What Modchip Should I Choose ? Options

[XanTium]

It's not our job to decide which modchip you want or need.
It all depends what you expect , what your soldering skills are and what price you want to pay.

For a comparisontable of the modchips :
http://www.xbox-scene.com/modchips.php

[nautiazn85]

QUOTE (XanTium @ Oct 20 2002, 03:39 PM)

It's not our job to decide which modchip you want or need. It all depends what you expect , what your soldering skills are and what price you want to pay. For a comparisontable of the modchips : http://www.xbox-scene.com/modchips.php

I highly recommend the following chips for anybody setting up an XBOX: X2:Pro, X2:Lite, Matrix or CheapMod.

The difference between the X2 series and the cheapmod is that the X2 series comes with 1mb of flash memory on the chip, while the cheapmod only comes with 256k. Currently the majority of bios's for the XBOX is 256k, thus making 1 mbit a bit useless. HOWEVER, with 1 mbit you'll be sure that you don't have future problems with compatability (at least when it comes to BIOS size). The X2:Pro is the most expensive product on the market, however it's also the one with the most features.

X2:Pro and X2:Lite are the same except the X2:Pro comes with a hardware mod chip programmer. The X2:Lite does not come with a programmer, but it comes pre-flashed with a bios, and can be re-programmed through a software called Evolution-X Dashboard. The X2:Pro can also be re-programmed using Evolution-X Dashboard.

The nice thing about a hardware programmer is if you flash your mod chip with an incorrect bios, you can still fix it with the programmer. Without a hardware programmer, you cannot fix a bad flash.

The matrix is the exact same as a cheapmod except with pogo pins.

[Jamesun]

I would say the bigger the better on mod chips.... go with anything with a higher amount of flashable storage

[HeLiuM]

QUOTE (nautiazn85 @ Feb 16 2003, 04:10 AM)

QUOTE (XanTium @ Oct 20 2002, 03:39 PM) It's not our job to decide which modchip you want or need. It all depends what you expect , what your soldering skills are and what price you want to pay. For a comparisontable of the modchips : http://www.xbox-scene.com/modchips.php I highly recommend the following chips for anybody setting up an XBOX: X2:Pro, X2:Lite, Matrix or CheapMod. The difference between the X2 series and the cheapmod is that the X2 series comes with 1mb of flash memory on the chip, while the cheapmod only comes with 256k. Currently the majority of bios's for the XBOX is 256k, thus making 1 mbit a bit useless. HOWEVER, with 1 mbit you'll be sure that you don't have future problems with compatability (at least when it comes to BIOS size). The X2:Pro is the most expensive product on the market, however it's also the one with the most features. X2:Pro and X2:Lite are the same except the X2:Pro comes with a hardware mod chip programmer. The X2:Lite does not come with a programmer, but it comes pre-flashed with a bios, and can be re-programmed through a software called Evolution-X Dashboard. The X2:Pro can also be re-programmed using Evolution-X Dashboard. The nice thing about a hardware programmer is if you flash your mod chip with an incorrect bios, you can still fix it with the programmer. Without a hardware programmer, you cannot fix a bad flash. The matrix is the exact same as a cheapmod except with pogo pins.

the matrix is based on a cheapmod, but it has a "switch", the creative mode3

[EddieMac55]

so you can turn the matrix off?

[zio]

ok, so I'm a total neophyte. I'm not much into gaming and the only reason I have an XBox is because I got it for free, MS subsidizes it, and if it costs them money, I take it.
So my main plan is to run Linux (or even better: Darwin, if anyone ever ports that) on the box to run a web server, mail server and maybe some firewall software.

That aside, I'd like to use it as a multi-region DVD player, if possible, since it would save me the expense of buying a multi-region player. I have the DVD playback kit.

My Xbox is v1.1.

So here the questions:
a) I'm trying to decide between a Xecuter-Pro w/ pogo pin add-on and a Matrix w/ Chameleon add-on. What are the advantages, disadvantages between these two? The table on this site lists a feature set that looks almost identical, except I don't know what the color coding of some of the features mean, plus not all of the Xbox hacker lingo is self-evident. (e.g. what's "mode 3"?)
b) is there a step by step introduction somewhere to
- Xbox hack vocabulary
- the sequence in which things need to be installed if one wants to do the
following:
+ leave the Xbox as unmodified as possible (e.g. no soldering)
+ run Linux
+ put in a bigger hard drive (I have some spare ones floating around)
+ wants to play back multi-region DVD
+ wants to be able to boot the box as if it had been never modded
(e.g. how do I need to format the bigger HD and how do I get
the original drive's information onto the new drive).

Main point here is, I find bits and pieces of information here and there, but no good overview on how the pieces fit together, and since I don't have excessive amounts of time to play with all this, my Xbox has already been sitting here doing nothing for 4 months.

[tonio21]

I am a newbie and I am looking into modding my xbox. I am not very good at soldering but if it comes down to it I have friends that are pros. I have been reading thru a bunch of these forums and I cant come to a decision. I thought about the matrix because there is no solderpoints then I saw the chameloen and it says stand alone or matrix addon. This confuses me because of the 256K flash of the matrix and the 1MB flash of the chameleon which will I have? If I just get the matrix how will I be able to flash it? Thru a PC? Will I be able to back up games if I just get the matrix? I saw tech tv and it said to use evoX on the box is this one the best? Sorry I have so many questions I will do some more reading but if some one could just get me started that would be great.
Thanks guys
Tonio21

[nimaim]

tonio,

obviously pogo pins are not everyone's fav. option but if your looking for that no-solder type of solution, then DEFINITLY go with the X-ectuer 2 Lite Plus OR even the newest out, X-ecuter 2.1 Lite Plus ... it comes with the pogo pin addon and is one chip ... took me like 5 minutes to install on my v1.1 xbox and works like a charm, dunno what people are talking about misaligned because it's stuck there like glue, i can't even force it out without a screwdriver ...

oh yea, make sure u have a 1.0-1.1 if you want a no-solder chip, if not (if have the 1.2) your screwed, you then HAVE to solder and no-solder chips are useless ...

X2l+ over matrix tho, no comparison ... IMO anyway, soldering is obviously the best solution but pogo pins are great IMO, esp. since it's so easy to install ...

[Kujack]

Ok, first let me answer zio:

The matrix is approx. 50 bus + 40 for the chameleon, making it 90 bux (not cheap).
The executer with pogo pins isn't cheap either.

For your uses, TSOP flash would be fine (free, though it requires minimal soddering. I doubt that you'll be signing up for Live andytime soon).

Second would be Matrix. No soddering (though you can to add some functionality - its really easy soddering)

Third would be Chameleon - No wires to sodder, just directly sodder the 2 pcb's. Pretty easy.




OK, now let me explain the entire Matrix Chameleon Business (for tonio21)

The matrix is a 256k modchip with pogopins, so that soddering is not necessary.

The Chameleon is a 1 meg modchip that was designed to be soddered directly onto the PCB of the Xbox.

The Chameleon can be used in conjunction with the matrix to make it a sodderless 1 meg mod chip. It requires that you modifity (destroy) the Matrix and it would simply serve as a pogo pin adapter.

Yes you can turn the matrix off. hold power and reset for 3 seconds.

[Xeero]

QUOTE (nimaim @ Jun 5 2003, 08:07 PM)

tonio, obviously pogo pins are not everyone's fav. option but if your looking for that no-solder type of solution, then DEFINITLY go with the X-ectuer 2 Lite Plus OR even the newest out, X-ecuter 2.1 Lite Plus ... it comes with the pogo pin addon and is one chip ... took me like 5 minutes to install on my v1.1 xbox and works like a charm, dunno what people are talking about misaligned because it's stuck there like glue, i can't even force it out without a screwdriver ... oh yea, make sure u have a 1.0-1.1 if you want a no-solder chip, if not (if have the 1.2) your screwed, you then HAVE to solder and no-solder chips are useless ... X2l+ over matrix tho, no comparison ... IMO anyway, soldering is obviously the best solution but pogo pins are great IMO, esp. since it's so easy to install ...

The X2.1 Lite Plus works fine on the 1.2.

[_maxxx]

''The nice thing about a hardware programmer is if you flash your mod chip with an incorrect bios, you can still fix it with the programmer. Without a hardware programmer, you cannot fix a bad flash.''

does a bad flash mean lost chip if u don't have the hardware programmer?

[Xeero]

QUOTE (_maxxx @ Jul 11 2003, 05:08 PM)

''The nice thing about a hardware programmer is if you flash your mod chip with an incorrect bios, you can still fix it with the programmer. Without a hardware programmer, you cannot fix a bad flash.'' does a bad flash mean lost chip if u don't have the hardware programmer?

If that's the only chip you have, you're pretty much SOL. However, if you have access to a) another mod chip with pogo pins; or another chip and a motherboard with a pin header installl; you can perform a hot swap. This would require booting EvoX or the flashing software with the good chip installed, then swapping the chips, and flashing the bad one.

[CubeD]

X2.2 Lite seems to be the most popular, but if you are a n00b and have the extra $10 or so to get the pro version, do it. It just may save you a lot of headache in the long run.

[ShinSeany]

It's been quite a while since I've done a modchip install. I've installed the Matrix chip into two v1.0 xboxes, but I've been commissioned to do two more installs on higher version xboxes. My question is can I install a no-solder modchip into higher version xboxes (like from v1.1 to v1.5)?

[Xeero]

QUOTE (ShinSeany @ Oct 2 2003, 02:15 PM)

It's been quite a while since I've done a modchip install.  I've installed the Matrix chip into two v1.0 xboxes, but I've been commissioned to do two more installs on higher version xboxes.  My question is can I install a no-solder modchip into higher version xboxes (like from v1.1 to v1.5)?

The Matrix chip and X2.0 pogos will work on 1.0/1.1.
X2.2 pogos will work on 1.0/1.1/1.2/1.3/1.4/1.5

NOTE: in a 1.5, you'll probably have to manually route +5V and GND to the bottomside of the LPC points to use them as intended - MS removed them from the LPC points in this build. This will will require some soldering (4 points).

This post has been edited by Xeero: Oct 11 2003, 12:43 PM