How cracking the Xbox can be a positive thing.

[LynxFX]

Sorry for another thread about this but this one is going in a different direction. This is not for more "Piracy is bad and will kill the Xbox...I'll go and hunt every pirate down ...yada....hate....yada" posts. This thread has nothing to do with pirating or Xbox games.

This is about how this new info on cracking the Xbox can be useful to everyone and make the Xbox better.
For one, this has now paved the way to make bootable discs that can install new programs. Programs like:
MP3 players (many people here have asked if the Xbox could play MP3's and maybe after this, they can)
DiVX players
VCD players
Linux tools
Web browsers
Emulators

Maybe they could unlock region coding to make the Xbox a region free player. I personally would love that since there are many Region 2 and Region 4 dvds that aren't coming to Region 1 in a long time that I really want.

They may also be able to unlock progressive scan dvd playback maybe even with a variable set resolution so you can scale it to 1080i.

All this stuff is very promising and could make the Xbox gain an even larger fan base.

Sure this would open up issues with viruses but personally I've downloaed alot of stuff over the past 10 years and never once downloaded a virus.

There are so many things that the Xbox could be able to do and cracking it was the first step. Reguardless if you are a hardcore advocate against piracy, there is a silver lining to this weeks new discoveries in hacking the Black the Green.

[JohnB]

Those are some very good points Lynx. I will pass them down to other people.

[l Maximus l]

I guess that is a postive way to look at it, Lynxfx...but, can't you do most of that stuff on your computer anyway?

Also, I'm not sure if I would be comfortable messing with the XBox and making it do something that it was not intended to do. I don't know...that's just me :)

[VAN]

What a ridiculous notion. Did someone say that this will only help increase sales of the Xbox? Yeah, unfortunately it will.

Console sales will skyrocket, and software sales will plummet. Microsoft LOSES money on each console sold, and will lose even MORE after they drop the retail price in a few weeks.

What kind of nitwit do you have to be to think that software piracy is a GOOD thing?

Gimme a friggin' break.

[DZNUTZ]

i'm with max,van and motoko on this one

[LynxFX]

Ok, just to clear things up. This isn't about software piracy. I was trying to steer this thread away from that. So leave the nitwit comments on the threads about that. :P

But the fact is that it has been done and there is nothing anyone can do about that, not even MS. So let's deal with it and think of ways that this can actually make the Xbox better, just like it made the DC better in similar retrospecs.

I for one would love the region free dvd playing. What if they created a DC emulator and you could play DC games?

Max, you are right. I could do all those things on a pc, but I can also play games. So why would I need an Xbox at all? :) besides the fact that it IS the best gaming console to ever surface I also agree that I would be nervous messing with my Xbox. But I'm sure if it was pretty easy and proven then I would do it.

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by Lynxfx
Ok, just to clear things up. This isn't about software piracy. I was trying to steer this thread away from that. So leave the nitwit comments on the threads about that. :P

But the fact is that it has been done and there is nothing anyone can do about that, not even MS. So let's deal with it and think of ways that this can actually make the Xbox better, just like it made the DC better in similar retrospecs.

I for one would love the region free dvd playing. What if they created a DC emulator and you could play DC games?

Max, you are right. I could do all those things on a pc, but I can also play games. So why would I need an Xbox at all? :) besides the fact that it IS the best gaming console to ever surface I also agree that I would be nervous messing with my Xbox. But I'm sure if it was pretty easy and proven then I would do it.

I see your point...I always like to focus on the positive as well :D hehe...

I am also confused about how the piracy issue came up on this thread since you were adamentaly clear that this wasn't a piracy thread! lol :confused:

[faceoff508]

Originally posted by Lynxfx
Sorry for another thread about this but this one is going in a different direction. This is not for more "Piracy is bad and will kill the Xbox...I'll go and hunt every pirate down ...yada....hate....yada" posts. This thread has nothing to do with pirating or Xbox games.

This is about how this new info on cracking the Xbox can be useful to everyone and make the Xbox better.
For one, this has now paved the way to make bootable discs that can install new programs. Programs like:
MP3 players (many people here have asked if the Xbox could play MP3's and maybe after this, they can)
DiVX players
VCD players
Linux tools
Web browsers
Emulators

Maybe they could unlock region coding to make the Xbox a region free player. I personally would love that since there are many Region 2 and Region 4 dvds that aren't coming to Region 1 in a long time that I really want.

They may also be able to unlock progressive scan dvd playback maybe even with a variable set resolution so you can scale it to 1080i.

All this stuff is very promising and could make the Xbox gain an even larger fan base.

Sure this would open up issues with viruses but personally I've downloaed alot of stuff over the past 10 years and never once downloaded a virus.

There are so many things that the Xbox could be able to do and cracking it was the first step. Reguardless if you are a hardcore advocate against piracy, there is a silver lining to this weeks new discoveries in hacking the Black the Green.

Then wouldnt XBOX games not make money???????????????

[HaVoK]

I'm all for a buch of cool XBOX software, but piracy drives up prices and that my friends blows hard!:o

[silvertrace]

the fact that ps1 & 2 werent directly hurt by piracy was they were established systems.........xbox on the other has only had 6 months to gain a following...........:(

also, anyone else think its weird that xbox is gonna lower its prices the same time that those hacker vids came out?????:eek:

*silvertrace pumps his fist in the air screaming "DAMN THE MAN!!!!!"

[LynxFX]

Originally posted by Maximus


I see your point...I always like to focus on the positive as well :D hehe...

I am also confused about how the piracy issue came up on this thread since you were adamentaly clear that this wasn't a piracy thread! lol :confused:

Yeah I figured it would happen, just not so quick. :D Oh well.

I'm just trying to find a reason to buy the DVD playback kit. I don't have a progressive player (stand alone) and for $30 I would jump on it in a heartbeat if that does get cracked or even regionfree.

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by Lynxfx


Yeah I figured it would happen, just not so quick. :D Oh well.

I'm just trying to find a reason to buy the DVD playback kit. I don't have a progressive player (stand alone) and for $30 I would jump on it in a heartbeat if that does get cracked or even regionfree.

Oh! Gotcha! I didn't know what you meant by "Region Free" :D hehe...okay, I'm with you now!

I have the DVD Playback kit since I don't own a DVD Player. My wife and I have watched almost 10 movies and she loves it on the new 50" HDTV :D One thing is really cool about my lady, she can care less if the XBox lacks progressive scan! hehe...she probably doesn't have a clue what it is :D

[LynxFX]

Originally posted by HaVoK
I'm all for a buch of cool XBOX software, but piracy drives up prices and that my friends blows hard!:o

I agree and disagree. I don't think we have to worry about Xbox games debuting higher than $50. That seems to be the standard for new releases on consoles now.

The reason I disagree is that PC games are without a doubt the largest pirated platform and the games are still in the same price bracket they were years ago. It may affect the price on certain software titles but I don't think it does as much as you think it does or we would all be paying $80 for every new release.

[LynxFX]

Originally posted by Maximus


Oh! Gotcha! I didn't know what you meant by "Region Free" :D hehe...okay, I'm with you now!

I have the DVD Playback kit since I don't own a DVD Player. My wife and I have watched almost 10 movies and she loves it on the new 50" HDTV :D One thing is really cool about my lady, she can care less if the XBox lacks progressive scan! hehe...she probably doesn't have a clue what it is :D

Wait till she sees DVD playback on your HDTV in progressive scan mode. I have a feeling she would see the difference. ;)

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by Lynxfx


Wait till she sees DVD playback on your HDTV in progressive scan mode. I have a feeling she would see the difference. ;)

I know, man...I REALLY REALLY REALLY want a new DVD player! I real one! If I bring things like this up for her, she says "put it on the list" and then smiles and goes back to what she was doing :D hehe

Of course, my "list" rarely has things scratched off!!! lol

[faceoff508]

Originally posted by Lynxfx


Wait till she sees DVD playback on your HDTV in progressive scan mode. I have a feeling she would see the difference. ;)

Whats scan mode????????

[HaVoK]

even if the prices going up isn't somthing to worry about, the possibility of microsoft losing money becase of piracy is.

[LynxFX]

Originally posted by faceoff508


Whats scan mode????????

Here is a good explanation. (http://www.aluminumstudios.com/digitalvideo/advanced/interlaced/interlaced.html)

Havok,
MS does deal with piracy everyday with their products like MS office and Windows. But this is alot bigger than video game piracy and they lose out on alot more as well.

It might hurt some for them, but nothing that is going to affect their stock.

Now the 3rd party game developers or game publishers might take a bigger hit if piracy became a big issue but I still don't see that happening either. Not that it couldn't. Ok, that is the last I talk about piracy in this thread. :)

[UltraMuffin]

When I got my Xbox it had occurred to me that once people figured out how to make their own bootable discs, it wouldn't be long before the Xbox became the ultimate DivX player... I mean, they turned the Dreamcast into a DivX player... even though it's pretty crappy due to the restrictions of the Dreamcast's hardware... that's still pretty dang amazing. The Dreamcast only has a 200MHz CPU... the Xbox has a 733MHz CPU (which exceeds the required speed for a computer, without having to worry about an OS)... and a hard drive for caching and whatnot. DivX on a standard television can look DVD-quality.

But then again, they'll probably have DivX playback support in DVD players by then... I can just imagine the lawsuits haha.

[MOlsen]

Yeah, I understand the point that the mods could lead to more applications, even if they wind up being "underground". But I still respectfully disagree with Lynx. The "open" moding just is not a good idea.

Moding, and the associated piracy is a serious problem, and while in general it manifests itself in different ways, the impact on the gaming public is bad. Lynx cites the PC, and the serious (and everyday) piracy issues associated, and states that the piracy/copying has not killed PC games. But have you noticed the decrease in PC titles and profitability? The developers have really noticed that they get more return on investment on console games than PC games, and I really, really think that is in part due to piracy. Now piracy doesn't kill the PS2 because of the huge installed base, but we would have a much greater, and better range of games if the piracy had not occurred.

I wish there was some legal way for Microsoft to hack back, and take down, damage, or otherwise infect the "First Ammendment" software copies available on the web for free. I just don't see how that could be legal though, and they have enough legal problems as it is.

[LynxFX]

You make some good points MOlsen.

I think that if modding the Xbox does come about that it will not be as large as say the mod chips for the PSX or copying games for the PSX and DC. It will probably be more of an underground thing that only a minority of Xbox owners do or even have the equipment to do.

[Hugh_Jass]

Two things I'd like to see on a chipped XBOX:
1) Region-Free DVD playback
2) MAME

[Xboxfan123]

I think that what is allegedly happened is not good at all. Why should a company make new games if they can be hacked. I would not buy or use a hacked game and I pay up to $85 CDN for most of my games.

Companies should lower the price of thier games anyway not because of the hacking issue but because games are not worth $50 US or $70 CDN to begin with.

Just my two cents.

[zfBRAT]

I'd love it if the xbox could play any dvds.
http://www.garfield.com/hot/images/tricards.gif

[Hooligan!]

i'm not really for xbox piracy...
I had to pay about 800$(can) just to get a decent kit and a longer guarantee (for about 2 years)
the point is that I'm not sure if I really want to take the risk of broking a piece of hardware who costed me some big bucks..and I'm pretty sure lot of people might think like me.
I don't speak as a hardcore gamer but as a normal kid who likes to enjoy great gaming and who can afford some great titles about every month. And yes, you can call me chicken!
:D :D :D

[Hooligan!]

what i mean by "kit" in my previous reply is : 2 controllers, 2 games, the 2years warranty plan and a cable to play Halo using Gamespy.
I don't know for the US average kid, but here it represent a **** load of money!:eek:

[tech]

Well it finally happened. Just like the PS1 and PS2. Maybe that explains why the PS2 is still selling so well.

[ryan123]

I'm not going to put a mod chip in my xbox because I wouldn't want it to get broken since I don't have the money to buy a new one. I'm going to continue to buy my games at the store because I know there going to work in my xbox and if they don't I can go back to the store and get a new copy.

[zfBRAT]

Originally posted by ryan123
I'm not going to put a mod chip in my xbox because I wouldn't want it to get broken since I don't have the money to buy a new one. I'm going to continue to buy my games at the store because I know there going to work in my xbox and if they don't I can go back to the store and get a new copy. http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/04/78/75/80/0004787580329_215X215.jpg
I agree with you on the mod chip ordeal. Besides, it voids your warranty along with your purchased extra warranty.

[Capt Marvel]

Click on this link to view more info on Mods and who's making them, why, when, what it will do.

http://www.headliner.nl/index.php?c=us&p=headliner&storyid=10

[CALzinger]

to tell you the truth, why would you ever want to change the best system into something more like a PC? wouldn't that just make it a bit more complicated and bigger?

[LynxFX]

Originally posted by CALzinger
to tell you the truth, why would you ever want to change the best system into something more like a PC? wouldn't that just make it a bit more complicated and bigger?

Bigger? No
More complicated? Than what?
Like a PC? Every console is like a PC. What is so bad about a PC?

Who wouldn't want to add more functionality and features to an already excellent console in safe manner? Or at least unlock features that were promised before the console was launched...*480p dvd playback*cough *HD resolutions*

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by Lynxfx


Bigger? No
More complicated? Than what?
Like a PC? Every console is like a PC. What is so bad about a PC?

Who wouldn't want to add more functionality and features to an already excellent console in safe manner? Or at least unlock features that were promised before the console was launched...*480p dvd playback*cough *HD resolutions*

Actually, I think it's a great idea, however, I think that only only hardcore people would do it. :)

[LynxFX]

Originally posted by Maximus


Actually, I think it's a great idea, however, I think that only only hardcore people would do it. :)

I think so too. I think only the hardcore modding people would attempt any of this. :)

I just found out that my projector can take a 1080p signal and the downconversion is clean. :eek: I would love to try and get the Xbox to output that. And yes I said 1080p not 1080i.

[melon]

I sort of see what your saying, because i can watch movies on my dreamcast...but it's probably more harm then good...in the end it's probably gonna be crazy

[thunderkiss2k1]

Check this out. The next time you see it may be on the news when these losers get arrested.

[Spaztic]

Originally posted by thunderkiss2k1
Check this out. The next time you see it may be on the news when these losers get arrested.

why would they get arrested for this? This is now common knowledge in the hacker community....there is no stopping it. The chips are going to be developed in china and there is nothing ms can do about it, except in the US! If you pulled that from neo-x's site, which it looks like, they all ready got the cease order from MS. Plus did you see all those red arrows, all of those are the sodier points for the mod, so some expertise is required to be able to burn games, your normal Joe will not be able to do it. Which is a good thing for MS.....they were definatly not stupid when building the xbox!

[GaMMa]

If China starts shipping Xbox modchips to the USA you do realize what will happen, right? U.S. Customs Office was siezing all packages sent from Liksang to the USA in search for illegal merchandise. If the modchip is anything like this MS will make sure they do everything in their power to prevent USA from getting that modchip.

Personally I think software piracy is stupid, why can't you spend 50 dollars on a game? It's not that hard... I don't ever plan on pirating games for Xbox because its just wrong, it takes money away from Microsoft and makes Xbox support/Xbox 2 look slim. I've seen Sega almost die due to Dreamcast and I don't want to see MS pull out of the console market for the same reasons. People everywhere say well MS has a lot of money so who cares... Well those people have to remember MS is looking for profit, if their is no profit then they just stop supporting the project (for example Ultimate TV)

1st post on XBA :) I'm a TXB member, but now that the site is temporarily down....

[GokuX]

Some people think companies make too much money and think that the company deserves to be cheated. I think people like that are just pitful. Maybe they could make something of themselves they weren't so busy being jealous of others' success.

[Hugh_Jass]

Originally posted by GaMMa
If China starts shipping Xbox modchips to the USA you do realize what will happen, right? U.S. Customs Office was siezing all packages sent from Liksang to the USA in search for illegal merchandise. If the modchip is anything like this MS will make sure they do everything in their power to prevent USA from getting that modchip.

I don't think this is true. I doubt they will stop people importing a single chip. If someone orders them in quantity it might be a different story.

[LynxFX]

Exactly Hugh_Jass. Plus they could easily ship them to a distributor in say England, or Germany or Australia, any country for that matter.

I don't think these mod chips will be as popular as the PSX mod chips. 4 pins to solder vs. 30+ on the Xbox. Yikes.

[OEM Alien]

well, looks like i'll be doing some soldering on my xbox!
weeeeeeeee! :)