Microsoft KB Archive/907634

= Xbox 360: Description of the Xbox 360 Controller =

Article ID: 907634

Article Last Modified on 9/4/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft XBox 360 Video Game System
 * Microsoft Xbox 360 Controller
 * Microsoft Xbox

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SUMMARY
This article describes the Xbox 360 Controller.



MORE INFORMATION
The Xbox 360 Controller is available in a wired and a wireless version.

Xbox 360 Controller actions
The Xbox 360 Controller includes the following controls:
 * Directional pad (D-pad)
 * Right stick
 * Left stick
 * A button (green button)
 * B button (red button)
 * X button (blue button)
 * Y button (yellow button)
 * Left trigger
 * Right trigger
 * Left bumper
 * Right bumper
 * START button
 * BACK button
 * Xbox Guide button

Note One of the most significant changes in the Xbox 360 Controller compared to the original Xbox controller is the addition of the left and right bumpers. Unlike the original Xbox controller, the Xbox 360 Controller does not have a black button or a white button. The black and white buttons were replaced by the left and right bumpers. The left and right bumpers are located on the top of the controller above the triggers.

Xbox Guide button
The Xbox Guide button is located in the center of the controller. With the Xbox Guide button, you can control the Xbox 360 settings and perform the following functions:
 * Turn the Xbox 360 console on and off
 * Start the Xbox Guide
 * Start the Xbox Dashboard

Binding
Binding is the identification process that an Xbox 360 Wireless Controller or an Xbox 360 Controller uses to connect to the Xbox 360 console. You can connect one wired controller to each of the three USB ports on the console, two controllers in the front and one controller in the back. You can also connect one wireless controller by using the wireless adapter. Therefore, you can connect up to four controllers to the Xbox 360 console. You cannot connect more than three wired controllers to the Xbox 360 console.

When you connect a wired controller to an Xbox 360 console, the console will &quot;bind&quot; that controller to a specific virtual port. For example, the controller that turns on the console is assigned the first port. The second controller that you connect is assigned the second port. This process continues until you connect the last controller to the console.

Ring of Light
From the Ring of Light (RoL), you receive information about controller binding and the current state of the console. For example, when you connect a wired controller to the console and press the Xbox Guide button to start the console, the console assigns port 1 to that controller. The console has four ports that can bind to a controller. The following table shows which quadrant light corresponds to each port on the console:

Note This port-quadrant light relationship remains the same whether the console is in the vertical or the horizontal position.

Inline cable release
Like the original Xbox Controller cable, the Xbox 360 Controller cable has an inline release. This release lets the controller disconnect from the cable without pulling the connector out of the port on the console. The inline release helps reduce the risk of the console or a computer getting accidentally pulled off the surface on which the component sits. To additionally reduce this risk, follow these guidelines:
 * Do not let anyone pull the controller or the controller cable in a manner that causes the console or a computer to move.
 * Do not let controller cables become crossed or tangled with other cables or cords.

Expansion ports
The expansion port on the Xbox 360 Controller lets you connect other devices, such as the Xbox 360 Headset, to the controller. The expansion port features a 2.5-mm audio connector and other connectors for additional devices.

Note The Xbox 360 Headset is sold as a separate accessory.

Xbox 360 Controller for Windows software
The Xbox 360 Controller for Windows software enables the Xbox 360 Controller to work with a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP. To download the software, visit the Downloads section on the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/gaming/productdetails.aspx

Note Install the software before you connect the Xbox 360 Controller to a powered USB 2.0 port on the computer.

After you install the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows software and connect the controller to a powered USB 2.0 port on the computer, you can verify that the controller is working by using Game Controllers in Control Panel on the computer. For more information about how the Xbox 360 Controller works with a Windows-based computer, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

906347 Xbox 360: How to connect an Xbox 360 Controller for Windows to a computer

906346 Xbox 360: How to test the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows

See the game manual to determine whether a specific game works with the Xbox 360 Controller for Windows.

Availability
The Xbox 360 System package includes the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller. The Xbox 360 Core System instead includes the wired version of the Xbox 360 Controller. The controllers are also separately available at retail locations.

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