Original XBox as a media player

pepsi_max2k

what kind of solder did you use? i read something about industrial strength stuff which makes sense, but i've just got basic maplins lead free silver stuff (4% ag, 95.5% sn, 0.5% cu - http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=34965&doy=17m1 )...

and do you think it matters much about desoldering first if it's just a case of holding the thing in place? i've never had much luck removing solder before as i just have solder wick

drezsa

I used 60/40 lead tin as that's what I have most of, but lead free should be ok. I don't think it matters if they mix either. I only did one joint at a time so holding it in place shouldn't be a problem.

Solder wick is easy to use as long as its not tarnished I picked up some hints from this guy for another project, but its all good stuff.

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/present.php?p=SMD-HowTo-7

mikebeecham

Not sure if it's of any help, but I've been working with xboxes and the xbox media center for a long time now. I've also been on the official media center skinning team and am on a project at the moment to overhaul the media center GUI.

There are inherent problems with the DVD drives on xboxes, and can cause all kinds of problems as each different manufacturer utilises certain media types...so you would need to know what media to burn your auto installer onto. However, as the xbox gets older this is still unreliable.

What I have discovered recently is how to wire in a PC DVD drive into your xbox, which will play all media. So if you need to use an auto installer disc to get XBMC onto your xbox, using a PC DVD Drive will give you a better (and faster results).

Have a look at this link and see how easy it is:

http://www.xbox-modchips.com/tutorials/swap-dvd.htm

it's the little hints and tips which really help you do what you want with the xbox. I've been running the media center for about a year now, and it's great. I've even managed to make it run perfectly silent by removing the GPU heatsink and fan, and replacing it with a passive heatsink.

No noise, which is great if you want to watch a movie through it!!!

custardy

pepsi_max2k wrote: »

what kind of solder did you use? i read something about industrial strength stuff which makes sense, but i've just got basic maplins lead free silver stuff (4% ag, 95.5% sn, 0.5% cu - http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=34965&doy=17m1 )...

and do you think it matters much about desoldering first if it's just a case of holding the thing in place? i've never had much luck removing solder before as i just have solder wick

i would just reheat the existing solder TBH.
maybe with a little flux if needed

Random

pepsi_max2k wrote: »

>> Just wondering, should I connect up a usb keyboard, does it just work without any
>> messing about?

should do under linux, and so long as it works it should do so straight away, normal linux hotplug functionality, but there are some keyboards / mice that just dont work for whatever reason. and you should find that any special hotkeys either dont work or have basic functionality as they're driver dependent. just stick it in already and find out and add it to the list either way: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/wiki/USB_Keyboard_and_Mouse_Support

and... where are you all getting your xploder and actionreplay software from? any push in the right direction appreciated

EDIT: pretty much what i was looking for... http://www.hackosis.com/index.php/2007/09/24/xbox-make-your-own-action-replay-device/

I don't have a usb keyboard to try, but I shoved in my mouse and it worked fine. Much easier to type with the onscreen keyboard using the mouse instead of the Xbox controller.

I tried out xDSL yesterday, that's a brilliant thing. I was only after a web browser, but a whole operating system that runs from a cd and includes Firefox is even better.

Anyone recommend any good XBMC plugins? I have Youtube, TV listings, and BBC radio so far, with a Myspace music player to try next when I get time.

ginjim

hi can someone explain the best way for dvd back up please?
i installed dvd2xbox but upon playback the screen was choppy and blocky and in parts.
however avi's that i transfered via ftp worked perfeectly?
which program do you suggest which is easy quick and have relatively small files to transfer or backup dvds with?
is it best via the pc then transfer?
many thanks

pepsi_max2k

arghhhhh of 10, that's TEN usb devices I tried (5 sticks, two HDs, three cameras) only one of them even attempted to work - my samsung camera 's sd card got formatted correctly, appeared as a controller with mem card, tried to copy a save over to it from xbox which failed, and after that the camera decided it didn't want to use the card presumably as it was FATX formatted and wouldn't let anything talk to it anymore. and it wont even format it back to FAT32 :rolleyes:

so... maybe if i had a card reader then that one SD card might actually work. all the others are just giving "The memory unit you inserted isn't functioning; it may be damaged" or nothing at all. could i get any less lucky?

EDIT: card reader don't work either... so i'm all outta usb devices, unless i can borrow one from elsewhere...

Dime_Bar

I just arranged to buy an xbox with 2 controllers for £25 and its hardly been used! Just walked into town to my local independent games shop and they had Splinter Cell for £2.99, will make up the USB>XBOX cable on Monday at work and pick the xbox up and I will be laughing!!!!

pepsi_max2k

@ Random or anyone else, care to help out the unluckiest guy here and let me borrow your working usb stick for a few days? I can pay you postage this way beforehand... otherwise i've got at least a weeks wait to try anything else and that's only whatever my mum and sister have lying around (an ipod, seperate card reader and a really cheap usb camera... all of which prolly won't help much ).

any help much appreciated :money::beer:

EDIT: forgot to mention, prefferably ones known to work on 1.6 would be best

Larumbelle

Pepsi, I have one I used on a 1.6, it has the SC files on it but I can put the others on it if you need them. PM me if you want it.;)


I have got xbmc installed fine, but I am struggling on how to stream to it from my PC. Can anyone give me an idiot guide to doing this?

Also, a friend gave me his old duff xbox for spares (either the hard drive or the motherboard is stuffed) and its a crystal. Can I just stick everything from one case into the other? Also, the CD drive in the duff box is a philips 6035/21 which apparently reads media better than the thompson drive in my working one. So if I switched everything from one box to the other, could I switch the two drives?