Xenium Ice/xos2b2/xbmc Installed - 1st Try! Options

[autonymous]

First: I wasn't even thinking about modding my XBOX this time last week. A friend told me he did his, and that I should. So I started digging. Found Xbox-Scene, and read up on everything I could possibly stand to read. Since I have a Halo SE (green) xbox, v1.2 with the Samsung DVD, I decided on the Xenium ICE Solderless - I figured the external LED would look cool in my case (IT DOES!).

I got my Xenium Ice Monday from Divineo. Shipped fast. I was expecting more in terms of packaging, but I guess that's all you need, right?

Anyway, I followed the nOOb install guide for Xenium solderless, got it set up right away. First try, no probs. Worked beautifully. Had to find a good spot to mount the external LED - since my case is transparent, I put it inside in the front. Then I had some reading to do regarding BIOSes and the like. Didn't swap the retail HD yet, since I wanted to make sure A.) I knew how to install and use the darned thing, and B.) It actually did what I wanted to do. (Plus I need to buy a big drive now!)

Anyway, it comes up, and I used Slayer's 2.6 to install a crapload of other stuff to play with. Had some fun, got a few frags, nothin the BIOS recovery couldn't handle. Then I decided to upgrade to XOS2b2. Flawless, painless. No worries. So, I go for EvoX M8. No worries.

So, I start changin apps, deletin some I won't use. And I found the mother lode: XBMC 9-17-2004 build. That's the cat's meow. SMB works out the box, plays everything I throw at it (even plays some Nero .nrg images of DVD's I have on my comp hd - using SMB EVEN!). Tweaked the apps/games/pictures/videos settings, listened to some shoutcast streams, replaced the EvoX dashboard with it (since it can launch all the same apps now.)

NOTE: I've read everywhere that the Samsung drive plays almost everything; mine won't read Maxell 4x DVD+R's. Not games/movies/other. But my TDK and Fuji DVD+R/W's work fine. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Last thing on the agenda: Xlink KAI (setting up tonight) for RB6:BA, Halo, Burnout3, and a couple others I don't have yet (not to mention my Halo2 Collector's Edition that's on pre-order).

What can I say? The best $50 I ever spent. Team Xodus has hit a homer with this baby, along with everyone makin it easy for nOOBs like me (Slayer, Team Xecuter, everybody working on XBMC, and others whose names I don't know yet.)
MY HAT GOES OFF TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

Long live the XBOX (and hopefully we'll have backwards compatibility in Xbox2)

[autonymous]

Um...since I got mine installed first try, and I know how to read the forums/FAQ/RTFM for answers, am I still considered a nOOb???

[acemilo]

Samsungs don't read any +rs just so you know. Anyway, ya your still a noob, altho only half respectable since you used solderless but you got it working. You should consider yourself lucky tho since the majority of noobs buy solderless adapters and screw em up then come cryin to us, so at least you got that goin for you. My theory is tho, if you have to open the xbox up at least 1 time to realign it (chances are this will happen at some point) then you should just solder it in. If it works now, I say leave it but if you every have to open it again for the sole purpose of realigning it, consider soldering it since it will happen again. Until then, enjoy . Oh one more thing, you can't have a 1.2, all halo xboxs are 1.4+.

[Gumba]

Happy for you

And yes, the Xternal LED looks great internal on translucent boxes

[autonymous]

[acemilo]

Ya whoever told you that isn't too bright, the first halo box was a 1.4. I have only modded one halo myself and it was a 1.6. If you look at the video chip up by the av port you will see it says "Focus" if it were a 1.2 it would say "Coxenant". Thats the biggest clue as to the version on 1.2+.

[Gumba]

Yup, I installed a Xenium on one of the first 1.4 Halo xboxes for a friend

(They were in Au before they were in the US)

The best Xbox version find-by-inspection tutorial is the one on xbox-scene

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

[autonymous]

well, I guess I neglected to COMPLETELY read the Newbies install guide...it details how to find the model type based on info from the MS dashboard prior to install.

And you're all right, it's a 1.4. But I'm guessing since mine did work, the install for 1.2-1.5 is the same. So I could have goofed, but I was saved by a similar board layout.