XBOX mods

[Aurora]

Hi there.. i have just modded my XBOX, and am amazed with the amount of apps/BIOSes/homegrown software that can be run on it..

Anyone else here dabbled with there machine..(not chatting pirate games here folks!)

I think i'll be upgrading the harddrive next and getting a lurvly case wrap form Kustom..

[slartiBardfarst]

i've tried to get my brother to mod his with at least a mod-chip and glowing centre of the 'x' but he doesn't want to loose the warrantee. if i had one i would mod the hell out of it.

lets have a look at yours.

[NickB]

Been helping a mate of mine mod his for quite a while. Currently having problems changing the hard drive for a 120GB one. Then we're going to put linux on it.
Nick

[Jooster]

Got mine with an 80Gig HDD in it.

Modded it cos i lost interest in it...
Lost interest in the Mod once i got Live!

Meh, cest la vie!

[Aurora]

I have heard of some people having difficulty with increasing the HD in the XBOX..

Apparently Maxtor drives are most compatible..and you get better results using cable select

At the moment i have just fitted the chip, changed the bios/dash board and replaced the EIDE cable with an ATA133.. Apparently improves the drive performance..

will post some pics when i have something decent to show..

Might go for a light mod of some type (EL wire maybe) + a new larger HD

will keep ya posted:)

[ace567]

were can you get it modded quickly and cheap

[Aurora]

Im in N.ireland matey so i don't know if i would be of much use to you..

You could always go for the solder free option

[InfamousButcher]

What a great machine a modded X-box is!!!!!!

A bit on the noisy side, but that can be overcome with online tutorials.

Great for gaming, watching movies (inc DiVX/XVid, OGG etcetcetc) and general pottering. Great for us tinkerers.

Although I still haven't worked out how to play 1st person shooters without using a mouse!!!!!!

IB.

[Craig]

Originally posted by InfamousButcher


Although I still haven't worked out how to play 1st person shooters without using a mouse!!!!!!

IB.

Tfft, you oldies always are slow to adapt :)

[NickB]

Originally posted by Craig
Tfft, you oldies always are slow to adapt :)

Despite what is said about the controls for Halo etc on the Xbox, and indeed any FPS on any platform, you won't get better control than a keyboard and mouse.
Nick

[master baits]

tis true thats why i do my fps on the pc...everything else just about on console.

clinical shooting seems to me to be much harder with a pound of plastic with 15 buttons.

[NickB]

To be honest I didn't play a console FPS properly until Halo, but the controls were still only just passable even then.
Nick

[DarkEntity]

Xbox Ver1.3
Executor 2.3 B
Evolution X
Biohazard Jewel UV (in post)
Uv Cathode (in post)
200gig Hdd

[DarkEntity]

Originally posted by InfamousButcher
What a great machine a modded X-box is!!!!!!

A bit on the noisy side, but that can be overcome with online tutorials.

Great for gaming, watching movies (inc DiVX/XVid, OGG etcetcetc) and general pottering. Great for us tinkerers.

Although I still haven't worked out how to play 1st person shooters without using a mouse!!!!!!

IB.

Noisy?

change the fan then, u can get LED fans, UV fans the works :)

[FLiX]

Any links to good guides on "updating" my xbox?

[DarkEntity]

www.xbox-scene.com
www.teamexecutor.com
www.allxboxskins.com

some of the sites i frequent :)

[NickB]

Also try:
http://www.xboxhackz.com/index.shtml

And for something a little different (not really mod guides):
http://www.llamma.com/xbox/beowulf.htm
http://www.xdeck.net/

Nick

[DarkEntity]

also try www.xbins.com

[DarkEntity]

Piccy of my EvoX Dash ;)

[DarkEntity]

Xbox In Stupid yellow light :P

[DarkEntity]

Xbox at night,


so far all ive done is take out all the green/red Leds in the xbox and replace them with ultra bright blue :)

i also have replaced the red/green led from the Executor 2.3B mod chip with a blue one ;)


anyone see a them happening...


in the post is a UV biohazard Jewel to replace the Xbox one on top, then its a matter of cutting the hole, mounting the LED fan cathode and pray ;)

[DarkEntity]

on the night time shot if you are wondering what the blue light is to the left, i have the Mod chip switch bank mounted inside the front of the Xbox case for neatness, and also means kids fingers dont fiddle :)

[fantasticdan]

Hey, It was mentioned in at kustom today about the various things that can eb done with an xbox.

Since i know very little about these, i was interested in what can be done to an xbox, mentioned where various linux possibilities. Also mentioned were its possibilities as a media player. I have to say this interested me more.

Any info greatly appreciated.

[NickB]

Take a look at: http://www.xbox-linux.org/
It's got all the FAQs, Guides etc you'll need. The main hurdles are of course the modchip BIOS needing to be replaced (personally I went for one of the dual BIOS modchips so I could still use Live!). The hard drive is an optional, but very worthwhile, upgrade, although some friends of mine have had problems with it. Finally getting a mouse and keyboard is easier than it has been (you used to have to mod a USB keyboard and mouse onto Xbox controller connectors) since you can buy keyboards and mice which are already set up. Either way it's a fun little project to do, but if you're just using it to learn about Linux there are much easier ways.
Nick

[DarkEntity]

were can you get it modded quickly and cheap

its a doddle to mod urself

executor chips is 1 wire and a 10point pin header, piece of ****

[DarkEntity]

my little Xbox ;)

Xbox Ver1.3
Executor 2.3B
EvoX Dash
120Gig Hard Disk
Media Centre
replaced all LEDs for Blue ones
skinned xbox with Brushed alu skin
replaced stock Jewel with UV biohazard
inserted UV cathode under jewel for lovely glow
added blue Leds in controller cables

[InfamousButcher]

The media player capabilities really does make the X-box the Westies testes.

o 1st Class connectivity to your TV
o 5.1 Sound, optical or copper
o Idiot-proof remote control
o Regularly updated Media Centre application, including regular codec updates
o 100Mbps network interface, so media can be stored on a server and streamed to the xbox
o Quiet unit (can be modded to be silent)
o Doesn't look like a PC sitting under your TV.
o So simple the cat could use it!

AND all for < £200.

It does require the installation of a mod chip tho, but there are places you can buy pre-modded consoles which will come with a warranty.


I was going to say take a look here (http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/) but it looks like the site is down. So you could try here (http://www.xbox-scene.com/) instead.

Go on....you know you want to.......


IB.

[mattyj172003]

Had a chip in for a while and looking to put in a new hard drive , is it possible to install 1 with info on already or do you have to format ?

[DarkEntity]

if you mean an already xbox formatted hard disk, then yes you can just stick it straight in.

if u mean buy a new harddisk then no, you must format it to the xbox FAT and partition standard for the main part for the OS as it were.

easiest way to format an xbox hard disk is with the slayers install disk available from xbins

[GBDarkAngel]

Hold on there Cowboys.....You dont need a mod chip installed to run a Legal Linux. It only require a bridge to be soldered on the Mobo. There was a cracking guide on how to do it in a PC magazine, which for the life of me i cant remember which one.
But if you want to do the full shebang, ie..apps..media..networking it to your Pc i would do the chip and get a swith installed also so that the chip can be turned off.

Dark Entity...PM me m8 as i live in the same area as you and we can maybe trade some games etc..etc..

[GBDarkAngel]

One more thing whilst we are on the subject. Can anyone remember the Yank Firm that was doing the CPU upgrades for XBOX. Last i heard they were installing 1.4ghz CPU's in them but havent heard anything about them in a long time.
I would also love to try the GPU replacement but i think that could be a rather expensive Project.

[[M]uuhh]

why not just build a mitx it would e cheaper/easier than changing cpu/gfx card in a xbox lol!

[InfamousButcher]

The US firm turbo-charging the XBox is Friend Tech (www.friendtech.com).

There have been mixed reviews of them tho'.


IB.

[DarkEntity]

im pretty sure bauldbouncer and divineo sell the ram upgrades for xbox :)

[peter]

can modded xbox's still access live ok ..cos i heard that live checks the size of HD ...also how can u install all the other software ( divx , etc ) without getting it chipped ????

n e 1 with a chipped xbox tried live ???

[Aurora]

hi there..

unchipped xbox's (in theory) cannot play 3rd party or homegrown software. So if you have no chip. forget about divx etc. I have heard of save game hacks that do not need a chip but apparently it takes a long time to set them up and you need to know what you are doing.

The best app for media is definatley XBMP (very impressive, pretty much plays everything!)

Xbox live detects 2 things.. presence of chip and modified harddrive..

WARNING: you must use original games and not backups on XBOX Live or you will be barred for life!

You can simply disable your chip. To deal with the hardrive issue you must "lock" the modified drive to your xbox. This can be done by a number of utilities/dashes out there (Feel free to remove this moderators if i am overstepping the mark)

Hope this helps

[Fireblade]

... Feel free to remove this moderators if i am overstepping the mark...

Just mentioning things like that is unlikely t' incur the wrath of MODs. Suggesting where to get 'em... or linking to 'em direct on the other hand...

:D

[DarkEntity]

I think we have already posted links to sites who sell xbox chips. These arent illegal btw. When bought all xbox chips ship with cromwell Linux preinstalled, as it is this is legal a legal 3rd party bios. As soon as you flash the bios with executor, or one of the others that it then becomes a tad dodgy ;)

there are a few decent UK stores selling Xbox mod chips.

divineo and bauldbouncer are the better ones, bauldbouncer usually has the newest executor chips first as he has a link with the chip creators :)

[Maikiro]

Hi Guys and Gals.

Just got an xbox and is thinking of modding it.

whats the best md so i can use Xbox live / games and run linux..

and how do i find out which xbox version do i have..

can any one help, and advise where in uk to get it done..

Maikiro

[[M]uuhh]

you cant have lunux and use xbox live on the same hdd