I received an Xbox 360 Elite as a promotional offer when purchasing TV. I'm retired now and have little use for a game machine except for young visiting relatives. However, I would like to use the machine as a PVR with a USB HD tuner, and being familiar with Linux, wondered if this was possible while still retaining the machine's original OS for use for games? I have Googled around and it seems that only very specific machines, optical drives and kernel versions can support Linux (Is this the case?). But I don't know how to establish if mine can.

On the console label it says built in China, Manuf date: 2009-09-13, Prod ID: 02116132002206493807.
When checking version info on-screen I got info I didn't understand:
D:2.0.7363.0-K:2.0.7363.0 (BK:2.0.1888.0)(E:1) X:D6DF-2C87-F681-A3IF

If it is possible to achieve what I am wanting to do can someone suggest a URL for the best step by step guide to achieving this?

I apologise if I have posted in the wrong section and many thanks for any assistance

No, your manufacture date rules you out sorry.

Does that mean "never, ever", or its likely to be possible with developments in say the next 12 months?

I would not hold my breath anyway, only two hacks in over 4 years, both patched straight away.

dump 5 blocks and get the CB CD. to see if its exploitable.

Not sure I understand this. I am not really familiar with XBox 360 or XBox 360 hacking. This will be my first atempt. I googled the CB CD but found the sites a bit over my head.

The hack is definitely not user friendly at all. It has gotten more user friendly over the past few weeks, but not by a huge amount. If you have never soldered or done anything of the sort before you may want to send it to someone on the BST forum.

You have one of the correct dashboards to do it with, but MS started using the different bootloader with earlier dashboards too just before they released the new dash and bootloader over Live. Im banking that your system won't be able to do the hack, and like previously stated, very few hacks were found over the course of years. It will likely be a lot longer before we figure anything new out.

Ther Linux support for the system is also very vague and not too great. You can go on the internet no problem with it and surf the web, go on some sites, etc. However, there isn't full graphics acceleration or great audio support yet, (it has audio support, it can just be a litte dodgy) so it's likely using it as a PVR wouldn't work for a while even after doing the hack.

Many thanks Mr Redring for your thoughtful response. Especially the state of Linux on XBox at the moment. I am OK with soldering electronic components (Not pretty, but adequate!), but I think I will just take the advice and leave it for a while to see how things develop. Not being familiar with Microsoft's desire to control rather than facilitate consumers through the XBox, I thought that it would probably be similar to the PS3 and usable for many in home entertainment/network/computing activities.