I had the opportunity to discuss Seagate Technology's pivotal role in the development of Microsoft's upcoming gaming console, Xbox, with Michael Sklar, Director of Consumer Electronics Business Development. In this comprehensive interview, we discuss a variety of different issues relating to the development and deployment of the Seagate hard drive, and much more. Here is a snip:

ActiveWin.com: Will the hard drives for the Xbox be quieter than most that are in PC computers? How will these hard drives be different than those Seagate currently produces?

Michael Sklar: The Xbox will, from all reports, deliver an incredible audio experience, including the ability to customize a game's soundtracks by using music from CDs in the customer's collection. System acoustics will be a crucial spec for the Xbox, particularly since hard-core gamers know when the console sounds right and when it doesn't. Seagate's drives are among the quietest in the business, and CETEC can assist Microsoft in making the entire system as quiet as possible. Microsoft's specification will detail acoustics requirements, which will be met or exceeded by Seagate's offerings for Xbox.

ActiveWin.com: Does this hard drive have a MTTF (mean time to failure)? Has there been any worries about overheating?

Michael Sklar: The Xbox specification will cover MTBF (mean time between failure) and thermal specifications. Microsoft and Seagate are confident that the drives will meet or exceed all specifications. CETEC is also available to help Microsoft design the system for the best possible thermal performance and reliability.