Jump to content

[Guide] Turn your Xbox (original, not 360) into an AppleTV


19 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Note: Do NOT send me PMs about this topic. I am not an expert, just a happy user. Post questions in this thread. I will NOT help you fix your Xbox if you break it. I will NOT answer any technical questions that are covered by my guide already or that are not posted in this thread. You may only send me a PM if you need help finding someone to mod your Xbox for you (i.e. install the modchip). This guide is a modified version of my post at 123MacMini: http://www.123macmini.com/forums/viewtopic...sc&start=15 Guide originally modified from Savvygeek's AppleTV guide: http://savvygeek.com/2007/03/27/how-to-tur...nto-an-appletv/

 

Grab a snack, you're gonna need it! This guide is LONG!! This is also no walk in the park! NEWBS BEWARE!

 

Some multimedia for your enjoyment:

 

http://savvygeek.com/wp-content/uploads/20.../mainscreen.png

 

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=583541

 

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0gZg3bh8_3o

 

The Tutorial:

 

So you want an AppleTV but don't want to spend $300 on one or be locked into Apple's DRM universe? Sure there are hacks available for the AppleTV, but you can do the same thing for less than $100 and get a better multimedia player. Here's how...

 

Table of Contents:

The Basic Idea

Before you Begin

The Parts List

Optional Parts

Setting up the Hardware

Installing the Software

Where to go from here

 

The Basic Idea:

The original, 8-year-old Xbox (not the 360) is basically a computer inside a gaming console shell (733mhz Celeron, 64mb ram, etc.). Hackers jumped on this and turned the Xbox into a lean, mean multimedia machine. With the appropriate software, it can play any format you can throw at it, including some light HD material and small-bitrate x264 videos. This guide will show you how to take your Xbox and install Xbox Media Center (XBMC) as well as how to skin it so that it looks like an AppleTV (only better!). Here is what we are going to do in a nutshell:

 

1. Install the modchip

2. Flash the firmware onto the modchip

3. Format the hard drive (includes an old version of XBMC to start with)

4. Update XBMC to a newer version

5. Tweak XBMC (calibrate for your TV, setup network sources, apply AppleTV skin)

 

Before you Begin:

First of all, the Xbox is NOT a high-definition multimedia player. It does not have HDMI, DVI, or even VGA output. Your options are RF (cable line), Component, S-Video, and Composite. Your audio options are stereo (RCA) or digital audio for 5.1 surround-sound (TOSlink, or Coaxial via an adapter). HOWEVER, it IS capable of connection to High Definition televisions using the Component cables. It can play back at 720p or 1080i, as well as 480p if you have a regular progressive television. In addition, it can play *some* high-definition material, mainly 720p Xvids. x264 does not work so hot since it requires a more powerful processor, but if you re-encode stuff to a smaller bitrate you can get it to work. It can play ISOs, VOBs, YouTube FLVs, and pretty much whatever else you throw at it just fine. If you really, truly need VGA output, you can get a $60 X2VGA, which will output a VGA signal from a Component cable, up to 1080p:

 

http://www.x2vga.com/

 

So why should you care about the Xbox? Because the AppleTV can't play "real" HD - you have to encode stuff for it as well (1ghz Pentium-M, not a far cry from the 733ghz Celeron in the Xbox!), not to mention spending $300 and installing Perian and NitoTV and whatever else you want. The added benefit of the Xbox is that it is not only 1/3 cheaper, but that it plays a larger variety of multimedia files. For a full and detailed list, see here:

 

http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/info_project.htm

 

The Xbox does NOT play ANY files with DRM - not iTunes music, not iTunes movies, nothing with DRM. Be warned!

 

Second, you should get your head wrapped around the controller situation. You have the option of a gamepad controller (wired or wireless), which works the best. It has an incredible amount of functionality and you'll never want to go back to another remote again once you get the hang of it. Instant replay, trigger-controlled fast forward and rewind, small and large jumps, and joystick audio/video position give you a precise amount of control over your audio and video playback. My recommendation is to get a wireless controller and learn how to use it. You can remap any of the keys simply by editing an XML. For a full list, see here: (but don't get overwhelmed!)

 

http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/wiki/index....itle=Keymap.xml

 

It takes some time to get used to, but you won't be able to live without it once you get the hang of it. Your second option is the Microsoft DVD remote. This is great for the non-techies in your family, although my own non-geeky wife has gotten used to the gamepad just fine. The remote comes with the stick control and a receiver dongle to plug into your Xbox. Do NOT buy a 3rd party remote, only buy the Microsoft brand! It's under $15 on eBay. You'll thank me later. You can add on/off functionality by using an XIR or XERC chip (see Sickmods.net), which allows you to turn the Xbox on and off via remote control. In addition, you can program a universal remote, such as a Logitech Harmony 659 or 880, to turn the Xbox on and off as well as control the functions via the receiver plug. You can also use the Xbox's webpage (yes, webpage!) to play stuff back and create temporary playlists on the fly.

 

Third, regarding drives: The Xbox uses a specialized DVD drive; you cannot just use any DVD drive. If you want to play burned discs, my recommendation is to find a pre-modded Samsung 616t drive, which plays discs 4x faster than the stock Xbox DVD drive (16x vs. 4x) and handles burned media better. These are expensive (around $80) and hard to find (eBay or Xbox-Scene forums might have them). HOWEVER, I'd recommend just sticking with local playback (via the hard drive) or network playback (which is what I use). The hard drive is a standard IDE/PATA drive; 8 or 10gb is the stock model. I would recommend upgrading to at least a 20gb drive. It can take up to 500gb without problems. Some people have been experimenting with 750gb drives, which may or may not work. There are no 1TB IDE drives to my knowledge. You cannot add more drives to your Xbox, period. My suggestion is to share a folder off your computer or to build a NAS. I have a great NAS guide here which works wonderfully with XBMC:

 

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=79925

 

Personally, I stream mainly ISOs (images of DVD movies) and MP3s to my Xboxes. Regarding the DVD ISOs, I strip the menus/advertisements out (a very easy, automated process) and just keep the resulting movie ISO. The end result is similiar to a VHS tape - hit play, the movie starts playing immediately. I have attached a PDF guide on how to rip and encode DVD movies under Windows. If you are using a Mac, then Mac The Ripper and Handbrake are the two main tools to use (or VisualHub if you prefer). My preference for working with DVD is Windows and all of the best tools for dealing with DVD ripping are made for that platform, so if you're serious about re-mastering DVDs then you'll want to get VMware or Parallels and run XP as a VM, or else dual-boot. Ripping a DVD doesn't require much muscle, so if you just need an ISO just use a virtual machine to do it, unless you want to figure out Mac The Ripper on your own.

 

In addition to playing Audio, Video, and Photo multimedia files, you can also play games. XBMC in conjunction with DVD2Xbox allows you to rip Xbox games (and full DVD movies) and store them on your hard drive for faster playback and easier management. Games load quicker and you can just browse through by cover, no discs required. You cannot play online this way, however - you will need the original disc and will have to boot into "stock" mode to play online. In addition, you can play emulators (mainly the 2D ones), such as NES, SNES, and Sega (tip: google "baed xbox"). Playstation 1 (PS1) and N64 kinda-sorta work for some games, but generally it's a waste of time to try. Stick with the classics if you want to play with emulators. You can even freeze the memory on your games as save states, which means that you can save Mario right before fighting King Koopa if you keep dying instead of having to start all the way back at the beginning of the level! XBMC actually supports an enormous number of emulators, from Atari to Gameboy - more info here:

 

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=386399

 

Hmm, what else...you can play DDR on the Xbox, plenty of pads and games available for that. Good for a workout and some fun with friends. You can do a million mods to the hardware, check out the tutorials here:

 

http://xbox-scene.com/xbox-tutorials.php

 

Here are some user-customized Xboxes: (easy to paint or add LEDs & windows to)

 

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=103427

 

As far as network connections go, it has a 10/100 Ethernet jack on the back for plugging into your network. You can use FTP to transfer files to and from the hard drive inside. You can go wireless if you want, I would suggest 802.11g as a minimum. However I do not recommend wireless as it generally stinks for streaming due to interference and speed issues (complicated by distance and obstructions). People have had success with 802.11g adapters and even mild success with 802.11b adapters (don't expect to stream DVDs on Wifi B tho!), so YMMV. My recommendation is to drill a hole in your wall and run a long Ethernet cord. You can get all of your cables for cheap at MonoPrice.com.

 

That's pretty much it for background, let's get on with it!

 

The Parts List:

Xbox console (the original black one, about $60 used at Gamestop) + A/V cables of your choice + controller (gamepad or remote)

Internet connection & torrent software

2 blank DVD-R discs

DuoX2 Modchip (plus wiring)

Soldering Iron

 

Optional Parts:

Wireless gamepad (at least 1 recommended)

Larger hard drive (20gb IDE or greater)

Networking gear (Ethernet cable or Wifi adapter)

 

Setting up the Hardware:

The first thing you'll need to do is buy a modchip, which costs around $20. This is really the only thing that is "required" for a modded Xbox; there are alternative ways to mod an Xbox but this is the best way, in my opinion. There are many modchips available; my recommendation is the DuoX2. Be sure to get the presolder female pinheader (makes installation easier), the solder kit (again same thing), and the Cromwell/FlashBios version. Divineo Canada usually has them in stock, but you may have to search around to find one. You can buy a soldering iron from Radio Shack for like $8. Then, open your Xbox following these instructions:

 

http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/open1.php

 

Next, identify which version Xbox you have using this tutorial:

 

http://www.xbox-scene.com/versions_1.php

 

Once you find the version, you can now find the appropriate installation instructions. Go this the following website, click on the "Installs" button, and then scroll down to the "DuoX 2 GS Cromwell/FlashBios Edition" section (NOT the "DuoX 2 GS Chip" section!). They have guides for installation on all versions of Xboxes - 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, and 1.6. Solder away!

 

http://www.duomodchip.com/english/main.htm

 

So now you have the modchip installed. Before we go on, I would recommend that you upgrade the hard drive while you have the Xbox open. Again, the Xbox supports IDE/ATA hard drives up to 500gb (possibly up to 750gb but I can't confirm that). The jumper will need to be set to Cable Select (CS). You can use the stock drive, but you'll get faster and quieter performance with a newer drive. Even a 20gb IDE drive is just fine; the additional space is very useful for loading up software and testing out files. The only real reasons for putting a larger drive in are (1) if you want to copy lots of Xbox games to the hard drive or (2) you want to store your multimedia on the Xbox itself rather than streaming it across your network. If you choose to use the stock drive, you'll have to modify parts of this tutorial (you're on your own for that!). Just grab a cheap used drive off ebay for a few bucks if you don't have a spare one. Make sure to plug everything back in, including the DVD drive and Hard Drive. When you boot up, it should ask you to flash the bios using firmware

 

If you've gotten to this point, congratulations - the hard part is over!

 

Installing the Software:

 

This task consist of 4 parts:

 

1. Firmware for modchip

2. Formatting and installation

3. Updating XBMC

4. Setting up AppleTV and tweaking

 

First, you'll need to get some firmware for your modchip. You will need to download the "X2 5035 bios" from torrents. The firmware download will contain two files for different versions of Xboxes:

 

x2_5035_vOLD_512k.bin - older xbox versions v1.0 - v1.5 ONLY

x2_5035_v16plus_512k.bin - xbox versions v1.6 and v1.6b ONLY

 

Be sure to use the correct firmware for your Xbox version! Rename the file that will work on your Xbox to "bios.bin". You need to follow a special procedure for burning the disc to flash the bios on your modchip. First, you will need to create a 100mb dummy file. Follow this tutorial to do so:

 

http://www.team-xecuter.com/flashbios/dummy.htm

 

Next, you will need to create a disc with the BIOS files on it (bios.bin file & dummy file). I recommend using DVD-R discs because they are the most compatible with Xbox DVD drives. Just follow this tutorial: (they use Nero on Windows)

 

http://www.team-xecuter.com/flashbios/dvd.htm

 

Then pop the disc in your Xbox and load up the new BIOS. If your Xbox is working after the modchip and BIOS installation, then you're all set to begin installing the rest of the software...

 

Next you will need to reformat the Xbox's hard drive and then install the modded Xbox software. For that you will need a special formatting disc. The best one is the Slayers 2.7 disc. You can find this on torrents as well under "Slayers Evox 2.7 FINAL". It's an executable that creates an ISO for you to burn to disc. Again, I recommend using a DVD-R disc for compatibility reasons. Just follow the instructions after you run the EXE to get the ISO extracted, then burn it to disc. When you have the Slayers disc ready, pop it in your Xbox. Use the following sequence to do a proper installation:

 

1. Option #3 - New Install/Full Rebuild; 3A - New Install/Full Rebuild - Upgraded HDD; 3a1 - Full Install/Rebuild Large HDD - "C"

2. Option #4 - Apps/Upgrades/Lock/Format; 4A - INST/UPG XBMC, M$Dash, Apps & Evox; 4a6 - INST/UPG Just XBMC & Apps on Larger HDD (F: )

3. Option #5 - Change Startup Dashboard; 5E - Install XBMC as Primary Dash - Upgraded HDD

 

So now you have (1) formatted the hard drive, (2) installed the modded Xbox software, and (3) set Xbox Media Center to be the default bootup system. Next you will need to install the latest version of Xbox Media Center (XBMC) - the Slayers disc comes with an old version just to get you started. I'd recommend reading up on the legalities of using XBMC beforehand. XBMC comes pre-compiled in two flavors: Tech (t3ch) and Pimped. You'll want to download the Pimped version off the torrents. Do a search for "xbmc pimped" and grab the one with the latest date on it. They continually update the software. An example name would be "XBMC-2007-07-08-PIMPED". You may need to search a few torrents to find the latest version. Special note: I played around with some of the newer versions and the AppleTV skin doesn't work too well. Download this version to get the best results: XBMC-2007-05-27-PIMPED-linksboks * Note this is old, since the original tutorial was written in May 2007, so go ahead and grab a newer version and play with it.

 

XBMC needs to be installed via FTP, not disc. You can't copy over the new XBMC while XBMC is running, so next you will need to boot into a different dashboard (modded Xboxes have several different dashboards which are like different operating systems, sort of). I would recommend either Avalaunch or UnleashX. In XBMC, go into My Programs > Programs > Avalaunch. The Avalaunch dashboard will boot up; the FTP address will be in the lower-left corner. It's usually either 192.168.1.45, 192.168.1.145, or 192.168.1.200. The username and password should both be "xbox". Next, get some FTP software and log in to your Xbox. If you don't have any FTP software, I recommend using Cyberduck for Mac or FileZilla for Windows - both are free and easy to use.

 

So log into the FTP server on your Xbox and navigate to F:\Apps. You will see a folder called XBMC there. Rename it to "XBMC2", then copy over your freshly-downloaded copy of XBMC (be sure the folder is named "XBMC"). The reason for renaming the old XBMC folder instead of deleting it is so that you have a backup copy of XBMC just in case anything goes wrong. That's all there is to installing software on a modded Xbox - just copy it over to the FTP server! It makes upgrading a painless process.

 

Go ahead and reboot and your Xbox will boot into the new version of XBMC. Whew, almost done! Now we have to setup the AppleTV skin and then tweak the system to your liking. First, go into the skins directory by navigating to System > Settings > Appearance > Look and Feel > Skin. Select the xTV skin and give it a few seconds to reload. Your Xbox will now look like AppleTV. But we're not quite done yet! Now we have to tweak the skin! First, download this ZIP package:

 

http://rapidshare.com/files/81384758/atv.zip.html

 

Unzip it and and do the following via FTP:

 

1. Copy x2config.ini /E/ (just drop it in the root directory of E:\)

 

2. Copy Startup.xml to: (yes, to PAL even if you're in America)

/F/Apps/XBMC/skin/xTV/PAL/

/F/Apps/XBMC/skin/xTV/PAL16x9/

 

3. Copy these files to /F/Apps/XBMC/scripts/

autoexec.py

startupvideo.py

intro.avi

 

4. Delete /F/Apps/XBMC/skin/xTV/sounds/startup.wav

 

5. Delete all files that start with "splash" in this directory: /F/Apps/XBMC/media/

 

Okay...almost there! Now do these two tweaks from the AppleTV interface on the Xbox:

 

1. Go to System > Settings > System > Cache Settings. Change your Video/Audio/DVD Video - Hard Disk cache size to 1024kb

 

2. Go to System > Settings > Apperance > Screen > Video Calibration... This lets you tweak the Xbox output to fit your TV set. Use the left joystick to move the top left arrow into the corner, press A, do the same to the bottom right arrow, press A, adjust the subtitles bar up or down if you want, press A, then use the left joystick to adjust the center box so that it is square, then press A. Press B to exit; now your screen is calibrated.

 

Now your Xbox is all set up. The very last thing you have to do is setup your sources if you want to stream content from your network. For example, you may want to hook it up to iTunes to play music (remember that the Xbox cannot play music with DRM!) or make a file share to stream movies. For info on setting up iTunes streaming, go to the "Syncing With iTunes" section here:

 

http://savvygeek.com/2007/03/27/how-to-tur...nto-an-appletv/

 

You can also simply setup a shared folder for your music & movies. You can either do this from within XBMC or via FTP from your computer. All you have to do is open the /F/Apps/XBMC/UserData/sources.xml and add your own defaults and paths. It's very straightforward.

 

So now when you boot up, you'll see the BIOS screen tag ("Xecuter2 Live Config Loading" or whatever) for a couple seconds, then about 10 seconds of black screen (since the x2config.ini removes all of the startup animation and logos), then the AppleTV splash video, then it boots into the AppleTV interface. Provided you set your defaults in the sources.xml file, when you click on Movies, you'll be taken to your network movies folder, same for songs, photos, and so on. Plus you can copy Xbox games to the hard drive, play old games on systems like SNES, Sega, Gameboy, listen to Internet radio, play YouTube videos, download Apple Movie Trailers, and so on. All for the price of an Xbox, modchip, larger hard drive, and couple hours of your time thumbsup_anim.gif

 

You can speed up boot time by removing the AppleTV startup video. It's not quite as authentic, but if you're like me then you'll get sick of watching it after 5 or 10 times lol. All you have to do is delete the following files in /F/Apps/XBMC/scripts/ :

 

startupvideo.py

intro.avi

 

And then remove this line from autoexec.py (just open it with a text editor):

 

xbmc.executescript('q:\\scripts\\startupvideo.py')

 

This way your boot sequence goes:

 

1. BIOS tagline ("Xecuter2 Live Config Loading...") for a few seconds

2. Blank for 10 seconds (no Xbox animation, Xbox logo, XBMC logo, or AppleTV logo/sound)

3. Boots straight into AppleTV

 

Where to go from here:

Wow, you made it! Congratulations! I tried to make this guide as detailed as possible so that other people could replicate it. If you are nervous about doing the hardware part and would rather pay someone else to do it, either PM me for a modder reference or visit this section of the Xbox-Scene forums:

 

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showforum=29

 

With your shiny new modded Xbox, you'll be able to play just about any kind of multimedia file you can find, plus Xbox games and classic emulator games. If you want to play online like normal, you will need a new EEPROM ($10, search around the Xbox-Scene forums to buy one) - just hit the Eject button to boot up your Xbox to the stock software config (if you're using a DuoX2 chip).

 

You can add scripts to XBMC as well, to do a variety of things like play YouTube, view Apple Movie Trailers, and so on:

 

http://www.xbmcscripts.com/

 

I think this guide pretty much covers all the bases. You can spend months researching Xbox modding, or you can just read and follow my guide and get the same result. You can also mess with Linux on XBMC if that tickles your fancy. I have not found a replacement good enough to toss my Xboxes yet - not Tvix, not Popcorn Hour, not Front Row. Windows Media Center comes pretty close but is WAY more expensive and buggy.

dvdrippingguide.pdf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
I have had this setup for 4 years (minus the AppleTV skin which I didn't know about) and I absolutely love it. Huge bang for the buck. Recommended!

 

You know, I've been through Windows Media Center, Tvix, Popcorn Hour, Mac Mini, etc. and I keep coming back to XBMC. They just need to release it for Linux so we can get some normal remotes and real HD playback! x264 eats XBMC alive. At least 720p Xvids work...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the guide, just what I needed, but I think Ill try the softmod first before getting a modchip. I should be getting all the parts this weekend. I was initially going for the apple tv but saw the XBMC and got me really interested. The XP media center didnt worked well for me.

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the guide, just what I needed, but I think Ill try the softmod first before getting a modchip. I should be getting all the parts this weekend. I was initially going for the apple tv but saw the XBMC and got me really interested. The XP media center didnt worked well for me.

 

Thanks

 

The Softmod works pretty well...not a lot of people play Xbox1 online anymore so the chip mod is getting less and less popular since more and more people are using it exclusively as a media center. Glad it helped though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I've had this setup since '03 and it rocks so hard .... with the new apple tv skin its even better. I've got my server upstairs with a shared MEDIA drive .... then I have a router downstairs synced in bridge mode ... then the xbox connected via the router. Works perfect. My brother-in-law was bragging about his apple tv and I wasn't very impressed since I've been enjoying the say thing for almost 6 years now. Rock on XBMC!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If your xbmc xbox doesn't have enough CPU horsepower for bigger higher-bitrate h.264 movies, the next step could be a project called osxbmc. At this time, its new, but very promising. People are talking about using a mac mini running osxbmc to replace their xbox-1 running xbmc. What would be even more interesting is an "osx86bmc". osxbmc runs on my desktop, but we need to find a PC with a form factor to rival the mac mini, and add a remote...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah XBMC is my fav. I want to get another one going. I would love to track down a dreamX but there insanely rare and ultra expensive compared to what you actually get. To bad those upgrades are not easyer for the common xbox modder. I have had mine soft modded for some time.

 

 

There is also XBMC coming for linux and getting a remote maybe possible. The 360 was also hacked but you have to have a particular kernal installed and NEVER update and then you can get linux to run and once XBMC goes to linux its a go there. Sounds like a mac mini running osx86bmc might be the most promising so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
Yeah XBMC is my fav. I want to get another one going. I would love to track down a dreamX but there insanely rare and ultra expensive compared to what you actually get. To bad those upgrades are not easyer for the common xbox modder. I have had mine soft modded for some time.

 

 

There is also XBMC coming for linux and getting a remote maybe possible. The 360 was also hacked but you have to have a particular kernal installed and NEVER update and then you can get linux to run and once XBMC goes to linux its a go there. Sounds like a mac mini running osx86bmc might be the most promising so far.

 

They've got XBMC for OS X:

 

http://www.osxbmc.com/

 

It's still in beta, but it's working nearly as well as the original and plays High Definition files! You can map keys to whatever remote you have...I've actually used my Wii remote with it successfully. I have a guide on that here, just change the key maps to fit XBMC instead of Front Row:

 

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=79938

 

Here are the default keys:

 

<arrow keys> - navigate

<page up and down> - scroll up and down

<enter> - select

<esc> - previous menu

<backspace> - go up back (or up) a directory

<space> - pause

<period> - Skip Next

<comma> - Skip Previous

<tab> - Minimize Video

<backslash> - Full Screen Toggle

<printscreen> = Screen Shot

<minus> - Volume Down

<plus> - Volume Up

<0 - 9> - 0 through 9

 

p - Play

f - Fast Forward

c - Context menu

r - Rewind

x - Stop

m - Player controls

s - Shutdown menu

i - Info

q - Queue

z - Change aspect ratio

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sick :P

 

Do you have any errors with the 1TB? When I did mine a year or two ago, 500gb was the cap - 750gb had corruption issues. Did you use FatX?

i had to format it with fatX in 32 clusters but i works and i only got 3gb free space left :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

rofl, that's awesome! did you use a SATA to IDE adapter for your 1TB drive?

yeah i found one for $2 and it works great got 300gb movies 572gb tv shows and the rest games :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah i found one for $2 and it works great got 300gb movies 572gb tv shows and the rest games :P

 

That's pretty crazy, I'm glad they're still updating the original Xbox. I have Xboxes on every TV in the house as well as on my entire family's TV's (parents & all brothers). Coupled with an old computer converted into a NAS, you just can't beat it!

 

I'm looking forward to more HD support from Apple. HD-DVD/Blu-ray combo drives are down to under $200; we just need a good OS X player. That combined with Plex will be enough to make me upgrade my Xbox + Tivo combination to a Plex + HD Tivo combination. I do like Vista Media Center a lot (surprisingly), but you can't get a real HD tuner right now (only OTA) unless you buy a specialty system, which is retarded for nerdy consumers like us. Anywho...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I'm excited about doing this.

Suddenly the other day a box was dropped off for stuff for me to take to the dump from my brother in law. Inside was a beautiful XBox Original and all the cables. So I called him up and asked if it worked. Yeah, perfectly.

 

Anyways, today I went to my local store and found the AV Hi-Def Kit. Picked up soldering iron and some wire, ordered the mod chip.

Will be doing this in a few days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm excited about doing this.

Suddenly the other day a box was dropped off for stuff for me to take to the dump from my brother in law. Inside was a beautiful XBox Original and all the cables. So I called him up and asked if it worked. Yeah, perfectly.

 

Anyways, today I went to my local store and found the AV Hi-Def Kit. Picked up soldering iron and some wire, ordered the mod chip.

Will be doing this in a few days.

 

Although I do play with other toys (Popcorn Hour, Vista Media Center, Hackintosh HTPC, etc.), I still have a regular Xbox on every TV. For the vast majority of the stuff I watch and listen to, it fits the bill perfectly - unencrypted MP3s, ripped DVD movies (my own personal collection, of course!), and 720p Xvid TV shows. It's sluggish with 720p MKVs and chokes on 1080p material, but for pretty much everything else it's just fantastic. I have a basic computer with a bunch of hard drives setup on my router acting as a DVD Jukebox...XBMC downloads all of the DVD covers so that it's just like being at Blockbuster, all I have to do is click one and it starts playing! Can't wait for Plex to get out of beta (well, RC now)...HD XBMC here I come! :wacko:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...