Xbox vs HTPC

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screwmesa

[H]ard|Gawd
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May 19, 2005
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So I've come to a point where its time to decide between buying an xbox, modding it and using it as a media box or building an htpc. My question to you guys is: which route would you go?

Here's the facts:
- I don't have cable, so I won't be using the tivo aspect of an htpc.
- I don't have an HDTV and won't for a good 2 years at least, so I'm not interested in HD output.
- I just want to store large amounts of music (~150-200 gigs) and a few movies that I can have accessible via remote in my entertainment center.
 
Since you don't need the DVR functions of a htpc, I would definately go the xbox route. XBMC has become a very robust media player, and you will get a lot more bang for your buck going this route. It's also cheaper than a windows-based HTPC route, although there are some issues with legality. Make sure to get an xbox remote as well, it makes it so much less painless. In terms of a modchip, I would get an xecuter 2.6, it makes the initial install pretty painless. Also, when you do upgrade to a HDTV, its only a $30 HD pack upgrade ;)
 
That's what I've been thinking, but was looking for some feedback from people with experience with modded xbox's and/or htpc's.

I guess the next question is, can you softmod an xbox to have a larger hard drive and XBMC or are you required to use a modchip?

I hope this doesn't go against the forum rules, I'm looking to use the box for my owned content (legally purchased music and movies), not interested in games on the box.
 
screwmesa said:
That's what I've been thinking, but was looking for some feedback from people with experience with modded xbox's and/or htpc's.

I guess the next question is, can you softmod an xbox to have a larger hard drive and XBMC or are you required to use a modchip?

I hope this doesn't go against the forum rules, I'm looking to use the box for my owned content (legally purchased music and movies), not interested in games on the box.
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There are dedicated sites out there that can better answer your questions you mentioned ^^, I'd consult those to avoid risking a possible vacation from the forums here (better safe than sorry!). I'm not sure if answering your questions ^^ with simple yes/no's is OK by the rules but I know that providing the info/means to do ^^ surely is.
 
screwmesa,
I've been using my xbox as a media center for about 2 years now. It's done everything I've ever wanted it to do, and XBMC is really easy to use. I'm about to build myself a HTPC, just to be able to expand my Media Center into web-browsing and some light games. If you don't already have an xbox, I'm considering selling mine once all my stuff shows up for my HTPC. It has a 2.6 executer and 120GB HDD installed in it.

As far as the softmods go, I'm not sure exactly how that works, but in order for the xbox to be able to read another non-xbox hdd you have to lock the hdd. this involves a private key generated from the xbox bios. none the less it's a pita. not all hdds support "locking". using a modchip you can bypass that "lock" check that the original xbox bios does and use just about any hdd in it. The xbox architecture does have the ~120GB barrier and you would have to partition a larger hdd to fit inside the 120GB barrier.
 
To clarify that last post, you can use a hd larger than 120gb, its just that you will have another large partition (which uses the remaining space) on top what you would get from a hard drive thats less than 120gb. For a while, it was thought that 137gb would be the barrier due to ata specs, but that workaround was implemented.
 
Thanks everyone for the clarification. The inability to lock a retail drive was what I was afraid of with the softmod. I'd hate to invest in a large drive and not be able to use it/break it.

Keep me in the loop for selling yours gnomepunk, I'm very interested in buying an xbox and if the modding is already done, then it makes my life a whole lot easier.
 
You definately only need XBMC

I just have a copy of mechassult and a gamesave on memory card. Copy the gamesave to the xbox, run mechassult, load the gamesave, MODDED XBOX!. I ftp in a file to replace the xboxdash.xbe executable that redirects to the XBMC executable.

To add a larger HD it will need to be locked people have many different methods but i think the easiest would be booting the xbox to the program you are going to lock the HD with (evox or config magic) and then plug in the new HD and lock it. theres also a bootable linux distro for the pc that will prep a HD for everything. I forget its name though.

xbox-scene would be your best bet for all the information athough it is hard to weed through all the confused people on there.
 
I built a full blown htpc w/ a pvr500 and X_Mystique... I dumped it all and decided to use my xbox. If I want pvr.. I have a comcast HD pvr for those duties... (a whole lot simpler and does HD) and I added slingbox to place shift. Now I have the best of everything.. can record in HD, play ANY media file with xbmc, play games, and watch tv on my laptop over the web.
 
Alright, I'm convinced that the xbox is the way to go.

pre1014, I think xboxhdm is the linux distro you're talking about. I'm having a hard time deciding what's bs and what's not on xbox-scene, so if someone could clear this up for me it would be a huge help. Can I or can I not do the softmod, then back up everything off the stock xbox hard drive, grab a retail drive and partition it, throw the backed up files on it, lock it and throw it back in the xbox and be good to go?

Also, which 200-250 gb hard drives lock?
 
I've got both and I prefer using the HTPC. i've got an ATI remote wonder for the PC as well so I can control it to some extent.
 
Alright, so I modded a friend's xbox and installed XBMC and all I have to say if holy crap that rocks! It played everything we threw at it, even video over the network. I am very very impressed and will be buying an xbox very soon.
 
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