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Week of July 27, 2003
NeoGenesis v6
>> Whats New/Fixed:
- Fixed bug in save states when playing from ISO/MP3.
If you saved a game while it was playing an MP3, continued playing
until it loaded another MP3, and then reloaded the save state from the
other MP3, NeoGenesis would crash. This is fixed.
Official Site: http://xport.xbox-scene.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
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(Saturday 02 August 2003 23:41 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XDeck: Dynamic IDE Switch
>> From xdeck.net:
[QUOTE]
This diagram shows the basic principle for how the XDeck will dynamically switch between the drives.
The XBox is connected to the XDeck via the IDE port. Once a call to access the drive has been sent to the XDeck’s “Custom IDE BUS” (CIB) will check for a special data flag (sent via a command line utility) that signifies the drive to access. If one of these flags indicates a drive that is not currently selected, the CIB will buffer the proceeding commands as the “Dynamic IDE Switch” (DIS) switches off the previous drive switches on the selected drive. Then the DIS will send a success bit to the CIB acknowledging the switch. The CIB will spin up the drive (if in sleep mode) and resume the data stream.
The XDeck has IDE BUS Isolation switches in place to allow the XBox to bypass the CIB. This allows the XDeck to boot to the original BIOS and drives for LIVE play.
Limitations
The XDeck is not perfect and it dose possess some known limitations.
The XDeck requires that the DVD drives to be slaves and the hard drives to be masters. This limitation forces at least one DVD drive and one hard drive to be active at all times. This prevents the XBox from initiating a drive-to-drive copy without switching drives multiple times. Because of this, some file operations will experience some noticeable slowdown due to the overhead. This limitation will be addressed in the next XDeck release.
The hard drives installed into the XDeck should all be of the same size, brand and manufacturer (except for the original hard drive). Although the system will operate, it is recommended to keep all the drives identical to prevent any damage. This limitation will be addressed in the next XDeck release.
The XBox communicates with the XDeck by tapping into the IDE BUS and the USB v1.1 ports (controller ports). This severely limits the data throughput of the expansion ports. Nothing can be done to remedy this limitation.
The XDeck will not provide any means to extend the hard drives past the XBox’s 138GB drive limit. This limitation will be addressed in the next XDeck release.
[/QUOTE]
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(Saturday 02 August 2003 22:03 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xboyadvance V5
>> From Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
XBoyAdvance - GBA/GBC/GB/SGB/SGB2 Emulator for XBox v5
What's New:
- Fixed bug with save types. If you selected a specific save type (e.g. EEPROM, etc) it was not being picked up by XBoyAdvance. This was previngting the playing of games like DBZ:Goku among othes.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://xport.xbox-scene.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
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(Saturday 02 August 2003 21:07 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Work In Progress: Gentoox Installation Disk
>> From http://gentoox.shallax.com:
[QUOTE]
I'm working on full cromwell integration and a special boot CD that allows you to download and install Gentoox from your Xbox! Just put the CD in and away you go - again, it support SSH, keyboard and Xpad for the installation. More details to come, the ISO will be about 5 megs to download :). If you cant read burned CDs in your Xbox, don't worry - the previous installation method will still be supported.
[/QUOTE]
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(Saturday 02 August 2003 20:08 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
PCSXBox v8
>> From Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
PCSXBox - PSX Emulator for XBox v8
What's New:
- Cleaned up video handling and rewrote some video routines resulting in
about 10-20% framerate improvement. For example, Castlevania SOTN
ran at about 52 fps before, and now it runs at over 60fps with dips to 58fps
from time to time.
- Implemented P.E.Op.S. PSX Soft GPU v1.15 - relevant changes :
+ Fixed frame limitation if "old skipping method" is used
+ Added sprite x coord wrap (skullmonkey)
- Many miscellaneous bug fixes that were applied to the other recent emu releases
- Relax support
- Basically the same set of features as the most recent other emu ports I've done
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://xport.xbox-scene.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
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(Saturday 02 August 2003 18:25 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Neogenesis V4/V5 *updated*
>> Neogenesis V4: from Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
NeoGenesis Sega Genesis/Megadrive/32X/SegaCD/MegaCD Emulator for XBox v4
What's New:
* Fixed video slowdown in 32x games. Very nice FPS in Virtua Fighter 32x and
all other 32x games now.
* Other bugfixes that were fixed in other UI-similar releases. (E.g. long
filenames in network shares, etc)
[/QUOTE]
update Neogenesis V5: from Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
Sorry about the "two releases in 30 minutes" thing....but I think you'll like this one:
What's New:
* Save States for CD games are now working (!) This is a feature even the windows version of Gens does not have. :)
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://xport.xbox-scene.com (back online)
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com and xbins.org
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(Saturday 02 August 2003 14:47 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Wonderswan Still Outsells Xbox in Japan
>> By D. F. Smith on gamers.com:
[QUOTE]
Despite tapering software support and official confirmation that the system's days are numbered, Bandai's Wonderswan handheld game player continues to outsell Microsoft's Xbox console in Japan, according to the latest sales data from Famitsu Weekly. According to sales reports for the week from July 14 through July 20, 1,212 Xboxes were sold in Japan, compared to 1,251 Wonderswans.
One may draw many conclusions from this data, regarding everything from the failings of Microsoft's Japanese marketing campaigns to the astounding power of Bandai's SD Gundam and Super Robot Wars franchises. Feel free to contemplate it as you see fit.
[/QUOTE]
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(Saturday 02 August 2003 13:48 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
2 missed releases: cromwell 2.21dev and XboxIfy 1.2
>> While surfing around on developers website I saw I missed 2 releases in July.
Better late then never so here they are:
Jul 16, 2003: cromwell 2.21dev BIOS
An update of the Linux bios/kernel. No clear changelog found - you will have to check the Xbox-Linux Cromwell CVS to see the changes made to each sourcefile.
Official Site: http://xbox-linux.sourceforge.net
Download: here
Jul 08, 2003: XboxIfy 1.2
With XboxIfy, you can rename files on your (local) harddisk, so that they can be easily transferred to the Xbox.
The rk archiver used upto now has for creating Windows self extracting archives, has problems when the archive is stored on a UNC directory (\\server\share\directory\name.exe). Switched to using WinRAR for creating these SFX files.
Official Site: http://xboxify.berlios.de
Download: here
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(Saturday 02 August 2003 08:54 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XBtool 1.0.4b1
>> What's new/fixed:
* Packs\unpacks 5455 and 5558 debug (intended for BFM use only). Kludge note: the 2bl is patched when the BIOS is patched. (Thanks koitsu, myria, ed/gimli, Phoenix, nghtshd, et al.)
* New config key so old configs will need to be updated/replaced.
* Added some config info to log file output.
* Logfiles go to stderr if the logfile can't be opened.
* Added some info to the boot flag patching dialog (BTW, thanks to Iriez for the idea to make boot flag patching optional).
* Fixed crash when loading the current bios preset with no BIOS loaded.
* Fixed logfile typo.
Official Site: http://home.alltel.net/nghtshd/xbtool.html
Download: here
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(Friday 01 August 2003 19:03 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
LinuxTag 2003 video online
>> From Xbox-Linux:
[QUOTE]
If you speak German, intend to learn it, or are interested in Xbox Linux even if you don't understand the text, download it here (108 MB).
The 1 hour presentation consists of 15 minutes about Xbox, Xbox security and Xbox Linux in general; then live modding using the 007 method and live modding using the beta of the MechInstaller, which is to be released soon.
Thanks to Marko for filming!
Note: You need mplayer with ffmpeg & faad or QuiteTime 6 (Mac or Win) to view it.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site/Download Movie: http://xbox-linux.sourceforge.net
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(Friday 01 August 2003 14:36 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Work In Progress: Easy Phoenix Install GUI
>> From Wooger:
[QUOTE]
If you all didnt know there has been numerous release's previously of this but without a gui and really more of a manual process than any.... BUT that is all over now....
This Project is designed to help ease the installation of the XBox exploit methods. In the current upcoming release its planned to have backup/restore (of original xbox drive configuration that the installation will modify), automated installation of the choosen exploit. It does this first by determining your XBox configuration , building the Evox.ini file, Backing up your current unmodified files (that the installation will modify), and copying/creating all needed directories and files best suited for your XBox. It also will copy the 007/MA save game exploit over (if chosen). I have this procedure in just incase you some how mess up your ip configuration and you cant access the XBox over the wire after the installation. Though this should be there if you follow the recommended installation instruction since you will need the save game exploit installed before using this program.
Im asking for input on any additional features people might like to see?
[/QUOTE]
Check out the preview picture on forums.xbox-scene.com.
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com and maxconsole.com
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(Friday 01 August 2003 13:14 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Host for Gentoox Home v1
>> Shallax is looking for a host for his Gentoox Home v1 release (as 'archive', v2 is already out):
[QUOTE]
Well, the xbox-linux guys have been complaining at me for taking up so much webspace on sourceforge so I've had to drop Home v1. If anyone knows a reliable host that is easy to apply for - please let me know.
[/QUOTE]
Note that the release is big, so only apply if bandwidth is no problem for you.
Official Site: http://gentoox.shallax.com
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(Friday 01 August 2003 12:30 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
HUGO-X v8
>> - Emulates the PC-Engine/TurboGrafx-16
- Can play *real* PCE CDs/SCDs
- Can play ripped ISO/MP3 cd-images - use included CDDISSECT tool
- Excellent compatibility - ported from HUGO
- ZIP support
- Cheat system - Search/Create your own cheat codes
- Favorites list
- Netplay
- Resizable game screen
- Save Game management - delete save game files
- Skin-able
You can read the rest of the features at forums.xbox-scene.com
Official Site: n/a
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com and http://www.xbins.org
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(Friday 01 August 2003 00:00 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
LoaderConfig
>> From the readme:
[QUOTE]
LoaderConfig allows you to create Evox menu items for loading different BFM BIOSes. Pass the path to the Phoenix loader and the name of the config file to use.
Warning: boot.cfg will be overwritten, so back it up.
Put your configs in the folder with the Phoenix loader.
This could be built into the Phoenix loader, but I'm not quite masochistic enough to do it with the gcc compiler.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by NghtShd
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: xbins.org
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(Thursday 31 July 2003 18:03 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
dvd2xbox v0.4.0
>> What's new/fixed:
+ added iso9660 filename parser (not fatx compliant characters will be filtered out and length will be cutted down to 42 letters)
+ added to dvd2xbox.xml. choose how many copy retries dvd2xbox should accomplish before it fails copying a file (iso9660 and UDF mode, reminds me on old Amiga days :-)
+ added simple Hdd browser with the following features:
-delete highlited file or directory tree
-launch game / app within directories (highlite default.xbe)
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: xbins.org
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(Thursday 31 July 2003 11:48 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XBtool 1.0.2
>> What's new/fixed:
* Detect target ROM size smaller than native remainder.img size.
* Ask if boot flags should be patched so kernel can remain identical to retail kernel if need be.
* 1.0.2 sources released.
Official Site: http://home.alltel.net/nghtshd/xbtool.html
Download: here
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(Thursday 31 July 2003 11:10 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Modchips now illegal in Australia
>> By Staff writers, ZDNet Australia:
[QUOTE]
The Federal Court has overturned a decision it made last year legalising the use of modification chips in Sony PlayStation game consoles.
A year ago Federal Court Judge Justice Ronald Sackville ruled that the devices, which allow Australian PlayStation and Xbox owners to circumvent copy protection technology to play games that have been copied or imported, were not illegal. Justice Sackville found that the technology that the mod chips disable could not be classed as a copy protection measure as it also prevented legal activity such as playing back-up copies of legally acquired games.
However, yesterday, the Federal Court upheld Sony's appeal against the decision, and ordered that the company be awarded legal costs. The chips are now illegal.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on zdnet.com.au
Thanks to Jacob for the link.
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(Thursday 31 July 2003 11:05 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xboyadvance V4
>> From Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com
[QUOTE]
XBoyAdvance - GBA/GBC/GB/SGB/SGB2 Emulator for XBox v4
what's New :
- Fixed support for long filenames (some games would load, e.g. off CD media, but save games would not save. Or some games wouldn't load from network share at all.)
- Bugfixed screenshot display from favorites listing
- Other bugfixes/UI/Skin changes to bring it up to date with other emu releases
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by Xport
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com and xbins.org
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(Thursday 31 July 2003 10:43 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XDeck Moduality
>> From xdeck.net:
[QUOTE]
After seeing some of your creative (and comical) Photoshop hacks of the concept images in the forum, I have decided to make the front panel modular.
What dose this mean?
The XDeck designs have merged into one system so now the XDeck will only be split into two basic models:
XDeck
* XDeck Manual & Dynamic Hard Drive Switching
* Rear Expansion Bay
* Three Piece Modular Front Panels (Left, Center, & Right)
o Front Panel Switches (similar to concept image v2)
o Side Panels (Front Left and Right) will be Interchangeable
o Optional Panels
+Blank - Side
+LCD Panel - Side
+DVD Dongle Port - Center
+More in development
XDeck Slim
* XDeck Slim Same design as XDeck but designed for Slim ATAPI drives and 2.5” hard drives for a slimmer system and with limited expansion ability.
* (PCMCIA is being considered)
[/QUOTE]
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(Thursday 31 July 2003 08:54 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Phoenix Bios Loader V1.3
>> Whats New/Fixed:
This was just a quick release to fix the damn EEPROM decrypt problem. People should now be able to media boot the retail-based roms with no problems.
NOTE: You MUST provide the EEPROM keys in the boot.cfg file if you want to boot the retail-based roms or have your game saves work correctly. See Step 2c int the instructions below for details.
When upgrading:
DO NOT JUST COPY IN THE NEW XBE WITHOUT ADDING THE EEPROM KEYS TO THE BOOT.CFG
Official Site: http://phoenix.maxconsole.com/
Download: here
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(Thursday 31 July 2003 01:38 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Bo-XLink / Xlink RC2 development delayed
>> From xboxlink.co.uk:
[QUOTE]
Bo-XLink / RC2 Development has been delayed. TD and TL have today decided to call a halt to the current Alpha build series. Spending the time to hand out Bo-XLink to over 1000 users, and receiving not ONE piece of bug-related email feedback from the "testers" who asked to download really makes us think we're wasting our time with public releases at the moment. Bo-XLink / RC2 development will continue internally, and we hope to have a public release at some point in the future. Until that time, thanks to everyone who has helped us so far.. you know who you are. TD/TL
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.xboxlink.co.uk
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(Wednesday 30 July 2003 20:25 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox Open Source Projects back
>> From HoRnEyDvL (EFnet):
[QUOTE]
Good news after a server crash we have recovered all our files & are back up & running. Dont be fooled from the lack of updates & releases its abit hard for a 3 man team to do all the work since no 1 will help us. Aslong as trying 2 release XdashOs we will try 2 release smaller projects we have been working on such as Bioses small tools ect. We are still looking for help so if u can help us please email Squish_da_bug@hotmail.com eith the subject XdashOs Help.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.xboxopensource.com
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(Wednesday 30 July 2003 20:19 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Halo XBE Hacker (HXH) v2
>> Whats New/Fixed:
-Added a LiveUpdate feature.
*Updates your hexranges.txt to a more recent version
*Will overwrite your old hexranges.txt
-Alot of people have been asking me about the numbers that come out when you press replace. That was just a debugging helper so I have removed it.
Official Site: n/a
Download: here
News-Source: http://www.xbins.org
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(Wednesday 30 July 2003 19:39 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
ZXBTools 1.01
>> Whats New/Fixed:
-Fixed problems with high size isos
-Progressbar was crazy, i think its fixed
-Making multigame disk of high size the program freeze, fixed
-Fixed problems creating isos with spaces in the filename
-Some minor changes in the gui
-Deleted the option of copy games to root dir temporally, dont works well
Official Site: http://zonaxbox.indicedivx.com
Download: here
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(Wednesday 30 July 2003 18:42 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
FCEUltra v8
>> Whats New/Fixed:
- Sound and video hiccups should be gone
- Fixed bug where screenshots were not showing up in favorites list
- Fixed bug with loading games across network share with filename length > 42
- Default skin by boo_se updated to include animation on the loading screen. Overwrite the existing skin dir with the new contents of this package.Then, from the main menu, select "Select Skin" and reload the skin.
- Skin System Update:
+ Removed specific variable for amount of time to delay on loading screen
+ Added general variable to *all* menu configuration screens to specify
how long to let animation loop before giving control to the user.
This is useful for instances where you want some animation to run before the user can do anything.
Official Site: n/a
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com and http://www.xbins.org
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(Wednesday 30 July 2003 18:38 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XBtool 1.0.1
>> Whats New/Fixed:
-Fixed Evox D6 patcher.
-If you used the D6 patcher from a previous version and
get a hang on a black screen press the eject button and
the Xbox should boot.
Official Site: http://home.alltel.net/nghtshd/xbtool.html
Download: here
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(Wednesday 30 July 2003 13:14 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox Backup 1.1.0 (Mac OS X)
>> From trackfive on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
Version 1.1.0 is available...
Update:
I've added a Utilities menu that gives you access to create an ISO backup image from a folder on your Mac. If you get errors with some discs, you can FTP the disc using an FTP program and create an image once it's on your Mac.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by trackfive
Download (for Mac OS X): here
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com
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(Wednesday 30 July 2003 04:30 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
XBtool 1.0.1b5
>> What's new/fixed:
* Fixed 4976 patcher as per changes in 1.0.1b4
* If you patch an Evox BIOS with a new LED color it may hang on a black screen while booting. If this happens try pressing eject and the Xbox should continue to boot. I'm looking for the cause of this problem.
Official Site: http://home.alltel.net/nghtshd/xbtool.html
Download: here
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(Wednesday 30 July 2003 04:16 EST) - (Category: (default)) - (Posted by::
)
UnXiP v0.1
>> From the readme:
[QUOTE]
UnXiP 0.1 - by MaTiAz
Based on PIXIT 0.5 sources by Voltaic.
Description
It just simply extracts an XIP archive. Nothing more.
Usage
unxip.exe -extract [unxip-path] [default.xip]
Just type this in the console(not in the Xbox!!), or more familiar, The MS-DOS prompt.
But, remember to write the path for extracted files instead of [unxip-path] and the desired XIP filename instead of [default.xip]!
About the sources
I decided to give the sources out because Voltaic did it with PIXIT(and this app is based on it!). Yes, it would be stupid to make a closed-source application from a open-source one.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by MaTiAz
Download: here
Microsoft trims game division
>> By David Becker on news.com:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft confirmed Tuesday that it has laid off a small number of workers from the division that creates games for the Xbox and PCs.
A company representative said 34 positions were eliminated in Microsoft Game Studios--about 3 percent of the division's work force of 1,229 employees.
The representative characterized the layoffs as part of routine reorganization.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article from news.com.
Thanks to Flagg for the news.
XBtool 1.0.1b4
>> What's new/fixed:
* Removed kernel expansion due to conflict with IGR (reverted back to name pooling).
* Added pack as BFM option.
* Fixed crash which could occur if the wrong config was used.
Official Site: http://home.alltel.net/nghtshd/xbtool.html
Download: here
Smsplusx V6
>> From Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
SMSPlusX - Game Gear/Sega Master System Emulator for XBox v6
What's New:
- Fixed periodic sound hiccup
- "No filtering" looks more like a real SMS/GG (more pixelated)
- Bugfixes to skin system - if your sprites kept getting snapped back to the edges of the screen, this update fixes it.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by Xport
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com and xbins.org
Clamor Mounts for Video Game Console Price Cuts
>> By Ben Berkowitz on reuters.com:
[QUOTE]
Three of the largest video game publishers reported quarterly earnings this week, their first since a round of partial game console price cuts in May, and for the most part they said the same thing: not enough, cut more.
That pressure on the three console makers -- Sony Corp. , Microsoft Corp. and Nintendo Co. Ltd. -- amounts to a challenge to accept deeper losses on game hardware in return for profits later as lucrative software sales rise.
That may be a risky strategy but the alternative looks even worse since the most recent data shows sales of the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube down by more than a third compared with last year, a trend that if sustained could make Christmas bleak for hardware and software makers.
Retailers are starting to speculate that another cut may be in the offing.
"We hear that one, or possibly two manufacturers, are thinking about the price cuts for the fourth quarter. We think the cuts would be good for penetration of the software -- new and used," John Antioco, Blockbuster Inc.'s chairman and chief executive officer told Reuters.
But the game industry's leader, publisher Electronic Arts Inc., said it was not clear yet if console makers were considering a fall price cut or if they would instead choose a strategy, as Nintendo has done, of maintaining the hardware price and bundling in games for free.
Financial analysts who follow the industry, for their part, think a cut by September to $149 for the Xbox and PS2 and $99 for Game Cube price was increasingly likely.
Those beliefs were reinforced after June sales data from market researchers NPDFunworld showed year-over-year declines in hardware sales of anywhere from 36 percent to 42 percent, due to the tough comparison to last June, when consumers were buying up consoles in a frenzy after the price cuts.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article on reuters.com.
Work In Progress: FBAx b4
>> Even after the release of Kawa-X, development of FBAx will continue.
TMaul posted on http://www.lantus-x.com/FBAx/:
[QUOTE]
Just a small update to let you all know that FBAx is not dead.
Here are a few things that Lantus and myself have been working on:
* Improved video code with filters (AdvanceMAME 2x, etc). Thanks to the work by Lantus the video code is now a lot quicker than previous versions of FBAx.
* UI improvements. A few more options have been added to the config menu, and a start has been made on improving the overall presentation of FBAx.
There are quite a few other changes currently being worked on but you will have to wait for further updates.
If you want to make a suggestion on a feature, improvement or bugfix you want to see in the next version please post it here:
http://www.lantus-x.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=253
[/QUOTE]
FCEUltra v7
>> Whats New/Fixed:
- Selecting "no filtering" should look much more like a real NES now
- Bugfixes to skin system - if your sprites kept getting snapped back to the edges of the screen, this update fixes it.
Official Site: n/a
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com and http://www.xbins.org
Game Size Editor v1.6
>> What's New/Fixed:
+ Count games on XBOX.com and XBOX.co.uk
+ Added new games (264 games atm)
+ Fixed some bugs
+ Fixed some wrong names
+ New way of counting games
Official Site: n/a, by XBOX War3z
Download: here
Fceultra V6
>> From Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
FCEUltraX - NES/Famicom Emulator for XBox v6
What's New :
- Fixed periodic sound hiccup
- Fixed sound for people running in 50hz mode while trying to play 60hz games
- New Skin options :
+ Add sprites to the loading menu
+ Specify amount of time to delay on loading screen to see animation
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by Xport
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
Media X Menu (MXM) 0.9n.4
>> From BenJeremy on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
* Added tag to layouts, which prevent the fade in if set to FALSE
* Fixed issue with Alpha-masked PNG files not displaying properly
* Fixed another issue with Alpha on Fonts not being displayed correctly!
* xISO xFER now works with MXM (tested on 2.02) - xFER didn't like my MKD response code.
* New SITE commands:
- SITE ResetMenuCache
- FTP Client apps could refresh the menu selections
- SITE trayopen
- Opens Drive Tray
- SITE trayclose
* Closes Drive Tray
* Oh, just for kicks, I added a "System..." submenu and implemented the "Action" tag for menu items.
This is pretty simple, at the moment, but I'll build this up as time progresses.
The test menu features "Tray Eject" and "Tray Close" as well as reboot options.
* Added conditional "itemaction"
* Fixed small problem with the Time Synch not being disabled when the network was disabled by SAFE MODE
* Tweaked the menu loading again.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a , by BenJeremy (forums, tutorials)
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
Mac Based XBOX FTP client and GDF image builder in one
>> Track Five from XS.. has made a Native OS X Gui/util that allows you to backup your original retail game and FTP to PC, and then ISO. (acts as a front end to extract-iso)
News-Source: DVD Forums, XS (XBOX BACKUP for MAC OS X v1.0.0)
Download: here
Thanks to Xeero for the News
Boot.From.Media.Bios.Collection-COMPLEX
>> From the readme:
[QUOTE]
Release Info:
We have repacked some more bios to be bootable from media in order to help stop any confusion we've included the Phoenix Bios Loader v1.2 with our release and have added the correct rc4key to the .cfg file
Include Bios Are:
RETAIL : 3944, 4034, 4817, 5101
HACKED : Evox 2.6 (EjectFix and Non EjectFix), Evox D.6 (EjectFix and Non EjectFix), Xecuter 4976.02
DEBUG : Complex 1.03 4627, Complex 1.03 4627 boot Evox
FAQ:
What is BFM Bios?
BFM Bios are bootable from media, which means you can change the xbox bios that is shadowed in memory without using a switch or having to flash your modchip/tsop.
How can this benefit me?
If you dont have a modchip you can use the Dashboard exploit or 007 savegame exploit to load a hacked bios into memory to allow you to play backups on unmodded xbox.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a
Download: n/a (MS Copyrighted Code)
News-Source: http://www.xbins.org
ZXBTools 1.0
>> From the readme:
[QUOTE]
With ZXBTools you can create multigames menu disk using the MenuX by a simple and fast way. It allows the use of themes (send, download, manage) and to copy the games to the root directory of the DVD, since some games only works if they are in the root directory of the DVD. With ZXBTools yo can create and extract lists of isos, for the iso creation uses extract-xiso. Also isos can be extracted to xbox by FTP (on the fly) and you can change the title and patch xbe files.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://zonaxbox.indicedivx.com/modules.php?name=zxb&d_op=Ingles
Download: here
Halo XBE Hacker (HXH)
>> From the readme:
[QUOTE]
1) Contents
Included it a working exe and the source code to it. You will need the Visual Basic runtimes if you dont have VB.
2) Whats the Purpose
Me and my friends like to mess around with the variables in Halo and make it display our custom text.
We were tired of Hex editing it through WinHex. So I made this program and it simplifies everything.
3) How Do I Use It
First you open the Halo XBE. Then You chose which variable you want to change and insert your custom text. Lastly Hit "REPLACE".
4) What are those wierd "%s" and "%d"
The "%s" and "%d" are ingame variables "%s" is most of the time a player and "%d" is mostly a timer of some sort. It depends on what event(i.e. "When someone quits") you are editing. Its pretty easy to figure out.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a (by Luis Caicedo aka CLuis)
Download: here (only for NTSC/U version atm)
News-Source: http://www.xbins.org
AVAxml v0.47
>> A_Snowman mailed us a new version of his XML file generator for Avalaunch 0.47
What's new/fixed:
* Time Server
* Led colours
* window transparency
* IR remote sensitivity
* Override how the launcher should display icons
* Enable Ftp server
* Show free space on root on drives in ftp.
* Background music settings (some confusion around this one path to folder, not to file)
Official Site: n/a, by A_Snowman
Download: here
bxStream guide and bxStream v0.2 preview
>> windragz mailed us a 'user guide' for his bxStream v0.1 (server for XboxMediaplayer using the XNS Protocol).
You can download the user guide here(pdf).
He also sent us 2 pictures of the future bxStream v0.2 that is currently in development.
Another preview image here
BioXX/NitroXX flasher for Linux
>> From Xbox-Linux:
[QUOTE]
All BioXX/NitroXX owners can now speed up Cromwell development with Ed's Linux version of the flasher that can be downloaded here.
[/QUOTE]
Chameleon Wireless Adaptor Sample
>> We received our Chameleon Wireless Adaptor in the mail today from easybuy2000.
Here are a few exclusive pictures for you:
review coming when it's ready ;)
Avalaunch 0.47rpk
Boot.From.Media.Bios.Debug.And.4976-COMPLEX
>> From the Readme:
[QUOTE]
We've repacked these bios so they work with phoenix bios loader they now are bootable from media.
Note: Dont flash your tsop with these bios this is only for use with booting from media.
Included Bios are
4627 Debug Bios BFM
4627 Debug Bios Boot Evox BFM
X2 4976.02 BFM
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a
Download: n/a (MS copyrighted code)
News-Source: http://www.xbins.org
X-Pass-Reloaded_0.2.3-XFACTOR
>> Whats New/Fixed:
** I completely rewrote X-Pass, and tidied everything up a lot. The code should be a lot more stable now, not that it wasn't before, but it's not all one big function anymore. I think the biggest change you'll notice is the name and background - now a nice, rather snazzy effect i think. Just for the record, i did not copy the Pheonix team by using the name reloaded, i had already thought of it before i realised they had used it
** You can now delete the last character that you entered by pressing the "A" button on your joypad
** You don't have to put "D:\xbehere.xbe" for the path of the xbe anymore. You can use C:\, E:\, or F:\. You CAN use D:\ but it will be mapped to the directory that X-Pass launched from
** Added a new function so you can change the XBE path from within X-Pass itself. One note though, the keyboard doesn't have numbers yet, so for now, you won't be able to launch an XBE with numbers in the filename, unless you edit the DashPath.txt file manually
** There is now a function on the main screen to launch the current game in the XBOX drive. Currently I haven't coded it to do anything if it's a DVD movie, i may do that in the next version
** I have taken the screen burn protection code out, as i think it may have been a bit
Official Site: http://www.xfactordev.net
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
Smsplusx V5 - Neogenesis V3 - Fceultra V5
>> 3 great new updates of Xport's emulator ports!
From Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
NeoGenesis Sega Genesis/Megadrive/32X/SegaCD/MegaCD Emulator for XBox v3
What's New:
* Fixed screen tearing
[/QUOTE]
From Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
SMSPlusX - Game Gear/Sega Master System Emulator for XBox v5
What's New:
* Fixed screen tearing
* Added FM disable/enable option
[/QUOTE]
From Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
FCEUltraX - NES/Famicom Emulator for XBox v5
What's New :
- Option to force PAL/NTSC
- Relax bugfixes (sorting, etc)
- Faster video output (makes no difference since all games already run at 60fps)
- New Skin options :
+ Continuously loop sprite animations or just loop once
+ Assign motion_x and motion_y variables
+ Assign a bounding rectangle in which sprites can move
+ Assign a degree of rotation that the sprites should turn when they hit a boundary
- Misc. bugfixes
[/QUOTE]
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com
i64XBOX
>> The article is kinda old (March 8), but it's still very interesting.
Jason Olmstead (from mini-itx.com) wrote a document on how to install a PC inside the Xbox case.
The Introduction:
[QUOTE]
My whole plan was to put a PC inside of some type of super small case and use it to play ROMs on a TV. Who wants to sit infront of a PC and play old Nintendo games though? That's what I thought. That's where the idea for the box came up.
I wasn't sure what to put the box in. Someone has already put a PC inside a Nintendo, but I didn't want to be a copy cat. I managed to score an XBOX that was gutted on eBay for about $20, so I decided to use that as my starting point. I also got my hands on one of VIA's tiny EPIA motherboards, and a very small ATX/ITX compatible power supply. For the hard drive, I had to keep it small to keep the whole project inside the case. I didn't want anything outside of the XBOX shell... the whole idea of this project was to keep everything self-contained and very modular say I wanted to take it to someone else's house. The only choice for a hard drive was simple - laptop hard drive. My friend Chris York had a 3.2GB laptop drive that he sold me pretty cheap. It had more than enough space than what I was going to use it for, so it was perfect. I was then able to buy a laptop hard drive converter on eBay that would allow me to use it on a normal PC motherboard. It works pretty well.
[/QUOTE]
Check out the whole article on mini-itx.com.
Thanks to D.W. for sending me this link.
Technical analyses of Free-X’s “Bert & Ernie” exploit
BiosChecker 3.01b
>> What's new/fixed:
* Added recognition of Chameleon modchip and all other mods based on AMD 29LV800B flashroms
* Fixed Xecuter 2 modchip recognition (in old releases identified as tsop because flashrom is the same 29F080B!!)
Official Site: http://www.darkmoon.org (down atm)
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: xbins.org
Kawa-X 0.11
>> What's new/fixed:
* Added lowpass filter for sound. Toggle it from the in game menu
* Disabled that Start+Back shortcut to exit games. Some people were exiting games by accident. Now if you want to exit a game, you have to use the ingame menu (right thumb click)
* Applied some XBE version patching on the executable. That may fix issues some people have had with the emu not starting ?
* Configurable rompath. Just edit rompath.ini
* Kawa-X now stores on the HD what romsets you have or haven't so now, there is only a scan the first time you launch the emu. That should fix the problem people have had with the emu taking ages to boot up. It will only take ages the first time :) If you want to force a rescan, hit the X button on the game list.
* Fixed some problems with the provided CLRmame and RomCenter dat files I provide with the emu. Files inside NEOGEO.ZIP were reported with the wrong names in some places.
* By the way if people have problems starting Neogeo games they should check
the following:
In their NEOGEO.ZIP:
NG-LO.ROM should be named 000-LO.LO
NG-SFIX.ROM should be named SFIX.SFX
NEO-GEO.ROM should be named SP-S2.SP1
Official Site: n/a, by Mr K aka MHz
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: xbins.org
Smsplusx v4
>> From Xport on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
SMSPlusX - Game Gear/Sega Master System Emulator for XBox v4
What's New:
* Relax shares are properly sorted
* Added option to force 50hz/60hz mode
* Graphics filter will not auto-default to "None" anymore
[/QUOTE]
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com and xbins.org
Avalaunch 0.47
>> From >lys< on forums.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
**** changelog 0.47 ****
Made Avalaunch look a helluvalot better...
Added ability to turn off freespace for ftp root entries (XML attribute: showrootfreespace="0" or "1")
Added ability to disable ftp cache (XML attribute: cache="0" or "1")
Added ability to generate log of ftp activity for debugging (XML attribute: log="0" or "1")
Fixed buggy server's CWD command (rewrote)
Fixed explorer FTP errors, seems to work fine now
Fixed a bunch of FTP command issues
Fixed live & static network setup
Added some special SITE commands for Devenic's xISO xFER
Added critical section objects for mutual-exclusion synchronization between threads to avoid possible crashbugs
Added ZIP support
Added IR-Remote sensitivity to the XML configuration file
Added screen saver settings to the XML configuration file
Added override icons attribute to the XML configuration file
Added audio player settings to the XML configuration file
Added movie player settings to the XML configuration file
Added APOD settings to the XML configuration file (Astronomy Picture Of The Day)
Added '/' as the default folder when adding new FTP server entries
Switched to Adepts mp3 player and rewrote the entire sound-system due to Adepts weird implementation;)
Fixed passive move
Fixed timeout problem causing failure to detect disconnection
Fixed bug causing scanlevel attribute in XML to be ignored
Fixed some MP3 optimizations that seemed to be a cpu-hog. When playing mp3 - it's possible you'll experience slower ftp transfers. Test it out as you go.
Fixed more HDD issues with defrag engine.
Added a basic SCANDISK feature, disabled for now since the use is quite not there - and a bit risky still.
Added m00 language (thanks to jse - who else?)
Added support for clock syncronisation using SNTP servers
Added SNTP settings to the XML configuration file
Fixed bug causing Avalaunch only to download one save game
Fixed bug when applying save games for games that hasn't been run yet
Rewrote about/credits
Fixed possible crash bug in auto updater
Added some more logic to avoid re-reading information about the DVD when displaying DVD icon in the main menu
Fixed bug causing IR-Remote not to work properly when no controllers are connected
Added default menu when XML is corrupt or missing
Added quick launch recovery mode that loads default settings only (hold Y+A+BACK during boot)
Fixed bug causing all manual items appear after the auto generated items when composing the menu lists
Changed default background image file to background.png (will load background.jpg if the png file is not present)
Changed background image to menu.png (when in the main menu)
Changed background image to launch.png (when launching applications)
Changed some colours in the settings menus
Moved the cube a bit further down the screen
*** Don't use the autoupdater to get this file. TJ is on vacation, so I can't get it updated. ***
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.avalaunch.dk (down atm)
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
News-Source: forums.xbox-scene.com
Phoenix Bios Loader V1.2
>> What's new/fixed:
* Added many more bioses to confirmed-working list
* LED Blink feature can be disabled by not specifying a value in boot.cfg
* Added support for switching between 2 bioses using tray eject detection
* Added support for 256k and 512k bioses.
* Fixed a bug with the eeprom key patching causing certain save games not to work.
* Fixed a bug where editing boot.cfg in a non Un*x compatible editor would cause problems.
* Added pretty fade in/out of splash.
* Factored in many of the new code cleanups in xbeboot.
Official Site: http://phoenix.maxconsole.com
Download: here
News-Source: maxconsole.com
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