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Week of June 4, 2006
Play custom soundtracks on Xbox 1 game with your 360
>> From unleadedlogic.com:
[QUOTE]
As you know the dashboard update for 360 was released and I came upon this neat trick by accident now you can have custom soundtracks for Xbox 1 games, even if they didn't support it originally. (Like Halo 2 for example)
Prior to this dashboard update, if you were playing music and loaded up a Xbox 1 game, the music would just stop.
Play my video above to see the example.
1. Go to your music player in your dashboard before you boot up your Xbox 1 game (I.E. Halo 2)
2. Choose where to play your music, may it be your MP3 player or the Xbox 360 itself.
3. Start playing your music, get it at a moderate volume and make note of what level you leave it at (You won't be able to change this once you're in your Xbox 1 game unless you exit it [or if you have a remote])
4. Put in your Xbox 360 game, hit B to back out of the menu and then the game will start.
5. Your game boots up, but your custom soundtrack doesn't turn off! Sweet!
[/QUOTE]
Read More: unleadedlogic.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
OpenDash Project Still Alive *Update*
>> D0wnlab/th0mas posted an update about OpenDash (an opensource dashboard currently in development for Xbox that can be build with the legal OpenXDK(info)) on th0mas.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
Just thought I'd post a little update: OpenDash is still alive! Currently we're re-engineering the code base to better support the future. Stay tuned.
[/QUOTE]
*Update* with additional info posted by D0wnlab/th0mas on the forums:
[QUOTE]
I'm re-engineering the code base to better support the sharing of resources, as well as better conforming to some SDL issues that I wasn't fully aware of when I originally wrote the last generation of the OpenDash code. The new code base will make it very simple to expand the dash to support other symmetric tasks such as an FTP server, etc. (once OpenXDK has networking support), and should also finally alleviate problems with USB handling.
In terms of progress, about 3000 of the 5700 lines of code have been converted to the new code base, pretty much all done today - so obviously I don't have to rewrite all that much code thankfully.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://th0mas.xbox-scene.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
PlayStation 3 vs Xbox 360
>> From videogames.yahoo.com:
[QUOTE]
It's been a little over a year since Sony first announced its upcoming PlayStation 3 console. In that time, plenty of hype (not to mention barbs) have flown between the Microsoft and Sony camps, each attempting to tout their machine as the "better" offering. After all, who can forget when Sony's Phil Harrison took the stage at the European Game Developer's Conference in the fall of 2005 and talked critically about Microsoft's plan to release two retail versions of the Xbox 360?
"Are there two versions of the Xbox 360 that people want to buy? I don't know," said Harrison. "I look at those formats. I think it just confuses the audience. They don't know which one to buy, developers don't know which one to create for, and retailers don't know which one to stock...So I think we wouldn't take that strategy. We wouldn't create confusion."
Since the propaganda has been constant on both sides of the fence (strangely, the only thing Microsoft and Sony can seem to agree on is that the Nintendo Wii looks incredibly cool), we decided to sift through all of the available information in order to figure out exactly what both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 have to offer, and how they compare.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole article (7 pages): videogames.yahoo.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Team Blackbolt: The MC360 Guide - Magical!
>> From Blackbolt on blackbolt.x-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
Hello boys & girls, its BB here, I thought I would just make a new post to keep you guys upto date on the progress we are making. The first BETA may have been released already, but it doesnt mean the skin is gonna slow down. We promised ourselves time away from skinning but the massive response we had, none of the team could keep from skinning hehe. Many Many changes have gone in, Disable Background Animation, Game Save Manager Fixes, Quicktime fixes, visual enhancements etc. When we next put out a beta, it will be alot better with many of the features you have requested on the forums. We would also like to thank everyone who has submitted bug reports and thank the people helping to fix them too. Amongst all the great ideas on the forums, there is one running theme, people who have no clue about this:
The Start button. You know the X360 has a nice light up button in the center of its controller, well MC360 has the START BUTTON. Any place in the skin except fullscreen video or music, press START and you will get the MC360 Guide Blade. On this window you can go to the Kai(info) Blade, the Extras Blade which has File Manager, Weather, Scripts etc, then there is Personal Settings, where you can set up your Gamercard, Choose Wallpaper, Toggle RSS Feeds etc, then you can controll the currently playing media using the media control panel there. Everyone really should check it out. :D I promise to keep you folks well uptodate and remember, this skin has eaten alot of our spare time and donating is a really nice way to say thanks, thanks! :P Just another note, the Textures.xpr will be unlocked pretty soon for those that want it. Thanks. Don't forget to click the themes button in the left hand links panel at the top of every page, themes being added all the time along with wallpaper packs. Also England theme tomorrow, so you can cheer England on for the next month on your xbox too! Come on ENGLAND!
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://blackbolt.x-scene.com
Official Forums: http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showforum=178
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Spot On: Microsoft's in-game ad master plan
>> From gamespot.com:
[QUOTE]
The Focus On series begins today with the Game Advertising Summit. And to deliver the keynote address, the GDC turned to Kevin Brown, Microsoft's general manager of Xbox new media and franchise development. Brown is working to facilitate the flow of advertising to the Xbox platforms, but he also heads the effort to get Microsoft properties such as Halo and Viva Pinata licensed out to become movies, TV shows, and the like.
Brown opened his GDC Focus On keynote presentation with a disclaimer for the audience, journalists in particular: "I will make a bunch of statements that are rhetorical questions that I hope we can deal with seriously as an industry," Brown cautioned. "Please don't write that Kevin Brown said to drop your prices so we can get a bigger audience, because I'm not saying that. I'm asking a question--a valid question--about whether we can attract 10s of millions of gamers to an advertising business when we charge $60."
For most of the next 50 minutes, Brown talked about what "needs" to happen and what is "essential" for in-game advertising to reach its potential. But when Brown hit the part of his presentation he feared would be misreported, he was quick to note he didn't have all the answers to his questions. To start, he laid out some perspective, pointing out that the worldwide gaming industry right now is roughly $25 billion a year, while advertising, as an industry, spends some $378 billion a year to convey branding and marketing messages to consumers--with media-buying expenditures expected to grow six to eight percent every year, near-term.
"When you think about it, a fairly small shift in advertiser behavior could replace all the revenue that we generate today," Brown said. "We could be a totally ad-funded business if we could figure out how to do that. We could double the size of our industry by 2010 by finding the right mix."
Brown also saw some other possibilities for taking advantage of the advertising industry, in ways that could potentially revolutionize the game biz. He wondered if publishers should look at advertising as the extra $1-per-unit that could help a borderline title reach profitability, or something more.
"Could you as a publisher think about your business and say 'I'm going to price so that I can attract 10 times the customers I have today and be able to make it up on ads,'" Brown asked.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamespot.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Spring Dashboard Update Bugs Out?
>> The guys over at xbox360fanboy.com started the story ealier today, but it looks like several people on our forums are also having problems after installing the (forced) spring update on their Xbox 360:
[QUOTE]
"It looks like consoles just turned into unreliable PCs." Chilling words for those naive souls who thought background downloading came without a Mephistophelian price. Xbox 360 owners across the web report various problems with the Spring Dashboard Update ranging from choppy, unwatchable video clips to negative effects on certain games. Here's a a list of complaints collected from the GamePlanet forums and comments on this site:
* Alright, I was playing burnout, no problems. This is after I downloaded the update, well in the middle of the game it crashed.NEVER had this happen before. got a error that said disc read error, clean disc. Well, ok fine i eject it, PERFECTLY CLEAN. reinsert it, and what is this? it says to play this disc insert it into an XBOX360. WTF do you think i just did? Now it wont play it at all. I will try to restart and go again. WTF did microsoft do to me?!?
* Well now I can't play Half Life 2. It loads almost all the way to the main menu, freezes and then the screen turns black. I can't even return to the dashboard! This sucks! I even tried downloading the backward compatible disc thing but now it won't reconize the file on the disk. WTF? This sucks M$!
* I don't know if it was just because of the latest update, but i just downloaded 'A scanner darkly' trailer.... And it is skippy as!!!
* I'm having real issues with Oblivion at the moment as well. Everything is taking 10x longer to load, even the main menu etc.
[/QUOTE]
On our forums many people also report about problems occuring after the update. Here are just a few:
[QUOTE]
* The new spring update broke my 360. After update the dash started to freeze and then 3 rol.... 1,2,3 blinking... so mad... 1-800-4myxbox is sending me a box to do the dumb rma procedure... so mad.. anyone else have this problem?
* Same thing with me. After updating I played the outfit for about an hour, halfway through playing an online game it froze. When I turned the console off and back on, I get no video output and a red ring of light. I've had this console since last November and never had any issues.
* It froze once for me when i decided to look at my friends list RIGHT after i signed in and i went into a "dead" state. The background was still animated but it was responding like my controller wasn't there. Another thing i saw was that the friend i went to look at, his gamerpic didn't load... so yeah, i hope this sin't just me.
* I'm letting mine chill for a while. i updated tonight, then played a CD via my computer while playing the Moto GP demo. 1/2 way through the second lap it froze. i'm hoping to let it sit and chill for a bit. if mine breaks i'm gonna be uber pissed!
* Ok, just had the freezing problem again when trying to play battlefield 2 demo. Turned the system off and unhooked the hard drive. Played graw for about 2 minutes in single system multiplayer, by myself. Froze after about 2 minutes.
So not the hard drive, and not an overheating issue. At least im not having the 3ROL issue that some people are having, but I think that it is definently an issue with the dashboard update.
* I had the same thing: Updated, rebooted itself, then the controller would not respond. Powered it down from the front, three rings of red death. Called Msoft, and they are going to fix it. They did not seem to be concerned that the update bricked it.
* Well, seeing that I've had my XBOX 360 since last November with no issues and my xbox broke 1hr after downloading the update, I definately suspect the update has something to do with it. This is no paranoid delusion, my XBOX is now officially broken. If I were the only person experiencing this problem I may consider it an anomoly, but others are experiencing the exact same issue. MS has offered to fix my XBOX for half price so I'm sure they are getting loads of calls with the same issue. Perhaps you have not played long enough for yours to break?
[/QUOTE]
Many more reports (above I just quoted reports from the first page of a thread that's already 8 pages long) on forums.xbox-scene.com.
It's of course difficult to know how serious this issue is (people with problems always make a lot more noise than people where the update went fine). And it's hard to know if it's really related to the 'spring update' or if it's just more Xbox 360s dying like it happens every day? (Microsoft PR keeps their "below the average 5% failure rate" line however). Luckily for our visitors in Europe they get a 2year warranty (enforced by EU-laws) as long as you didn't break the warranty seal of course ... those who bought an Xbox 360 on launchday in North-America are out of luck with their default 2 months (*update* it's 3 months apparently, sry for the mistake) warranty (they are apparently asking $129 for the repair out of warranty).
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
US hardware sales in May: PS2 on the rise, 360 takes a dip
>> From joystiq.com:
[QUOTE]
The hardware sales for US consoles has been released, here's how it broke down, in terms of total unit sales and difference (in percentage) from April:
1. PlayStation 2: 232,000 (+12.1%)
2. Xbox 360: 221,000 (-25%)
3. GameCube: 33,000 (-13.2%)
4. Xbox One: 26,000 (-33.3%)
[/QUOTE]
Read More: joystiq.com, videogamecharts.com and gamedaily.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox 360 Spring Update: Personal Gamer Pictures
>> The Team Xbox Dev Blog posted a bit more info about one of the new features of the Xbox360 "Spring Update":
[QUOTE]
Some of the questions I've seen asked a lot: "What is the deal with personal gamer pictures?" "Does this require the Xbox Live Vision camera?"
The personal gamer picture is a new feature enabled with the Spring Update. You do not need the Xbox Live Vision camera for this; you can go pick a new image right now. Personal gamer pictures will only be seen by others who are on your friends list. Everyone else sees your public picture.
When the Xbox Live Vision camera does become available this fall you will also be able to take your own photo using the camera. Again only your friends will be able to see this picture.
If you know a friend on the Xbox Team, or who works at Microsoft, there is a chance you may get to see their personal picture taken from the camera. We have been beta testing the camera and everyone really is having a fun time with the cool new feature.
[/QUOTE]
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
XBMC Skin Editor Preview
>> From |EqUiNoX| on xbmcskineditor.xbox-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
Ok, as promised head over to the download page for you first installable glimpse of XBMC skin editor. From this point on I plan to post regular updates as and when key stages are complete. I hope you like what you see so far and feel free to ask any questions via the forum.
As I say there is still alot of work to be done, but at least you can get some ideas of what ive been up to so far. Please note this application is designed round supporting version 2.0 skins such as MC360 available from Team Blackbolt's site.
Update: Hopefully I have fixed the main issues you all were having so hopefully you can now have a better bug free play with the application. I am now currently working on the preview engine and things are going quite well so far.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://xbmcskineditor.xbox-scene.com
Official Forums: http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showforum=188
Download (v0.1.667): here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Undocumented Xbox360 Cache Clear Function In Dash Update
>> From gamersreports.com:
[QUOTE]
An undocumented feature in the latest Xbox360 dashbaord update has surfaced -- a cache clear. In order to perform this "maintenance" follow the instructions below. (Thanks, Kakarotto)
Go to the system blade and then memory. Press Y on either the HDD or a MU and then press X,X,Left Bumper, Right Bumper, X,X. Once you do this a blade will pop up saying: This will perform maintenance on your Xbox 360 storage devices. Do you want to continue? Pick yes or no.
[/QUOTE]
News-Source: gamersreports.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
xShadow v1.0 , xDuke v1.0 and xDescent v1.1
>> Some great new releases from A600: 2 new game ports and 1 update.
* xShadow v1.0 - port of Shadow Warrior:
[QUOTE]
This port is based on JFShadowWarrior and it was possible thanks to the SDLx libs by Lantus, Jonof and Mephisto.
Copy sw.grp to the folder where you installed xShadow.
This port supports HDTV modes but it you want to use the 720p mode, you must run the default720.xbe or rename it to default.xbe
Known Bugs:
* Polymost renderer has some minor graphic glitches (this is a JFShadowWarrior bug)
[/QUOTE]
* xDuke v1.0 - port of Duke Nukem 3D:
[QUOTE]
This port is based on JFDuke3D and it was possible thanks to the SDLx libs by Lantus, Jonof and Mephisto.
Copy duke3d.grp, defs.con, game.con, user.con to the folder where you installed xDuke
This port supports HDTV modes but it you want to use the 720p mode, you must run the default720.xbe or rename it to default.xbe
Known Bugs:
* Polymost renderer has some minor graphic glitches (this is a JFDuke3D bug)
[/QUOTE]
* xDescent(info) v1.1
What's new/fixed:
* Compiled with the assembler code instead of the C one. Now is 15 fps faster.
* Added support for CD audio tracks (read more here)
* Primary and secondary weapon autoselect ordering option can be changed with the black/white buttons.
Official Site: n/a, by A600 (xShadow and xDuke support thread, xDescent support thread)
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
Discuss this news item on our forums: xShadow v1.0 and xDuke v1.0, xDescent v1.1
The website is down because someone removed the Xbox
>> From windowsitpro.com:
[QUOTE]
Public Universities are always running on a limited budget which means they sometimes come up with "innovative" solutions. A couple of years back, an X-Box with some variant of Linux installed had been put in the server room to support a subject designed to teach computer-illiterate Philosophy students how to build their own web pages.
Five weeks into the "Web pages for Philosophy students" class [this year] the excrement encountered the rotary cooling device. The IT department's help desk started receiving calls from Philosophy students who were unable to access their web projects.
Flummoxed, the help desk staff escalated the job ticket to the Unix administrator. Unable to remotely access the X-Box, he trotted off to the server room. He was surprised to find that the X-Box was no longer present.
The administrator went down to the new manager's office to report the missing X-Box. The new manager was quiet for a moment and then sheepishly informed the administrator that it was he who had removed the X-Box. The manager had thought the X-Box was just a games console that the IT departments staff used for recreation when it got quiet. Noticing that the X-Box hadn't been moved from the server room for some time and that his son was going to be at home on school holidays for the next two weeks, the manager decided to take the X-Box home so that his son would have something to entertain himself with. The manager then drove home and retrieved the X-Box. The administrator got a labeling machine and plastered the words "This is actually a server" all across the console.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: windowsitpro.com
Thanks to leftyfb for news/link.
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Windows Vista Beta 2 Available for Public Download
>> Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 2 is now available for download from Vista's official site:
[QUOTE]
Windows Vista Beta 2 Customer Preview Program
Windows Vista Beta 2 is now available for you to install, test, and enjoy. Here's the information you need to try it now.
* Evaluate Your Current PC
Run the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor beta to help get your PC ready for Windows Vista.
* System Requirements
We recommend that you consult the Windows Vista Capable and Premium Ready PC specifications for system requirement guidance on running the core experiences and advanced features of Windows Vista.
* Get Windows Vista Beta 2
Windows Vista Beta 2 is available as a download or on DVD. It's time for clarity--try it now!
* Windows Vista Beta 2 Resource Center
Once you have installed Windows Vista Beta 2, be sure to visit the Resource Center to download the Windows Vista Product Guide, find anti-virus software for Beta 2, and discover more information that will help you get up and running quickly.
[/QUOTE]
You can order the DVD or direct download (free) the 3.5 gigabytes (GB) for the 32-bit edition or 4.4 GB for the 64-bit edition (the download servers are overloaded at the moment, but it'll go better if you wait a bit).
Official Site: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/default.mspx
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox360 SS Merger v1.6
>> HellDoc released a new version of Xbox360 SS Merger(info) - a GUI tool that allows you to easily insert the Security Sectors (SS) on raw dumps made both the 'wxRipper(info)'-way (hot-swap with opened PC DVD drive and wxRipper software) and the 'xtreme'-way (with original Xbox 360 DVD drive on PC and special bios).
What's new/fixed:
* Added a way to report a database game entry as working/non working and add comments/instruction.
* Added a better way to enter game in the database (with video region and geographical region)
Instructions:
[QUOTE]
How To:
1 - Make sure you have .Net Framework 2 installed.
2 - Browse for the iso.
3 - Hit Detect.
4 - If there's already a online entry for this iso, the Game Name combo box will fill up. If nothing appear it means that no one submitted information for this iso.
5 - If you select a game in the combo box, all settings should already be fine, else, make the settings as it should be.
6 - Select the SS file.
7 - If you selected an game name in the combo box and the md5 checkboxes are red it mean that you are not using the recommended SS. Green mean that you selected the right SS.
8 - Hit merge.
9 - Burn the .dvd with CloneCD
10 - If the iso you just made is working and was not found in the database,hit Add to database. Enter the game name, video region and geographical location. It will allow the users to use your settings.
11 - Donate via paypal to helldoc AT gmail D0t com as i'm paying for the database hosting and the bandwith and still do not own a 360...
Iso splitter instruction:
This should be pretty straigtfoward,
1 - select your iso file (Must be a complete iso with video partition).
2 - hit xbox 360 or xbox depending on your iso.
3 - select what you want to extract (Extraction the game partion will create a xtreme type of iso)
4 - Hit split and wait.
Add comments / Report as Working or non working:
1 - Select the iso
2 - Click yes to calculate the iso md5 and check in the database for this md5.
3 - You can read the comments in the box to the right.
4 - Click comment to add a comment.
5 - Ensure that the game name in the new dialog is the good one.
6 - Enter you comment.
7 - Enter your name (optional).
8 - Click Workin or non-working if the tested this iso with the current setting.
9 - Click Post
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by HellDoc at xboxhacker.net forums
Download: here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
The Secret HDMI Pact
>> From teamxbox.com:
[QUOTE]
The first thing I did when I got my hands on the HD-DVD drive mock-up Microsoft had on display at E3 06, was to check its back side. When I found that there was only a power socket and three USB ports, I approached a Microsoft representative to ask where the HDMI port was, or if they plan to release an HDMI Xbox 360 AV cable when the external HD-DVD drive launches. His response was:
"If Sony is not using HDMI to play Blu-ray Disc movies, neither are we."
To which I immediately replied, "But the AACS spec demands the use of HDMI or DVI in order to playback HD content at its full resolution". Before I finished my words, he repeated,
"If Sony is not..."
I was a little surprised that a Microsoft representative would provide such an unsubstantial explanation for the lack of HDMI on the Xbox 360. Since when does Microsoft do things based on Sony's actions?
It is impossible that Microsoft would have decided to drop HDMI after learning Sony wouldn't include it on its base PS3 model, since Sony announced the world-shocking news a day before the Microsoft's Pre E3 briefing.... or did Microsoft already know, well before E3, that Sony was not implementing HDMI output on one of its PS3 models? It seems that indeed could be the truth.
A week after E3, a German newspaper spilled the beans on a supposed secret pact between Hollywood studios and consumer electronics manufacturers to disregard the implementation of AACS's "Image Constraint Token". This would mean that the lack of HDMI would not prevent HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc hardware from playing high-definition content over analog connections at full resolution.
This pact between Hollywood and consumer electronic manufacturers might never be officially announced and all the parties involved will probably offer the classic "no comment" line. It's even possible that after establishing that secret pact at the AACS LA, Sony and Microsoft had their own HDMI-related agreements.
Since the pact between Hollywood studios and CE manufacturers is rumored to postpone the use of the Image Constraint Token until 2010 (possibly until 2012), neither the Xbox 360 nor the PlayStation 3 will need a HDMI connector since consoles' lifecycles are usually five years.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: teamxbox.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Team Blackbolt: Successful Release!
>> From blackbolt.x-scene.com:
[QUOTE]
Hi guys just a quick update, MC360 had what I would call a very successful first release. You guys crashed the site, the forums, the ftp, everything went down! It was crazy, but eventually everyone got it and was able to use it. The forums are alive with bug finding, so it seems its going to be an eventful summer for this team. Just a quick note also, its become apprarent that the T3CH release has a few issues with it, its missing some vital features that MC360 requires. We are hoping to rectify the situation tomorrow, if not then it will be sorted by the weekend with a new T3CH release containing an updated skin. We have been working even after release to fix bugs that you guys have been finding, so well done! :D Thanks to everyone for today, especially the team. We appreciate all the comments and don't forget you can donate to support our work.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://blackbolt.x-scene.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox's Neil Thompson Spong Interview
>> From spong.com:
[QUOTE]
SPOnG caught up with Neil Thompson recently, Microsoft's Senior Regional Director for Xbox, which in more straightforward terms means he is The European Boss Man.
Thompson, gladly, is not once to mince his words or do that annoying PR dance around potentially thorny subjects. For example, speaking of what Microsoft has planned to counter this November's PlayStation 3 launch, Thompson told us: "I think they've missed the ball, in that it's not really a next-generation games player - it's a next-generation DVD player. For us, that's great news, because we think we make the next-generation games console.
"We've got the content to back that up, we've got Xbox Live to back that up, we've got price-points that are very compelling. If gamers are desperate to get the next-generation DVD player, then they'll start considering Blu-Ray and the PS3. But Sony is the company that brought us Betamax, MiniDisc and UMD - I'm not convinced people today will go and bet the farm on buying a Blu-Ray disc."
Speaking about the longer term possibilities for Microsoft's much-vaunted Live Anywhere strategy, Thompson had the following to tell us: "In the Sony world, you have to live and die in the Sony world. You have to have Sony everything. That's not always going to be the best choice for people, simple as that. The iPod is creaming them in the music business at the moment, and I think that's a classic example of where, if you lock yourself into one hardware company, you're limiting your decisions. It's all about the integration of technology, and that integration only comes about through software."
[/QUOTE]
Click here for the full interview which has info on Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox Live, Halo 3, Xbox Live Arcade, the Japan 'problem' and more.
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
DevilMod 360 (not Devil360) DVD Dual Firmware Mod
>> There seems to be some confusion on the net today: the guys at grmods.com (known for some PS2 modchip and Xbox gen3b and cheapmod-based chips) released some images today on their forums of a Dual DVD Firmware chip they are working on for the Xbox 360.
This product by GrMods called 'Devil Mod 360' is not to be confused with the 'Devil360 modchip' announced yesterday by the Devil360 Team. These are 2 totally different teams and products.
This Devil Mod 360 by grmods is another 'dual-firmare' mod (like you can also build yourself) for the Xbox 360 DVD drive. It's a PCB with a flash in a socket and solderpads to connect to the alternative points of the DVD firmware chip (as the chip itself is in epoxy). There's also a switch so you can easily switch between the original DVD firmware and the one on the 'Devil Mod 360'
Official Site: http://www.grmods.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Connect360 v2.4
>> A new version of Connect360(info) has been released, it's a tool to stream your music and images from your Mac OSX to your Xbox 360 console.
What's fixed/new (since v2.2):
* Fixes compatibility with the spring dashboard update (v2.4)
* Fixes networking issues in certain configurations (v2.4)
* Fixes song sorting in albums (by track number) (v2.4)
* Fixes Connect360 preventing sleep even when the option to do so is unchecked (v2.4)
* Fixes an AppleScript-related crash (v2.4)
* Numerous other crash fixes (v2.4)
* Fixes compatibility with some AAC files (v2.32)
* Fixes an AppleScript-related crash (v2.32)
* Adds option to share only checked photos (v2.31)
* Updating of play counts and play dates is now off by default (v2.31)
* Fixes service stopping/shutdown bug (v2.31)
* Fixes numerous lockups/freezes (v2.31)
* Minor UI improvements (v2.31)
Official Site: http://www.nullriver.com/index/products/connect360
Download: here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Testers needed for Kai on Windows x64
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(Wednesday 07 June 2006 11:25 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Stringer: Xbox 360 is an Obsession
>> From next-gen.biz:
[QUOTE]
In a lively interview with the Wall Street Journal, Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer compliments Bill Gates' salesmanship and unintentionally reveals his preoccupation with the Xbox 360.
When talking up the box office sales of Sony's Da Vinci Code movie, Stringer said, "It also beat Xbox 3 in Europe in its second weekend," at which point WSJ tech columnist Walt Mossberg corrected, "You mean X-Men 3." Laughing, Stringer retorted, "There's an obsession!"
When the interview's topic switched to videogames and Xbox, Stringer said, "God I walked into that, didn't I ... Look, the skill of Bill Gates is he's so brilliant at his detail that when he slips in the salesmanship, most of us think: oh my God, he must be right. ... He talked on the one hand, and I loved it, he talked about [Windows] Vista [being] delayed as if the delay was normal, and then he started mocking me for delaying PS3 [PlayStation 3]."
[/QUOTE]
Read More: next-gen.biz and wsj.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox 360: V-Sync Issues Demystified
>> From teamxbox.com:
[QUOTE]
Modern developments have to remain compatible with the existing technology in some aspects, and for that reason, even if progressive signals (as well as modern displays) don't require the V-Sync pulse, it still needs to work as if the V-Sync pulse is there.
Because of that, game developers usually make use of the vertical blank interval to increase the framerate by disabling V-Sync. This allows developers to adjust the content of the framebuffer during these dead times.
As a result of turning off V-Sync, a new problem arises and that is a visual artifact in which a previously drawn frame overlaps the next one (because of the lack of synchronization), causing what is known as page tearing, because the entire picture looks like it is cut in half; the upper half containing the previous frame and the lower half the new one.
You may have experienced this problem firsthand in many recent Xbox 360 games. Perhaps you've pondered if there is a problem with your video setup or if there is a solution. We decided to go straight to the technical gurus within Microsoft for the answers.
Chris Satchell, GM of the Game Developer Group at Microsoft took a moment to answer our queries and help us understand why gamers are experiencing page tearing in a handful of Xbox 360 titles. Will this be a long term issue and something we'll see in future Xbox 360 titles? Find out what Chris had to say...
* TeamXbox: Many users have witnessed what is known as "page tearing" when playing a few Xbox 360 games, blaming a lack of vertical synchronization in those games as the cause of this visual artifact. Is it actually the lack of V-Sync as the reason for "the page tearing" seen on some Xbox 360 games, or could it be a problem with the output resolution and the user's display? Essentially we want to know exactly what is causing this visual anomaly.
* Chris Satchell: Users are correct; "Page tearing" is an artifact of changing the displayed frame of the game while the display device is partially through displaying the previous frame. Games normally choose to wait for the v-sync signal from the console to know that it is safe to swap to the new game frame in a way that will not be perceived by users. Often there is some dead-time while waiting for the v-sync signal; a buffer to make sure the game always is ready at the right time. Some games choose to cut the timing extremely tight to get more into each game frame and if for any reason a frame is not ready for the v-sync they change the frame anyway. This can result in a visual tear, but means the game-play remains smooth with no jitters. Other games decide to run a maximum consistent frame-rate that does not match exactly to the v-sync patterns this can result in higher fidelity control, but with occasional tearing (the vast majority of frames are absolutely fine).
[/QUOTE]
Read More: teamxbox.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Devil 360: Modchip for the Xbox 360
>> We received this news today from the Devil360 Team:
[QUOTE]
Our server is currently down due the huge amount of hits we received yesterday. We will move to more powerful servers and we hope to be back online tomorrow.
The Devil360 will be a modchip for the Xbox 360 console, the 'small' security hole has been found! This device is in no way related to the DVD firmware exploits - it's a totally different approach.
However we did not manage to get the product ready for today (6/6/6), because we are working hard on improving it to:
* Try to protect it from any type of update
* Make it programmable via PC
* Boot unsigned code
* Allow to swap HD with larger drive with a special interface between the 360 and the HD (all types IDE/SATA).
* And more...
We understand, certainly after the ICE modchip story, that people will not easily believe this so we will send prototypes to some scene sites as soon as they are ready, so they can confirm it's real.
The modchip will be sold without any code.
We also discovered some shops already take pre-orders for this product. Do not pre-order it!
We did not announce any distributors yet and the device will not go on pre-order until at least after the prototypes have been tested/reviewed by independent sites.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.devil360.com (currently down)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
The Voice of Support: Support Channels at Xbox.com
>> From channel9.msdn.com/gamerscoreblog.com:
[QUOTE]
Welcome to the fourth installment of The Voice of Support!
This week, we travelled to the Millenium building to sit down and talk about Xbox.com with Peter Orullian, the Site Manager of Xbox.com, and Patrick King, the Writing Lead for Xbox User Assistance (that's everyone who write the instruction manuals, user interface manuals, and help you can get on Xbox.com). This is Part 1 of a several part series where we will focus on the world of Xbox and Xbox 360.
These guys talk about all the service you can get when you go to Xbox.com - sites, forums, etc.
[/QUOTE]
Download the ~20min podcast from channel9.msdn.com.
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
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(Tuesday 06 June 2006 20:46 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
XboxMediaCenter 666 CVS T3CH build with MC360 X360 Reproduction Skin
>> It's 06/06/06 6.66pm British Summer Time (or about)...
T3CH released a new CVS compile of XboxMediaCenter(info). This 06/06/06 CVS build is the first with (a beta version of) Team Blackbolt's MC360 skin, an X360 reproduction skin for XboxMediaCenter.
This T3CH-compile is a complete snapshot of what is in CVS at the time the build was compiled, with just a few small additions.
XBMC is in a FEATUREFREEZE at the moment. If you want to report bugs, please do it the PROPER way, see here.
Noteworthy, XML and Script changes in this build:
* The date 060606 brings us MC360 BETA version.
* !THIS IS NOT XBMC 2.0.0, XBMC is still pre 2.0.0!
* The change of location for GUI settings is a big change.
You will have to redo all your GUI settings (unless you have them specified in AdvancedSettings.xml)
Also changed is that all tags in AdvancedSettings.xml needs to be lowercase.
* If you wondered what happened to XBoxMediaCenter.xml, More info here and here.
* changed: redid master lock. thanks to smokehead for skin work! (won't work with MC360)
* changed: Settings cleanup (simplified programs + video auto-switching, removed some that are no longer necessary)
* changed: TDATA\0face008\settings.xml moved to UserData\guisettings.xml
* XBoxMediaCenter.xml: All lockcodes (shares) must now be MD5 hashed!
You can find the full changelog of this CVS release since the 2006-05-28 T3CH CVS here.
The full nfo/readme of T3CH is available here.
Keep in mind this is a CVS snapshot of the current development tree. It's not an official (stable) point release. Use only if you know what you are doing.
Here are some screenshots of Team Blackbolt's MC360 skin:
You can view a video preview of the MC360 skin here.
Special Note From Team Blackbolt:
[QUOTE]
Today is the day, finally the skin is released. Nearly 6 months of every ounce of spare time for nearly 10 people has amounted to this day. The entire team, Los93sol, Donno, Jezz-X, JMarshall, Kotix, Deanparry, Smokehead and of course myself are very proud of everything we have accomplished and happy that its finaly avaliable for everyone. So this is how the release will go, we will release in the following way:
* Download the complete T3CH 06/06/06 with Skin from the MainXbins FTP Server
* Download the Skin Standalone from the Downloads section of blackbolt.x-scene.com.
From this day updates will be available as and when needed via the downloads and also the MC360 button top of the website. Every time T3CH is released, you will get the very latest MC360 packaged along with it.
So for those that don't know what MC360 is I will explain. MC360 or Media Center 360 is a skin UI for Xbox Media Center, a free homebrew media application for the Xbox. You need a modded Xbox to use XBMC and also MC360. MC360 uses the new 2.0 version of the skinning engine in XBMC. The final XBMC 2.0 is still a little while away but that doesnt mean you cant see the benefits of it now eh, by using the latest CVS Builds. To find more information on MC360 click the MC360 icon top center and to find more on XBMC click here.
The skin will be released at 6.66pm BST (British Summer Time) or 7.06 to the none humorous folks! So I will see you guys in IRC and on the forums later this evening to hear your feedback. I hope you enjoy our hardwork, remember you can always donate using the button at the bottom of every page on this site, its a great way to show support and ensure the future of Team Blackbolt skins. Thank you.
[/QUOTE]
Official XBMC Site: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com / http://sourceforge.net/projects/xbmc
Official Team Blackbolt Site: http://blackbolt.x-scene.com / Official MC360 Forums
Download XBMC Binaries: n/a (built with XDK) | Download XBMC SourceCode: here
Download MC360 Standalone Skin (6MB): here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Portable Xbox Case Mod
>> From Dave on portablesystems.net:
[QUOTE]
Specs:
* Xbox v1.1
* 5" lcd screen
* Polymer Li-Ion Battery Module: 14.8v 11Ah (163 Wh) with PCB of 12A limit
* 60 gig laptop hard drive
* Custom vacuum formed case
* Earphone jack
* External CD-rom drive (to come later)
This project took about 60 hours to complete from start to finish. My portable Xbox will run off the built in batteries or you can use a ac adapter. I'm not sure about battery time because I just finished it but I will be testing how long it will last when I get the time to play it for that long. The hard drive is a 60 gig seagate laptop drive. The reason I went with a laptop drive is it's small and it runs off 5v. The LCD screen is a PSone screen and I did a LED mod on it. The Battery that I used was a Polymer Li-Ion Battery Module, it has 14.8v 11Ah (163 Wh) with PCB of 12A limit. Polymer li-ion is the way to go because o f the light weight and it can put out all the power you need that other batteries cant. This has been one of the hardest portables that I've done to date and has cost the most to make. This project cost me about $ 600 to make and it was worth it. All I have left to do is to make the external CD-drive. I couldn't fit the cd drive into the portable so I made a external Ide conector so I could hook it up with out taking it a part. The CD-rom will be housed in a case that looks just like the portable it self but smaller.
[/QUOTE]
Check out more info/pictures on portablesystems.net (temp down. due traffic, mirror available here)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Cimtek Collaborates with National Instruments for Xbox 360 Test Solution
>> From the press release:
[QUOTE]
Burlington, Canada June 6, 2006 -- CIMTEK Ltd. announces National Instruments as a key collaborator in the development of the Xbox 360 test solution, enabling faster, more accurate and lower cost test for high volume production.
Microsoft selected CIMTEK as a test strategy design and development partner to devise a global solution to test the new Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. CIMTEK worked with National Instruments to meet critical time to market demands while keeping quality high and costs low. CIMTEK's experience in developing complex test solutions for global customers combined with National Instruments PC-based modular instrument and data acquisition technology was essential in the success of Xbox 360 global test strategy.
About the test solution strategy for the Xbox 360
CIMTEK utilized key test technologies together with their unique process of applied Professional Test Engineering in order to design systems for testability and to lower the cost of test services. CIMTEK recommended the creation of five (5) different test platforms with centralized control and reporting. These testers are being implemented throughout the manufacturing process in China where the Xbox is manufactured.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole press release here.
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Team Xtender XCM 360 Full Case, Halo Green and Ocean Blue
TeamXtender.com's Chrome XCM 360 Faceplate - XS Sample
>> We recently got the samples of the Team Xtender.com Chrome Faceplate..
 Click for more photos
We'll have a full review with Hi-Res photos (these are low rez to wet your appetite) and video later in the week.
It's a beautiful thing.
Official Site: www.teamxtender.com/
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox 360 Releases over 125 New Features: Update Tomorrow 6/6/06
>> Looks like everyone likes this date (06/06/06) ... Microsoft will released the new updated Xbox 360 dashboard/LIVE tomorrow beginning at 0200 PT (see what time this is in your time zone - note that not everyone will receive it immediately, so be patient, you should get it before 0600 PT anyway).
From the press release:
[QUOTE]
Starting tomorrow, Xbox 360 gamers will be able to access a vigorous system-wide update creating a new pinnacle for next-generation gaming and entertainment. The Xbox 360 spring update introduces more than 125 revolutionary features and enhancements adding to Xbox 360's sheer power, stunning high-defintion graphics, rich online capabilities and innovative media offerings delivering a digital gaming and entertainment experience that simply can't be matched.
Since the launch of Xbox 360 in November 2005, Microsoft has continuously focused on gamer and community feedback to determine further improvements and enhancements for the evolving next-generation experience, resulting in this inaugural mass update. With more than half of all Xbox 360 gamers connected online, Xbox is further catering to its fans by delivering the spring update in the way they want it. This free update will be digitally distributed over Xbox Live to all members (Xbox Live Silver and Gold) with no disc or hard drive required to take advantage of the plethora of new features. Gamers without an Xbox Live account can easily sign up for the free network by connecting their console to a broadband internet connection. Once online, downloading the update takes less than a minute and provides instant access to features including:
Xbox Live Marketplace Enhancements:
* New background download manager gives gamers the ability to queue up and download six high definition items at a time including playable game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games, music videos and movie trailers while actively playing games or browsing the dashboard. As an added benefit, if gamers engage in multiplayer gameplay while downloads are in process, the new background download manager will automatically pause the download queue until the multiplayer session is complete ensuring a continuously optimal gameplay experience.
* Updated Xbox Live Marketplace menus makes it easier for players to find and store all of their gaming and entertainment content. This includes the addition of new menus for media and entertainment content as well as enhanced menus making it easier for gamers to find what's new in each section as well as a quick view at all downloads by category.
* Full remote control features for Xbox Live Marketplace videos allow gamers to fast forward and rewind at various speeds (2X-16X) during all videos downloaded from Marketplace.
Music Player Improvements:
* Custom background music now continues to play without interruption during game loads and when transitioning from game to game or disc content.
* During music play, the music playback screen now showcase the artist, song title and time remaining on the song along with a visualizer showing which song on the playlist or album is currently playing.
* DVD Movie Playback Upgrades
* DVD movie bookmarking now allows gamers to pause a movie at any point, put in a game for gameplay and return to the movie at the exact point it left off.
* Improved DVD movie playback for a smoother, higher quality viewing experience, including additional VGA support.
These features are just some of the new experiences gamers can expect on the system as part of this spring update. For a list of additional new features and improvements, visit www.xbox.com/live.
[/QUOTE]
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Devil360 Launches New Website - News Coming Tomorrow
>> Team Devil360 informed us their new website is now live. As reported earlier they will announce their new Xbox360 product on 06/06/06 (that's tomorrow). As soon as we get the news we'll post it here on the new of course, so stay tuned.
Official Site: http://www.devil360.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Team BlackBolt MC360 Official Trailer 2
Team XTender XCM 360 Full Chrome Controller Shell
>> From Team XTender:
[QUOTE]
Team X-tender is proud to present our Full Chrome Controller Shell (Top and Bottom). Pimp your Xbox 360 with this unique accessory which also comes with a LED set that would light up your Xbox 360 controller.
(The pictures shown below is for the wired Xbox 360 controller, we will have the wireless versions pictures up very soon.)
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.teamxtender.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Talismoon Whisper Fan for Xbox 360
>> Talismoon comes with a new product for the Xbox 360: replacement fans with blue LEDs for the Xbox 360. From divineo.cn:
[QUOTE]
Reincarnation. An unusual philosophy if you are developing new products. But Talismoon knows what OEM fans want when they get reincarnated - to be better performing and better looking. The new Talismoon Whisper Xbox 360 Replacement Fan moves 58% more air than the original, yet is 7% quieter. And the stellar blue lights are enough to seduce any Xbox 360 into doing something it definitely won't regret in the morning. Let your Xbox 360 hear the secrets of a new Whisper.
Specifications (behind are the standard Xbox 360 fan specificiations):
DC Power: 12V (at 5v)- Original Fan: 12V (at 5v)
Current: 160mA - Original Fan: 250mA
Speed: 4100RPM - Original Fan: 4600RPM
Air flow: 46CFM - Original Fan: 29CFM
Loudness: 38d(B)a - Original Fan: 41d(B)a
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.talismoon.com/
Pre-Order: divineo.cn
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Police raid sparks piracy debate in Sweden
>> From iht.com:
[QUOTE]
When the police raided 10 locations across central Sweden last week, shutting down a popular file-sharing site called The Pirate Bay, it seemed that online piracy in this highly wired country had been dealt a massive blow.
Hollywood appeared delighted that a threat against the economic underpinnings of the movie business had been removed, even gleeful that the openly provocative founders of the site had been taken into custody.
"The operators of The Pirate Bay have publicly ridiculed copyright holders and taunted law enforcement for years, claiming immunity to copyright laws," the Motion Picture Association of America said. "The actions today taken in Sweden serve as a reminder to pirates all over the world that there are no safe harbors for Internet copyright thieves."
But as the dust begins to settle on the empty racks where The Pirate Bay's impounded servers had been stacked, the effects of the raid no longer appear so straightforward. There are signs of a backlash, underscoring a deep rift between the government and industry stance on copyright laws in the Internet era and the more liberal views held by Sweden's technology-savvy youth.
By Saturday, The Pirate Bay site was mostly online again.
Neij (main operators of The Pirate Bay) said the site, which judging by the drop in overall Internet traffic registered after the raid was responsible for close to one-third of the total Internet traffic in Sweden, should come out of the ordeal stronger than ever.
"Today, millions of additional people have heard about The Pirate Bay," he said in an interview. "We will have huge numbers of new users."
[/QUOTE]
Read More: iht.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
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