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Week of February 13, 2005
Xecuter3CE + X3 Pro Switch + XLCD Review
>> Here's the long due (blame me for the delay) review of the Xecuter3 modchip. As the 'CE' revision has been released in meantime, it's been tested with the X3CE, but picture of the original X3 have been included aswell. I also included a review of the X3 Pro Switch and the X3 LCD (XLCD) addons ... so it's a long read.
More reviews will follow soon (SmartXX LT OPX, Xapt3r, X-lite and more!)
Official Website::
http://www.teamxecuter.com
Where to buy X3(CE) and add-ons::
USA and Canada: System-Mods | Extreme-Mods | Divineo.com | BMMods
Europe: MrModchip | Divineo.co.uk | Divineo.fr | Divineo.de | Divineo.it | Divineo.es
Rest-Of-World: Divineo.cn
Review::
This is the hardware review of Team Xecuter's latest modchip.
It includes the review of the basic package and the Pro-Switch and XLCD addons.
An overview of the software features of this modchip will follow later.
I started writing it before the 'updated' CE version was released - but I updated it to match the CE changes. The Xecuter3CE includes just a few small hardware optimizations compared to the original purple Xecuter3:
* a better connector (plug) of the alt. 5v point.
* a 90 degree angle I/O socket for easier install/positioning of the no solder XLCD screen.
* different design flash protect switch now with LED to give a better indication of flash protect status.
* better layout of the I/O solder positions/points.
* different PCB colors that correspond with the current CE design (white front, red back).
There are no real new features on the CE version, so the X3 OS/Bios releases will of course always work on both versions.
More Pictures:
* Purple Xecuter3 package
This is what you will get in the default Xecuter3/Xecuter3CE package that retails at a suggested price around 58usd. The X3(CE) modchip, the 'normal' external adapter, external adapter cable, a headerpin, a wire install adapter, the power/eject control adapter, reset/eject cable, alternate 5v wire for xbox v1.6(b), D0(LFRAME)/LAN/HDD cable and self-adhesive pad to stick the modchip on the case when installing using wires.
The Xecuter Xbox v1.6(b) LPC Rebuild PCB is now also included into the default package at no additional price.
The Modchip::
More Pictures:
* Xecuter3CE from another angle
* Xecuter3CE backside of PCB
* Xecuter3
* Xecuter3 backside of PCB
* X3 headerpin install (with external adapter, XLCD and LAN/HDD cable)
* X3CE headerpin install (with external adapter, XLCD and LAN/HDD cable)
* The solderless Eject/Power control adapter
Official Feature List:
-2MB Flash Rom With 15 Bios Storage Options
-Dedicated 256K Backup Rom with a new Linux based bios (Can be upgraded to any bios you wish)
-i2c Bus for X3 Config LIVE!
-New Enhanced I/O Bus for Full LCD support (and other future hardware addons)
-All LCD modules to be custom made with adapters so no soldering required
-2 Modes Flash Protection Control (On Switch and on Mod itself)
-Mod Enable - Quick Press reset to boot from 2Mb Flash Rom (External LED will indicate Blue X3 Logo)
-Mod Disable - Press reset >1 second (External LED will indicate RED X3 Logo)
-Quick Press Power+Eject >1 second to boot from 256k Backup Rom (External LED will indicate PURPLE X3 Logo)
-HDD Activity LED
-LAN Activity LED
-D0 Control (Disable Mod Via Software)
-Wire Install Adapter (New design that plugs into pin header)
-Pin Header Install (Pin header supplied)
-High Quality external switch with changeable facias (different colors and logos)
-X3 works perfectly fine without the external switch. We give YOU the option without forcing the choice.
-New X3 Bios with X3 Config Live OS - Supports v1.0 - v1.6b (Current version)
-Supplied with all adapters & cables
-Bank Modes: all combinations of 256k/512k/1024k banks possible
* Installation.
You can install the modchip with several of the 'known' LPC install methods:
- With a headerpin: this is exactly the same as with other modchips except that the X3 modchip uses 2 extra LPC points (used for X3 Live on-the-fly bios editing).
- With wires: in the package you will get a special headerpin-to-wire adapter, so you will not have to solder any wires on the modchip itself. You can just plug this adapter in the X3 modchip headerpin and on the other side of the adapter all wires will come out that you can solder on the Xbox motherboard. This allows you to install using the wire-method if you like and keep the main advantage of the headerpin-install (easy to swap modchip).
You will also get a 3-wire adapter that you can plug in the X3. One wire is for D0 (xbox v1.0-1.5) / Lframe (Xbox v1.6(b)) and is required. The 2 other wires are optional, one for LAN status (network - blinking when there is network activity) and one for HD status (blinking when something is read/written from/to the Xbox harddrive).
You will also get a small adapter to connect the E(ject) and P(ower) points with the X3. It's fully solderless, you plug out the yellow wire coming from the xbox frontpanel, plug this wire into the adapter, plug the wire coming out of the adapter on the xbox motherboard and then connect this adapter with the X3 modchip (both ends also with a plug - so no soldering).
- Team Xecuter also made a solderless adapter for the X3 (sold separately). With the 'Xapt3r' adapter you can install the X3 without any soldering on Xbox v1.0-v1.5. There will be a separated review of the Xapt3r very soon (as it works for Xecuter 2.6(CE) too). The adapter will connect all LPC points and the D0-point. The Eject/Power points are already solderless by default, but the adapter will not connect the LAN and HD led points ... which are of course only optional, but if you want to see the LAN and HD activity leds on your external adapter you will still have to solder these 2 very easy points yourself.
As you can see it's a bit more work to install then most other Xbox modchips, but it's certainly not harder to install ... it just requires a few minutes extra. Connect the E/P adapter (no soldering), solder 2 extra LPC points, install the external adapter (no soldering - see below) and solder the LAN/HD points take a bit longer - but it's not for nothing of course ... you will be able to select your modchip mode using the eject and power button, you will be able to edit your bios features on-the-fly in the X3 OS, you will get an external adapter to 'hard-select' the bios bank and en/disable the flash protection and you'll get a 3-color status led, a HD-led and LAN-led.
For Xbox v1.6(b) you will also get a wire that can be plugged in the X3 for the alternative 5v point and you'll also get an LPCrebuild PCB. With this 'Xecuter LPC Rebuild PCB' you still have to link the same points to repair the LPC bus on Xbox v1.6(b), but it will allow you to do this a lot faster. (no looking-up points or cutting/stripping wires).
* The Modchip Itself
Once installed you will be able to boot your modchip from the backup rom. The Xecuter3CE is pre-flashed with an Xecuter Flashbios v3.03+ cromwell-based legal bios. This Flashbios is compatible with all xbox consoles to date. (Xbox v1.0-v1.6b). This bios will allow you to flash the X3 OS/Bios on the main flash or flash any other bios you may want. You can not only flash from a file on CD, DVD or harddrive, but you can also flash from network which is very usefull and easy if you have a mininum of network knowledge. No more burning CDs or DVDs with dummy files - instead just connect your xbox with your network (DHCP or with a fix IP) and you can flash the X3 via a simple web-interface directly from your computer.
If for whatever reason the bioses on the main flashchip get corrupted, you can always boot from the backup 256KB flashchip that is pre-flashed with the Xecuter FlashBios.
The X3 OS (which also contains a hacked bios that is fully editable from within the OS - more about it in the upcoming X3 Software review) takes 1MB of the 2MB flashchip.
You may wonder why the X3 is pre-flashed with the FlashBios and not this X3 OS/Bios. Due the fact that the X3 OS is built with the MS XDK and the X3 Bios is based on the Microsoft bios it can not be legally distributed with the modchip. Some people see this as a big disadvantage ... but unless you plan to only run linux on your Xbox you will have to find a way to get a hacked bios and homebrew XDK software anyway ... and if you can find this you can find the X3 OS too.
Installating the X3 will also give control over the eject and power buttons on the Xbox. So to en/disable your X3 modchip you don't have to change switches ... quick press reset to boot with modchip enabled, press reset for +1sec to boot with modchip disabled and press reset+power for +1sec to boot with modchip enabled from the backup flash. You can always easily see the status of your modchip from the X3-status-led on the external adapter.
The X3 also has 2 expansion ports: one connector specially made for the XLCD addon and solderpads for a 16-bit I2C expansion port for eventual future upgrades.
The modchip is stable and so is the X3 OS/Bios - I did not encounter any significant problems.
The 'Normal' External Adapter::
More Pictures:
* Xecuter3 next to normal external adapter
* Xecuter3CE next to normal external adapter
On the left side of this picture you can see the 'normal' external adapter (the one in the middle under the power and eject button is the pro switch) ... it's always included in the default X3 package. On top you see a led that gives activity of the LAN and Harddrive. Just under it you have a led with the X3 logo that will indicate the status of the modchip (red for disabled, green for enabled and white for backup flash).
Under the logo you have the switches, the first 4 will allow you to 'hard'-select which bios bank you want to boot, the last switch will allow you to en/disable a 'hard' flash protection. When I say 'hard' I mean it's a real hardware selection and no software selection. So it will not first fastly boot OS to load the right bios, but it will directly load the right bios from flash when booting (more info in upcoming software review).
With 4 small dip-switches to select one of the 15 possible banks (8x256k, 4x512k, 2x1024k, 1x2048k) you will most likely need to print out a nice table listing the bios banks with their corresponding dipswitch status.
The external adapter is optional - if you don't want to install it you don't have to (modchip will by default boot from first 1MB bank (size of X3 OS)). Bios banks can be selected from software too and flash-protection can be en/disabled from a switch on the X3 modchip itself.
X3 modchip (in general) PROs
+ Good build quality
+ External adapter, you can always 'hard' select bios bank and see network and hdd activity.
+ Real hardware flash protection
+ Hardware support for on-the-fly bios editing
+ Not relying on 3rd parties for 'hacked' bioses.
+ Backup flash
+ Lots of cool/trendy 1st party addons ... but if you want them all it's gonna cost you some money.
+ LPC rebuild and alt. 5v for Xbox v1.6(b) included in the normal X3 package.
+ Great wire-adapter. Classic Headerpin install also possible. Solderless install on Xbox v1.0-v1.5 possible (adapter sold separatly).
+ Solderless LCD connector and I2C expansion port for possible future upgrades.
X3 modchip (in general) CONTRAs
- A full installation of the modchip takes a bit longer then with most of other modchips. Nothing forces you to install the modchip with all features tho (external adapter and lan/hdd led are optional).
The Pro-Switch Addon Black/Cristal::
More Pictures:
* Back Pro-Switch front view
* Back Pro-Switch top view
* Crystal Pro-Switch top view
* Crystal Pro-Switch bottom view
* Crystal Pro-Switch front view
* Green Pro-Switch front view
* Green Pro-Switch top view
* Black Pro-Switch and Normal Switch installed
* Close-up for black Pro-Switch installed
* Crystal Pro-Switch installed
The Pro-Switch is an addon sold separatly. It retails at a suggested price of about 20usd. This pro-switch certainly matches a lot better with the design of the Xbox ... it fits just nicely with the Xbox right under eject and power button. It has the same features as the normal external adapter: 4 buttons to hard-select the bios bank, 1 button for the hardware based flash protection and 3 leds: 1 for status (backup flash, original(off - tsop), main flash), 1 for HDD and 1 for LAN. Still 4 buttons to select the 15 different possible bios banks, so that's not made easier on this pro-switch.
The adapter is available in 3 colors: black for the normal Xbox, crystal for the crystal limited edition Xbox and green for the translucent green limited edition Xbox (also Halo1/2 LE Xbox). Really a nice from Team Xecuter to also make a matching version of the 2 most popular LE xbox consoles. Also notice that the PCB color inside the pro-switch matches the color of the plasic for the translucent crystal and green edition ... which was a really good idea from Team Xecuter considering all the leds/lights in the adapter.
The adapter is very easy to install, you can use the same 2 wires as those for the normal external adapter, just bring them to the middle of the front panel instead of to the left side, plug them in the pro-switch (you can see the 2 white connectors on the picture above) and then you can just click the pro-switch at the underside of the front panel (so no self-adhesive pad required).
Besides the obvious 'coolness' factor, this adapter also has another advantage. All buttons are easy to access unlike the very small dip-switches and each button has a led inside that will indicate you the status of the button. Only thing I would have personally added on this 'pro switch' is a small switch to disable all the leds ... I saw this on the X2.6(CE) external adapter and though it was a pretty good idea of those who don't like all those lights. It's not really that important thought ... you know what you buy.
X3 PRO-Switch PROs:
* Looks a lot better then the normal external adapter
* Fits better with the Xbox design
* Very easy to install, you can just 'click' it under the Xbox front panel
* Status of each button
* They made a special version of the pro switch to match with the crystal and translucent green/Halo special edition Xbox.
X3 PRO-Switch CONTRAs:
* No real contras in fact, but it would have been great if this pro-switch would have been the default adapter shipped with the X3 ;)
The XLCD Addon::
Pictures of the XLCD in action:
* XLCD in the X3 OS (sorry for bad quality picture)
* XLCD displaying "Xbox-Scene" (sorry for bad quality picture)
* XLCD in XboxMediaCenter(info) playing an mp3 (sorry for bad quality picture)
The LCD addon is an addon sold separatly. It retails at a suggested price of about 43usd.
Team Xecuter released their own LCD screen that you can connect directly with the Xecuter3 modchip, without any soldering, so it's very easy to connect. Cut out the a part of the case to cleanly place the LCD screen in your Xbox case is less easy if you have no experience in case-modding. I suggest you buy the X3 Control Panel or X3 Deluxe Case (not released yet) if you never did this before. These new addons have a specially designed place to put the LCD screen
The constrast of the LCD can be modified by scrolling that small wheel on one of the corners of the Xecuter3 (you can see it on the top left of this image). The brightness can be edited directly from the X3 OS.
The screen is big (4 lines of txt, 20 characters per line), the background color is blue and the letters are white which gives a real great visual look.
There is of course support for the LCD screen in the X3 OS: it will display txt when booting (can be changed by user), display your OS build version, hard-bios-selection and soft-bios-selection. More features might be added in future X3 OS builds.
You will also have support for the LCD in Avalaunch(info) Dashboard and XBoxMediaCenter and of course more homebrew application could be added to this list in the future.
The XLCD is the most useful in XboxMediaCenter. When playing a media file it will display the name of the file on the LCD screen. Another great feature in XBMC is you can put it in a no-tv mode, allowing you to navigate XBMC only usng the LCD screen, great if you want to make a mp3/ogg jukebox of your Xbox :)
One of the optimizations of the 'CE' revision of the Xecuter3 is useful here. When installing the original X3 with a headerpin you kinda had to 'crush' the XLCD wire between modchip and motherboard (it works - because the wire is flattened specially for this - but it's just cleaner with a wire-install or Xapt3r-install (higher)). This has been fixed in the X3CE version. The connector has been turned on its side (90 degrees) now, so even with a headerpin install it will fit nicely.
XLCD PROs:
* Connection with X3 modchip is as simple has humanly possible.
* Support for the LCD in the X3 OS, but also in XBMC and Avalaunch!
* Awesome look! (white on blue)
* 'Coolness' factor
* Big LCD screen
XLCD CONTRAs:
* Cutting in Xbox case to place your LCD on the front panel is far from easy. If used with the X3 Control Panel/X3 Deluxe Case it will probably be very easy.
* Not so useful for most people ... LCD screens on Xbox are mostly installed for the look/coolness.
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(Saturday 19 February 2005 21:47 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
W.I.P. MadnessX
>> MadnessX is a new homebrew game for Xbox currenty in development by shizno of Team AfterShock. It's the 2D clone of a Flash game.
From aftershock.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
Worked on MadnessX.
Well I actually got to code a little bit, so we aren't officially dead.
Still a little bit to do, mainly adding guns and adding more blood, the rest should be somewhat easy... I don't see any huge obstacles in the way but who knows.
*UPDATE1* Well, did some more work on MadnessX, added smoke to the particle effect list, put in a chainsaw just to uhhh....test the smoke ;)
*UPDATE2* Small Update:
- Added clothing accessories (ie you can have hats, glasses, beards, masks etc)
- Added some new weapons
- Fixed some chainsaw graphics
- Smacked kl0wn like a little bitch
[/QUOTE]
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(Saturday 19 February 2005 14:28 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
GameSpot's Rumor Control: Xbox 360 Features + NexTbox logo
>> More Xbox 2 (Xbox Next, Xbox 360, NextBox, Xenon) rumors were released this week. Here is GameSpot's weekly rumor control:
[QUOTE]
* More features of Xbox Next/NexTbox/Xbox 360 have been revealed.
Source: Various sites, most notably The Inquirer and Kotaku.com.
What we heard: According to a bevy of reports--some of which were reportedly verified by anonymous sources at Microsoft--the company's next-gen console will sport some serious bells and whistles. First and foremost is The Inquirer's assertion that the device will come standard with wireless controllers--a first for a console. While this goes against Microsoft's reported all-out effort to minimize hardware costs, it would be a good counter to the reportedly gyroscopic controllers used by Nintendo's "Revolution." According to Kotaku, the designers have gone to great lengths to make the Xbox 360 (as they call it) as unlike its bulky black forebear as possible. "Our Cali source says that the console is a sleek silver device worthy of countertop display, and features a design that turns the harsh angles of the original Xbox into sweeps and curves," said Kotaku. "The device will also be able to stand upright or on its side, much like the PlayStation 2. The side of the 360 is dominated by an oversized, back-lit power button called the ring of light, and the rest of the case can be customized with colorful designer face plates that pop on and off. The 360's dashboard will also be customizable, making each console a thing totally unique to its owner." Sound good? Definitely. Any way to verify it without sending a heavily armed commando team into Microsoft's Redmond campus? Well, Bill Gates did tell News.com that the next Xbox would sport "high-definition graphics and wireless that the chip breakthroughs allow us to get to." But whether he meant wireless networking, wireless controllers, or both, is still anybody's guess.
Bogus or not bogus?: Can't say either way, but interesting regardless.
* The logo for the Microsoft's next-generation console--called the "NexTbox"--has been revealed.
Source: A screenshot (see screenshot index) and video that surfaced on the Gaming Age Forums supposedly taken by an insider at Microsoft.
What we heard: While "NexTbox" has been tossed around for a while as a potential name for the next Xbox, this week saw the first time someone purported to have photographic and video evidence of it. Problem is, said evidence was laughably amateurish. The video was a shaky camcorder shot of a bland, simplistic logo (pictured) that an eighth-grader could have slapped together. And while Microsoft isn't denying its authenticity, one would almost certainly expect the multibillion-dollar corporation to hire a designer that had a slightly greater Photoshop skills.
Bogus or not bogus?: The name might not be bogus, but the logo almost certainly is.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on GameSpot.com.
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(Saturday 19 February 2005 12:11 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
W.I.P. KernelBasher for EvoX M8+
>> From kernelbase.com:
[QUOTE]
It's about time you guys got an update to KernelBasher(info).
As you can see from below, we have an EvoX M8 Plus bios with custom text.
A M8 Compatable KernelBasher will be available very soon.
*UPDATE* Sorry to the people who got confused with the last news post.
The upcoming KernelBasher will be an Evox M8+ compatable version. The current version is already compatable with the original M8 bios
[/QUOTE]
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(Friday 18 February 2005 22:56 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
X-Lite HTTP Flashing Guide
>> Easybuy2000 released a new guide for their newly release X-lite modchip.
* Flashing The X-LITE Via HTTP: download
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(Friday 18 February 2005 21:44 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox Image Grabber 2 2005-02-17
>> Magus has taken over the XIG Project originally developed by Prestige of Team XR8D. It has been re-developed from the ground up using Magus' own capture system and completely freeing XIG of any XDK code whatsoever. The source code has also been released for anyone who wants to do some tinkering!
XR8D Xbox Image Grabber(info) is a small Windows GUI application that automates the process of taking screen captures off the Xbox with the following features:
* automatic conversion to .jpg, .png, or other formats
* automatic timestamp
* automatic watermark
* image crossfading
* automatic upload to FTP server
* automatic upload to php script
* includes timer for taking snapshots at regular intervals
* includes a preview window
* requires no XDK software to be installed
* smaller filesize
* test debug service
* redirects dds2 output to client
* XIG 2 Source now public
* dds2 takes the place of xbcapture
* Background Process Execution
* RAW FTP Commands; can execute BFM debug bios remotely
* Minimize to system tray
You can find the changelog here and the readme here.
Official Site: http://www.xr8d.net/dev/
Download: Binaries - Sources
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(Friday 18 February 2005 15:54 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
kaiStation 7.0.0.4c Available
>> kaiStation is the XLink Kai(info) engine for Linksys WRT54G/S routers (firmware).
From teamxlink.co.uk:
[QUOTE]
An updated kaiStation is available for downloaded with the following changes:
- x10d packaging system for 'extended' functionality
- x10d packages: moveweb, vsftpd, kaid
- new kaid binary with LocalDevice performance optimizations
- linux userfiles (passwd, group, and shadow) added to /tmp
- link to jKaiUI (java kai client) added to Setup Page (click logo)
- minor UI updates (splash screen, and # of Consoles added)
Find it here: KaiStation 7.0.0.4c
[/QUOTE]
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(Friday 18 February 2005 00:39 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Halo2 Mod: The Hive 1.0
>> From TheMadModder on HaloMods.com:
[QUOTE]
MrMurder and the Re-Animators have just released the Hive, a mod for Halo2's Waterworks. As we have all come to expect from a MrMurder mod, this is nothing short of perfection. All of the weapons projectiles have been re-done to be like nothing ever seen before. All of the skins have been overhauled to put the finishing touches on this amazing Mod. I can keep talking and maybe sway some to go look....but in the words or "Reading Rainbow's" Levar Burton, "You dont have to take MY word for it" Here are some pics for you to feast your eye's on.
[/QUOTE]
Info/Screenshots/Downloads: halomods.com or halomaps.com (free reg. req.)
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(Thursday 17 February 2005 20:11 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
More Xbox 360 Rumors
>> Kotaku.com claims they have a source with more details about the Xbox 360 (Xbox2 / Xbox Next / Xenon / Nextbox):
[QUOTE]
Our inside source says that the console is a sleek silver device worthy of countertop display, and features an inhaled design that turns the harsh angles of the original Xbox into sweeps and curves. The device will also be able to stand upright or on it’s side, much like the Playstation 2. The side of the 360° is dominated by an oversized, back-lit power button called the ring of light, and the rest of the case can be customized with colorful designer face plates that pop on and off. The 360°s dashboard will also be customizable, making each console a thing totally unique to its owner.
Some of the inner workings of the 360° have also been confirmed. The device will feature high definition audio and video and wireless controllers, and will come in two flavors—one with a hard drive and one without. The biggest shock is that while Microsoft wants to make their 360° backwards compatible, they haven’t yet been able to pull it off.
“They’re working on it,” said our source.
[/QUOTE]
Note that this 'source' also seems to confirm the 'Xbox 360' name for the next Xbox.
Read the whole article + 'mock-up' picture on Kotaku.com.
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(Thursday 17 February 2005 16:33 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Yoshihiro Bios Packer and UnPacker
>> Yoshihiro released a tool to pack and unpack Yoshihiro's own debug v1.6 bios (kernel 2005) and the v1.6 X3 bios.
The nfo/readme also includes the offsets of the embeded X3 eeprom and which hex values to change to make the v1.6 X3 bios (not OS) work on any modchip for those who want to play around with this.
News-Source: Yoshihiro on forums.xbox-scene.com
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(Thursday 17 February 2005 16:27 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Microsoft Announces Power Cord Replacement for Xbox
>> Here's a Microsoft press release:
[QUOTE]
REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 17, 2005 — As a precautionary measure and out of concern for consumer safety, Microsoft Corp. today announced that it will voluntarily replace the power cords on 14.1 million Xbox® consoles worldwide.
The replacement power cords are designed to protect consumers and their Xbox consoles from rare electrical component failures that can pose a fire hazard. Fewer than one in 10,000 consoles have experienced these component failures, and, in almost all instances, any damage caused by these failures was contained within the console itself or limited to the tip of the power cord at the back of the console.
However, in 30 consoles worldwide, these failures are reported to have caused minor injury or minor property damage. In seven instances, customers reported sustaining a minor burn to their hand. In 23 instances, customers reported smoke damage, or minor damage to a carpet or entertainment center.
In all regions except Continental Europe, Xbox consoles manufactured before Oct. 23, 2003, require a replacement power cord. In Continental Europe, consoles manufactured before Jan. 13, 2004, require a replacement power cord.
“This is a preventative step we’re choosing to take despite the rarity of these incidents,” said Robbie Bach, senior vice president of the Home & Entertainment Division at Microsoft. “We regret the inconvenience, but believe offering consumers a free replacement is the responsible thing to do.”
To order a replacement cord, consumers should go to http://www.xbox.com and click on the Power Cord Replacement for Xbox link. Replacement cords will arrive two to four weeks after the order is placed. While waiting for the new cord to arrive, consumers should turn off their Xbox consoles when not in use.
Customers who cannot access the World Wide Web should contact Microsoft at the appropriate toll-free number.
Not all replacement cords that Microsoft supplies to program participants will look the same. The type of cord shipped will depend on the date the console was manufactured and the country in which it is used.
[/QUOTE]
For more info, go read the FAQ here.
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(Thursday 17 February 2005 10:33 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
The Xtender2 Product Launch
>> From TeamXTender.com:
[QUOTE]
Team X-tender is proud to announce the newest version of its flagship product the X-tender2. The Xtender2 now ships with our Hydra UDMA IDE cable to increase drive support with this unit.
The Xtender2 is available from Divineo, Modchipman, Foundmy.com and Modchipworld.
The new Hydra cable is a specially designed and manufactured UDMA cable specifically for the Xtender2 kit. The three way cable split ensures that run cable run lengths are kept to a minimum while the extra shielding provided by extra ground lines in the UDMA cable structure help to prevent signal degradation.
See below for the revolutionary new cable design.
Note: There are still some drives that will not work together, this is not because of the X-tender2, it is an incompatibility between the drives.
[/QUOTE]
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(Wednesday 16 February 2005 23:56 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
JMXToolz Public Beta Release 1
>> From Angerwound on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
With the latest OXM disks being created (Issue #40 and newer) they have converted to a newer 3d-esque menu system that uses a binary file called 'menu.jmx' to construct the menu/colors/backgrounds/items/actions etc...
I (Angerwound) and PedrosPad have written a set of tools for users to toy with this file and create their own OXM disk menus. The main reason behind this project was a replacement of CDX for those that create MultiGameMenu's or a low-end dashboard.
The newer menu system supports audio/video file playback, XBE Execution, Screensaver, Billboard Feature and more. See included .cfg within JMXBuild for all options available.
Within the package are three tools:
* jmxDump (simply dumps the format of the JMX, as xbedump would for XBE's)
* jmxToTxt (Writes a text version of the JMX file for users to read a bit easier)
* jmxBuild (Inputs a config file, and creates the JMX based on the user's preferences). A few things have yet to be implemented into jmxBuild such as color settings and screensaver settings.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by Pedrospad and Angerwound
Official Discussion Thread: forums.xbox-scene.com
Download (binaries and sourcecode): here
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(Wednesday 16 February 2005 20:14 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
SHA-1 cracked!, now can Xbox be too?
>> From it.slashdot.org:
[QUOTE]
From Bruce Schneier's weblog: 'SHA-1 has been broken. Not a reduced-round version. Not a simplified version. The real thing. The research team of Xiaoyun Wang, Yiqun Lisa Yin, and Hongbo Yu (mostly from Shandong University in China) have been quietly circulating a paper announcing their results...'" Note, though, that Schneier also writes "The paper isn't generally available yet. At this point I can't tell if the attack is real, but the paper looks good and this is a reputable research team."
[/QUOTE]
Why this article on an Xbox site? Well, Microsoft's Xbox game console relies on the security of, among others, SHA-1. It would not allow to just directly sign any XBE you want, as XBE's are signed with RSA. This RSA signature only signs the XBE header, so nothing can be changed there. But all 'sections' (part of XBE containing the program) could be changed as long as all sections keep the same size and the same SHA-1. So it might be possible to take an already MS-signed XBE and write a section that does 'what we want' (example: load/patch BIOS, install a SW exploit, ...) that's smaller then the original section and 'fill it up' so it matches the original size and SHA-1. That's where this news comes in. If this paper is real it would probably still require lots of CPU power (2**69 hash operations?) to find a 'collisions' (match), but a lot less then before (2**80 operations?) anyway.
There's already a thread about what this could specifically mean for the Xbox on our xbox-scene forums and on slashdot.org.
Some links about the Xbox security for those who are new:
* Xbox Security Concept (Team Xbox-Linux)
* Understanding the Xbox boot process/Flash structures (Team Xbox-Linux)
* Details of the Xbox Hard Drive Locking Mechanism (Team Xbox-Linux)
* Project B (Hacking) Overview (Team Xbox-Linux)
* General SHA-1 information (WikiPedia)
Discussion Thread: forums.xbox-scene.com
Thanks to Gamester17 for the news and links!
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(Wednesday 16 February 2005 12:06 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
X3 2914 Bios
>> From TeamXecuter.com:
[QUOTE]
What's new/fixed (since 2913 build):
* fixed: CERT key not set, savegames not loadable
* fixed: The hdd partition saved to hdd is now used when option set in x3cl
Apologies for delays in new releases - we have all had the flu in the last 2 weeks. Expect another X3 Bios in the next few days with a few more fixes and we've also started to test a new X2 Bios which will have some nice customizable features too. There is no time frame but it IS coming.
We have some more competition judging and new competitions to announce in the next few days - just gotta shake this bullshit flu off so we can all get back to normal.
[/QUOTE]
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(Wednesday 16 February 2005 11:08 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 2 to get wireless controllers?
>> From TheInquirer.net:
[QUOTE]
Well, there is now a blossoming market for wireless peripherals for all three major consoles, and Microsoft has spotted this. The Xbox was lauded for having controller wires that were incredibly long, and now they have gone one better by making wireless controllers standard on the Xbox 2. We don't think the controller is going to change much in size or shape from the Controller S design that is currently shipping, apart from this added wireless functionality.
One thing that is unclear, however, is how the rumble function will be kept without killing battery life. More info as and when.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole story on TheInquirer.net.
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(Wednesday 16 February 2005 11:05 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xodus News Update: Results Skinning Competition + French Support
>> From TeamXodus.com:
[QUOTE]
WINNERS OF BIG 5 SKINNING COMPETITION ANNOUNCED
It gives us great pleasure to announce the winners of the Xodus Big 5 skinning contest. After pouring through the hundreds of brilliant entries received we finally settled on the following:
Finalists: Winners of $ 100 each
* Masamune
* Dangerouslycheesy
* Dbxz
* Otakonx
Grand prize winner: $ 500
* Rob with “X-Reactor”
All winners have been notified and their prizes will be sent shortly. Congratulations to all the finalists and thank you to all of you who participated.
WELCOME TO OUR OFFICIAL FRENCH SUPPORT
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome aboard Team Gueux who will be providing official French support for Team Xodus and all of oiur French speaking customers.
Nous profitons de cette opportunité pour souhaiter la bienvenue à l’équipe de Gueux qui offrira le support officiel en français pour la Team Xodus et tous nos clients français.
As we have said many times before we take support for our product and our customers very seriously and are proud to offer this service. Our partnership agreement will enable support, manual translation and live support in French through their dedicated IRC channel. Thank you very much to Team Gueux and we are look forward to working with you.
Comme nous l'avons bien souvent dit avant, nous apportons une attention particulière au support clientèle ainsi que matériel et sommes fiers de cela. Notre partenariat permettra d’offrir des manuels et un support clientèle direct en français au travers d’un channel IRC. Merci beaucoup à l’équipe de Gueux et nous sommes impatient de travailler avec vous.
[/QUOTE]
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(Tuesday 15 February 2005 21:04 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Halo 2 Mod: Moon StrongHold v1.2
>> From halomods.com:
[QUOTE]
Scotty GEE has released his final build (Version 1.2) of his Moon Stronghold mod for Halo2. You will need to patch Coagulation with the patchfiles below. Thanks to sew3521 for the heads up.
-Moon Stronghold 1.2 Beta updates:
* Toned down Psi grenades with a nicer look and feel.
* Kool Story and tutorials and credentials and game types and weapon info list package thing.
* Tried to even out the weapon damage (some guns were way to powerful)
* Given guns the appearance to suit the story
* Geyser Cannon
* Scorpian is faster Very Happy
* Weapon's Shooting improvements
* Added base defence (play some CTF hehehehe)
* Added all guns to the level
* Improved light gun which has kool strategy potential
* Improved cliff textures and made the ground texture not repeat it self
* The hog actually shows its green headlights on the map.
* Blind gun does no damage just blinds
* There SHOULD be magnusses M but if not. I will make a new release ASAP with it.
* Banshee and ghost shoot and can boost at same time.
* NEW MAGNET GUN details in readme
* Hog plays mainmenu music (Scotty GEE's gonna try and make it custom (have some fully sick beats Very HappyVery HappyVery HappyVery Happy)...probly with jefff's help. who is kool
-Updates 1.1
* weapons overhaul! (not skins yet unfortunatly)
* JetPack!
* Beta Psi Grenades!
* Blind Gun!
* Light Gun!
* Warthog lights always on.
* Fixedc the base wall and ground texture (looked like shit)
-Updates 1.0
* Battle Rifle REALLY is auto now
* Trees are almost gone
* Golden gun REALLY blows stuff up in one shot
-still to come:
* Magnus's BIG red M
* Cairo Station's Sound Mask
[/QUOTE]
More Info/Downloads/Screenshots: halomods.com
Readme/Nfo: here[halomods.com]
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(Tuesday 15 February 2005 15:39 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Original White XenoChip Lite With Female PinHeader
>> From xenochip.com:
[QUOTE]
As mentioned earlier we have only manufactured one batch of Lite chips with female pinheaders. All chips in this production uses white soldermask (white color PCB). One of them are depicted on the picture below. This is an original product manufactured especially for one customer.
[/QUOTE]
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(Tuesday 15 February 2005 14:18 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Modified X3 bios released on newsgroups
>> A modified ('hacked') version of the X3 bios (just the MS-based hacked bios, the X3 OS ('Live Config') is not accessible as it needs the X3 hardware) has been released on Xbox newsgroups. From readme/nfo:
[QUOTE]
This Release is just a proof of Concept, that we reached after 2 hours, yes you heard right, it took us 2 hours to write an unpacker for the 1.6 version which derrives from Team EvolutionX(info)'s M8 Unpack tool.
v0.01:
X3 bios booting on non Xecuter 3 modchips .
Limitations:
* Can not enter the X3 config live (see the To-do list).
To-do:
* Get drunk
* Reverse and relink the bios settings (to store them into Xenium/Smartxx/Xchip flash rom).
* Get drunk
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a
Download: n/a (contains MS copyrighted code)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com
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(Tuesday 15 February 2005 13:13 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Ninjahacker.net Defense Fund and Petition
>> We've already posted many stories regarding the Ninjahacker/Tecmo situation. This is an update...
From Ninjahacker.net:
[QUOTE]
This website and it's contents have been taken offline as of January 25th 2005.
As you may be aware, Tecmo has filed litigation against the administrators and members of this message board, alleging copyright infringement and other claims. If anyone wishes to contribute money to be used to help pay for defense of the lawsuit, please click on the link.
Note that this money goes towards the website administrator's attourney fees, but anything extra may be given out to other forum members who need it.
(you can ignore the part where it asks for your shipping info... i'm not selling anything, so it is irrelevant)
[/QUOTE]
Use the PAYPAL link on Ninjahacker.net to donate to the defense fund.
Sign the Petition to get Tecmo to drop all legal matters against Ninjahacker.net
and/or send a real letter to Tecmo and let them know what you think at:
Tecmo Inc.
PO Box 5553
21213-B Hawthorne Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90503
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(Tuesday 15 February 2005 07:30 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xodus S.P. and Xenium S.P.ICE
>> From TeamXodus.com:
[QUOTE]
We are proud to announce the launch of our new, truly universal solder less adaptor the Xodus S. P. (Solderless Pro) adaptor. S.P. is the first (and only) truly universal adaptor designed to work on ALL currently existing Xbox versions and with all LPC based chips. Which support the Xodus protocol of wiring D0 control to pin 4 of the LPC. (All 4th Gen chips except earlier SmartXX versions)
Xodus S.P. -Recommended Retail Price: $ 29
SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!
For a limited time only we are offering a special bundle package, Xodus S.P. and Ice (SPICE) for an incredible price of only $69.
Xodus SPICE -Recommended Retail Price $ 69 ONLY
Here are some key features, that once again re-affirm our commitment to groundbreaking innovation, leadership and total dedication to safety, ease of use and quality products for you, the end user.
1.Works with ALL known Xbox versions to date (no need to check your version first)
2.No soldering required at all. Period.
3.Installs in seconds.
4. Unique precision engineered acrylic template for wire guide and safety feature.
5. Instant verification of correct contact on all five points through LED indicators (not for decoration only)
6. The only fourth gen., fully solerless DIY system offering such flexibility and compatibility available to date
It is important to note that as the original inventors of the solderless install system, the basic requirements for a DIY unit have not changed and is what we have consistently worked to provide. We understand the desire for a hassle free solderless unit with no need for concern over Xbox version, install difficulties, mechanical failures, or unsafe connections, and which is completely fool proof. Such an adapter is, and always will be, a must for users who do not want to solder.
Book your Spice pack from your favorite retailer early to avoid disappointment.
For trade enquiries, please contact us. trade@no.spam.team-xodus.com (remove the nospam part)
[/QUOTE]
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(Monday 14 February 2005 20:28 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XLink Kai: W.I.P. MenuItem Launcher for OSX
>> From teamxlink.co.uk:
[QUOTE]
More goodies for OSX users - this time in the shape of a slick MenuItem launcher for Mac OSX from uebe :) Once you install and run this, a little Kai(info) symbol appears on the top right menu bar of OSX - it lets you start and stop kaid, and allows you to launch either Amaryllis or JKaiUI :) It's got a nice config panel, and a help file.
Grab it by clicking here.
It's a work in progress, and has (I think) the latest Kaid binary for OSX inside it :) Feedback in the OSX subforum please.
[/QUOTE]
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(Monday 14 February 2005 20:03 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
New Modchip: MuppetX
>> The makers of the "Muppet Chip" for PS2 now come with their own Xbox modchip.
From muppetchip.com:
[QUOTE]
The new MuppetX Modchip is compatible to all Xbox versions including the v1.6 revisions. MuppetX works in PAL, NTSC and JAPANESE Xboxes.
Compatible with all EvolutionX(info) software. Flashable with latest EvoX Biosses.
* Hardware Features
-Two boot modes: Off, On
-Additional D0 bridge point
-Socket for flash
-Can be flashed (upgraded) (flashsize: 1MByte)
-Open tool design
-Play online (mod off)
-Compatible with Xbox v1.0 - v1.6
* Restore Function:
Select the Switch to Bank1 when power on the Xbox than insert the CDRW or DVDR for 1Mbyte bios file. Then it can easily be flashed with the flash file!
* Boot Modes:
-Off: Tap the powerbutton and the Xbox starts as normal with the original BIOS.
-On: Press and hold powerbutton for 1 second and the Muppet-X is activated.
* Visual Mode Indication of MuppetX:
The power LED will indicate the current mode by different colors.
-Off: Green (Normal) / Orange (HDD access)
-On: Orange (Normal) / Green (HDD access)
* Pre-Flashed Bios: Evox M8 BIOS (LBA48-06/IGR)
-Play all backups
-Play all homebrew
-Play all original imports
-Run Debug Executables
-LBA48 Hack
-Big hdd (2TB max) support
-Embedded In Game Reset (IGR)
-Compatible with all EvolutionX software
-No-patch hack
-Eject trick hack
-Auto patch new media flag titles
-Support for XBOX v1.6
-Works on all regions
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.muppetchip.com
Pre-Order Modchip: Divineo.cn (25USD)
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(Monday 14 February 2005 16:08 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
neXgen X3LCD Progress
>> From xboxopensource.com:
[QUOTE]
We have managed to get the XLCD to work with our neXgen(info) 2 dashboard.
[/QUOTE]
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(Sunday 13 February 2005 21:56 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XLink Kai Source Code Forum
>> The source code of the XLink Kai(info) gaming network (tunneling) has been released a few days ago (see news) - today they open a forum for developers who want to experiment with the code. From teamxlink.co.uk:
[QUOTE]
I've started setting up a little subforum for people who wanna compile / use the latest kaid source. Feel free to moan at me when I break things :) There will be code updates pretty frequently in here - please check the sticky to see if you can lend a hand in any way, especially if you're a FreeBSD guy or a Solaris guy :)
http://www.teamxlink.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=43
[/QUOTE]
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(Sunday 13 February 2005 20:50 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
EATrax XWB Extractor
>> From readme/nfo:
[QUOTE]
This program will extract the WMA files found in XWB files for Xbox games.
The WMA header, a 16 byte sequence consisting of the following values "0x30, 0x26, 0xB2, 0x75, 0x8E, 0x66, 0xCF, 0x11, 0xA6, 0xD9, 0x00, 0xAA, 0x00, 0x62, 0xCE, 0x6C" is searched for on a 16 byte boundary. If found, its size is calculated as the number of bytes from the start of the header until the start of the next header.
If anyone can tell me how the artist and song title are encoded and in what file, I can add that to the program.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by lee_hamel -AT- yahoo -DOT- com
Download Binaries: here
Download Sources: here
News-Source: xbins.org
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(Sunday 13 February 2005 18:50 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
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