Your post is a little dated, but I thought I’d write anyway. I have experienced the exact same problem. My xbox 360 was replaced and all purchased content from xbox live now only works for my gamertag (used to purchase the content) and if I’m logged into xbox live. It took some research to find out what exactly was the problem. Your podcast and another website post (http://www.paraesthesia.com/blog/comments.php?id=1059_0_1_0_C) cleared up the issues.
I agree that Microsoft’s approach with the DRM for Xbox Live DL Content stinks, and that the frontline support people who deal with your issues are not either qualified or are not properly equipped to handle the problem. It took 4 calls to find someone who had a clue what I was talking about. As a side note, it took 15-20 minutes on each call just for them to properly find my account with my name, gamertage, phone number and email address…rediculous…fix your systems and processes….geez…what a waste of money on their part. Anyway, back to the DRM. I understand the need, but there needs to be a method to transfer your content/rights to another xbox.
My understanding of the rights is that when you buy something (arcade title, map packs, gamer pictures, themes, etc…) on xbox live, your gamertag is given rights to it and the xbox console and hd are give rights to it. Therefore, anyone on the console can use the content and the gamertag purchasing the content can use it on another console provided they login with that gamertag. That is exactly why the content I purchased is not working on the new console sent to me by Microsoft. It works with my gamertag if I’m logged in, but it doesn’t work with other gamertags on the same console.
Microsoft’s solution to the problem as of today (10/18/2006) is the following:
*Create a new Xbox Live Silver account on the new console
*Give them a list of what was purchased and the amounts paid; This isn’t easy if you’ve purchased a lot of different stuff and there is no record anywhere of what you’ve purchased; They couldn’t even tell me what I’ve bought or didn’t want to so they didn’t have to credit me; But, I was able to get most if not all of it
*They will credit the new xbox account with enough points to re-purchase the content within 5-10 business days
This solution now allows all the content to work on the new xbox regardless of who is playing, and you still maintain your rights to take the content to another console under the original gamertag and the new one. For some reason, they will not credit the original gamertag with the points. They make you create the new one. I think there is an issue that the re-purchase would still not allow the content use by others on the new console because the content was already purchased with the same gamertag on another console. That’s why they make you create the new gamertag specific to that console.
I’m now in the waiting for my credit period. I’m OK with the solution I guess. I think they could have made this easier by allowing the transfer of the rights to another xbox.
Anyway, that’s my story and at least they have a solution laid out, even if it isn’t ideal. You just have to hope you get the right tech support person who knows.
