My Xbox project...sorta ;)

[pik4chu]

Well to make a long story short I recently overhauled my work PC because it was a tired old XP 1800. anyways now its much nicer but the case I used for it was this

(Image copyrighted to Xion corporation, linked to show the lights)
Just a case that I got on sale but whats cool is the lighting. Now every time I look at it I think Xbox. And for quite a while now I've wanted to do a mini-itx project so! the ideas start coming and I think. Lets make an 'xbox' and turn it into a ROM gaming machine (legally of course, I do own all games I have roms for )

Anyways what I hope to do here is keep an xbox shell as unmodded as possible (so it still looks like an xbox when Im done) but throw in the Via Epia M 10000 a slimline DVD player (so I can watch movies on it too) a nice sized 3.5" HDD. Mod the front connectors so I can use two xbox controllers in the emulators and mod two other connectors for regular USB. And then possibly a wireless keyboard/mouse, wifi, maybe a card reader. And be able to run it onto a regular TV OR monitor if I choose and get it onto my home network (eliminating the need for large HDD). Also while trying to keep this on a low budget as too much money has been spent recently.

The specs for this machine are as follows:
the Via Epia M 10000
160W Flex ATx PSU
a 512MB stick from this package
120gig Seagate IDE drive)
HP brand Slimline 8x LG DVD player (just dvd and CD, not burner)
Windows XP Pro (of course )
Thats all for the system, extra components includes xbox replacement game-port assembly, onboard usb hook-up, a CCFL or two, some el-wire. Couple fans and extra heatsinks. Space is getting tight so still need to work out the cooling thing. And still looking for a suitable keyboard/mouse until then I'm just going to be using whatever I have laying around.


My only current issue is finding a small PSU to use but I dont need/want to spend the money on the small ones designed for mini-itx boards because the Xbox is a very spacious box. Just need to find another micro-atx supply and I should be good. (edit* found a PSU that should do the job nicely, and its very small (blade server applications) http://shop.store.yahoo.com/directron/hec160srat.html yay! Anyways, I dont have the master 3d skills that Captainslug has so here is a rough mspaint mock-up of what I intend to do/try here


Depending on clearence the mobo and psu will likely be swapped places for modding and existing holes, etc.
Everything should indeed fit and an empty xbox case is on its way to my house so I can get some more exact measurements. (plus I'm a visual learner ) Until then ya'll can drool in anticipation or something, toodles

*edit* oh ya, I couldnt find measurements of the average slimline cd drive so if anyone would mind sharing those it would be much appreciated. ***I found measurements, so n/m***

 

[kayson]

I've always wanted to see someone use an xbox for a pc case. Do you plan on keeping the eject button and power button on the front and using the built in leds? I look forward to seeing this baby being built.

 

[pik4chu]

I've always wanted to see someone use an xbox for a pc case. Do you plan on keeping the eject button and power button on the front and using the built in leds? I look forward to seeing this baby being built.

Yes my intent is to use everything that the xbox has, including the controller ports, cd drive port and back panel connectors (or atleast the holes for them as Im not the best with soldering)

 

[SniperXX]

Gonna be cool! I saw one once I think on mini-itx and I have been wanting to make one. I will watch yours and think if I still want to do one, lol.

 

[-maddog-]

Cool idea, but why a new psu a xbox already has one. Be carefull about emulators a few things. Keep them out of the forums illegal and not allowed. Now that you that now that, slowwwww performance, drive needs special firmware, and may need to be re programed/changed a little for every game. Want more info go to one of the "legal" download forums.

 

[pik4chu]

Cool idea, but why a new psu a xbox already has one. Be carefull about emulators a few things. Keep them out of the forums illegal and not allowed. Now that you that now that, slowwwww performance, drive needs special firmware, and may need to be re programed/changed a little for every game. Want more info go to one of the "legal" download forums.

Well I thougt about using the xbox PSU except 1> they were more expensive than the PSU im getting and 2> they didnt seem to have the necesary power requirements and 3> not the most electronicly sauvy person so didnt want to butcher one and screw it up.

And not sure what you mean about programming a drive or firmware crap. never had to do that, nor heard of that....ever....
Emulators are not illegal, and neither are roms if you own the games, which I do. Many of my roms I obtained from the game makers themselves(back in the day), figured that was clear enough for most

 

[kayson]

I wouldn't use an xbox psu. Its not designed to run a pc. As far as an emulator, I think maddog is talking about using an actual console? ie. putting a snes drive into it. But running an emulator on a pc is simple. As for legality, all the console makers (especially nintendo) say that emulators and roms are illegal period. They say that (entirely unofficially, but they say it nonetheless) because they want people to buy their games and avoid emulators/roms altogether. If you have the game, its perfectly legal to have it on your computer because you paid for the game. I bought Halo 2, I have the disk, so there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to put it on the xbox harddrive for faster load times...And lastly, no one enforces any law covering roms/emulators. Have you ever heard of someone getting arrested for using roms? So you're perfectly fine running games that you already own.

 

[pik4chu]

I wouldn't use an xbox psu. Its not designed to run a pc. As far as an emulator, I think maddog is talking about using an actual console? ie. putting a snes drive into it. But running an emulator on a pc is simple. As for legality, all the console makers (especially nintendo) say that emulators and roms are illegal period. They say that (entirely unofficially, but they say it nonetheless) because they want people to buy their games and avoid emulators/roms altogether. If you have the game, its perfectly legal to have it on your computer because you paid for the game. I bought Halo 2, I have the disk, so there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to put it on the xbox harddrive for faster load times...And lastly, no one enforces any law covering roms/emulators. Have you ever heard of someone getting arrested for using roms? So you're perfectly fine running games that you already own.

Bingo, but can we please move on with the rom topic, mod isnt really about the roms bu the case and all. dont want tog et this thread locked for something that stupid.

As for the PSU, technically an Xbox IS a computer, its a pentium III 733 with an nvidia graphics card. however looking over power connectors and all that I felt it wasnt worth it to mod And its not going to change the look of the case hardly at all anyways. Plus again its cheaper. As well as Im geting an empty xbox case, not a broken one (couldnt find one as cheap as Id like) so it wont have any components to pick from anyways. Stuff should start arriving tomorrow and the next few days, so hopefully I can get fitting and testing done by the end of the week.

 

[pik4chu]

Changed layout a bit and found dimensions for a slimline drive, plus added a bit more detail to the picture (as much as one can do with mspaint ) waiting anxiously for pieces. Did some tests on emulators and no performance issues at all (Beat the SNES Zelda game for like the 100th time lol and processor on test machine never wnet above 1% so its all good)

 

[kayson]

What are the specs for the rig you're gonna stick in there?

 

[pik4chu]

What are the specs for the rig you're gonna stick in there?

added to first post and cleaned up a bit.

 

[kayson]

Looks good. Now go build it

 

[pik4chu]

Looks good. Now go build it

the stuffs in the mail

 

[pik4chu]

yerf, got sent the wrong parts in an order -_- Not gonna be able to start this project till monday.

 

[Caeberos]

okay I have been looking back through the thread and I am just baffled about one thing, I know you want to work on a mini-itx project but why don't you just use the original xbox hardware? It is capable of doing everything you have outline in this project except for run off a PC monitor. You never mentioned if you had a blown x-box lying around, and you seem to have most of the other hardware intact.... well good luck with your project, you can always use completely unmodded x-box controllers for player input if you want It should be an awesome system.

 

[subtotal]

okay I have been looking back through the thread and I am just baffled about one thing, I know you want to work on a mini-itx project but why don't you just use the original xbox hardware? It is capable of doing everything you have outline in this project except for run off a PC monitor. You never mentioned if you had a blown x-box lying around, and you seem to have most of the other hardware intact.... well good luck with your project, you can always use completely unmodded x-box controllers for player input if you want It should be an awesome system.

Im geting an empty xbox case, not a broken one (couldnt find one as cheap as Id like) so it wont have any components to pick from anyways.

 

[-maddog-]

I confused is the case having just a xbox or a xbox and computer?

 

[sicloan]

i think its just a computer in an xbox case with emulation software on it to play xbox games.

 

[Caeberos]

sry

 

[pik4chu]

i think its just a computer in an xbox case with emulation software on it to play xbox games.

Not gonna emulate xbox, its going to emulate NES/SNES/N64 because those consoles are getting tired and flakey.

Well sorry for lack of updates, was out of town all weekend for some relatives 50th anniversary (plus hardly any parts ahd arrived) Well I am still waiting on several small items but I've cleaned up the xbox cae, which was really dirty and I have setup the PC on my desk and have been testing stuff out and seeing if it can handle the game sIm throwing at it. NES uses ~40% of the CPU, SNES uses ~60% and N64 uses 80%+ so its all good. Just need the controllers to arrive and I can start checking that out. I will upload pictures at lunch because I didnt ahve time last night.

And the reason for not using an actual Xbox is that 1) I dont have an extra one to use, 2) I have serious doubts that the xbox software could emulate an N64 controller.

But my goal of this prject is for this to look like a modded Xbox, but not actually be one