Provides the best gaming experience for XboxLiveArcade / Officially licensed by Microsoft Works great with all Xbox 360 games Also PC USB compatibleCustomer Review: Pack-in games barely save this product from being useless
When you first look at this product, it's hard not to get excited about
Spending hours with Mrs. Pacman. While you can still have a date with her, you will not be using this stick. The absolutely atrocious flimsiness of the actual stick will drive you mad as you unintentionally run into ghosts. The only thing that is cool about this thing is the click-wheel, which almost no game uses.
Now, for dischodians out there, the stick has a solid redeeming factor. It's a game in itself. Actually using this thing to play a game is one of the biggest challenges you will ever face. If you are just too good, and have become bored and disillusioned with your gaming experiences, ratchet up the difficulty a bit by using this so-called controller. Seriously, stay away unless you enjoy horrible things, and if that is the case, I value at 9 dollars. I use it as a backup controller when guests visit. If I value their company, I let them use a real controller.
Customer Review: Fairly suspect Madcatz product
I have purchased many madcatz products over the years and the ones I really liked such as the DREAMCAST PANTHER TRACKBALL all eventually broke. I was excited to get a stick for some of the LIVE ARCADE titles I have on disc for my 360 and while the controller worked well for PAC MAN and a few others the stick would get stuck in a corner to the top left sometimes and my biggest gripe the 3 LIVE ARACDE TITLES aren't on disc as I had hoped, they are downloadable cards with expiration dates and I don't have access to high speed internet where my console is, while I wouldn't buy it again I don't mind having a second controller for my 360 and this one has all the buttons and functions of a normal 360 so live and learn. Probably most gamers will find this an unsatisfying arcade stick replacement and want to go with a HORI, or Xarcade stick for real arcade action. That said the button atop the stick is great for LIVE ARCADE titles like TEMPEST, TIME PILOT etc. which really only require move and shoot.
Madcatz Arcade GameStick for Xbox 360
Pioneer HTS-GS1 5.1-Channel Surround Sound System for the Xbox 360
If you've got an Xbox 360, then you're probably very happy with the system's fantastic graphics, bountiful title selection, and sleek design. Now, what about a high-performance sound system to enhance your gaming experience? Designed to match the style of the Xbox 360, Pioneer's HTS-GS1 5.1-Channel Surround Sound System may be just what you're looking for. After setting up this home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) system, we sat back and enjoyed several hours of pure gaming bliss. Whether we were battling online against other Halo 2 gamers, or saving the planet in the Xbox 360 title, Prey, this system delivered awesome and inspired surround sound. Easy Set-up and Configuration
Everything you need to set up the HTS-GS1 is included in the box. Using the handy Quick Start Guide, we had the entire system wired in less than an hour. The easy-to-follow instructions and color-coded wires made the set up of the center speaker, subwoofer, and two rear and two front speakers a cinch. One word of warning: the included wires are an adequate length for a small-to-medium sized room, but if you really want to spread out, you'll need additional wiring to complete the task. But for our purposes, the HTS-GS1 provided everything we needed to get the job done.
The HTS-GS1 is an ideal choice for any small-to-medium sized space that is dedicated to Xbox 360 gaming. |
Once the speakers were in place, we took advantage of the system's auto MCACC microphone calibration technology. We simply placed the ultra high-end calibration microphone on the back of the couch -- directly behind our favorite gaming position -- and the HTS-GS1 automatically adjusted the sound for the distance, volume, speaker size, and equalization. Once the system calibrated the speakers to match the layout of our room, we were off to the races --literally -- tackling the toughest race tracks available on Project Gotham Racing 3.
Although all the connections were easy to distinguish and connect, we do have one complaint: there are loads and loads of wires to deal with. This is not a problem unique to the HTS-GS1, but we found it a bit ironic that a home-theater-in-a-box designed to complement the Xbox 360 -- a gaming system noted for its clean design and wireless capabilities -- would be so overloaded with wires.
Sleek, Xbox 360 Design
This surround sound system offers an attractive white design, accented with gray speaker grilles, and features five small satellite speakers (center, two front, and two rear), and a large subwoofer that is about the size of a standard CPU tower. Although the subwoofer is a bit bulky, it houses all of the system's electronics and connectivity jacks. And since this theater system lacks a DVD player (the assumption is you'll use your Xbox 360 for movies), the display unit is quite small; in fact, it's not much bigger than the included remote control. It features tiny, silver control buttons and a large, circular power button. The front panel delivered all the information we needed via a scrolling single-line display. The included easy-to-use remote control is packed with features, and, like the rest of the system, it also matches the Xbox 360 design. With it we could control all of the system's features, as well as our Xbox 360 gaming console.
Sound Designed for High-Performance Gaming
With the HTS-GS1 we could hear every audio effect the Xbox 360 had to offer -- from the lightest wind to bone-rattling explosions. The system delivers great audio performance with a powerful 600 watts of total RMS power, and dynamic 5.1-channel surround sound with Dolby Digital/Pro Logic II and DTS decoding. In addition to playing video games, the Xbox 360 also plays DVDs and MP3 files. We took advantage of both and spent an afternoon watching movies, and an evening listening to a stack of CDs. The system responded to every form of entertainment that we could throw at it -- games, film, and music -- with crisp, clear, and powerful sound.
The HTS-GS1 also features Front Stage Surround Sound, a virtual surround-sound feature. To test this function, we moved all the speakers to the front of the room. Through its sophisticated digital sound processing and directional speakers, the system can mimic surround sound without the hassle of running wires to additional rear speakers. Although the traditional surround sound set-up delivered the best audio surround sound quality, the Front Stage option was still much better than our regular, old television speakers.
The HTS-GS1 can be a bit pricey when compared to other home-theater-in-a-box systems, but Pioneer's design may trump the cost for those who want an attractive, surround-sound option that matches the Xbox 360's style. And even though his system may not be the optimal home-theater system choice for a large family room, the HTS-GS1 is an ideal choice for any small-to-medium sized space that is dedicated to Xbox 360 gaming.
Pros
- Attractive, Xbox 360 design
- Simple set-up and great sound
- Ideal for any small-to-medium sized gaming room
- Lots and lots of wires
- A bit pricey when compared to similar HTIBs
Receiver/subwoofer, five satellite speakers (two front, two rear, and one center), display unit, remote control, two AA batteries, two display unit stands, AM loop antenna, FM wire antenna, display unit cable, optical cable, power cord, five speaker cables, microphone (for Auto MCACC setup), non skid pads (small and large), mounting brackets, screws, operating instructions, and warranty card.
Customer Review: Awesome featureset, okay sound
Pioneer HTS-GS1 5.1-Channel Surround Sound System for the Xbox 360
I bought this HTIB for $120 shipped to compliment my primary home theater setup. I have cable box, a PS3, DVD player and a computer hooked up to this system.
The goods:
- plenty of contectivity. 2 optical and one coax input.
- Decodes almost every thing (Dolby DTS and other I don't even know about)
- Very small foot print
- Wall mountable/ very small speakers
- Fills up a small room with enough sound
The Bads:
- Sound is really just okay. Sounds much better than my 50 inch samsung TV.
- Music sounds horrible on these speakers, movies sound okay.
- No video (HDMI) inputs, at this price I don't know if it's fair to expect these
To wrap it up I'd say for the money these are pretty good but not a serious replacement for good sound system.
Customer Review: Great 5.1 dolby/DTS sound at a great price
(Please look at pictures in image gallery for picture of product setup) I purchased this system off ebay for a reasonable price. I would've bought it on Amazon, but it was not being offered on Amazon anymore. My setup consists of a Toshiba 37" LCD HDTV, a PS3, and a Dish Network HD box. At first I wasn't too sure if this would work with my PS3, but after reading tons of reviews for this system (on Amazon and several other sites) I decided that this was the perfect setup for me. At the time I ordered the system, my room was pretty small, about 10x10. I purchased this system, and I also purchased 2 sets (each set contains 2)of Atlantic 77305018 Satellite Speaker stands. There is a great little video tutorial on youtube that shows a young man unpacking his system and setting it up.
Though not necessary, it was nice for me to be able to see everything before I got the system. Made setting it up all the more easier. The hardest part of the install for me was running the speaker wire through the tube of the Atlantic speaker stand. But with patience and a ballpen to help push the wire down, I got it down the other side on all four stands. I then placed the satellites in the four corners of my room, and the center channel I placed in front of the TV, right in the center below it. (TV is on a stand) Best placement for center channel speaker is either right below TV or right on top of it, in the center. (as far as I know) I then adjusted the speaker stands (Great stands by the way!)so that they were about ear level. (measured them all with tape measure to make sure they were at equal height.) I then angled the front speakers inwards a bit, and placed the subwoofer/receiver directly to the right of the TV stand. (right of the TV while you are looking from it) I made all the connections, and then proceeded with the MCACC calibration. Note: I use HDMI to connect my ps3 and dish network satellite box to my television, then used digital optical cables to run both ps3 and Dish Network box to HTS-GS1. The system comes with one optical cable, it was a thin black plastic cable which looked pretty dinky, but does the job fine. I purchased another optical cable beforehand since I knew I would need it. I placed the system's box on top of my chair, then placed the microphone on top of the box. (make sure room is quiet as possible when doing test) The system began to emit a series of cool sounds for several minutes, which swept across the room. After this was done, I inserted Batman Begins into the Blu-Ray Player, then skipped to the batmobile chase scene. WOW! I was able to hear sounds which were completely lacking when watching it through the dull TV speakers. I heard screeching of tires, crashes, explosions, and when the Batmobile jumped through the waterfall I thought I was going to get splashed for a second!
Simply put, the 5.1 surround sound will change your home viewing experience. I then put in Metal Gear Solid 4, and played through a level in which artillery shells are being dropped all over the place. Holy battlefield Batman! This transformed my gaming experience completely. When I play Hot Shots Golf, I can hear birds and all kinds of funny stuff coming through the rear speakers. It is fantastic. For optimal sound, you will want these speakers at around ear level. Have the rear speakers in the corners of the room. Have the front left,front right, and center channel speaker at an equal distance from your listening position. Since I bought the system, I moved to a bigger room which is 16x15. I placed the rear speakers in the corners, center channel in same spot under TV, and have the front right and left speakers each about 36" to the sides of the TV. The sound is superb. I also purchased 5 wiremold white cordmate Kit #C110 from Amazon, which allowed me to conceal all the wiring which runs to the speakers. I highly recommend this as well if you want to conceal your speaker wiring. Overall, I would recommend this setup to anyone who is looking for an inexpensive way to truly enjoy 5.1 dolby and DTS. I know I could get better sound if I purchased a seperate receiver and speakers at a higher price, but for my purposes, this system suits me 100%. I wanted to enjoy dolby and dts for my games,movie, and Dish Network HD, and this has allowed me to do so. I am very pleased with this purchase.
Pioneer HTS-GS1 5.1-Channel Surround Sound System for the Xbox 360