Subject says it all, wondering if it's worth picking up a cheap
x box and converting it to a media player?

Can you still use it to play games afterwards?

What can't you do with it?

Thanks
MG

If you chip it and do a hdd upgrade you can copy xbox games to the hdd and give the disc back to blockbuster and either play from hdd or ftp back to your computer and burn with special burning software for backups.. play games against friends taht have the same games through a computer client - I think it even works with different platforms like ps2 and n64/gc.. get emulators for atari 2600, nes, snes, n64, sega genesis.. customize the dashboard..
using the xbox as a media center is pretty cool.. you can use it for dvds without the remote kit, play files from your computer (if setup properly with samba).. stream winamp radio, ect..

The main drawback is no xbox live (thats really the only drawback I can think of)..

Mine was done a few years ago.. but I didn't buy a chip and had a friend do a temp-chip to upgrade the hdd then he took the chip out.. then by hdd crashed... but since I still had the original hdd still I through that back in and works stock.. Wish the hdd didn't crash.. now I'm thinking I should get it re-done.. this time I'd buy the chip.....

I wish my hdd

update on my xbox..
I was able to get all the data off the hacked hdd (glad I saved it)..

and with that I was able to rebuild a new drive..



During my research I found an article that might help you out Money..

I'm at work right now.. its bookmarked on my laptop at home.. but will try to find the article tonight.. (If I remember)

Heres the Basics though
if you feel comfortable doing a hotswap with the hdd..

first you power up in the xbox.. play a song (to make sure the hdd is unlocked..) hotswap to your pc.. then run the xboxhd program and it allow you to add stuff to the hdd and enable an exploit so you can hack it..

Xboxhdm For Dummies, hd rebuild, restore, upgrade ..so on
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=244043


How to Softmod Your Xbox Using XboxHDM (Ndure)
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=496263&st=0

xbox programs, emus, dashboards, ect
http://wiki.aideluxe.com/index.php?title=Auto-Installer_Deluxe

I got a deal on an X-box that has been softmodded and has
XBMC already installed. $65 which included 14 games, 2 controllers and the DVD remote.

I don't plan on using it for gaming so I'll probably sell
off the games.

What I need to learn more about is upgrading the hard drive.
I wasn to buy a large hard drive to hold movies, songs, etc
and "clone" this drive to it.

What is the best way to do this?

Thanks
MG

heres the basics of it more details will be in the xboxhdm link

ftp into the xbox

port 21
uid xbox
pwd xbox

copy c and e to your harddrive

open the xboxhdm file on your computer
copy c and e to the folders in xboxhdm
copy the eeprom file to the eprom folder
run the image building script
burn the image

boot the disc
follow the guide for xboxhdm
make sure to relock the hdd after your done and throw the bigger drive in the xbox..

if you are using a drive over 140gb you will want to have both an f and g for your data.. otherwise if a partition is over 137gb it can cause issues.. I used a 250gb and let xboxhdm create f as whatever wasn't used by c and e.. then use auto installer to delete f resize it to 137 then made a g drive


you can also setup samba on your windows machine and have it network accessable from the xbox if your hdd is small