Opened A Xbox To Find A Hitachi-lg Dvdrom, **MERGED TOPICS** Options

[wenid]

Thought we were talking about 3,3V

We are, nominally. This particular drive in this particular Xbox is only reading 3.22V, however, and I'd guess that's not unusual. These aren't exactly high-precision systems, after all.

well ok, Lets use a 74HCT04 then, its high at 2v and its low on 0,8 at vcc 4,5-5,5V is perfect, no way near 3,22V

In the hc/hct design guides it says that all unused imputs should be tied to VCC through an 1,2KOhms resistor

The '05 has the advantage that ANY 74x05 will do. Not so the '04s -- it's gotta be an HCT. I don't know how easy they are to come by, but neither of the local electronics shops here have them. (I didn't notice when I looked at the datasheet before that there were separate pages for the HC and the HCT for some some of the spec's -- sorry about that).

Isn't the pinout of the 04 and the 05 the same?

Yes

then why are you driving output pin 4,6,8 high and tieing it to output pin 2?(inverted ldout)
(probably a stupid question)

The 05 is an open-collector outputs version of the 04, which is how you get the higher output high voltage. The outputs need to be tied high because of the open collector (although I don't know if it would really matter if you left the unused inverters totally unconnected at both the input and output). The unused outputs are tied high through the same resistor as pin 2 simply to save on resistors and keep it a bit simpler. The only complication to this is that it effectively ORs the outputs so all the corresponding inputs must be low (so that all their outputs will be high and only the output controlled by LDOUT is having any real effect).

Have to go to the store next week, we don't have electronics stores everywhere here.

We don't have them everywhere here either, at least not good ones.

p.s. the scematic looks alot easyer than the other ones, this is defenately the way to go

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you there. I think that if simplicity is the most important feature then op-amps will probably be the way to go. I'm going to try another experiment with them tomorrow, but this time using an LM324, as mentioned earlier. These cost a bit more than 74x05 chips, but if it saves enough fiddling then it's probably worth the extra dollar for the chip. Also, if I can get it to work using only two op-amps, then we could use an LM358 dual op-amp chip instead of the LM324 quad and end up with a smaller package to be fitted inside the DVD drive. The shop I buy these bits from charges the same for the LM358 as for the LM324, so it's a bit of a rip-off in that regard, but if two of the LM324 op-amps would be unused anyway, why worry? (On the other hand we may have another use for one or both of those op-amps down the track -- there's still the ready signal and that mystery pin that I think has something to do with the "Init" status).

[HunTerror]

The '05 has the advantage that ANY 74x05 will do. Not so the '04s -- it's gotta be an HCT. I don't know how easy they are to come by, but neither of the local electronics shops here have them. (I didn't notice when I looked at the datasheet before that there were separate pages for the HC and the HCT for some some of the spec's -- sorry about that).

Not so sure I agree here. The VinHiMin and VinLoMax values will be purely dependant on the family (HC, HCT, LS, etc) not the part itself. So using open-collector/drain parts won't change the input characteristics.

I may be misunderstanding you, but just wanted to clear that up.

OK. Here's the latest, but this one actually works. It's not as clean and simple as I was hoping for, however.

That's pretty good. I presume that chip is a 74LS05 (low-speed CMOS hex inverter w/ open-collector outputs, correct? It should work for all designs, because the LS VinLo is only 2V.

However, you probably don't need to bother with connecting unused inputs. They recommend it, but for a design like this, it's simpler without. Either way, you certainly don't need to bother with connecting the unused output pins.

I'd say put this in a tutorial and ship out. The only caveat being that I can see people immediately ignoring the LS part and buying HC parts, innundating the board with "why does my drive not work?" questions.

I'm going to try another experiment with them tomorrow, but this time using an LM324, as mentioned earlier. These cost a bit more than 74x05 chips, but if it saves enough fiddling then it's probably worth the extra dollar for the chip.

Do we really worry about $2-$3 ? Most people will probably spend more on gasolline or shipping just to get these chips. If you order in quantity, it's even much cheaper.

Either way, I'm bettng both 324 and 358 will work just fine. The 324 is available in most hobby-type electronic shop, so I presume availability would be good. Not sure how important sizing is, however. How much room do we have in the drive casing? Seems like there should be a fair bit of empty room, no?

Probably. I don't know much about comparators myself.

Opamps actually are internally "slowed down" so the device remains stable even at higher frequencies. They are otherwise almost identical to a comparator, which means the comparators will switch faster (hi to lo, etc) and is sometimes important for a digital system. I'm betting the 324 should be fast enough here, and certainly smipler.

What about just using a 74LS04 (74HCT04)? No pullups, etc.

Thanks for playing the guinea pig... Any chance I could get a copy of that code downloader and maybe contribute?

[wenid]

Not so sure I agree here.  The VinHiMin and VinLoMax values will be purely dependant on the family (HC, HCT, LS, etc) not the part itself.

Sorry. You're right. I was a bit over-ethusiastic saying "any" 05. I really meant 7405, 74L05 or 74LS05, and possibly others.

That's pretty good.  I presume that chip is a 74LS05 (low-speed CMOS hex inverter w/ open-collector outputs, correct?  It should work for all designs, because the LS VinLo is only 2V.

Yes, the chips I have are LS05s, but according to the data sheet I have the plain 05 and the L05 both have 2V VinLo.

However, you probably don't need to bother with connecting unused inputs.

Agreed. I only did so because I had tied the outputs high through the same resistor I was using for the first LDOUT/TRAYIN stage so I needed to ensure those outputs wouldn't drag the "communal" output low.

They recommend it, but for a design like this, it's simpler without.  Either way, you certainly don't need to bother with connecting the unused output pins.

OK. Thanks for confirmation on that. It will certainly simplify things if we can just basically ignore the three unused inverters.

I'd say put this in a tutorial and ship out.

If anyone else wants to do so I will not object. Personally I'm not ready to do that yet, and I may not do it even when I am ready. Even these postings are a more of a drain on my time than I can really afford.

The only caveat being that I can see people immediately ignoring the LS part and buying HC parts, innundating the board with "why does my drive not work?" questions.

Indeed. I'm still not convinced that this is the "best" way to go anyway. I'm still quite attracted to the op-amp approach if I can get it working more simply.

Do we really worry about $2-$3 ? Most people will probably spend more on gasolline or shipping just to get these chips.  If you order in quantity, it's even much cheaper.

I worry about it because I will probably be selling modified drives and "in business, every dollar counts". However, in the case of 324s vs 358s it doesn't matter if the 358s are more expensive per op-amp if you wouldn't be using half the 324's op-amps anyway.

Either way, I'm bettng both 324 and 358 will work just fine.  The 324 is available in most hobby-type electronic shop, so I presume availability would be good.  Not sure how important sizing is, however.  How much room do we have in the drive casing? Seems like there should be a fair bit of empty room, no?

There is quite a bit of empty space at any given moment, but a lot of it is clearance for things going up and down or in and out. The other thing of course is that ideally you want the space to be near where the wiring connects to the circuit board so that you don't need to have wires trailing all over the place. Even disregarding all that, I would think it's probably easier to just sort of "jam it in somewhere" if it's half the size.

Opamps actually are internally "slowed down" so the device remains stable even at higher frequencies.  They are otherwise almost identical to a comparator, which means the comparators will switch faster (hi to lo, etc) and is sometimes important for a digital system.  I'm betting the 324 should be fast enough here, and certainly smipler.

Ah-ha. Thanks for that. I certainly wouldn't think speed is a big issue here either.

What about just using a 74LS04 (74HCT04)?  No pullups, etc.

My original reason for rejecting them was that the datasheet I have lists the VoutHi as 3.4V at Vcc=5V. I'm think that we're dealing with CMOS inputs that want 4V or thereabouts.

I'll PM you about the firmware flasher momentarily (couldn't quote that bit of your post. Dunno why. Too many quotes, maybe...?).


This post has been edited by wenid: Mar 7 2005, 06:51 AM

[marc_25]

I just picked up a brand new Xbox today. The mfg. date is 01/26/2005

I eject the tray and it looks like I have the HITACHI Drive.. ..

HERE'S A PICTURE:

[ferrari_rulz_02]

I just picked up a brand new Xbox today.  The mfg. date is 01/26/2005

I eject the tray and it looks like I have the HITACHI Drive.. ..

HERE'S A PICTURE:

kool, definitley looks like a hitachi-lg drive

[marc_25]

Finally a working Xbox!!!

My previous one with the CRAPOLA Thompson Drive died, I replaced it with a brand new Thompson but still no go on the DVDs.

Decided its time to get a NEW ONE.......

[wenid]

I finally got around to wiring up one of these LM324s and it works. The circuit is the same as the one I tried with the TL072 back in post #328 (Hi-Fi page 22, Lo-Fi page 7, about halfway down). I think my bodged-up READY signal is working, but I'm not 100% on that right now. EJECT is definitely OK. The thing that's bugging me is the same thing that always bothered me when I modified SD-616Ts, which is that I never get an "Init" status and the "Unknown" status comes up while the disc tray is opening (ie. neither opened nor closed but in the process of opening). I've often wondered if the one wire on the "yellow wires" connector that we don't connect to anything is supposed to carry a signal that would fix this up.

[TheMarine]

yeah, I just got a new xbox too, and it was manufactured 01/13/2005

this DVD drive is great.. I went from using the crappy thompson to the newest best DVD drive in an xbox yet..

[HunTerror]

The thing that's bugging me is the same thing that always bothered me when I modified SD-616Ts, which is that I never get an "Init" status and the "Unknown" status comes up while the disc tray is opening (ie. neither opened nor closed but in the process of opening). I've often wondered if the one wire on the "yellow wires" connector that we don't connect to anything is supposed to carry a signal that would fix this up.

That's cool! I don't quite have the time right now to do a drive myself, but maybe I can still help. Could you explain what you mean by this "Init" status stuff?

1) Where is it displayed? Ie In the XMBC status info screen, etc?
2) Does it affect normal operation in any way?

I'm led to wonder what purpose such a signal would have, as well.

[wenid]

Could you explain what you mean by this "Init" status stuff?

1) Where is it displayed?  Ie In the XMBC status info screen, etc?

I don't know if XBMC reports the DVD drive status at all (I don't use XBMC much). I have just been using EvoX dash to monitor the drive status. "Init" is what EvoX displays after you close the tray with a disc in it. this is normally followed by "Checking" and then "Game", "EvoX CD!", or "Unknown". Unknown is the same as "dirty disc", style-o'fing. I can't remember off hand whether or not "Init" is displayed before "No Disc" when the tray is closed empty and I'm at work right now so I can't check.

2) Does it affect normal operation in any way?

It doesn't seem to make any real difference while running a hacked dashboard (except that the DVD drive status can be misleading at times). When running the M$ dashboard you get the "dirty disc" error message flashing up on the screen every time you eject the tray, but I don't think that the Init thing is much of an issue.

[ferrari_rulz_02]

well i cant see that many of the people who would mod this drive would be using the ms dash too much, so i dont see it as a problem.

can you post a pci of where and how everythign is wired up? i keen to see a tut on doing this

[otherguy]

Maybe i missed this, but have we been able to flash a pc drive with the xbox drive's firmware yet?
I finally got an HL drive i could swap out (too late unfortunately) - i may be able to get my hands on quite a few of the pc drives though - seems that a few premade jobs we have in our labs have some HL DATA drives in the - something i hadn't noticed till the other day.

Anyways - where do we stand?

[Shortacid]

Just got a new Xbox today, service screened (21) the other one after a HDD activity led add on, I don't know. Anyways, after several stores in Orlando got a new Xbox, with the Hitachi-LG Drive. I haven't seen this post till today read all 24 eyeburning pages, nice going wenid man. Well my crap contribution is to more serialz so you can add the x-linux version distribution chart.


1******-50505
LNNNNNN-YWWFF

So most of you know already but as i needed it worded out once,

L- Line 1

NNNNNNN-Box Number

Y- Year 5

WW- Week 05

FF- Factory China 5

Looks good, alright, hey every little bit helps. Later guys hope you get that tut. put together, Keep it simple wenid man, easier on us layman.

Sorry, didn't crack it open either and probably won't with this one either, at least not for a year.

Also wanted to add, it is so SLOW to eject and open, i don't know if it is with everyone, I get impatient with minute rice, and i notice like a possible difference of a second, but it doesn't pop out like my old thomson (2003). And no luck with cd-r's either.

This post has been edited by Shortacid: Mar 13 2005, 02:50 AM

[wenid]

I finally set myself up to test the patched version of the Windows 8163B firmware updater and have found that it doesn't work. Maybe it does some kind of CRC check or something on the ROM image. I will try to have a look at it in a dbugger soon, or maybe Lente could get back to the Dangerous Bros. about it.

[crazygreekangelo]

It is my understanding that wenid has been the only person successful in flashing the 8163B PC drive into a functional 8050L Xbox drive (way to go!). However, this was done using a very elaborate IDE flasher that requires some skill to assemble. The complete details of the flash are found in post #297 at the bottom of page 20, but I am hoping that someone can figure out how to integrate that firmware into a tool that can be used to flash the PC drive installed on a computer. I believe wenid is working on that at the moment, but anyone who can help him with it should come foward. I have been following this thread since January and I would like to contribute in any way that I can, but my knowledge of circuits can't compete with many of yours. Once we get the flashing straightened out, I see no major difficulties in drawing up a tutorial using the wiring schemes and circuit diagrams found throught this thread. Lets try to solve this problem so we can publish a successful guide to this project!