Choosing a chip

Cyber Akuma · #1 20-07-2003, 01:53

I read the FAQ but it only told me the basics, it didnt tell me what chip does what or which is the best. It said to ask around.

First of all, I know the no-solder modchips for the PS2 are terrible, but how are the no-solder modchips for the Xbox?

Are there any no-solder modchips that let you turn them off so you can play on Live without getting banned?

Also, can any no-solder chips let you do all that sutff I have been hearing about like watch any region dvds, divx movies, mp3s, copy games to harddrive, play emulators, and use action rpelay-like codes?

If so, can you give the names of those chips and a link to sites that carry them? (And are known not to rip people off)

Also, whats the largest size and speed harddrive an xbox can have installed in it?

Thanks

Quall999 · #2 20-07-2003, 05:19

1. All the no-solder chips for xbox are the normal solder chips, with an extra adapter you can buy.

2. Just about every chip that you can find can be turned off, but you have to solder the switch on it yourself.

3. Yes

4. Most common chips are the Matrix/Xodus and the X-ecuter 2 lite/pro (but you also need to buy the pogo-pin addon)

5. 120gb, for the most part

Cyber Akuma · #3 20-07-2003, 06:01

How do I solder the switch on?

And are those modchips popular because of ease of install, features, or some other reason? What about the Matrix and Chamelon chip?

Also, can the xbox make use of a 7200RPM drive or would I just be wasting my money getting that over the 5400rpm?

Quall999 · #4 20-07-2003, 08:23

Well, each chip is different on where you put it. Som have you solder a switch on the d0 connection wire, others have a spot on thier chip left for you to put a switch on. The matrix has a boot combo on it to turn the chip off, which you will have to look up. Im not sure if you can install a manual switch or not.

The X2 pro has manual switchs which are explained here and the X2 Lite has a manual switch which is explained here.

I guess the older chips and lpc mods using the SST chips only need user installed disable switches. So, if you get the x2 pro/lite (with pogo pin adapter) or the matrix, you will not need to solder anything at all, not even switches.

The chips I mentioned above are probably the most well known chips for the xbox and you will be luckt to find a place that is not sold out.

For HDD's, the 7200 or 5400 should be fine. Seagates are recommended.

Cyber Akuma · #5 21-07-2003, 05:53

Actually, I meant a chip that had a way of connecting a switch that you can put outside of your case (by drilling a hole or such) instead of opening the system and flipping a switch every time you wanted to go on live or play a copied game.

So which one woudl you recommend? Im looking at the matrix one more, but I didnt see an on-off switch anywhere, and the website dosent say if it lets you do stuff like copy games to your harddrive, run emulators, put mp3s/divx avi files on the harddrive or use cheat codes. Can it do all that? And if it can, is there a site to explain the switch operation? Youy link was only talking about the other modchip........ and the site kinda confused me on that one.

Oh, while im at it, so if I wanted to install a bigger harddrive, how would I backup the old harddrive to the new one?

Quall999 · #6 21-07-2003, 08:32

Well first, the X2 Pro has a ribbon cable+ adapter (not sure if it comes with the chip, maybe someone here who bought the chip can verify?) that hooks up to the switch's, and it sits externally on the back of yout xbox. You can look at a screenshot of it here.

The X2 Lite... well, this is the best picture I can find. Look at the left prong. Notice the black cap is gone? Well, you can install a switch on all 3 of those by removing the cap and soldering one on.

I am not experianced with the matrix at all. I'm not even sure it is pre-flashed. You will have to get a programmer and flash the chip with it. Also, the X2 lite/pro are preflashed but with cromwell bios. Which means you will have to doenload ozxflash and find some hacked bios on the net before you can use the chips.

I'd prefer the x2 lite simply because I haven't much info on the matrix/xodus chip.

Here is a guide for installing a larger HDD.

Cyber Akuma · #7 21-07-2003, 10:13

Whats the difference between the PRO and Lite? And is the Pro solderless? I only saw the lite listed as solderless.

Is there a list of features anywhere fo these and other chips? Also........ are there any graphical install guides?

By the way, thanks for the HDD FAQ.

rms2001 · #8 21-07-2003, 20:40

Yes you can add switches to the Matrix, just gotta solder a wire to each side of the switch on the chip and put a switch in between the two ends.

The difference between the X2 Pro and the X2 LITE isnt alot other than the way you get them and how you flash them.
LITE Comes pre-flashed with the worthless cornwall BIOS and has to be reflashed to run any thing else but Linux. Has a 1mg chip, but only has two banks (512k each).
PRO Dose not come flashed and has to be hooked up to a PC to be flashed. Has a 1mg chip and has four banks (256k each)
And most of the time the Pro will come with the cable and the port to flash it.

You can buy the X2's and the Matrix chips from The Console Corner. Good dealer, I have bought from them and have sent friends there and never had any probs with them.
*If you do end up buying a Matrix DO NOT buy it from EasyBuy2000. It will take them for ever to get your order out, and if they screw up you mite as well kiss your money good buy b/c you will never get the order fixed. Its run by people who have their head so far up their ass they don't know what they are doing.

Cyber Akuma · #9 22-07-2003, 02:38

Sorry if this sounds like an idiotic question, but what are the purpose of these memory banks? What are they for and whats the advantage of having 4 256k banks?

Also, can the pro be installed solderless?

Quall999 · #10 22-07-2003, 06:12

more banks = more bios. You really only need one hacked bios, but it isn't bad if you have more. They are customizable and people like to have their prefered customizations. Besides, in my chip I have 2 different bios; 1 boots to evolutionX and the other boots to neXgen. With a flick of a switch you can change what boots up when you start your xbox

.

SMEXE|ONE · #11 22-07-2003, 12:01

Quote:

Originally posted by Cyber Akuma

Also, can the pro be installed solderless?

Yup..

Check THIS out!

Cyber Akuma · #12 22-07-2003, 18:37

Great