Opendash Beta Released!, legal open-source xbox dashboard Options

[d0wnlab]

I had some time today to finish up a beta of my OpenDash. It isn't done, nor is it a very nice dash to use, but it's the first openxdk-based dashboard afaik. Many of the limitations are very lame, but it does the job (I suppose).

WARNING! DO NOT USE AS PRIMARY DASH WITHOUT A METHOD TO RECOVER (.. why would you want to, anyways?)!! This is completely beta software and should not be trusted. Software provided without warranty, etc. Use at your own risk.


HOW TO INSTALL:
1. Download http://th0mas.xbox-scene.com/releases/od-beta.zip and unzip.
2. Edit od.cfg. The first three lines are the directories/drives you want to browse for games/apps. Make sure to use the same format as the example file (namely, remember to have trailing slashes, or the app will freeze.)
3. The fourth line in the config file is the full path to the linux minidistribution (comes with the opendash). IE, if you install opendash to f:/homebrew/opendash, then this line should read

CODE

F:/homebrew/opendash/linux/default.xbe

4. Copy to your xbox and enjoy!


Features:
- (2!) cool groovy backgrounds
- browse three (3!) different directories for XBE's to run
- FTP support via mini-linux distribution (based on ltools)
- it's legal!
- DVD booting (although reset-on-eject is busted so, it's not that useful)

I'm posting this in development because I need a bit of help. Namely:
- someone to make a cooler milkshape 3d model (replace model.msd with something better)
- someone to replace bg.bmp. The red channel of the image is used in the "red-line" background. I just used a screenshot I had laying around, I'm sure a cooler effect could be used with say, clouds or something.
- help with turning off reset-on-eject. I'm executing the command:

CODE

     HalWriteSMBusValue(0x20, 0x19, 0, 0x01);

But it doesn't do anything. Any help?

Other Limitations
- you can't boot a relative path from the mounted d:/ at the moment.

I'm also posting this in development because it gives an example of doing a number of things a dash needs to do, with the OpenXDK. I'm using latest CVS from www.openxdk.org, so update accordingly before trying to build.

If people could try to run this and give me bug reports (in this thread, or a PM) that would be great. Feature requests can be made but are probably not going to be honoured. Please include as much information about the bugs as possible (xbox version, bios version, dash you're running from..)

BINARY DOWNLOAD: http://th0mas.xbox-scene.com/releases/od-beta.zip
SOURCE DOWNLOAD: http://th0mas.xbox-scene.com/releases/od-beta-src.zip

This post has been edited by d0wnlab: Jul 18 2005, 03:33 PM

[PedrosPad]

I had some time today to finish up a beta of my OpenDash.  It isn't done, nor is it a very nice dash to use, but it's the first openxdk-based dashboard afaik.  Many of the limitations are very lame, but it does the job (I suppose).

<snip />

BINARY DOWNLOAD: http://th0mas.sixbit.org/releases/od-beta.zip
SOURCE DOWNLOAD: http://th0mas.sixbit.org/releases/od-beta-src.zip

Sounds welcome . I'll try to find some time to play.

BTW your binary distribution archive above also contains the source.

- help with turning off reset-on-eject.  I'm executing the command:

CODE

     HalWriteSMBusValue(0x20, 0x19, 0, 0x01);

But it doesn't do anything.  Any help?

The reset-on-eject behaviour is determined by the media type flag 0x80000000 in the header of the xbe executable. (See here for R&D.)

Running "XBEDump default.xbe -da" on your xbe returns:

CODE

Certificate
~~~~~~~~~~~
Size of certificate                 : 0x00000220
Certificate timestamp               : 0x42C154E9 Tue Jun 28 14:47:21 2005
Title ID                            : 0xFFFF0002
Title name                          : "OpenDash v1.0"
Alternate title ID's                :
none
Allowed media types                 :
                                   : none
Allowed game regions                :
                                   : none
Allowed game rating                 : 0x00000000

The results from a dashboard (which don't set ROE!) look like this:

CODE

Certificate
~~~~~~~~~~~
Size of certificate                 : 0x000001EC
Certificate timestamp               : 0x3E306D52 Thu Jan 23 22:31:46 2003
Title ID                            : 0xFFFE0000
Title name                          : "Xbox Dashboard"
Alternate title ID's                :
none
Allowed media types                 : 0x80000001
                                   : XBE_MEDIA_HDD
Allowed game regions                : 0x7FFFFFFF
                                   : XBE_REGION_US_CANADA
                                   : XBE_REGION_JAPAN
                                   : XBE_REGION_ELSEWHERE
Allowed game rating                 : 0xFFFFFFFF

Allowing XBEDump to resign the OpenXDK produced xbe appears the fix the problem. The out.xbe it produces gets the more complete xbe header:

CODE

Certificate
~~~~~~~~~~~
Size of certificate                 : 0x00000220
Certificate timestamp               : 0x42C154E9 Tue Jun 28 14:47:21 2005
Title ID                            : 0xFFFF0002
Title name                          : "OpenDash v1.0"
Alternate title ID's                :
none
Allowed media types                 : 0x800000FF
                                   : XBE_MEDIA_HDD
                                   : XBE_MEDIA_XBOX_DVD
                                   : XBE_MEDIA_ANY_CD_OR_DVD
                                   : XBE_MEDIA_CD
                                   : XBE_MEDIA_1LAYER_DVDROM
                                   : XBE_MEDIA_2LAYER_DVDROM
                                   : XBE_MEDIA_1LAYER_DVDR
                                   : XBE_MEDIA_2LAYER_DVDR
Allowed game regions                : 0x80000007
                                   : XBE_REGION_US_CANADA
                                   : XBE_REGION_JAPAN
                                   : XBE_REGION_ELSEWHERE
                                   : XBE_REGION_DEBUG
Allowed game rating                 : 0x00000000

I used the command "XBEDump default.xbe -habibi".

Hope that sorts it.

This post has been edited by PedrosPad: Jun 29 2005, 12:41 AM

[fezzman]

This should make front page news as it is truely a first (isn't it?)

This post has been edited by fezzman: Jun 29 2005, 01:33 AM

[Angerwound]

Hrm... I tried to get you some screenshots but it the debug bios isn't responding correctly while your xbe is running. Secondly, I can't maneuver the 'menu' system currently. Other then these problems, excellent work.

[Drilus]

i can't get the debug bios to respond either. i also can't use IGR for some reason. I'll play around with it more tomorrow.

i can navigate the menu's perfectly, as well as launch games, apps, etc.

xbox version 1.0
running IND BIOS 5003 with debug. 5933

[PedrosPad]

Hrm... I tried to get you some screenshots but it the debug bios isn't responding correctly while your xbe is running. Secondly, I can't maneuver the 'menu' system currently. Other then these problems, excellent work.

IIRC OpenXDK apps prefer true M$ controllers, and are less keen on 3rd party ones (although that may have since changed).

Likewise, OpenXDK apps seemed to hate certain hacked debug BIOSes (Xecuter ones?) - try a selection - (again, dated information).


This post has been edited by PedrosPad: Jun 29 2005, 08:01 AM

[d0wnlab]

Hey guys!

Thanks for the feedback - keep it coming!

PedrosPad: Thanks for the media flag tip. I will edit cxbe to automatically use the more robust options (cd|dvd|hdd, etc). I will also update the binary distribution correspondingly once I get home from work.

I'm unsure of the problems with running the XBE under debug, as well as IGR. I think IGR is due to the bios calls being used differently than an XDK-compiled app (since we're using a modified cromwell usb stack).

I can provide screenshots tomorrow anyways, I have a capture card.

[d0wnlab]

Hrm... I tried to get you some screenshots but it the debug bios isn't responding correctly while your xbe is running. Secondly, I can't maneuver the 'menu' system currently. Other then these problems, excellent work.

Angerwound: Are you experiencing no input handling at all?

If so, this is what I'm really looking for. Could you tell me what bios/xbox/dash you're using to run this? I experience about 70% success with input handling on my xbox. The other times that I start up any openXDK XBE I don't get any input handling at all. Could you try rebooting and running the XBE again, and see if the problem is sporadic or constant?

Thanks.

[tNCecil]

Congrats on this first release!

[bikehorn]

now THIS is a major breakthrough. good luck!

[wolf202]

when i got to f games and try to launch any game it freezes!

needs some work but i think that this will spark more interest and dev in openxdk and this dash i'm exicted to contribute, although i can only code in VB whicih is of no help, i can test to its bug free

so here are the results

forze once on start (couldn't move or select bg was fine)
failed 3 times to launch rb6 black arrow

worked first time loading dvd2xbox

v1.4
chipped custom X2 4981 BIOS
12GB HDD
dash launched from UIX

hope that helps

-wolf

[wolf202]

can seem to get my debug to take screens! enven thoug it launches ok, here are som cam pics



-wolf

[Hozy]

Sweet
Congrats bud,

Regards
HoZy

EDIT:
Started having a look through the source, Fuck this has potential to grow.

This post has been edited by Hozy: Jun 30 2005, 03:19 AM

[kingroach]

does it still uses old ltools kernel?.. that kernel crap out in 1.6 boxes.. few weeks ago I partially ported xbxohdm into xbox and I used kernel from mandriva linux's xbox distribution.. That should work with all xbox's..

[Lamer123]

So let me get this straight this runs off a legal bios and is a completely legal program ??

And if so all that needs to be done is a file explorer ( to transfer games ) and then bamm a real modded xbox will be perfectly legal . I hope this stays in very active developement . And they should definetly register with sourceforge .

This is bad ass !

And i tried three different controllers on it and none of them responded . One madcatz , one stock , and one duke .
I have a v1.0 tsopped xecuter 2 , 250gb booting the app from the f drive .

This post has been edited by Lamer123: Jun 30 2005, 03:43 AM