October 30, 2007Microsoft: IPTV not a part of Xbox Live Fall Update
Posted by The Ori
As it turns out, images of an Xbox 360 with IPTV were legitimate (seen on the net, on a returned XB360, to a customer from M$). In a statement issued by Microsoft, the Redmond-based company acknowledged that the IPTV features “were inadvertently exposed while the customer’s console was being serviced and is unrelated to the Fall Update.”
The IPTV features, according to the statement, are part of the Microsoft Mediaroom services and will be made available to service providers by the end of this year, adding that it will be up to them to decide when the service is deployed.
Full Story: joystiq.com
October 29, 2007Team Underdog Introduces new DVD FW PatchMod: NME-360 v2.0
Posted by The Ori
Well, I guess this is what everyone was waiting for, the BIG NEWS…
Welcome back everybody. We are proud to announce the release of NME-360 v2.0!
We have been silent for the last few months in order to continue our developments to meet the new market needs. The result of our long and hard work is the birth of NME-360 v2.0 which is a fully upgradable DVD-drive mod for the Xbox360. It supports all Samsung MS25 + MS28 drives, all Hitachi 46 – 79 drives (FL and FK) and all BenQ drives. Once a new Xbox360 DVD-drive hits the market it will be an ease for the customer or wholesaler to upgrade the chip to make it compatible to that new drive too. Besides the cool upgrade feature we have added another security feature which is the optional ability to either disable the back USB port or the internal network adapter of the XBox360. This way you can install the NME-360 depending on how you are going online, wlan or lan, and use the network off feature anyway. Using the Actel A3P060 technology we are meeting the highest standard in the industry which automatically results in a very stable working chip with no dre’s whatsoever. Final samples have already reached a few resellers who are pretty amazed of the stable booting especially in BenQ drives. The first sales batch will hit the market in the first or 2nd week of November.
Features of the NME v2:
- one chip for all drives: Samsung ms25 and ms28, Hitachi/LG 46,47,58,59, 78 FL/FK, 79 FL/FK, all BenQ drives!!!
- Added logic to support possible future Hitachi/LG versions as well
- 100% Auto detection of Backup or Original on Samsung and Hitachi drives (BenQ requires manual switching)
- boots stealth and non-stealth backups – optional: Power Led will turn off when a Backup is detected
- optional: disables the network when playing backups
- optional: disables the rear USB connection when playing backups (for disabling USB Wlan)
- no DVD writer model issues. Works with all DVD writers
- now working with pioneer 111d and Pioneer based burners as well as all LG burners.
- 100% Firmware Stealth, when MS tries to read the Firmware then it replies as 100% original unmodified. No error code E66.
- optional: 100% Live secure when playing Backups
- the result of 1000s of hours of research and programming
- based on Actel Logic for most possibly stability
- Manufactured with highest quality Logic, PCB and components. Made in Europe.
- Complies with RoHS directive (lead free). Gold plated solder pads, for easy soldering.
Official Site: http://nme2.com
October 28, 2007360Drive Switcher v1.0.1.14
Posted by The Ori
Our developer, Soulheaven, has released a new tool that allows you to prepare a firmware for a new drive on your Xbox 360.
How it works:
1. You dump the two drives firmwares you want to swap.
2. You hack the firmware of the drive you want to use.
3. Launch 360Drive_switcher and set it like this:
+ The firmware of the drive you don’t want to use anymore in the “Original firmware file”
+ The firmware of the drive you want to use in “Destination firmware file”
4. Check the informations that the tool gives you
5. Click on “Generate…”
Now, you have just to flash the new firmware created on the drive you want to use…and have fun.
What’s new/fixed in v1.0.1.14:
* fixed some small bugs
* more explicit error message if you try to load a totally corrupted firmware
* Auto-update feature added
* Important: After several tests, it looks like the ixtreme v1.2revC patch doesn’t work correctly with spoofed firmwares. The spoof line isn’t fully imported in the ixtreme firmware. That can result in an error66 or error65. To void any errors, if you’re spoofing a drive (either using this software of Firmware Tool Box), do it AFTER the iXtreme patch.
Official Site: x360.gx-mod.com
October 28, 2007C4EVA iXtreme Benq V1.1
Posted by The Ori
Well, you have all waited, and apparently, it is FINALLY here:
A iXtreme firmware installment for the BENQ VAD6038 drive ..
Features:
(v1.1) Extra compatability for some DVD movies
(v1.0) Defeats all current Xbox Live detection attempts
(v1.0) Boots ONLY Stealth Xtreme Xbox 360 backups
(v1.0) Boots ONLY Stealth Xtreme Xbox 1 backups
(v1.0) Boots all Xbox 360 originals
(v1.0) Boots all compatible Xbox 1 originals on Xbox 360
Use on Xbox Live at own risk
Technical details
————————
Defeats all current and some future Xbox Live detection attempts.
Thanks to all the beta testers,everyone involved for without their effort this would not have been possible. Schrtom for Dosflash. Caster420 for firmtool. Keep up the good work everyone.
Note: The version is 1.1 due to internal changes, there was no public 1.0.
Dosflash: The only way to read and flash a Benq drive is with DosFlash(info) 1.3. There is a support thread here to help with users experiencing problems. It is recommended to try the dos16 version first. It ONLY supports VIA and NFORCE sata chipsets. When using a VIA card, please be sure to disable both your IDE and/or SATA chipsets as they usually interfere with dosflash.
Official Site: n/a (by commodore4eva)
Download: n/a (May be illegal under EULA/DMCA)
News-Source: xbins.org
October 25, 2007UK: “Mr. Modchips” Gets Convicted
Posted by The Ori
A ‘businessman’ who traded under the name Mr Modchips has become only the second person in the UK to be convicted for distributing and selling chipped consoles.
39 year-old Higgs was found guilty of 26 offences: three counts of advertising (wow, would you look at that, just for ADVERTISING them), supplying and selling modification chips designed to enable people to play illegally copied games on their consoles; 12 counts of possessing 19 chipped game consoles, and another 11 counts of possessing Executor modchips for Microsoft consoles, as well as Viper GC chips for Nintendo systems. He was cleared of a further four count; possessing chipped consoles.
Ok, so that last line, the fourth count being dropped, doesn’t make all that much sense, does it? You are allowed, seemingly, to posses the technology, (for your private use?), but you can’t be involved in making a profit with the technology.
The jury at his trial voted unanimously against Higgs, whose lawyers requested leave to appeal, which was granted by the Judge. A date for the appeal hearing has yet to be set.
So, even the JURY found him guilty. That would mean, apparently, he didn’t have any jury members that had Modded consoles, you now, to defend your god given right to mod consoles? I guess they forgot that part. He may get somewhere with the appeals court though.
October 25, 2007Arcade-In-A-Box Announces Xbox 360 Arcade Controllers
Posted by The Ori
Arcade-In-A-Box (www.arcadeinabox.com), announces the immediate availability of single and dual-player authentic arcade controllers for the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 control panels feature authentic arcade controls that are identical to those used on your favorite arcade machines including Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Galaga. In addition to being compatible with the Xbox 360, the arcade controllers can also be used with a Windows PC.
This aught to bring back ally our memories when playing; Joust, Pac-Man, Dig-Dug; You get the picture…
Full Press Release: teamxbox.com
Official Site: http://www.arcadeinabox.com
October 22, 2007Warning: Stop the immaturity, ignorance, slander, profanity, or be banned.
Posted by The Ori
There has been a rash of immaturity, ignorance, and name calling since the site began getting news updates at the home page. There is no reason for it, if you do not like what you read, then shut your computer off, and burn it, ok? There is no reason to post profane comments, call people names, and just act like an idiot. The news is there for just that, NEWS.
Anytime you leave a comment people, I get an email with your IP address. I will ban you (the offending IP address) from the home page here, if you keep it up. I have done it twice already, and will do it again. If you can’t act appropriately, then you can go somewhere else and inflate your ego, and think your are someone because; you can use four letter words, call people names, and think your console is better than someone else’s.
So, you can consider yourself warned, and you will be banned if you do it again. So, I will leave the comments open on this news, because I know some of you will not be able to control yourself, and will post an irrational comment; Then, you will be banned. So, make your choice, act appropriately, or you won’t be able to come back.
October 22, 2007It’s coming: Bungie is getting the Halo 3 ban-hammer ready
Posted by The Ori
If you’re a cheater or an online trouble-maker in Halo 3, Bungie has it in for you. Last Friday they posted a message–more of a threat, really–saying that they know who you are, and they’re not happy.
“There are those of you doing things you shouldn’t be in Halo 3. Some of you have gotten a little too famous for your own good. This ain’t a church and there is no redemption or salvation once you have been judged. Apologies are now officially too late to save you.
The storm approaches.
Love, Bungie”
Full Story: arstechnica.com
Here is round one people, so be warned, modded consoles will be next, if; that is determined to be the cause of people cheating (altering the game as a backup, and using it).
October 22, 2007DosFlash V1.3 Beta – Full Software Based BenQ Flashing
Posted by The Ori
As of right now, only nforce and VIA chipsets are supported in 100% software read/write of the BenQ drive with DosFlash(info). Success varies dependent upon which motherboard you have (intel (ICH) seems to be problematic combined with VIA)
- BenQ optimization in unlocking the flash chip, it should now be possible to read/write/erase the flash without any soldering or wire tricks, the drive is polled for the correct mtk unlocking status after power on, this only works for VIA cards and NForce boards atm
- DosFlash32 has one additional parameter, if you start it with the parameter “EnableDrives” all the DVD-ROMs are enabled in device manager after flashing, this could give BSOD on some systems, therefor you need to create a DosFlash32 link and add that parameter manual to use it
- DosFlash16 has one additional parameter “Send ATAPI Device Reset” in manual mode, this could give better chances for soft flashing on some VIA – motherboard combinations
- better support of Intel chipsets, drives can now be flashed if the controller is not set to native mode in the BIOS
- the following controller list includes vendor and device IDs that are hardcoded to identify the controller type (IDE or SATA), this is needed if the BIOS uses IDE ports like 0x01F0 or 0×0170 as SATA and not as IDE channels, this list is NOT related to soft flashing
NOTE: This is a *BETA*. It is being released to help fix any problems within the program, and to hopefully increase compatibility. Your *constructive* feedback is wanted! So please post in either the XBH or the X-S threads below with your success/failure and specific steps. Use at your own risk!!!
Also, there is NO ‘xtreme’ firmwares for this drive yet, so as of right now this tool is only useful for getting your key, and using a different drive as a replacement. ixtreme for benq is nearly complete, and in testing stages. No ETA given for release.
Official Site: XBH Forums
October 18, 2007Sony and Microsoft step up fight with Nintendo
Posted by The Ori
Well, no real hacking news, so here goes some price war information.
Sony announced a $399 40GB PS3 for the US on October 17 while Microsoft confirmed that it would launch a new $279 Xbox 360 Arcade. The move is to increase price competition with the Nintendo Wii, which remains the cheapest of the new consoles at $250, for the crucial holiday season sales period.
While Microsoft hopes to challenge the Wii with the Arcade, its $349 Xbox 360 Premium faces pressure from the $399 PS3, which has a bigger 40-gigabyte hard drive, built-in wi-fi and a Blu-ray drive.
“I think Microsoft almost has to cut the price of the Premium or bundle it with some games,” said Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter. He said the only surprise in Sony’s announcement was the inclusion of the Spider-Man 3 Blu-ray disc in the package.
The Financial Times reports that the $399 PS3 will be available on November 2.
Well, there you have it a PS3 down to the original Xbox360 Premium price, and they can only go lower. The Wii, in my opinion, is not quite worth the 249.99 price tag for the technology, or lack of. It is a fun family console, but not for the hardcore gamer.
No price drops reported for the Wii either, and they’re still selling out.