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Week of June 2, 2002
Xtender 1.1 BIOS released
>> From the isonewsforum :
"You wanted it, you got it, here is the Xtender V1.1 BIOS!
Rather than having cheap ripoffs hacking our chip and
bragging about it. We decided we would release the full
Xtender V1.1 code,to assist the amateur homebrew scene
and gamers alike. You will still be able to buy the first,
best and original xbox modchip but if you want to try to flash
your own xbox you are welcome.
Please take care in flashing it, if in Doubt take it to an
expert to either flash or chip. We dont want to see too many
dead xbox's out there :-)
Enjoy
Team Xtender"
(Please note that above thread is UNCONFIRMED , it's unsure if it's real or fake , but it's probably true)
UPDATE: news is confirmed.
Strange move of the Xtendercrew , but they probably understood it wouldn't make any difference as someone would have ripped it anyway.
So to all who were flaming technodevice & xbox-scene ... here's the proof the first BIOS release was v1.0.
Oh , and ofcourse NO LINK. This BIOS image is copyrighted. Don't ask us , we can't help you.
OFFTOPIC(PS2): Messiah CLONE 19 wires
>> Our PS2 affiliate at www.ps2ownz.com reported that a new noswap PS2 modchips will be released.
It's based on the Messiah but will use only 19wires.
The mod is called Rmod v2.0 , will work on USA, PAL & JAP consoles and will have a pretty sharp price. (about $25-$35).
For more PS2 news , check ps2ownz
More about Pandora
>> We just received information the new Pandorachip will use 17wires (?!).
It should have a pricetag of $35-$45 with big reduction for quantity orders.
Their site should be back soon.
12wires mod
>> Some interesting stuff 'bout the future 12wire MessiahX and Enigmah2.0 from the XboxHacker.net Forums :
"This is how I think that the messiah-X and enigmah 12-wire modchips will work:
Let's assume that the bios is read in to ram only once, at boot-time. Lets also assume that it reads the flash sequential, starting from adress 0 and up to 3ffff.
That way we could, using a cpld or some counter logic (2 x 74hct4040?) connect only 12-wires.
The wires would be(to/from xbox): VCC + GND + 8-bit databus + CE + RD = 12 wires.
I might be totally wrong here, but that's my guess"
Check here for the full thread.
Pandorachip back ?
>> This is the mail everybody on their mailinglist received :
"Dear Sirs,
We would just like to let you know that development of
the Xbox 'Pandora Chip' is being continued and will be shortly released to the public. We have moved our office and production team to Hong Kong and the chip has been redesigned.
The website will be updated this week with further information, but we can let you know that the chip is been vastly improved and the number of wires has been reduced.
Please note that we have no connection to Enigmah or Xtender teams."
2be continued ...
New XPAD site
>> The guys from xpad (Xbox controller USB drivers of winall) just launched a complete new website.
check it out here
ITC bans 'offensive' Xbox TV ad
>> From TheRegister :
"Microsoft has been ordered to stop showing a TV commercial for its Xbox games console after it was dubbed "offensive, shocking and in bad taste".
The Independent Television Commission (ITC) received 136 complaints about the ad claiming it has caused "considerable distress to many viewers".
The ad starts with a woman giving birth to a baby boy. Immediately after the birth, the infant is shot out of a window, and ages rapidly as he travels at speed through the air.
He screams throughout the journey before violently crashing into his own grave as an old man. The advertisement ends with the line "Life is short. Play more".
Some viewers, including a pregnant woman and a new mother, objected in particular to the childbirth scene, while most thought the final scene showing the body crashing into a grave was extremely disturbing.
Microsoft has apologised to those who were disturbed by the ad.
It said in a statement: "We have been asked by the ITC to remove [the ad] from television in the UK only due to a minority of viewers who complained about the commercial. We did not set out to offend any viewers, and apologise if we have done so." "
OwnMade Mod diagrams
>> I just upped the diagrams for own made mods based on the Xtender1.0 BIOS.
check our Modchip page
Enigmah Video Mode Selector v2.0
>> From XboxMods.co.uk :
"I can 100% confirm that the reported problems of the "DVD RESET BUG" were in fact consoles that were already region locked before the mod was fitted. The Enigmah (and Xtender) simply freezes the region to its state as at the time of chipping (i.e. if it is in its non-region virgin state - it will stay that way - therefore any dongle can be used). Now the only fix for this has been to fit the free 5 wire DVD reset mod as released by Techno Devices. This was a nice little mod (thanks to Tom and Brad) - but we have now been given a tool that makes all that unnecessary.
Enigmah are proud to announce their further commitment to FREE homebrew development of the XBOX by releasing the Enigmah Video Mode Selector v2.0. Not only does this disc set your console to either PAL or NTSC mode, but now also resets your DVD region to its virgin state - so then the Enigmah can do its job of making sure it stays that way. (This disc will also work no problem with the Xtender and we assume the upcoming MessiahX)."
More about DVD-reset problems
>> I found this bit of information on XboxMods , it probably explains why some people had problems with the DVD-reset on Xtender & Enigmah.
"The DVD Reset thing bugged me so I checked again on another machine - and it works just fine. The only thing I can think of with the people having problems is that they had put in the DVD dongle BEFORE having the machine chipped. Then of course the region will be locked. The only way to unlock would be to fit the free code released by Techno devices."
Bunnie on TheRegister
>> Bunnie's paper on TheRegister :
"An MIT graduate student has successfully dismantled Xbox's security system and published (after what appears to have been some discussion with Microsoft and EFF lawyers) the results. Bottom line - Xbox security relies on a "chain of trust" built on a "seed of trust" key that is included in a physically secure, secret boot block and which is identical in all shipped hardware."
check the whole article here
China-messiah reports DVD-reset of Enigmah doesn't work
>> I found this on china-messiah :
"Users of the Enigmah modchip have reported that the DVD reset feature allowing swapping of dongles doesn't work at all. We decided to test this on someone's X-Box who had the latest Enigmah fitted, and swapping between dongles with all kinds of attempts at power-off, dongle in / out etc. etc. failed to allow us to swap successfully.
we guess this is a 'bug' ?"
I can't personally test this , I don't have any DVD remote right now.
Homemade Xtender
>> Here are the 4 choices you have to install your own made Xtender.
*flash the bios onboard with an adapter (like bunnie explained on his website)
*de-solder the bios, flash it, resolder it in the xbox
*de-solder the bios, flash it, solder a socket into the xbox and place the BIOS into that socket
*disable the bios with CE# signal, solder an eprom, OT prom, flashprom, eeprom with 30 wires to the test pins using the xtender diagrams
New Seagate's hard drive for the Xbox
>> Seagate Technology, the world's leading hard drive supplier, today unveiled U Series X, the first hard drive designed specifically for the needs of non-traditional markets. U Series X addresses very cost-sensitive applications that require the best reliability, virtually silent operation, and sufficient capacity — applications like the Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft, audio jukeboxes, copiers, retail point-of-sale (POS) systems and low-cost PCs. With just one read/write head and a 25 percent thinner profile to improve system airflow, it combines low cost, fast performance, and rugged durability for alternative applications. U Series X adds to the broad set of Seagate products available to PC makers and to Consumer Electronics and other non-traditional markets.
More info at teamxbox.com
Enigmah 12wires
>> It seems like we missed some information about the Enigmah.
They posted a few days ago that they are working on a 12wires version of the enigmah too.
They are also looking at a more stable auto switcher when patching the ROM.
Comment script removed.
>> The script was originally made for contructive reaction , comments & complaints , but the last few days it turned out in a lame unconstructive flaming thread attacking people and companies personally. Most of the time not even related to the subject of the article.
We don't have anything against complaints as long as they are constructive and not attacking people personally. If you want to complain 'bout xbox-scene , feel free to post a CONSTRUCTIVE post on our complaint forum. But stop attacking other companies on our site , mail 'em if you got something constructive to tell.
The script was not made to make personal attacks on people or companies and 'cause people can't stop posting ungrounded crap it has been closed.
The forums stay open (for now).
Raptor's reaction on Xtender1.0 release
>> From xboxmods.co.uk :
"Mr Sporty has released the hacked flash rom for the xbox (using an Xtender - he says its the final version - but some are saying its not - i've not tested myself). Excellent news for those that want to do their own homebrew programming of CPLD's or even flash their own 40 Pin TSOP 29F080. He seemed to get a little excited in his nfo but i dont take any offence - I have a lot of respect for the guy - it's all good fun :) (I'd give the link but its copywrited code but easy to find)."
Gamecube: TeamBMM FAKE
>> ya, ok.. so i dont have a great past of saying whats fake or real ;) But TeamBMM is fake... at around Midnight PST (June 3rd) TeamBMM released a program and a tutorial video...
in the hex of the program it read things such as "4 iso's found" and listed them, etc. The VIDEO was in my opinion hilarious, yet dissapointing.
It was a man in a mask who sticks a cracker/cookie in his mouth, and then spits it out, the guy labels it THPS4 and sticks it in the Gamecube. then theres a nice huge video glitch, and he starts it up... then he plays.. la la la la.... then he goes to turn it off, turns it off... HUGE video glitch, and pulls out the cracker/cookie.. then some man vs man fighting with plastic toys...
While it WAS dissapointing to me and im sure several others. Hopefully another GC group will come along thats REAL, we'll keep you posted if such a thing DOES happen...
GameCube Hack real or fake ... we'll know it soon
>> Teambmm , the guys who released the Gamecube movies some days ago , say they will release the Gamecube software and information/Insturctions in about 4hours.
We'll keep ya updated.
Xtender release = v1.0
>> Our friends over at technodevices informed us the "cracked" Xtender BIOS is from the Xtender v1.0 (without macrovison & no-patch hack) and not v1.1.
New Poll
>> With the current events (Pandorachip gone , BIOS image release , MX specs , ...) I did a reset on the Poll and removed/added some answer.
Go vote now (the Poll is under the leftside navigationbar on the index page).
Flash BIOS
>> I wanna clear up a few things :
-no , you will NOT be able to flash the BIOS with a (boot)CD.
-yes , you need an eXPensive programmer like this one to flash a BIOS & a TSOP->DIL ZIF adaptor
-yes , we will probably see cheaper Xtender-clones soon
-If you wonder where the BIOS is , it's this chip. (but if you didn't even find this yourself I wouldn't even think about desoldering the BIOS chip)
-The removal of the BIOS chip is still "fairly easy" , but the reattaching is really not easy and pretty much impossible if you have no eXPerience in this kinda stuff.
-No , we can't post a link to this BIOS image (this would mean the end of xbox-scene) and we ask not to post it in on the commentscript or forum. This BIOS image contains MS copyrighted code
What this means is that "normal" people will still need modchips , and the only thing that will probably change , is the price.
China-Messiah's reaction on Bios image release
>> From china-messiah
"The implications of this release are many, because control of modchips in the world is now not the governing factor limiting hack of the X-Box console, the limiting factor actually now becomes the availability of programming equipment capable of carrying out the process.
TO EXPLAIN:
The Bios inside an X-box is held in a readily available Flash Device. Analysis of the pin configurations brings the assumption that Microsoft have no intention to use the flashing ability of the bios within the X-box, therefore the bios will remain static throughout each consoles life. This means that if a hacked bios image is dumped into the flash programmable device, it is safe to assume that this bios will continue to work indefinitely.
There has been a version of modchip available for some time called Xtender, this, just like the Enigmah version of modchip used an available hacked bios image to produce externally implemented patches to the original X-box bios. The Enigmah was a little cleverer than the Xtender because work was done with this particular chip to make the loaded bios images smaller, and so only a single chip device was required to apply the necessary patches, the patch information being easily held within the chips memory rather than loaded from external memory holding a complete bios image.
The release of this bios file allows the following:
A) Consoles can be upgraded by workshops with the correct equipment very cheaply because no parts are required to be fitted.
B) Very cheap modchips to be made, high priced modchips are no longer an option, basically say goodbye to Xtender and Enigmah unless their prices become much lower."
They also confirmed they will continue to work on the MX chip 'cause it will have only 12wires (instead of the 29 you would need for an Xtender(-clone)) and the MX will be sold for a very low price. (about £25)
Xtender 1.0 hex
>> modshack.co.uk released information that the Xtender1.1 bios image has been "cracked" and released.
If this is true (and it's very probable) it's bad news for xtender but good news for the consumer.
Please note that this does NOT mean that you will be able to make a bootCD or anything like that. It just means that the "code" of the chip is available and that people with the right equipment can program their own chip.
If this works out we could see tons of asian xtender clones ...
More info here
(note: the hex WILL NOT be posted here as it probably contain MS copyrighted code (BIOS))
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