XBox modding question ...

[DarkWolf]

CDR's ... been reading a lot about how XBox's are finiky with cdr media ... the phillips and thompson drives won't see 'em, the samsungs will, tricks to make the phillips drives read them ... been dreading the thought that I may have to change my XBox's dvd drive once I've got the modchip in there, just to be able to play my divx movies that I have on cdr. Or convert 'em all to cdrw, which for some reason none of the XBox drives have problems reading cdrw's :confused: That's just ... that doesn't make any sense. Why see / use cdrw, but not cdr?

So all this time, I've been checking prices on dvd drives, and reading posts on installing 'em in the XBox ... and then it dawned on me. Why not test? So I threw in an audio cdr (tried both a direct cd to cd copy, and made one by converting mp3's), and it's working beautifully. Now, am I to assume that I just got lucky and got one of the Samsung drives in mine? Or do newer XBox's just not have a problem reading off cdr's?

Beyond that, I'm most likely going to be putting an order for the Matrix mod chip tomorrow. I want to be able to take it back to stock just incase something goes wrong down the line (got the 2 year replacement plan). Leave no trace of my experimentation :)

Now, anyone know where I can find a 5400 rpm 80GB drive? Preferrably Maxtor. Assuming they even exist. 7200 will work too, but I'm not sure how much extra heat is generated by the 7200 rpm drives ... and whether or not it's enough to be concerned with.

[FlowJack]

I'll do some testing with cdr media today. I have an older XBox (v 1.0). I haven't bothered to try because I've just been ftp'ing movie and audio files over to the XBox HDD and playing them over there using the XBox Media Player.

I have the Matrix chip and it worked well. I actually ended up with 1 soldered connection but that was only because I had stripped the screw and ended up having to use a bolt on the other side of the motherboard. While the board was out we soldered a wire to the "D0" connection point. (The Matrix was giving us a green light indicating proper alignment when really it was touching the point directly next to the D0 point) Difficult to troubleshoot at first. I HIGHLY recommend getting a color bios for the chip (makes the XBox logo change colors when you boot up). I couldn't imagine trying to figure out alignment issues without it.

People have had good luck with 120 GB Maxtor drives. I'm looking for one myself. The games I've messed with so far have ranged from 775 MB to 4 GB so that tiny XBox HDD has to go asap.

[trey85stang]

enlighten me on what you guys are doing with your xbox... you're copying movies and audio to the HD and watching and listening...

are you doing the same with games?? copying them to the HD...

if so.. post me up a link so i can study this
:)

thanks
trey

[FlowJack]

Originally posted by trey85stang
enlighten me on what you guys are doing with your xbox... you're copying movies and audio to the HD and watching and listening...

are you doing the same with games?? copying them to the HD...

if so.. post me up a link so i can study this
:)

thanks
trey

all of those things are possible;)

http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/howto/story/0,24330,3420568,00.html

http://www.xbox-scene.com/tutorials.php

[DarkWolf]

Right on FlowJack! Yeah, let me know the status of audio cdr's. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I just got lucky, and got one with a samsung drive :D

Trey, there's a TON of information out there on this. The links FlowJack provided are the tip of the iceberg. Do a google search for "xbox mod" "xbox modding" "xbox emulation" or "xbox emulators" ... and be prepared to sit and read for a while :D

[66Deuce]

In another thread about this .... someone said that if you mod your xbox with a chip, that you can't play online. Is that true?

:confused:

[navman7]

That is TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you have any modchipped XBOX when you log on to LIVE it is checked for the OEM bios, if you don't have an oEM bios you are blocked out. Go to some of the XBOX mod sites to read up on how to avoid this. HINT it's a switch on the outside of your box.......:D .

Later, Ron H.

[DarkWolf]

Yup, install a switch. Real easy too ... just two wires soldered to the appropriate point on the mod chip, routed outside the box, attached to a simple push button or flip style on/off switch. You can get fancy, and build something into the case ... but if you're going for the "without a trace" method, like myself ... you won't want to be cutting holes into the case :D

The original bios is unaffected by mod chips, as they hold their own bios (thus allowing for the use of emulators, and multimedia playback capabilities.) By turning off the modchip, the original XBox bios is returned control of the system, and XBox Live works like normal.

[ky98gst]

We didnt install a switch on Flowjack's, I dont see us playing xbox live ever anyways. I do suggest the mod though, I dont know whats cooler than copying games right on to the HD. Wish there was something like that available for my PS2.

[66Deuce]

I am really interested in the chip mods, but at the same time don't want to take a chance on frying the board in my X-box. Anybody live in Arlington that would wanna come by and let me see how theirs works or let me come by their place?