Xbox 360 is Microsoft’s second major video game. It is widely considered as the heir apparent to the Xbox. There’s no doubt that today XBox 360 poses a major threat to Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii. The choice is yours to make which one of these gives you the most fun. But granting you’ve chosen XBox 360, what of its annoying red lights while you’re at the peak of the game?

What makes XBox 360 special

XBox 360 is best known for its XBox Live and integrated software that let players continue playing online. With these, players can download game demos,  TV shows, arcade games, and many others. XBox 360 is most notable for its Windows multimedia features. You can’t fault its supreme high definition quality.

Because of these excellent features XBox 360 is prone to show off red lights, just when you’re starting to have fun as a player. When your Xbox 360 flashes the red light of distress, it can mean either one of these:

1. It is overheating. Because of its high definition entertainment features,  you obviously  lose track of time playing on it. It must have been close to half a day that you’ve been stuck on your console. You have to understand that your XBox 360 has a Nyko Inter Cooler, which many users believe as more of  a bane than a boon. When your XBox 360 starts to flash the red light it means its inter cooler system is failing. Next thing you know your console has locked up.

Apparently the flashing red light has not done any good to XBox’s 30’s image. It has in fact become a scourge for the brand: The makers did not foresee the unlikely turn of events not until the clamoring took on a force of its own: Now and then the makers get touted as fire-starters because of this. The buying public also takes it as a sign that X360m is made below par. They say that the manufacturing standards with which the consoles are made are reputedly low.

2. Dust. However remote the possibility, it could be dust has a role in your console’s flashing the red light of distress. For all you know, dust has gathered inside that leads to error.  That’s why you need to clean your console every chance you get.

3. Don’t do anything that might compromise your XBox 360’s warranty. When it’s broken, there’s no way you can have it ever replaced.

How to avoid XBox 360 overheating

Keep in mind that like all machines, all game consoles have a lifespan. They’re not made to last forever. Naturally they are subject to everyday realities like power surge or the lack of it, technical defects, player over-use, wear and tear, and so on. No self-respecting console player would turn a blind eye to these realities. In your case, you’d make the most of your XBox 360, by committing these to memory:

1. Always think about the length of use. Ideally, it should be no more than 6 hours, like most console games.
2. Take your console in a cooler room. The best space for a console game is somewhere that’s not too hot both for you and your XBox 360.

It’s always a great time to play when all systems go, and when you don’t see red.