xbox 360 peripherals, including this Wireless Receiver. I plugged it in, and Vista immediately recognized the Receiver. Now devices must be “paired” with the Wireless Receiver by pressing the single button on the Receiver, then pressing the sync button on the controller. The Controller’s “ring of light” flickered and after a few seconds displayed a solid light on the “player 1” position, meaning the pairing procedure was successful.

I checked the Control Panel’s Gaming Controllers, and indeed the controller was there. After running a quick test, it appears that the controller was working fine. The only thing that didn’t work was the Guide button on the controller (the big X button in the middle). After downloading and installing the latest drivers for the Wireless Receiver, the Guide button now works, displaying the controller’s player position, battery life, and an option to minimize or get more detailed information. This information isn’t shown while playing a game in full-screen mode, however.

I have had good experience with the wired Xbox 360 Controller for Windows, and use it for voice chat all the time, because it requires no configuration and just works. I plugged in the headset to the Wireless Controller, and all of my chat programs saw the new device. I was able to chat flawlessly, the only problem is that the wireless controller shuts itself off after 10 minutes, which totally crashed Skype, and required running Skype again, and configuring the audio devices again. The Xbox 360 wireless headset would probably do better for audio chat purposes.

Pairing a wireless gaming peripheral to the Wireless Receiver “marries” the device to the receiver, and un-pairs it with any previous host. This assures that you have have a room FULL of working Xbox 360s and PCs with Wiress Receivers, and they won’t conflict with each other. I was afraid that turning on my Wireless Controller (which was already paired with my Xbox 360) would turn on the console, but this did not happen. The side affect of this is that you must re-pair any device with your Xbox 360 after using it with the Wireless Receiver. The whole point of this receiver is so that share your controllers between your PC and your console, but pairing them every time you want to switch is a pain, even though the pairing process takes less than 10 seconds).

My Xbox 360 and my PC are on two different floors, probably about 100 feet apart (as the signal flies). I brought the Wireless Contoller down the the living room to see if the controller work conflict with the Xbox 360. There were no lights on the Xbox 360, and turning the controller off and on would not connect to the Xbox 360. It was married to my PC, and when the controller went out of signal range, the “ring of light” would flicker, and then go out. Once it was back in range, the “player 1” LED came back on. There is no chance of “floating” between hosts… once you connect it to a particular host, it will only work with that host until you pair it with something else.

Vista is still brand new, and consumers aren’t adopting it as quickly as Windows XP, even though there is enhanced compatibility between the Xbox 360 and Vista. The wired Xbox 360 controllers are decent on the PC, but Wireless is where it’s at, and Microsoft is finally giving us the goods to make it happen. Other wireless PC gamepads and headsets require a dedicated receiver for each device, taking up a precious USB port. The Microsoft Wireless Receiver can manage 4 wireless 360 controllers AND headsets at the same time, in addition to the new 360 Wireless Racing Wheel and any future “official” Microsoft Xbox 360 peripheral. Installation is a simple driver install, and the dongle has a sync procedure identical to the Xbox 360 console.

There really aren’t alot of games that will use 4 controllers (or even two), as most multiplayer PC games are played over a LAN, and each player has their own dedicated computer. This is starting to change, as PC Games like “Lego Star Wars II” can have two players on the screen at once, each with their own controller. The newly branded “Games for Windows” require native support for Xbox 360 peripherals on the PC, so these games are hassle-free when it comes to using your wireless devices. For most PC games though, you’ll still have to manually configure the buttons, which requires alot of trial and error to find what works best for you. The ability to use the “Guide” button is a bonus over the Wired Controller for Windows, but I wish it could be mapped, or at least bring you to the game’s configuration screen.

For a PC gamer, the $20 dongle is a great accessory for those that want double-duty from their wireless Xbox 360 accessories.

	REPORT CARD : Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows category rating comments Quality 5 The wireless range is phenomenal, and has the same quality construction as other Xbox 360 peripherals. Innovation 4 This works with several wireless gaming devices, and is extremely simple to set up. Sharing devices between your PC and console requires re-syncing. Performance 5 Uses the same technology in the Xbox 360: the wireless range is outstanding, and there is no lag from any device. Installation 4 Pairing a device to the receiver is extremely simple. The only complication arises when you switch devices back and forth between PC and console. Value 4 $20 is an extremely good value if you already have Xbox 360 peripherals. If you don’t, then buying a wireless controller and receiver for dedicated PC use will cost you $70, but is still the best controller for PC gaming. FINAL VERDICT: 5 out of 5 stars