*** Xbox One FAQ: Please read before posting ***

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions by users, with regard to the Xbox One & associated services like Xbox Live. There are links within each answer, to the appropriate thread where you can find more information or discussion on that subject.

Where to buy an Xbox One?
As of November 2014, the general consensus in the Bargains thread is that Argos is the best place to get a good deal. As the prices and bundles change pretty often, you should check/ask in the “Xbox Bargain Alerts (Games/Hardware/Accessories)” thread for the latest deals.

Now that I’ve got one, what else do I need?
To get the best from an Xbox One, you should have a TV that is Full HD, and an internet connection. As games and patches can be quite large, a high speed broadband connection is recommended. An Xbox Live Gold subscription is also recommended for online play.

What is Xbox Live Gold?
Xbox Live is a subscription that allows you to play multiplayer games online. It also has free games every month, and further deals on a variety of games. Only one subscription is needed per console. The “Xbox Live Subscriptions and Microsoft Points” thread will have the latest details on where to get it cheap.

Free games? What’s that about?
It’s called “Games with Gold”, and it provides a number of games for free each month. These games are available on either Xbox 360 or Xbox One, and are only available for a limited time. However, once you download them, they are available to play so long as you maintain your Xbox Live Gold subscription. To find out more, visit the “Games with Gold” thread.

Can I try Xbox Live Gold before I decide to buy it?
Trial codes sometimes come with select games, and there should be a trial code included in every console. Failing that, ask really nicely in the “The Free XBL Code Thread”

I’ve got Xbox Live Gold, but don’t have any friends to play with?
Post your Gamer Tag in the “Gamer Tag Thread”, and add a few of the names in there. You’ll be sorted in no time.

Can I play my old Xbox 360 games on Xbox One?
The answer to this question used to be a flat "No", however, this is now changing. The November update, which will be available from the 12th, will include Backward Compatibility for certain games. More will be added over time and a list of games that are compatible will be released on the 9th.

What’s EA Access, and why is everyone saying it’s great?
It’s another subscription service, except provided by EA. You get access to the EA Game vault, where you can download full games, and you get a six hour trial of upcoming EA games. You also receive 10% off EA games and DLC. The cost is currently €25 per year. You can find out more by asking in the “EA Access” thread.

I've heard people referring to "Game Sharing", what are they on about?
If you sign into your Xbox One, you can set it as your "Home Xbox". This will then share any digital games you own with everyone on that console, even if you are no longer signed in. This is useful if you or your family own multiple consoles, even if they are miles apart.

For more information, see the "About My home Xbox" page provided by Microsoft, along with the "Using Xbox Live Gold sharing features on Xbox One" page.

I’ve just bought an Xbox One bundle with X game, but there’s no disk in the pack! Where is it?
Don’t worry, some bundles no longer come with a disk, instead they come with a code that allows you download the game. Look through the pack and you should find it. Instructions on how to download the game should be on the card.

I’ve bought an Xbox One for my child as a Christmas present, do I need to do anything pre-Christmas?
In order to have the smoothest Christmas morning, yes, you do. Connect the Xbox to your TV, and to your internet, and then turn it on. It will download and install the latest update, which can take some time depending on your internet connection. Once that’s complete, you should then install any games that you bought with it. In some Xbox One bundles, the game comes as a code that allows you to download the game.

I’m installing a game, but it is taking so long, what’s happening?
During the install process, the Xbox One also downloads and installs any patches/updates the game has. If your connection is slow, you might be better off cancelling the install, disconnecting the Xbox One from the internet, and then installing again. This will allow you to play without downloading anything.

I’ve heard I can buy games from other regions digitally, is this legally okay?
Originally this was totally fine, however, recently it seems that Microsoft is starting to restrict this. The boards.ie head honchos have not clarified if discussion regarding this is okay or not, but until then, discussion is not allowed.

I’ve got X headset, can I use it with my Xbox One?
It might work straight away, or it might need an adapter, or it might not work at all. There’s plenty of people willing to help you out in the “Xbox Headset Discussion” thread, so direct any questions there.

I’m having a terrible time online, there’s all kinds of problems! What do I do?
Most likely, one of two things are going wrong. First check the “Xbox Live Status” page, where Microsoft will tell you if anything has gone wrong on their end. Second, check your NAT type, and then ask for help in the “Xbox One NAT” thread. To check your NAT type fully, follow the easy instructions on the “Xbox One NAT Error” page.

With an Xbox One, what multimedia options do I have?
There's a wealth of options available, the most prominent of which is the TV functionality. By plugging your Cable/Satellite provider into your Xbox One, via the HDMI cable, then you are able to view and control your television through the Xbox One. Multiple providers are supported in Ireland, like Sky and UPC. This is also Kinect Compatible.

There's also a "Media Player" app available on the Xbox One. This allows you to view pictures and videos on a USB stick or a network drive through the Xbox One. If your insert a USB stick with videos files on it, the Xbox One should prompt you to install the Media Player app, or you can find it in the App store.

In addition, there is a multitude of Media apps available on the App store. These include popular favourites such as Netflix. You do not require an Xbox Live Gold subscription to use these apps, but you do require a subscription to the relevant service, E.g. Netflix, etc.

Questions about any of this should be directed at the "Xbox One General Discussion".

Finally, you can also watch live TV through the use of the Xbox One TV Tuner accessory. This requires a digital TV antenna or coaxial outlet to function. More information can be found in the "Xbox tv tuner" thread.

My Xbox One is making a weird noise, is that normal?
No, it is not. The Xbox One should be near silent at all times. Some models of the console have an unusual noise if the Kinect is not attached. Microsoft will replace your console if this happens. You can find out more in the “Hardware Discussion Thread”

There’s not much room left on my Xbox One, what should I do?
With the latest updates, you can now attach an external hard drive to the Xbox One to have a rather seamless expansion of available space. The only restriction are that the hard drive has to be USB3, and it has to be at least 256GB in size. You can currently get 2TB compatible hard drives online for around €80. That’s four times the size of the internal Xbox One hard drive. You can find out more in the “Hardware Discussion Thread”

I’ve just got a new update on the console, what was in it?
Microsoft has been adding new features to the Xbox One on a monthly basis. To find out more, and to discuss the changes, check the “Xbox One Dashboard” thread. There’s also a preview program, where you can get access to a beta of the next dashboard. If you want into this program, then ask for an invite in that thread, and hope that your name is picked.

I’m really enjoying X game, where should I tell everyone?
There’s an “Xbox Gaming” thread for all discussion of games, so you can start there.

Which should I get, Playstation 4 or Xbox One? Which is better?
While these questions are very relevant, any time that these questions are asked, the thread soon turns into a toxic mess of bickering. As such, posts of this kind are generally closed/deleted.

But I'm parent with no clue about games, which console should I get as a present for my child?
The answer to this is always the same: get whichever console his friends already own. It's as simple as that.

Got any other useful links?
You can check out the “Swapping Games” thread if you want to swap any games, and there’s also the “Weekly XBLA Game Deals” thread for deals on any Xbox Live Arcade games that come out. That thread is mainly Xbox 360 though.

(Full credit for the above information goes to CatInABox)
(Link to old 'Useful Links' thread)