@ Wekko:

As been confirmed by Hardware.Info Magazine who tested it during various conditions, the console with TSST drive scratches even when it is laying flat on a stable surface (or standing up). They've tested it with new discs and without moving the console while a disc was inserted.

Any other brand of optical drive used in the Xbox 360 have no problems with scratching or whatsoever. Even when tilted or mildly shaken. Of course, tilting or shaking isn't the way one should handle a console, but it sure gives a hell of a good comparison to the faulty TSST drives. It's like: "look, the TSST drive scratches when laying flat and all other drives can even handle tilting and a little shaking and still won't scratch."

That's what this whole problem's about. Not the scratching alone, but the fact only one company's drive produces it. With that said, Microsoft has already confirmed the problem and is taking action for the European Union (EU). It's still unkown what Microsoft will do for the US. I think it will most likely depent on the amount of 360 owners in the US with this problem. According to the Dutch numer of faulty drives/consoles (over a thousand), the US number of faulty drives/consoles could potentialy be tens of thousands. If this is a correct number, then Microsoft will take action I believe. With that amount they can't just ignore the problem and their customers.

I've noticed the "Kassa" article is translated horrible by babelfish. For anyone that might be interested, here's a better translation (as far as my English goes as a Dutch native).

A fact to understand the numbers more easily: "Kassa" has an estimated viewing audience of 1.5 million every show (once a week that is). That's about 10% of the population in The Netherlands.

---
EC asks Microsoft to clarify Xbox [360] problems

The European Commission (EC) will tackle the problem with Microsofts game console Xbox. As told by Meglena Kuneva, European commissioner for consumer matter, last friday in an interview on "VARA"'s radio programme "Radio Kassa". Kuneva has sent a letter to Microsoft, in which she asks them for clarification concerning the recent problems with the device.

The TV programme "Kassa" revealed some weeks ago that the Xbox scratches the games cds. More than thousand customers notified "Kassa" about the problem, but the problem seems to be concerning Xbox [360]'s worldwide. It concerns a batch of probably 2 million Xbox consoles which have been equipped with a bad dvd-drive, all of them produced in 2006. Microsoft denied the problem at first, but at the end of april they came to a settlement with Dutch customers. As of today, the company still refuses a worldwide recall.

Because the Xbox problems are not limited to The Netherlands, Kuneva has now asked Microsoft for a clarification. She's given the company a week to reply on the matter how to solve the problem for other European countries, and pushes Xbox users from all over Europe to file a complaint together.

Kuneva said in "Radio Kassa" she expects Microsoft to pick up and handle with the problem rapidly and in a good way. In "Radio Kassa", she spoke of "a strong matter" about which she has addressed Microsoft firmly.

Listen to the fragment from "Radio Kassa" of 1-6-2007 [link]

On the website of European commissioner Meglena Kuneva the next statement is to be found:

[statement already in English]
---

Dutch review website Hardware.Info (also available in English), revealed a detailed report about the scratching Xbox consoles:
http://www.hardware.info/en-UK/articles/amdnY2pxZGOa/Scratching_Xbox_360/

News articles from the same website:
April 15th: http://www.hardware.info/en-UK/news/ym%2BclJqawpya/Microsoft_admits_Xbox_360_problems/
April 25th: http://www.hardware.info/en-UK/news/ym%2BclZqZwpaa/Microsoft_admits_xbox360_may_cause_scratches/

There are also video links to Youtube in the news articles where you can see the TV Programma with English subtitling.

That just makes it succesful, not a good movie. Although it is in my opinion.