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Comments on: xBox Modding Please
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Comments on Ask MetaFilter post xBox Modding Please
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Question: xBox Modding Please
I just got an xBox specifically to mod it out but I'm a bit lost. It appears as if I don't even need a physical mod chip but is that really true. If this is so what's the use of them?
So it seems that there is such thing as using saved game files to mod my xBox. So what is the point of the physical mod?
I want to:
- Play emulated games
- Play DVDs
- Play videos (AVIs, MPEGs etc)
Should I:
- Add RAM (tricky work seemingly)?
- Get a physical mod chip?
- Do anything else?
Also is there any special...
By: cosmonaught
Add RAM -- not unless you're incredibly hardcore. There's some games you won't be able to play emulated (large Neo-Geo games in MAME, for example), but it's really not worth the effort, which requires surface soldering two memory chips to a board. And I think on newer Xbox revisions they've actually removed the spots on the motherboard.
Get a physical modchip? -- Maybe. It used to be that you needed a modchip, but now there's softmods that will let you do almost everything you can do with a modchip. If you're ok at soldering, a modchip isn't...
By: ODiV
Previous questions and good resource.
By: andendau
I prefer a modchip. Personally soft-modding is too much of a PITA if you want to go on xbox live or change your mind some time. With a chip you can just turn it off and load the xbox bios you want to get on live.
But a soft-mod will handle everything you need. You won't even need a larger hard drive if you choose to stream avis or mp3s from your computer with samba (or other flavor). Plus you can keep roms on a DVD.
By: Hildago
I recently modded my xbox using a chip. It is wonderful, and once you get it done, there's just no comparison. Putting a chip in isn't difficult at all, even for someone with little to no hardware skillz like me, so don't let that be a barrier.
Using a chip does give you the ability to install a switch that will let you go on xbox live, so that's one advantage. I've also heard stories about games re-installing the old firmware over your modded firmware, similar to what happens with hacked PSPs, and even though...
By: odinsdream
I suggest trying the soft-mod (the one without the chip) first, since, what's the harm? If you like the results (and you probably will), then you can stick with it. If not, you buy the chip and install it like normal - the work you did on the softmod won't interfere with the chip, the chip will take precedence.
I've done both ways, started with chips since that was all there was, then moved into the pretty buggy soft-mods, got out of that game fast, got back into chips, and then moved into soft-mods entirely once a stable one was developed....
By: odinsdream
I wrote a soft-mod how-to thread on xbox-scene forums, search by username in the softmod section. I go by the same name there as here.
By: smackfu
The soft-mods require a specific game, right? Do people just buy that game or what?
By: gfroese
Other than the ability to go on xbox live (which I'll never do anyway), a hard-mod provides zero advantages over the soft-mod. And in my opinion, a soft-mod is a much more accurate kick to the nuts of Microsoft.
One recommendation I do have is putting in a ridiculously huge hard drive when you do mod it, you won't be sorry.
By: cheerleaders_to_your_funeral
I haven't been into the xbox modding scene since about a year ago, but back then you needed a specific game and a memory card to mod it without a chip. For me it was both easier and cheaper to just buy a solderless modchip (I bought the matrix chip).
There are good emulators for pretty much any system there is a good emulator for on the PC. (Playstation and N64 emulation was pretty buggy a year ago, dreamcast emulation didn't exist. Snes emulation fucking rocked.)
Playing media is wonderful. Streaming content from your PC works perfect on most formats. Xbox Media...
By: Civil_Disobedient
It appears as if I don't even need a physical mod chip but is that really true. If this is so what's the use of them?
Finding the right game/hardware combo can be time-consuming/annoying. The hardware option allows you to revert back to the original BIOS (good for XBLive, if you like that sort of thing). Hardware mods allow for nifty LCD screen hacks. Some, like the Xodus systems, have built-in USB ports, which is pretty cool. Also, modchips have extra RAM for alternate BIOSes. The Xenium, for instance, has a meg of room. You...
By: blag
As for interesting stuff, check out X-BOX Linux.
By: odinsdream
smackfu, it's sufficient to rent the game for a day. The easiest overall method is something along these lines:
- find a friend with an already-modded xbox, either with a chip or with software mods, like you'll be using.
- download the game-save file for the game you intend on renting. This is just a file that looks like a game-save, but which exploits bugs in the game to cause it to crash and load an FTP server (and other stuff).
- transfer that game-save to the already-modded xbox, putting it with the other normal game-saves on the harddrive.
- get a USB to Xbox-Controller adapter (or build...
By: odinsdream
Though, if you do go with a chip, I would like to second Civil_Disobedient's recommendation of the Xenium.
By: smackfu
Hildago, which chip did you use?
By: catkins
Softmods are not permanent. We're not talking about flashing the TSOP or something like that, right?
Summary:
Chip: more features (like in-game reset, change/remove opening animation, etc.), easy to disable for Xbox Live! play. Costs more, but not much (there are $30 solutions out there -- depends on your Xbox version -- find this out FIRST). If your soldering-fu is weak, look for a solderless chip solution (somewhat more $), but in my experience the soldered chips last longer (solderless connectors rely on alignment of little pins to the circuit board, and vibrations can screw that up)
Softmod: Free, if you know someone...
By: obiwanwasabi
Get a mod chip. You're going to open it / get somebody to open it to stick in a larger hard disk anyway, aren't you? Fork over the extra $20 and get a physical mod. You won't regret it. The little red LED on mine warms my soul no end.
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