Xbox 360 Hacks - News, Hacks, Cracks, Mods.

When you sign in to Xbox LIVE you’ll receive a prompt to accept the mandatory update. If you are signed into LIVE already, you may be signed out and asked to accept the update and you’ll be back on-line in a few moments.

There are no new features or changes in this update. This update is preparation for additional system enhancements (Facebook/Twitter/Last.FM) that will arrive later this year.

Just like the previous update this will update the first stage bootloader if needed, and thus make the JTAG/SMC-Hack impossible. You have to stay Pre Kernel-849x, if you want to run the hack. For DVD FW modders? Update at own risk, as always.

A recently uncovered FCC filing showed Microsoft was set to release a new, updated wireless network adapter for the Xbox 360. Presumably, this would allow users to stream high-definition movies and television shows. The company confirmed today that, yes, there is a new adapter, but details are still under wraps for now.

“We can confirm that Xbox 360 will offer a Wireless N Networking Adapter that will enable Xbox 360 owners to seamlessly connect with their home network with the highest wireless ‘N’ technology,” a Microsoft representative told IGN.

WiFi-N boasts speeds as high as 270 million bits per second (Mbps). If you do the math, and think about all this? If your Internet downstream is only 6Mbps, then WiFi G (54Mbps/108Mbps) is just fine within the walls of your house. WiFi N just gives you more overhead for radio interference and error compensation.

I have an Xbox360 on a WiFi-G (54Mbps) on a 3rd floor bridge from a 108Mbps first floor access point. The real deal is; it streams HD video from the media server just fine.

WiFi N is not really necessary with a G54 adapter, running with a good access point. The current Xbox360 Wifi adapter is a dual band 5 GHz, and 2.4 GHz Wireless A(54Mbps – 2.4, 3.6 and 5GHz), WiFi-B(11Mbps – 2.4Ghz), WiFi-G(54Mbps – 5Ghz). The throughput rates are lower, but with WiFi-G at 19Mbps, it’s quite fast enough. Your bandwidth with DSL, and Comcast (upstream) is what limits your on-line play.

So, I won’t need 80211.n, as 54G works just fine for me.

Cpasjuste released the first public version of Xmenu for the free60 XeLL JTAG hack. It’s a GUI .ELF Loader (a basic dashboard if you want) that can be used to load other libxenon homebrew software on your Xbox 360.

Xmenu 0.3
Xmenu is an elf loader with a basic gui.

Installation
Copy the file xenon.elf and the “xenon” folder to the root of your usb disk/pen.
Load it with the free60.org hack.

Changelog

Version 0.3 :
- It’s now possible to load custom icons. Put a “.png” image (32 bits, with alpha channel, 32*32 pixels would be better)
alongside your executable file, with the “.ico” extension. Example :
If you have an executable named “snes9x.elf”, put the “.png” icon in the same directory with the name “snes9x.ico”.
Version 0.2 :
- Graphics data is now loaded at startup, allowing to customise.
- Smaller fonts, this allow more items to be displayed.
Version 0.1 :
- Alpha testing version.

Download

Microsoft has clarified that the 250GB Xbox 360 hard drive, which was unveiled as part of the Modern Warfare 2 console bundle earlier today, will not be sold on its own.

“This hard drive is not being sold separately,” said Larry Hryb, boss of Xbox Live, during a short video with Kotaku.

Actually? Who cares? All we need is one person who has a 250GB, to put out the HDDSS.BIN file, and we can all upgrade. Still, it’s pretty jive of M$ to not release a retail 250GB bubble-pack for the people who want to download, and download from Live. It’s a BAD move on M$ part. Eh’ still, even if they did? It would probably be an exorbitant amount; SO, again, they will force people to hack their own.

A updated version of the free60 linux loader Xell has been compiled. Changes are as followed:

09/11/09
Felix Domke
add border when using SD master
09/11/09
Felix Domke
support multiple LUNs, fix some usb drives

Official Site: http://www.free60.org/wiki/Main_Page

A few fortunate gamers were able to pick up retail copies of the next Halo game, Halo 3: ODST, when a French retail store inadvertently put the game out last week, which isn’t due out until September 22nd. As usual, illegal copies (ISOs) turned up for download on many file-sharing networks, but there’s a nasty surprise in store for any Xbox 360 owners who tries to play THOSE downloads.

Xbox Live’s Policy and Enforcement Director says, anyone spotted playing downloaded copies of the game on Xbox Live faces a permanent ban from the service. That’s not new news, that’s fact, and fair warning.

Some have asked, how can they tell if it is a copy of the early release? Simple geography, IP addressing, and console IDs. You need to THINK people (well, if you THOUGHT, you would not download it illegally), where it was released early (a specific area), then WHERE you’re playing it, duh? That should not need any further explanation.

People who bought the pre-releases are supposed to be safe, but “accidents” do happen. So, again, I am sending out a warning myself, as I have many times before, the bans are a’coming!

JTAG XENON TUTORIAL

Click the above link for that information.

For use with the new free60 hack on Xenon based xbox360′s…
This version of snes9x add’s sound and wireless controller support!
Thanks to snes9x-gx and tmbinc for releasing his version of the source.
The program looks for a static filename – SNES9X.SMC

Only currently running on the xenon xell hack. Support for other chipsets
are in the works!

Be careful folks! RT @Stepto Hrm. I spy with my little eye some *illegitimate* ODST players. No early play for you. Commencing permabans.

Microsoft claims they can detect illegitimate copies. Xbox Live Chief of Police (they actually have a Chief of Police, maybe a Master Chief?)  Stephen Toulouse told kotaku.com:

I can be clear however that this applies to illegitimate copies only, the ban covers the Xbox LIVE account and could possibly include their console depending on the results of our investigations (which are ongoing). We do this from time to time with titles to combat piracy. If a user happens to purchase a legit copy of Halo 3: ODST early, then our problem is not with the user but the retailer who broke the street date. Those individuals will not be punished.

In a column published today on Develop, Black Rock Studio (Pure, Split/Second) technical director David Jeffrries revealed that Microsoft has removed an item from its TCRs (Technical Certification Requirements) that stated all Xbox 360 games must run at a minimum of 1280×720 (720p) resolution if the system is in HD mode. According to Jeffries, this was done earlier this year so that developers could be “free to make the trade-off between resolution and image quality as we see fit.”

Joystiq has confirmed with a trusted source familiar with Microsoft’s TCRs that Jeffries’ claim is legit. Not only that, but, as of March 2009, Xbox 360 developers are no longer required to utilize full-screen anti-aliasing in their games. The elimination of both requirements is especially noteworthy since the console maker had touted that all 360 games would run at a minimum of 720p with at least 2x FSAA since before the hardware launched.