What can you do with an xbox?

[snowman]

I just got an Xbox, have used the tools here to hack my Tivo into something I like.

Long and short, is there anything useful I can do with the xbox without buying a hacked chip? Everything I've read thus far seems to indicate that a mod chip is the first thing needed to do much of anything. Just wanting to make sure I'm not missing something. I'm just not interested in playing with the chip.

[JohnSorTivo]

I just got an Xbox, have used the tools here to hack my Tivo into something I like.

Long and short, is there anything useful I can do with the xbox without buying a hacked chip? Everything I've read thus far seems to indicate that a mod chip is the first thing needed to do much of anything. Just wanting to make sure I'm not missing something. I'm just not interested in playing with the chip.

You can flash the xbox's TSOP, to make it hackable, without installing a modchip. Xbox-scene is the best place to learn more, in general, and the following forum talks about TSOP flashing in particular:

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showforum=43

[trob]

I would heavily recommend the chip route. Its safer and easier to enable/disable. I use my chippedbox more for its multimedia capibilites than I do gaming.

[JohnSorTivo]

I would heavily recommend the chip route. Its safer and easier to enable/disable. I use my chippedbox more for its multimedia capibilites than I do gaming.

I agree with trob, and I personally think hacking the xbox is a much simpler process that even the Tivo, despite using a modchip.

BTW, I can't remember the last time I actually played a game with my xbox, but I use XBMC, for streaming media, almost daily.

[redfiver]

and the newer versions of XBMC are great. There is iTunes support so you can play all your iTunes playlists through the xbox. I really enjoy that feature. I just made XBMC my dashboard as i was using it more than anything else, so might as well have it launch when I boot up the xbox :-)

[grabb]

I disagree with John and trob to some degree on the issue of using a modchip vs. a softmod. The modchip is a technically superior solution (especially if you wan to use xbox live). However, it requires some soldering skills and equipment that many people just don't have. That being said, I recommend using a modchip if you have an older xbox, as the soldering required is easy (and there is a no solder option which works pretty well). If you have a 1.6 version xbox (made within last year or so) installation of a modchip requires some very difficult soldering, and I would recommend using the softmod. ltools will automate the softmod. To put it in Tivo-speak

modchip ~ prom mod
softmod ~ killhdinitrd
ltools ~ sleepers (cd for beginners)

[JohnSorTivo]

I disagree with John and trob to some degree on the issue of using a modchip vs. a softmod....

I hear your point. However, you downplayed in your reply the fact that you can use a pogo pin modchip, which eliminates the requirement for any soldering skills whatsoever. While you pay a bit of a premium for the luxury, it removes this skill (soldering) as a requirment for choosing this approach.

For me, it couldn't have been easier, or more convenient, to simply pop open the case, drop my modchip in place, and continue.

[grabb]

Can you do a pogo install on version 1.6 boards? If so, then I agree this is probably better than a softmod. Even more so if you wish to play xbox live, as the softmod pretty much eliminates that possibility.
But as to the main question of what can you do with an xbox, XBMC is very good and well worth the effort of modding. Also, you can use Avalaunch to run multiplayer games over the Xlink KAI network. It's basically a way to tunnel the xlink cable over tcp/ip, which means you can play xlink games over the network. It can fill the need for multiplayer gaming for those of us too cheap to get xbox live.

[redfiver]

There is no "solderless" install for a 1.6. You must solder to rebuild the LPC on any 1.6 mobo.

You can't really use xbox live, even with a modchip anymore. MS looks at your HD and if it's been modified, then can still ban you. best bet these days, one xbox for live, one xbox for mod work. XBMC is worth the cost of the xbox and modding.

You can run Xlink Kai over dashboards other than Avalaunch. In fact, XBMC has links for Xlink Kai. Those types of service are cool. I wish that xbconnect and Xlink Kai were basically the same service. Be nice to have one service (one service that is non-MS at least).

[grabb]

I looked into it, and there is a solderless 1.6 solution. You don't even need the LPC re-build. It's called the Spider chip, and it uses some sort of spring-tipped wires that you insert into the via's of the board. I doubt this type of install would survive a good bump to the unit, but I guarantee it's going to work out better than soldering for people who are not well practiced with an iron.

[redfiver]

interesting. How many spring loaded wires does it have then? must be lots! I'd be surprised if it survived being put back together! :-) People have trouble with the 1 spring loaded wire on the solderless Xenium adapter for pre 1.6 xboxes, can't imagine how they'll do with multiple spring wires! :-)

If you can't solder, it's not overly expensive to have someone install the chip for you. And, if you can't place the spring wires, you really shouldn't be opening up the xbox, that kind of thing is pretty easy as far as mods go.

[cojonesdetoro]

I found that XBOX Media Center will play a DVD and (conveniently) leave out the MacroVision signal.

Nice for archiving your original DVDs with a DVD recorder and give the kids a copy to play with or keep the copy in the car. Of course, full resoulution, menus, 5.1 audio, original quality and other extras are lost but that's probably acceptable for most applications (little 7" portable/car players). Also, XBMC does not support DVD menus. It still looks better than a SVHS original.

There are also in-line devices that remove the MV signal but they are not 100% clean and cost ~$100.

BTW: My SA1/3.0 Tivo will also record with MV signal present but the recording is extractable to DVD with tytools.

[redfiver]

I really wish XBMC had menu support for DVDs! It would be near perfect then

[kungpaomaster]

If you don't have a 1.6 xbox, and don't care for xbox live, TSOP flash is the way to go. It's free and you get the same functionality as a modchip. If you want online gaming with xbox, xlink kai works great! And again... it's free. I'm just making suggestions based on what most people care about... $$$. Free is GOOD.

If you can hack a Tivo, you can hack an xbox.

[cojonesdetoro]

I really wish XBMC had menu support for DVDs! It would be near perfect then

Then don't forget to donate! :-)

http://www.xboxmediacenter.de/

It's being worked on but the developers are going through some of the same angst that people here have experienced. They do all this hard work for fun only to watch others profit from it. So now they're trying to cash at least a little. I doubt they're making a lot of money. It probably just helps to defray their personal costs of pursuing the hobby.