XBox Modding: Benefits of a Mod Chip over Softmodding?

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
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Jul 19, 2001
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I am planning on either modding myself or getting my xbox modded within a month or two....

Is there any benefit to Mod Chipping over Softmodding?

After the box is modded i will not use Live, so thats not an issue for me.

My only requirement is that i am able to install Evox (or simular) and Xbox media center, and install a 160gb hard drive...

Will it be much easier if i softmod it?
 

AdamSnow

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Nov 21, 2002
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I'd go with the chip over softmodding it... But if you dont have the means of doing the chip or you are worried about it then you do what you can do... ;)
 

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
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Originally posted by: AdamSnow
I'd go with the chip over softmodding it... But if you dont have the means of doing the chip or you are worried about it then you do what you can do... ;)

Well, is there any reason for the chip over softmodding? The only viable reason i see thus far is that ability to turn it off (for Live), but even so, having a different hard drive would ban me anyway. Plus, i wont use live after a month...

Is there any other reason chipping would be better? more stability?

I have very limited soldering experience.
 

bockchow

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Sep 18, 2001
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as far as i know Live is the main beneift chipping. also resale value too a certain extent but for most people thats never going to be an isue. there are better forums out there for x-box but i don't remember them. i'm sure someone will link you to them. i got little to no help here back when i was looking into it. ended up not getting one though.
 

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
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Jul 19, 2001
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Originally posted by: bockchow
as far as i know Live is the main beneift chipping. also resale value too a certain extent but for most people thats never going to be an isue. there are better forums out there for x-box but i don't remember them. i'm sure someone will link you to them. i got little to no help here back when i was looking into it. ended up not getting one though.

http://www.xbox-scene.com is good, but i thought id ask the nerds here first ;)
 

jcovercash

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Apr 24, 2001
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Originally posted by: AdamSnow
I'd go with the chip over softmodding it... But if you dont have the means of doing the chip or you are worried about it then you do what you can do... ;)

There is no need for a chip if you dont plan on using xbox live. I would go with a TSOP flash, unless its a newer 1.6/1.6B then you have to chip it. But for the older version TSOP flashing is cheap and just as effective as a modchip.


Josh
 

royaldank

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Apr 19, 2001
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If you aren't going to use LIVE then softmod is fine. Sounds like you just want XBOX Media Center and a bigger harddrive to store your games. Softmod would be fine and save you $50 on the chip and install time. If you do get a chip, the no-solder chips are VERY easy to install.
 

aphex

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Originally posted by: AMDman12GHz
Originally posted by: AdamSnow
I'd go with the chip over softmodding it... But if you dont have the means of doing the chip or you are worried about it then you do what you can do... ;)

There is no need for a chip if you dont plan on using xbox live. I would go with a TSOP flash, unless its a newer 1.6/1.6B then you have to chip it. But for the older version TSOP flashing is cheap and just as effective as a modchip.


Josh

Its a 1.3 w/ Samsung drive.
 

Jpark

Platinum Member
Nov 15, 2003
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i thought that softmodding required some soldering as well


<---- has a modded xbox, mod chip with 160gb and loves it.
 

MX2

Lifer
Apr 11, 2004
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My softmod xbox has been great, zero issues. If you dont need xbox live softmod it:D
 

royaldank

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2001
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Originally posted by: jpark932
i thought that softmodding required some soldering as well


<---- has a modded xbox, mod chip with 160gb and loves it.

I think in order to flash the TSOP, you have to solder 1 wire at both ends. Still, you could get away with the 007/MA hacks or something along those lines.
 

jcovercash

Diamond Member
Apr 24, 2001
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Originally posted by: jpark932
i thought that softmodding required some soldering as well


<---- has a modded xbox, mod chip with 160gb and loves it.

I think some people confuse softmodding with TSOP flashing, TSOP is actually a hardmod. Im not sure whats involved in Softmodding, and from most people that I know who softmodded ended up messing stuff up when they tried to make changes and stuff. A TSOp flash is pretty much failsafe once its done.

Josh
 

rahvin

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
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Originally posted by: AMDman12GHz
Originally posted by: jpark932
i thought that softmodding required some soldering as well


<---- has a modded xbox, mod chip with 160gb and loves it.

I think some people confuse softmodding with TSOP flashing, TSOP is actually a hardmod. Im not sure whats involved in Softmodding, and from most people that I know who softmodded ended up messing stuff up when they tried to make changes and stuff. A TSOp flash is pretty much failsafe once its done.

Josh

I think someone doesn't know the difference between a softmod (altering the software) and a hardmod (altering the hardware). A TSOP flash is just flasing the builtin bios with a new software, hence it is a softmod, it can be undone. A mod chip is a hardmod because you are adding a new bioschip to circumvent the existing bios.
 

Jpark

Platinum Member
Nov 15, 2003
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Originally posted by: AMDman12GHz
Originally posted by: jpark932
i thought that softmodding required some soldering as well


<---- has a modded xbox, mod chip with 160gb and loves it.

I think some people confuse softmodding with TSOP flashing, TSOP is actually a hardmod. Im not sure whats involved in Softmodding, and from most people that I know who softmodded ended up messing stuff up when they tried to make changes and stuff. A TSOp flash is pretty much failsafe once its done.

Josh

you're correct. It's been since last year since I've messed with the modding scene. I would go with either a TSOP flash or Mod-Chip. Soldering is easy, find an old stereo mainboard or something similar and practice.

 

jcovercash

Diamond Member
Apr 24, 2001
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Originally posted by: rahvin
Originally posted by: AMDman12GHz
Originally posted by: jpark932
i thought that softmodding required some soldering as well


<---- has a modded xbox, mod chip with 160gb and loves it.

I think some people confuse softmodding with TSOP flashing, TSOP is actually a hardmod. Im not sure whats involved in Softmodding, and from most people that I know who softmodded ended up messing stuff up when they tried to make changes and stuff. A TSOp flash is pretty much failsafe once its done.

Josh

I think someone doesn't know the difference between a softmod (altering the software) and a hardmod (altering the hardware). A TSOP flash is just flasing the builtin bios with a new software, hence it is a softmod, it can be undone. A mod chip is a hardmod because you are adding a new bioschip to circumvent the existing bios.

A TSOP flash requires modification of the Hardware however.
 

KoolAidKid

Golden Member
Apr 29, 2002
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Originally posted by: jpark932
i thought that softmodding required some soldering as well


<---- has a modded xbox, mod chip with 160gb and loves it.


Flashing the TSOP requires a small amount of soldering. I have had great success softmodding xboxen using the following procedure:

1) Run the MA/007 exploit (I use a Flash drive and homemade USB-to-xbox cable for this)
2) FTP into the xbox
3) Move all files off of C on the xbox to your PC, burn these to a CD for safekeeping
4) Transfer the files necessary for the UDE2 exploit to the xbox C drive.
5) Reboot the xbox and enjoy

This method requires no soldering and is completely reversible.
 

hevnsnt

Lifer
Mar 18, 2000
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Originally posted by: AMDman12GHz
Originally posted by: AdamSnow
I'd go with the chip over softmodding it... But if you dont have the means of doing the chip or you are worried about it then you do what you can do... ;)

There is no need for a chip if you dont plan on using xbox live. I would go with a TSOP flash, unless its a newer 1.6/1.6B then you have to chip it. But for the older version TSOP flashing is cheap and just as effective as a modchip.


Josh


What he said!
 

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
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the new 3rd gen chips offer a lot more functions that any TSOP or softmod will offer you.
Sure Anandtech is a good place to start, but use the forums on Xbox-scene.com for full/correct answers.
 

BullsOnParade

Golden Member
Apr 7, 2003
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I'm not yet convinced that the 3G chips offer any greater functionality than the older chips, I like the back up bios images and things like that, those are kinda handy if you're fiddling around flashing new bioses and what not, but in the end they just seem to offer silly 'features'. Softmodding really doesn't seem worth it if you are buying mechassault/007 and an ActionReplay to do the mod. That and while there's the misleading warning that if you mess something up softmodding you're screwed, that's the rub in either case, softmod or chip, however you have more options of recovery with a modchip. If you botch a softmod you're going to have to chip the xbox in order to ftp in to fix things. Or have the hdd unlocked and put it in another xbox to fix. Both are significantly more kludgy solutions.