Xbox Live / bigger HD question

[Soi]

I’m temped to get a pre-modded Xbox and have a question. Sorry if this have been asked before, but I trawled through the last 7 pages or so of threads and couldn’t find the answer.

I realise that you need to switch off your chip in order to use Live, and that the newer chips have these switches. But I need to know if they are (or are likely to be in the future) any issues with using a larger HD with Live. I’m thinking of getting a 80gig HD, will this be a problem?

thanks

[Tak]

That's fine, when the chip is turned off it won't see the extra space - it can only see the first 8gig. When the chip is on the full space will be available.

[Soi]

Thanks. Next question: if I have to turn off the chip to play US/Japanese games, does this mean I can't play US/Japanese games on Live?

I'm definitely warming to the idea of an Xbox. Live would be a bonus rather than the main attraction.

[Tak]

Correct, however some Live games are multiregion so they will work with the chip turned off - I think Unreal Tournament is one of them.

Also you can set the XBOX to be a certain region so that it essentially becomes a US/JAP/UK machine with the chip off. However it's a pain to keep switching but it's handy if you intend to only use a certain region's games on Live. For example, you can make your system a US machine and then only play US games on live - it will still be multiregional when the chip is on.

[Soi]

Correct, however some Live games are multiregion so they will work with the chip turned off - I think Unreal Tournament is one of them.

Also you can set the XBOX to be a certain region so that it essentially becomes a US/JAP/UK machine with the chip off. However it's a pain to keep switching but it's handy if you intend to only use a certain region's games on Live. For example, you can make your system a US machine and then only play US games on live - it will still be multiregional when the chip is on.

Thanks, but I'm slightly confused by your answer. Let me see if I’ve understood. When the chip is off I can set a modded PAL machine to be either a PAL, US or Jap console, even though it is a pain to do so. By switching the region in this way, I can use my UK Live kit to play US games or Japanese games on Live (as in against US or Jap players). Is this correct?

Thanks again.

[Tak]

Yes All the Live kits are multiregion, anyway (and you only have to install it once). The important thing is getting the import games to run. So you switch your console to whatever region you want, then turn off the chip, and pop the game in.

As for playing against US/JAP players, as far as I know it doesn't matter what version (region) of the game you are running, you can still play against anyone - this might only be with certain games, though, I'm not sure.

<plug> P.S I've got a modded xbox for sale in the for sale forum if you're interested </plug>

[Soi]

<plug> P.S I've got a modded xbox for sale in the for sale forum if you're interested </plug>

Guess why I started thinking of getting one...

I'll probably pass on yours though, as I don't want one quite yet. I'd also probably be after a larger HD for mine.

[Tak]

Heh, ok. I can get a larger hard disk put in aswell.

But I guess it will be sold in the next couple of days

[Valken]

You need to use the default XBox dash BTW... and boot whatever frontend you prefer from CD in future.

[Tak]

You need to use the default XBox dash BTW... and boot whatever frontend you prefer from CD in future.

Booting the frontend from CD isn't necessary, when the chip is turned off it will boot the default MS dash, and when it is on it will boot Evo-x or whatever frontend installed.

If there are any concerns about Live checking drive C:\ for non-MS software, it doesn't do it at present and it is unlikely to happen but you can always use a BIOS that boots a dashboard on F:\ instead, which can't be seen by the official BIOS when the chip is off.

[Valken]

Did not know that... must try later as I'm getting bored running evox off CD. I actually read it on xboxscene and followed the instructions as I didn't want to get banned from Live.

[Mike UK]

So, with the chip on, if you use the videomode selector in evox to switch to NTSC, then switch the console off, chip off, and console back on (i.e. into usual M$ dash, is the machine set to NTSC mode? Or if it's a PAL machine, will it automatically boot into PAL mode with the chip off?

[Tak]

So, with the chip on, if you use the videomode selector in evox to switch to NTSC, then switch the console off, chip off, and console back on (i.e. into usual M$ dash, is the machine set to NTSC mode? Or if it's a PAL machine, will it automatically boot into PAL mode with the chip off?

Sort of - we're talking about two different things. The videomode selector only changes video modes (PAL/NTSC), not regions (EUROPE/US/JAP). Changing video modes will not allow you to play games from other regions with the chip off, it just forces PAL or NTSC mode for whatever game you're playing.

If you want to change region then you need to use an app called Configmagic. You edit the region details (let me know if you need instructions for how to do this). You can set the XBOX EEPROM to be of a certain region here, and then turn off the xbox, switch the chip off, and boot the xbox back up. It will now act exactly like a console in the region you've set, like my example above.

[Mike UK]

If you want to change region then you need to use an app called Configmagic. You edit the region details (let me know if you need instructions for how to do this). You can set the XBOX EEPROM to be of a certain region here, and then turn off the xbox, switch the chip off, and boot the xbox back up. It will now act exactly like a console in the region you've set, like my example above.

I do have configmagic, but haven't yet needed it or got as far as reading up on the app. Basically, I recently got my xbox chipped as I'm moving to the US and wanted to play my PAL games as well as NTSC.

It would be useful for my xbox to output 'proper' NTSC, so that I don't have any TV compatibility issues when I get there.. If you could point me in the direction of a faq, or pm/post if it's a quick fix to change the eeprom, then that would be really helpful.

Thanks!

Mike

[Tak]

I do have configmagic, but haven't yet needed it or got as far as reading up on the app. Basically, I recently got my xbox chipped as I'm moving to the US and wanted to play my PAL games as well as NTSC.

It would be useful for my xbox to output 'proper' NTSC, so that I don't have any TV compatibility issues when I get there.. If you could point me in the direction of a faq, or pm/post if it's a quick fix to change the eeprom, then that would be really helpful.

To get your xbox to output proper NTSC, all you need is the videomode selector. This will then output video in exactly the same way as a US machine, regardless of the current region the machine is set to.

You only need configmagic if you want to make the region of the machine U.S aswell. This is handy if you want to play U.S games on Live (with the chip off), or to play certain games which have a country check - Timesplitters 2 is one of them.

This thread has details on how to change the region - http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/viewtopic.php?t=2746