xbox as HTPC

This topic has 9 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 21 years, 8 months ago by Tim.

Viewing 9 reply threads

Author

Posts
- June 2, 2004 at 3:58 pm #10626
  Aaron
  Keymaster
  Posts: 2146
  Just a word of advice to peeps considering using an xbox as a home media centre.
  
  The newest version of the xbox (v1.6) is a more difficult bugger to install, doesn’t have a hacked BIOS that supports it yet and generally could be considered at this stage as ‘hackable’ but not ‘useable’.
  
  There are still v1.4 xbox on the shelves in Australia, but I anticipate there’s only about another 4-6 weeks before we are in v1.6 territory.
  
  So if you want to buy into the cheapest easiest home theatre PC setup around make your move NOW!
  
  http://aaron.ausmicro.com/xbox
  http://aaron.ausmicro.com/xenium
  http://aaron.ausmicro.com/aladdin
  
  For pics of installs in v1.1 and v1.4 xboxes. V1.6 requires the pin headers to be wired up to a few points on the board. I expect install costs will rise due to the extra time with fine soldering.
  
  And yes ausmicro.com can supply (and fit modchips to all pre v1.6 xboxes – once the BIOS comes available for 1.6 we will do those as well)
  
  A.
  
  --
  Site Owner Guy.
- June 13, 2004 at 1:18 am #32535
  Geo-Z
  Participant
  Posts: 128
  I echo this, the xbox is a HUGELY beneficial entertainment unit that has MASSIVE potential. With the right mods, you essentially have several consoles, bar recent competitors, under one hood.
  
  BTW take a look at Aaron’s Xbox setup in his car, it’s quite a project.
- June 13, 2004 at 2:00 am #32536
  Tim
  Participant
  Posts: 267
  Just curious is it possible to download ROMS for x-box or burn games and play it on the x-box?
- June 14, 2004 at 6:51 am #32516
  PandaBear
  Participant
  Posts: 1866
  Aaron:- just wondering how do you differentiate between machines?? Sticker or serial #?
  
  Any way of telling from an unopened carton?
  
  Also any chance that the translucent (Gotham2) edition ones are v1.4??
- June 14, 2004 at 2:33 pm #32524
  Geo-Z
  Participant
  Posts: 128
  yup, tim. the xbox is rom-compatible once you install a suitable modchip that allows bios change and a larger hard drive. You can even back up whole games and dvd’s on the hd if u wish.
- June 14, 2004 at 7:16 pm #32515
  Aaron
  Keymaster
  Posts: 2146
  They should be 1.4 Panda… which is fine to mod. v1.6 not fine to mod at this stage.
  
  You can do a basic check by reading the manufacture date that is visible when in carton. If the date is beofre 19th or March 2004 you should have a v1.4
  
  A.
  
  --
  Site Owner Guy.
- August 2, 2004 at 3:12 pm #30412
  PandaBear
  Participant
  Posts: 1866
  A: what’s your views on best modchip available today?
  
  Anything ‘upcoming’ worth waiting for instead?
- August 3, 2004 at 2:16 pm #30396
  Aaron
  Keymaster
  Posts: 2146
  Depends on what you want to do – The modchip simply provides an alternative BIOS. A $30 Aladdin Advance is agreat becuase they’re cheap and work just fine. But you only get one BIOS in them at the time.
  
  The Xeniums and SmartXX chips are cool becuase you can have multiple BIOSes and boot any one of them which in turn may enable different functionality in your xbox.
  
  I have a Xenium in one xbox and a basic Aladdin type (OxChip) in the other.
  
  A.
  
  --
  Site Owner Guy.
- August 3, 2004 at 2:17 pm #30395
  Aaron
  Keymaster
  Posts: 2146
  Oh and there’s now BIOSes and alternative wiring diagrams for modding v1.6 xBox’s …
  
  A.
  
  --
  Site Owner Guy.
- August 3, 2004 at 3:54 pm #30391
  jamiekulhanek
  Participant
  Posts: 2563
  Awesome! now i gotta get an Xbox!!
Author

Posts

Viewing 9 reply threads

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.