project
Project time.
I have maintained a voyeuristic eye on the xbox modchip 'scene' for a while, now, and mostly been dissuaded by the modifications required (in some cases mounting switches on the case), degree of soldering (20+ wires) and limited function.
Early 2004 saw the first of the '4th generation' chips being released. Apart from anything else, these feature software control of various functions (obviating messy case modifications) and a degree of 'idiot-proofing' that buffered against destroying the xbox in the event of a stuff up.
What follows is summary of my recent experiences with installing and setting up one of these chips.
In brief, I ordered a Xenium chip from Hi-Voltage.
I had originally intended to try and find a solderless adapter (like this) but they had sold out. This meant I could wait until they restocked or rely on the 'expertise' in all things technical and mechanical that comes with each Y chromosome. To this end, I borrowed rustythoughts soldering iron.
To be fair, a number of chips these days make use of a section of board that is designed to accept a pinheader (small plastic block with a number of terminals. One side slots into the board and is soldered in place, the other allows connection of a plug or plugs, in this case on the modchip itself) which makes soldering relatively simple. A single wire needs to be soldered to the board and this was the most ... interesting task. This wire, when un-grounded, instructs the system to boot from the on-board bios (normal MS), when grounded, to boot from the LPC points (where you solder the chip). The solder point is not a hole through all the PCB layers, just a lacquered point.
The box came apart surprisingly easily, the board came out smoothly, the soldering seemed fine and the process was reversed. Despite my initial confidence in my competence, I was pleasantly surprised that it powered up first time to the chip's OS.
As an aside, it is legal (in Australia) to produce and sell a modchip (ruling delivered over Playstation modchips as I recall). The chip itself is useless without some firmware and the only firmware that is legal is stuff that has been developed independently of Microsoft and without using the Xbox Development Kit. The chip arrived with just such a bios, but it is very limited. To really get interesting, you need a less than legal bios on that chip, one that has been developed with an unsanctioned copy of the XDK.
So, I read various forums and web sites that strictly insist that no discussion of illegal software, bios' or where such might be located will be tolerated. Such discussion, I read, is best kept to IRC channels where anonymity can be assured and where the providers are not held responsible for their content. Directions to such IRC channels were available. From there, usernames and passwords to ftp servers that may host such software are provided.
There you can find much more interesting software, usually compiled or developed with the aid of or reference to the official MS dev kit - hence the illegality and rather obsessive secrecy about the entire thing. I had an idea of the bios I wanted and so downloaded the latest version of same.
Next, I needed to transfer this bios to the chip’s memory. In older models this could have involved external cables running to a PC or something equally awkward, but this version simply requires it to be burned to CD-RW and flashed from there.
'Simply' took a week due to a poorly written manual, but succeeded in the end.
This bios now allowed me to install and run a different dashboard (the interface that allows you to set date and time, add music, etc on the MS version). The one I chose acts as an FTP server that meant could transfer files from a networked PC rather than via the DVD drive (which requires aspecific format). It also introduces other options, like being able to run games (from the hard drive), other software and provides a lot more information about the xbox itself (IP address, space left, CPU temp, status of drive etc.)
Next, a media player written for the xbox and called, imaginatively, the Xbox Media Player. It plays or displays a much wider range of formats, and with the installation of a small service on my PC, the xbox would now play audio and video stored on a network share.
Installation and configuration took a day, but at the end of it, I had all the original functions (games and DVD) as well as being able to copy and play back games from hard disk or burned media and the ability playmp3sand DivX (for example) from a PC. Navigation from remote or controller works smoothly although the region free DVD player is a little clunky and I am looking at another package that should make it completely unobtrusive.
Future plans include swapping the 8Gb hard drive for something a little larger (fiddly due to proprietary formatting but well documented) and upgrading the firmware on a Belkin 802.11G access point (which I have) so it can act as a bridge (which is what is needed) to do away with the network cable.
I have maintained a voyeuristic eye on the xbox modchip 'scene' for a while, now, and mostly been dissuaded by the modifications required (in some cases mounting switches on the case), degree of soldering (20+ wires) and limited function.
Early 2004 saw the first of the '4th generation' chips being released. Apart from anything else, these feature software control of various functions (obviating messy case modifications) and a degree of 'idiot-proofing' that buffered against destroying the xbox in the event of a stuff up.
What follows is summary of my recent experiences with installing and setting up one of these chips.
In brief, I ordered a Xenium chip from Hi-Voltage.
I had originally intended to try and find a solderless adapter (like this) but they had sold out. This meant I could wait until they restocked or rely on the 'expertise' in all things technical and mechanical that comes with each Y chromosome. To this end, I borrowed rustythoughts soldering iron.
To be fair, a number of chips these days make use of a section of board that is designed to accept a pinheader (small plastic block with a number of terminals. One side slots into the board and is soldered in place, the other allows connection of a plug or plugs, in this case on the modchip itself) which makes soldering relatively simple. A single wire needs to be soldered to the board and this was the most ... interesting task. This wire, when un-grounded, instructs the system to boot from the on-board bios (normal MS), when grounded, to boot from the LPC points (where you solder the chip). The solder point is not a hole through all the PCB layers, just a lacquered point.
The box came apart surprisingly easily, the board came out smoothly, the soldering seemed fine and the process was reversed. Despite my initial confidence in my competence, I was pleasantly surprised that it powered up first time to the chip's OS.
As an aside, it is legal (in Australia) to produce and sell a modchip (ruling delivered over Playstation modchips as I recall). The chip itself is useless without some firmware and the only firmware that is legal is stuff that has been developed independently of Microsoft and without using the Xbox Development Kit. The chip arrived with just such a bios, but it is very limited. To really get interesting, you need a less than legal bios on that chip, one that has been developed with an unsanctioned copy of the XDK.
So, I read various forums and web sites that strictly insist that no discussion of illegal software, bios' or where such might be located will be tolerated. Such discussion, I read, is best kept to IRC channels where anonymity can be assured and where the providers are not held responsible for their content. Directions to such IRC channels were available. From there, usernames and passwords to ftp servers that may host such software are provided.
There you can find much more interesting software, usually compiled or developed with the aid of or reference to the official MS dev kit - hence the illegality and rather obsessive secrecy about the entire thing. I had an idea of the bios I wanted and so downloaded the latest version of same.
Next, I needed to transfer this bios to the chip’s memory. In older models this could have involved external cables running to a PC or something equally awkward, but this version simply requires it to be burned to CD-RW and flashed from there.
'Simply' took a week due to a poorly written manual, but succeeded in the end.
This bios now allowed me to install and run a different dashboard (the interface that allows you to set date and time, add music, etc on the MS version). The one I chose acts as an FTP server that meant could transfer files from a networked PC rather than via the DVD drive (which requires aspecific format). It also introduces other options, like being able to run games (from the hard drive), other software and provides a lot more information about the xbox itself (IP address, space left, CPU temp, status of drive etc.)
Next, a media player written for the xbox and called, imaginatively, the Xbox Media Player. It plays or displays a much wider range of formats, and with the installation of a small service on my PC, the xbox would now play audio and video stored on a network share.
Installation and configuration took a day, but at the end of it, I had all the original functions (games and DVD) as well as being able to copy and play back games from hard disk or burned media and the ability playmp3sand DivX (for example) from a PC. Navigation from remote or controller works smoothly although the region free DVD player is a little clunky and I am looking at another package that should make it completely unobtrusive.
Future plans include swapping the 8Gb hard drive for something a little larger (fiddly due to proprietary formatting but well documented) and upgrading the firmware on a Belkin 802.11G access point (which I have) so it can act as a bridge (which is what is needed) to do away with the network cable.