Notice:
This tutorial
may only
be posted
on Xbox-scene.
If this
appears
on another
site it
is done
so without
my consent,
and may
your balls
fall off
in your
sleep.
Disclaimer:
I hold
no responsibility
for anything
that occurs
as a result
of this
tutorial.
This is
strictly
a representation
of what
I have
done.
If you
should
attempt
to repeat
these
actions
you do
so at
your own
risk.
Again
I hold
no responsibility
for any
damages
you or
your Xbox
may receive
as a result
of attempting
this procedure.
Thank
you.
Introduction:
The reason
I wanted
to do
this mod
is simple.
My Xbox
is used
for 3
things:
watching
DVDs,
streaming
MP3s from
my desktop,
and Playing
4 player
Halo,
Time Splitters
2, or
DOA3.
As most
people
do, I
keep my
DVD dongle
in the
4th player
slot,
but since
I only
really
play any
games
4 player
I frequently
have to
swap between
the two.
I’ve
had the
idea to
do this
for quite
some time
but there
were a
few key
elements
stopping
me. I
didn’t
want to
have to
modify
my controller
or the
yellow
wire in
order
to detect
that there
was a
controller
in port
4, you
never
know there
could
be some
future
device
that NEEDs
that yellow
wire and
I wouldn’t
want to
be caught
having
to undo
this mod.
Because
of this
I wasn’t
sure how
to detect
if the
controller
was plugged
in or
not. Just
recently
I decided
to play
around
with an
extra
set of
ports
I had
lying
around
from an
eBay purchase
and made
an interesting
discovery
that makes
this whole
thing
possible.
Theory:
I discovered
that when
the controller
port assembly
is pulled
out of
the Xbox
the black
ground
wire and
the metal
casing
of the
port are
not connected,
however
when a
controller
is plugged
in the
two become
connected.
Also all
of the
grounds
in the
Xbox are
tied together
so all
you have
to do
is separate
the metal
flashing
on the
port from
the rest
of the
flashing
inside
the Xbox.
Tie the
metal
flashing
on the
port as
a ground
on one
end of
the inductor
on a relay
(4 pole
relay,
one for
each of
the necessary
controller
port wires)
and the
other
end of
the inductor
on the
necessary
voltage
(5V or
12V depending
on the
relay.
That’s
pretty
much it.
Tools
necessary:
-Torx
drivers
(T20,
and
T10)
to take
apart
the
Xbox
-Utility
Knife
(to
open
up the
DVD
dongle)
-Wire
cutters/stripers
-Drill
(to
mount
the
IR receiver
or dongle)
-Soldering
Iron/Solder
(you’ll
probably
need
this)
-your
favorite
method
of de-soldering
(braid,
sucker,
etc)
-an
O-meter
or some
sort
of continuity
tester
-some
big
balls
Parts
necessary:
-an
Xbox
(doesn’t
even
have
to have
a modchip)
-a DVD
kit
(I used
the
official
MS one
but
any
one
will
probably
work)
-lots
of 26gauge
wire
(I used
about
5 yards
worth)
-some
electrical
tape
(must
be electrical
tape)
-a 4PDT
(4 pole
double
throw)
12V
relay
*
*really
ANY 4
pole relay
should
work;
you might
even be
able to
get away
with a
3 pole
if you
keep the
ground
connected
at all
times.
Also a
5V relay
will work
but you
must us
a 5V source
to power
it rather
than the
12V source
outlined
in this
tutorial.
I got
mine at
my local
radio
shack
for about
$7 (relays
are expensive).
And
now the
good stuff…
drum roll
please….
Step
1 (Xbox
demolition):
-Skim
through
all these
instructions
and get
a feel
for what
you’ll
be doing.
-Disconnect
all power
and such
from the
Xbox.
-Open
up your
Xbox and
remove
the HDD
assembly.
(Click
here for
how to)
-Once
the HDD
is out
remove
the 3rd
and 4th
player
controller
ports
by using
a T10
Torx to
remove
the screws
then pulling
up on
the back
of the
ports
until
it pops
out.
Step2
(isolation):
Notice
that for
each port
there
are three
little
metal
tabs that
brush
against
the square
metal
flashing
of the
respective
port.
-Break
off the
tabs on
the sides
of port
4 I was
able to
pry them
up and
wiggle
them back
and forth
until
they broke
off.
-Once
that is
done cover
the bottom
tab with
some electrical
tape,
as well
as all
the edges
of the
flashing
around
port 4.
Also just
to double
the efforts
cover
the bottom
and the
left and
right
sides
of port
4 with
electrical
tape as
well.
Note:
you must
break
off the
taps and
tape both
the Xbox
and the
port parts
of metal
flashing,
if you
don’t
do this
the metal
is sharp
enough
to cut
through
the tape
and make
contact.
Also don’t
worry
about
taping
over the
screw
hole,
the screw
will go
right
through
it.
Step
3 (power
to the
relay):
-Cut
a length
of wire
(I used
18”
on all
of mine
so I was
sure to
have plenty).
Strip
one end
and solder
it to
the back
of port
4.
It
should
solder
pretty
easy.
Make sure
it’s
nice and
snug.
-Once
that is
done put
the port
back in
place
and screw
it down.
Use your
continuity
tester
to make
sure there
is NO
connection
between
the metal
flashing
on the
controller
port and
the metal
flashing
inside
the Xbox.
If there
is a connection
go back
and check
step 2.
-Cut
another
equal
length
of wire,
strip
one end
and place
a large
dollop
of solder
on it.
Take this
end and
place
it into
the mother
board
connector
up against
the yellow
wire (12V).
Make sure
it’s
snug and
wont fall
out. You
may want
to play
around
with this
to get
it to
fit tight.
Also if
you have
a different
wire splicing
method
you prefer
you could
use that
just be
careful.
-take
these
two wires
strip
and solder
the loose
ends to
either
side of
the relay’s
inductor.
(the polarity
doesn’t
matter).
Step
4 (wiring
up the
port):
-Cut
4 more
lengths
of wire
about
the same
length
as the
last two
-For each
wire strip
one end
about
3/8 of
an inch
and fold
the stripped
end in
half to
make a
small
hook.
| -Unplug
the connector
for ports
3 and
4 and
insert
these
“hooks”
in with
the black,
white,
red, and
green
wires
for port
4. (you
don’t
need to
do the
yellow
wire)
once they’re
all inserted
plug the
connector
back in
place.
I only
had blue
wire;
if you
have wire
you can
color
code that
is the
best.
-Strip
the other
ends and
solder
them to
the “Com”
posts
on the
relay
(the order
doesn’t
matter
but I
choose
red,
white,
green,
black
because
that’s
how they’re
ordered
in the
controller
port connector)
*Relay
Explained:
from this
angle
the top
row is
the power
for the
inductor,
the 2nd
row are
the COM
(common)
posts,
the 3rd
row are
the NC
(normally
closed)
posts
and the
4th (last,
bottom)
row are
the NO
(normally
open)
posts.
A relay
is basically
a magnetic
switch.
When there
is no
power
going
to the
relay
the COM
posts
are connected
to the
NC posts.
Because
the inductor
is a magnetic
coil when
it gets
power
(in this
case 12V)
it magnetically
pulls
the internal
switches
and now
the COM
is connected
to the
NO posts.
Relays
come in
different
sizes
you may
see SPST
or DPDT
relays.
You read
them like
this #P@T
the #
is how
many Poles
(COM poles)
there
are and
the @
will denote
if it
is a Single
or Double
Throw
(single
usually
only has
a NO poles
and no
NC poles,
a double
has both)
we’re
using
a 4PDT
relay
so there
are basically
4 separate
switches
that are
being
thrown
when we
power
the relay.
Step
5 (DVD
Dongle
Demolition):
(the hardest
step)
Note:
before
continuing
you may
want to
skim through
the alternative
suggestions
for wiring
the dongle
at the
end of
this tutorial.
Crack
open that
DVD dongle…
basically
there
are small
clips
all the
way around
and it’s
glued
together
on top
of that.
This sucker
is NOT
EASY to
get apart.
-Start
by taking
a utility
knife.
If possible
only extend
the blade
out about
a quarter
of an
inch.
Stick
it right
in the
seam that
goes around
the dongle
and cut
away at
the bottom.
Once you
have the
bottom
completely
cut you
can either
cut the
sides
and top
away or
try to
pry it
off. It’s
very tricky.
FYI:
The PCB
inside
will be
attached
to the
back of
the dongle
and the
controller
port insert
part.
This is
what the
dongle
should
look like
once you
have the
face off.
Remove
the PCB
from the
controller
port insert.
This is
also a
very tricky
task.
-gently
bend the
IR receiver
(the big
black
part in
the center)
so it’s
sticking
about
straight
up.
-use
you’re
most comfortable
de-soldering
method
to remove
the 7
pins soldered
against
where
the IR
receiver
was. The
center
5 are
the controller
port pins
and the
2 on the
end are
to attach
to the
metal
shielding
of the
controller
port insert.
I used
de-soldering
braid
which
is probably
the most
difficult,
but it
was the
only method
I had
available
to me.
I recommend
compressed
air (heat
up with
iron and
blow it
away)
or a solder
sucker.
Step
6 (Wiring
up the
Dongle):
-Cut
5 more
lengths
of wire
(length
depends
on where
you’re
mounting
the dongle)
they need
to be
able to
reach
the back
of the
HDD with
some slack.
-Look
at the
back side
of the
PCB, the
rounded
edge is
the bottom.
Bridge
the two
farthest
left solder
points
and solder
a wire
into one
of them,
this is
the black
wire (ground)
-Skip
the 3rd
solder
point
(yellow
wire)
and solder
a wire
to the
4th solder
point,
this is
the green
wire.
Solder
to the
5th solder
point,
the white
wire…
and the
6th solder
point,
the red
wire)
This is
what the
back of
the dongle
should
look like
once all
the wires
are soldered
in place.
-once
this is
done determine
where
you want
to place
the dongle
and drill
an appropriate
hole.
I decided
to place
mine on
the left
hand side
of the
Xbox front
and to
mount
The dongle
on the
front
of the
Xbox
-Once
you have
the hole
drilled
and the
wires
fed through.
Solder
the loose
ends to
the appropriate
NC poles
on the
relay.
Put the
HDD back
in the
Xbox and
Place
the relay
behind
the HDD.
The relay
behind
the HDD
with all
wires
connected
Your Xbox
should
now look
like this
-Use
your continuity
tester
to test
from port
4 to the
dongle.
I was
able to
probe
the pins
inside
the port
from the
outside.
They should
match
up. Red
all the
way left,
white,
green,
skip yellow.
And black
all the
way on
the right.
If something
doesn’t
seem right
make sure
you don’t
have them
wired
opposite
(mirrored).
I did
this the
first
time by
accident.
Also I
turned
on the
Xbox like
this and
the dongle
or the
Xbox didn’t
seem to
get damaged
by this
at all.
-Once
you’re
positive
everything
is wired
properly
test out
the Xbox
like this.
If it
doesn’t
work check
out your
wiring.
Possible
problems:
Dongle
won’t
work when
port 4
is empty
-the housing
around
the controller
port is
grounding
out and
tripping
the relay
-the dongle
wiring
isn’t
correct
or there
is a short
Controller
won’t
work when
plugged
into port
4
-there
is a short
somewhere
-the relay
isn’t
getting
power
check
the connections
to the
inductor
Neither
Controller
nor Dongle
will work
-there
is a short
somewhere
-the relay
isn’t
getting
power
check
the connections
to the
inductor
Other
-PM me
in the
message
boards
and maybe
I can
help
If
everything
is working…
put your
Xbox back
together
and give
you’re
self a
pat on
the back
you CRAZY
MODDING
PIMP!
Alternative
Suggestions
for Wiring
the Dongle:
While
performing
this modification
it became
clear
that there
are several
ways one
could
go about
hard wring
the DVD
dongle
into their
Xbox.
Here are
some of
my thoughts:
Method
1: my
original
idea was
to solder
to the
PCB inside
the dongle
and mount
it somewhere
inside
the Xbox,
then remove
the IR
receiver
and remove
the plastic
eye from
the original
dongle
and mount
it nicely
up front
separate
from the
PCB.
Method
2: I will
eventually
be doing
method
1 but
for the
sake of
getting
this mod
done I
decided
to mount
the whole
dongle
outside
of the
Xbox rather
than searching
for space,
running
more wires,
and mounting
the eye
cleanly
and carefully.
I drilled
a hole
in the
front
and clipped
the PCB
into the
front
half of
the Dongle
case and
temporarily
Taped
it to
the outside
of the
Xbox
Method
2
Method
3: Since
I have
extra
controller
ports
lying
around
I debated
wiring
a 5th
port instead
of the
dongle,
then just
plugging
the dongle
into that
port.
An extension
of this
you could
wire in
USB ports
that would
switch
when you
plugged
in a controller
Alternative
uses for
controller
insertion
detection:
-Wire
in USB
ports
that are
deactivated
when a
controller
is plugged
in
-Wire
in an
indicator
LED that
will be
on when
a controller
is in
the port
(I know
it’s
already
been done
but the
other
methods
require
cutting
the yellow
wire and
modifying
the controller)
-Wire
in an
LED to
light
up the
inside
of the
port and
have it
shut off
when a
controller
is inserted
(saves
power…
refrigerator
question….
Because
you can
DAMNIT)
-set up
some logic
and have
a 7 segment
display
how many
controllers
are currently
plugged
in
- [insert
your idea
here]
Special
Thanks
to:
Xbox-scene
for being
THE source
All the
big Modding
Pimps
at and
in the
scene
Aaron
for providing
a wall
to bounce
ideas
And especially
everyone
else who’s
taken
the time
to wire
a tut
for the
betterment
of all.
Tutorial
written
by : twistedsymphony
(http://www.web-nine.com)
