Six ways to revitalize your old Xbox

by Blake Snow { Feb 28th 2007 at 11:25PM }

The console that placed a distance second behind the PS2 and slightly ahead of the GameCube is dead. Kaput. But that doesn't mean you still can't use it for good outside of its healthy library of older games.

GamePro recommends six ways to get the most out of your antiquated Xbox. Non-collectors can sell the thing for $50-$100. Hackers can mod the thing for added gaming mileage (who needs a Virtual Console?). Living room enthusiasts can turn it into a cheap media center, or you can give it a face lift. Last-gen is your oyster.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

GUS @ Feb 28th 2007 11:29PM

I had my Xbox from 2004 to 2006 and all those years I played emulators of everything on it (even N64) and used it as a Media Center.
Hacking the Xbox is good.

GUS

REUYL @ Feb 28th 2007 11:30PM

Xbox media centers FTW! I suggest XboxLinux:

http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Main_Page

aural @ Feb 28th 2007 11:40PM

and the best part is that the xbox wont brick after a year (or less) like the 360.
my modded xbox is still going strong after 2 modchip installs, taking it apart dozens of times, and uncountable hours of use.
my 360 is dead after 14 months with an average of 2 hours a week of use.

DWells55 @ Feb 28th 2007 11:38PM

Softmod with the latest Ndure package from Krayzie and install XBMC as your dash and get the MC360 skin. That's all there is to it. Now you have a fully featured media center (music, video, internet radio, networking, Samba support, etc) with room for homebrew apps, emulators, a web browser, and more.

Hamicide @ Feb 28th 2007 11:43PM

I soft-modded my xbox less than a month ago and I have never been happier.

I am running Xbox Media Center with a Apple TV skin (called xTV) streaming music and videos from my iMac.

Sure, i can play copied games and roms now, but I mainly wanted a media center.

Best of all...It didnt cost me anything.

I used stuff that I had around my house (made my own cables by cutting up some old usb cords and xbox controller cables).

I had an 80 gig hard drive laying around, so i installed it a couple weeks ago.

Reading this article...I noticed being able to run OS X? I'll have to check that out.

Anyways...the moral of this comment is...

DO IT.

you have nothing to lose.

(except if you are bad with technology you may brick your box.)

fallingdove @ Feb 28th 2007 11:48PM

Healthy library of games? Since when was 7 a healthy library. Xbox 1 games sucked.

I will say though, I love my modded xbox, it works as a great media center. I would recommed to anyone to mod an xbox, it is the original virtual console.

Rabish12 @ Mar 1st 2007 12:26AM

@6: Xbox had more than seven games, and had a ton of titles that made the console more than worth it. I have nearly thirty games for it, and of those there are only two that I could actually say I hate and maybe a few others that I'd call mediocre. The rest is quality all the way, as it has stuff like Guilty Gear X2 #Reload, which is better than regular GGX2 that you get on PS2 and has far better controls thanks to the Xbox's D-pad; Thief: Deadly Shadows, which is actually my favorite game in the series and not available on any other console; Shenmue II, an incredible cinematic experience that's only otherwise available on a far rare console and in the form of what is, for the most part, an inferior version; and Phantom Dust, one of the most all-around original games in recent memory. I could keep going, and you'll note that I didn't mention even one of the games that usually gets brought up (stuff like Halo or Ninja Gaiden).

The fact that many of the absolute best Xbox games never really reached the public's eye doesn't mean that they don't exist.

NoHitHair @ Mar 1st 2007 12:26AM

A modded Xbox is one of the most amazing devices I've ever used. I still co-op Mars Matrix on a MAME emulator with my friends every once in a while. And I can't count how many NES and SNES games I've relived due to the save state features. Certainly I could do all of this on a computer, but why bother? Here's a console that requires two cables to run and looks great in my entertainment center. Easily one of the best investments I've ever made.

ace @ Mar 1st 2007 2:35AM

i got my original xbox on launch day. the sucker has DRE problems now, but can still play all sports games. ;shrugs;

my 360 died in 5 months.

yippeee!! long live the next gen dead consoles.

360=literally a brick.

Diman @ Mar 1st 2007 12:37AM

Xbox is obsolete, way to kill it off M$. I could say the same thing about PSP, but people will scream how it's dead, has crappy to no good games, UMD is a dead format, etc.

Brian @ Mar 1st 2007 12:42AM

Psychonauts, Battlefield MC2, Conker Live and reloaded, Far Cry Evolution, YES NINJA GAIDEN, Chronicles of Riddick (hailed as one of the best games ever, Unreal Tourney2 Liandri Conflict (u can get this 4 dirt cheap $8 online is awesome), Dead or Alive Ultimate, Mortal Kombat Armageddon and Crimson Skies. All above average to great titles. And I do have to minor games named Halo and Halo 2. Im getting my 360 soon but till then I got all these plus my psp!

wernerherzog @ Mar 1st 2007 1:25AM

"A distance second" did you really just write that? It's written "A distant second," you joke of a writer.

carg0 @ Mar 1st 2007 12:57AM

the Xbox might be "dead" but it's successor is a faulty piece of shit that really should have gotten Msoft slapped with a hefty lawsuit. the fact that they waited this long to extend the warranty to a full year is practically an admission of their guilt. i've never heard or knew so many stories/people who've had or continue to have problems with their console. my friend who manages a Gamestop tells me they still average at least 5 busted units a week, which is why they quickly had to alter their warranty specifically for the 360. they now charge $60 for a one-time only return so if it craps out again you're SOL unless you decide to fork over another $60 ad nauseum.

if you do decide to purchase one make sure you first ask for one that was manufactured with the new BenQ DVD drives which were introduced last Nov. they run considerably quieter than the two previous drives and will greatly lower your chances of getting a busted system. shipments however of these new-model 360's have been suspiciously tightening up since Jan, my friend told me, which has left him selling units to customers as old as last August. so make sure you ask! also hold on to that receipt. praying couldn't hurt either...

Alex @ Mar 1st 2007 2:30AM

Rabish, Phantom Dust is the game to stop at. Its the only reason I still touch xbox live and I'm still crushed it never became a sleeper hit (even had a bargain price).

Oh well

Mad @ Mar 1st 2007 1:50AM

I've had my soft modded XBox which I fitted a 300GB disk drive to for a couple of years now. XBMC means I've effectively got Apples forthcoming iTV for alot less of the cost. It also act's as a great fileserver too.

steve17 @ Mar 1st 2007 2:29AM

i have a question. i am considering modding my box but i kinda want to keep it so in like 40 years i can pull it out of a box in the garage, plug it in, and show my grandkids exactly what us "old schoolers" played back in "the day". i always thought that exact situation would be cool.

steve17 @ Mar 1st 2007 2:31AM

ok. lol. i fucked up that last one.

basically: is it worth modding or should i keep it as a collectors item for the long term?

benjamin @ Mar 1st 2007 7:17AM

I just slapped a 160GB HD in mine. I wrote a simple script that dumps fansubbed anime off my BT box and onto the XBox for viewing on my HDTV.

How sweet it is.

john @ Mar 1st 2007 10:38AM

I can't get rid of mine for one reason only: Steel Battalion. If I wish to haul that thing out once in a while the big black box must stay. And don't try and tell me to sell SB, it wouldn't be worth squat these days.

Adam @ Mar 1st 2007 8:52AM

My xbox is in the closet. The last time I tried turning it on it wouldnt read the disc and it made a repeated clicking noise. Should I attempt to mod/fix it? Or should I attempt to trade it in and let the local store worry about it?

Cap'n Jack @ Mar 1st 2007 8:58AM

Been using Xbox Media Center for a couple of years now. It's amazing, and everyone should do it.

scott @ Mar 1st 2007 11:48AM

My Xbox died recently. I felt lucky that I could sell it to EB Games for $30 since it really didn't work at all.

I really miss playing Justice League Heroes though (a better game than Marvel Ultimate Alliance on 360 in my opinion). I may get another Xbox for this game itself.

t_m @ Mar 1st 2007 9:08AM

My xbox rocked. Sure it was the size of a house, and realy ugly.. but i had n64 games, genesis games, snes games, open source games, scumm adventure games, my entire mp3 library, about 20 tv series and about 50 movies on there.

The games turned out to be much better than i expected too.

XBMC has to be one of the best pieces of software ever created.. and i can envision it sitting under my tv for quite a few years yet. (even if i've movd on to other things for games. )

Je2037 @ Mar 1st 2007 9:33AM

I need to find a good modder. My friend had every arcade and console game I could ever think of. Priceless.

deaftly @ Mar 1st 2007 9:36AM

the first xbox is somethingi ill prob never get rid of, entire nes, snes, n64, genesis, tg16 catalog, fuck the virtual console

Zeruel @ Mar 1st 2007 10:48AM

XBMC is the shit. I can:

- Play *any* non-HD video of *any* format. No other non-mythTV box has this much codec support.

- Get updated builds several times a week when I feel like being all bleeding edge like. =P

- Watch people farting on other people's heads from the comfort of my couch thanks to integrated fullscreen Youtube support.

- clean the gaming room while listening to SHOUTCAST streams. Net stations + me singing like the latest Idol reject = priceless.

- Watch videos from any computer on my network thanks to Samba. As long as your computer is on the WORKGROUP local network, it will be part of the company.

Add TVersity if you torrent and you have a box that's betterer than TiVo. =P I don't waste my time with BT as uploading = bad.

Joop @ Mar 1st 2007 9:56AM

@14

Definitely mod it. If you're uncomfortable sending it away, get an Action Replay and do the softmod. That way you can put emulators of all the old classics on there and show em ALL the things you used to play.

monal @ Mar 5th 2007 5:24PM

I recently did the ndure hotswap method on 2 xboxes and loaded up the latest 360 skin from teambolt, all of my friends have had their xboxes modded after I did mine. My parents use one of my modded xboxes all the time to watch movies and streamed replaytv content from another room. Their more addicted to it than me!! A modded xbox is easily one of the best media servers in existence, only thing it lacks is true DVR capabilties.

Jeff @ Mar 1st 2007 10:33AM

One question: will the Xbox Media Center Extender work on a modded system with a new hard drive?

I'd love to hook my Xbox up to my bedroom TV and use it as both a DVD player and to stream movies from other computers in my house, but the hard drive in that thing is LOUD. So I'm guessing I need to upgrade it, and not sure if I can still use official MS software afterwards.

Rootbeer @ Mar 1st 2007 1:07PM

I bought a used Xbox solely for the purpose of installing XBMC on it. It's a better home theater PC than a Mac Mini, for 1/4 the price.

Didn't even bother to upgrade the HDD in it -- I networked it to my desktop PC and store all my videos/music/ROMs there.

daddycool @ Mar 1st 2007 7:09PM

Who needs a Virtual Console is right. I already have every game the will ever come out on VC and play it with a better controller and save state ability. That's before you even get into XMBC. The only thing I don't like is the IR. You can't turn it on with the remote. You can turn it off though. I have to honestly say that a modded Xbox is one of the best pieces of electronics to come out in the last 10 years. There's no better $100 you can spend on a gadget than an XBOX.

pswii60 @ Mar 2nd 2007 12:31PM

I replaced the IDE 66 ribbon cable and the Samsung 5x DVD drive inside my Xbox with the new IDE 133 ribbon and Samsung 16x DVD drive for faster load time.