It seems ludicrous in this day and age, but they did it.
They seem to have intentionally made the xbox laser
incapable of reading any CDr disc. The laser needs to be
set to a minimum power rating to read through die-sublimated discs, as opposed to the clear plastic of professionally duplicated "silver" discs.
As a major CD collector though, it peeves me. The xbox is hooked up to the best stereo system in the house, as it is the center of my entertainment system. I can play my favorite major-label CDs through it.
But I also have other discs I'd like to hear on a big system: I have CDs that i bought through mp3.com which are made-to-order. I have a tour disc from a local LA band called GoldSpot that was replicated and sold for $8. I have a CD bought from my favorite band Animal 32 that was made in Cameron's house. I payed for these. They are legally copyrighted works and I wish the xbox would play them - but it doesn't.
It also seems really stupid that the xbox doesn't read CD-text. Not a big deal, but I would think being like a comnputer, and having a full screen display, you'd like to get more than just Track 1, Track 2. I have commercial CDs that have shown the CD-text in cd-text readers. Anyway, that's my two cents.