No-Solder Modchip For The Xbox

toothfish writes "There's a review of the latest generation of Xbox modchip over at xbox hacker- no solder, flashable BIOS, 15 min. install, etc. Stuff like this should make it easier for the average Xbox user to run emulators, Linux, and such. No word if it does or does not work in the latest iteration of Xbox though. Anyone from australia order one of these guys yet?"

Why not get a real PC?

[g4dget]

For $200 [walmart.com] you can get a PC with Linux pre-installed: 800MHz, CD-ROM, 10G disk, 128M. If you want to run Xbox games, get an Xbox, but for everything else, a real PC is probably cheaper and better.

Re:Why not get a real PC?

[cscx]

Because "we are ripping off Micro$haft!!!! LOLOL!!!"

The hilarious part about all that is that the XBox is now in profitability, and Microsoft isn't taking a cut anymore.

it _will_ run windows anyway

[jukal]

Here's a scenario: Once the xboxes have populated the homes, in no time at all Microsoft will start shipping Microsoft XB to run in the device. This will happen especially if they notice that a competing open source OS has already penetrated their territory. This is just what Microsoft needs to overcome legal battles related to doing it (combining hardware and operating system) and selling it to large public and to win monopoly accusations related to doing it.

Re:Why not get a real PC?

[g4dget]

You are right: Microsoft shouldn't be losing money on it, since the WalMart PC already offers better specs for the same amount of money. Even if they were losing money on it, there is little point in giving Microsoft good marketing numbers. Given their cash reserves, they could easily give the Xbox away to millions of people if it didn't erode trust in the platform--what they want is actual purchases.

Re:Why not get a real PC?

[arbitrary nickname]

The XBox will turn out to be very profitable, in the much longer term, when MS deploy future DRM systems based upon lessons learned from it

The XBox is being used as an experiment in locking-down PCs. It's like a honeynet for hardware hackers - people *will* try to hack it - either to pirate games, play MP3s, or run Linux. MS will learn from each hack, to build a more secure system, before releasing a system that really matters... in future generations of Windows and PC hardware

Re:Why not get a real PC?

[pomac]

Xbox is avail in europe, Walmart isn't.

Why are we wasting time on Hacking into the X

[haplo21112]

What we really should be doing is figuring out how to use my existing PC to Play Xbox games...that woul be a much more interesting hack...

Re:Why not get a real PC?

[Nogami_Saeko]

The assumption here of course is that there will be something so irresistable in future generations of Windows and PC hardware that will force people to upgrade even though all their rights are taken away.

Time will prove they are wrong. As soon as my right to do whatever I want with my own hardware declines, I'll stop buying new hardware (until it can be hacked to recover those rights).

Re:Why are we wasting time on Hacking into the X

[janda]

They go hand-in-hand. It's a lot easier to hack the xbox first, so you can figure out how the encryption/lockout stuff works. Then, you write a driver, hack, or whatever in software/hardware as needed for the general PC population.

Note the word "Portable" in his comment

[Andy Dodd]

In 90% of the cases of Xbox hacking, I'd agree with you.

But if you want a semi-portable system, (Semi because the Xbox is a pretty big console, but it's still FAR smaller than a minitower) Xbox is the way to go.

The best comparison to the Xbox in this arena would be one of the Shuttle small formfactor PCs - But the barebones system w/o CPU or video card runs more than an Xbox.

Re:Why are we wasting time on Hacking into the X

[Anonymous Coward]

Why are we wasting time on Hacking into the X

What we really should be doing is figuring out how to use my existing PC to Play Xbox games...that woul be a much more interesting hack...

We? What exactly are you doing to hack the XBox? and Why don't you just stop hacking the XBox and start working on the PC-playing-Xbox-games hack?

One hacks to scratch one's itch. It sounds like you want the hackers to scratch your itch. Scratch it yourself!

Re:Microsoft is fighting a losing battle...

[matlokheed]

There are several reasons why people don't just rent and copy games. It's neither efficient nor profitable, not to mention anything of the collectible aspect of games that people enjoy.

To burn a PS2 game normally, you need to do a lot of things. First, you need the mod chip installed. With most modchips, you need to do some soldering which makes things way beyond the scope of your average person. Then once you've burned the disc, on the modchips that have minimal soldering, you need a boot disk to boot a PS2 game. So now you have an extra step in the boot process. Things are looking uglier.

Now we can get into more details. Many PS2 games are on a DVD and either need to have things scaled back or modified to get on a CD. Most people do not have a DVD burner in their possession and how many that do are willing to waste a precious disc?

Then you have to deal with the $5 price of a PS2 game at Blockbuster for a game that you may or may not like. Of course then you also have to hope that the disc is alright enough to be copied without destroying the disc you're creating and any other factors involved in the burning process.

Linux isn't a factor in the modding process normally. It's for the games, but even that's selective. That's why you don't see people copying them in bundles and why Xbox mods aren't as common as the PS2 mod (I don't think I've ever seen someone mod their Xbox). The Xbox doesn't have enough games to make it worthwile (you don't even need the bootdisks for the xbox mod). That's what MS is trying to fight. Personally, I'd rather them concentrate on getting a decent game for the system.

Besides, who wants to waste their TV screen running Linux? I'd rather use my computer monitor for that.

Re:Why not get a real PC?

[bogado]

This $200 box does not have a NVidia GeForce4 bundled. I guess this is a very compealing reason to hack a XBox. :-)