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Week of August 24, 2008
SickMods' ATX to Xbox Converter 2
>> From sickmods.net:
[QUOTE]
The ATX to XBOX Converter 2 features several new features and improvements. This device will convert any ATX power supply to work with an Xbox1 motherboard (versions 1.0-1.5). The main improvement to this PSU Converter is the addition of holes which you can connect each of your connectors to. Since the ATX layout differs from the Xbox layout, this eliminates the hassle of re-wiring each wire individually to switch its location. You may simply solder the connectors to each side, or buy it with the connectors pre-installed, and the Converter will be plug-and-play. We have also added three red LEDs, which will aid in troubleshooting, should there be a problem with your power supply or in the wiring.
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Official Site: http://sickmods.net
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
GoW2 Producer Talks about Used Xbox360 Potential
>> From gamasutra.com:
[QUOTE]
Gamasutra: We're getting a few years into the Xbox 360 lifespan experience; where do you think we are, technologically, in terms of the potential of the system, this generation?
* Rod Fergusson: That's a good question. I mean, I'm not the technical guy, so my ability to speak to where the engine goes is -- all I know is that with the two to three more years of optimization that we've had, we're much further along than I think, three years ago, we thought we were going to get.
So I think we're certainly approaching the upper end of it, as far as what developers are able to do with it, but just looking at all the demos we saw today -- ours and others -- it's clear that all the games just keep improving, and keep pushing that bar.
I think it's just a matter of, you know, it's a slow cycle; you only get a kick at it every couple years, and so it takes a while for people to see that progress. There will be games in development that won't ship until 2010, and I'm sure they'll look killer, just because, again, they'll have more time with it, and learn from mistakes and optimizations of others. So, I don't know; I think we're getting up there, but I still think there's room to grow.
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Full Story: gamasutra.com (6 pages)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
DVDKey32 Lite-On Key Retriever
>> >>A Software/Hardware combination method has been discovered on how to extract your drivekey for a lite-on drive...
This exe is a win32 app that extracts the drive key from the Lite-On 360 drive via Serial.
Be warned: This win32 program does not use the windows API. The exe writes directly to the ATA controller's I/O ports (which requires Geek Hideout's I/O dll, which I have included in the rar). It also requires that you be using an ATA - SATA adapter to connect your 360 drive to your PC, or an SATA controller that has a legacy mode (try the BIOS setup options on your controller).
Geremia - initial concept
C4eva - the CDB's and how to send them
Podger - for the code
Seventhson - for the userspace parallel ATA driver
*Please note that this is NOT a firmware hack for a lite-on drive. It is just a way to retrieve the key from the drive for use with another drive (samsung, hitachi, benq) that is capable of being modified.
This release is a revision of the original DVDKey released by Geremia for use within a windows operating system. You can find the original DOS based version by Geremia here
DeViLs360 has written a thorough tutorial using the DOS based version of DVDKey here, and should be updating shortly to include DVDKey32. The tutorial includes the creation of the RS232 Serial cable to connect to the drive, getting the key from the lite-on and spoofing it to work with another drive.
Official Site: n/a (by c4e, podger and Geremia)
Download: here
News-Source: xbins
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Benq Unlock
>> >>A new application that helps with the modification of Benq VAD6038 drives..
This exe is a win32 app that sends the "Magic" 28 unlock codes to you Benq 360 drive. The drive can then be dumped/erase/flashed using dosflash32 by chipsets other than Via/Nforce and without all that powering on/off or soldering.
Be warned: This win32 program does not use the windows API. The exe writes directly to the ATA controller's I/O ports (which requires Geek Hideout's I/O dll, which I have included in the rarr). It also requires that you be using an ATA - SATA adapter to connect your 360 drive to your PC, or an SATA controller that has a legacy mode (try the BIOS setup options on your controller).
Special thanks to:
C4eva - for 28 magic keys and the CDB's to send them
Podger - for the code
Seventhson - for the userspace parallel ATA driver
Official Site: n/a (by Podger and c4e)
Download: here
News-Source: xbins
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Reports Of Hacked Xbox Live Accounts Stir Concerns Over Gamers' Security
>> From mtv.com:
[QUOTE]
Earlier this month, a hacker bragged that he'd gained access to the Xbox Live identity -- or gamertag, as it's known -- of "Halo 3" multiplayer producer Joe Tung. This allowed him access to Tung's account and personal information. Tung isn't alone.
For almost three years now, dozens of gamers who believed their Xbox 360 online identities were safe and secure have taken to message boards and Web sites to report gamertags stolen by zealous hackers. The practice has become prevalent enough that tutorials about how to do it have popped up across the Internet, heightened after the release of Bungie Studio's sci-fi online shooter "Halo 3."
"People don't hack accounts by using programs and any other bullsh-- that you hear around [Xbox Live]," the hacker claimed. "It's as simple as picking up the phone."
The hacks are typically accomplished through a popularized technique called social engineering, when someone is unknowingly coerced into revealing confidential information. This isn't the first time it's come up with "Halo 3." It was widely documented by technology sites in March 2007, then again last December and, based on the evidence surrounding Tung's account and others, remains a prominent form of abuse.
The danger stems from the apparent failure of Microsoft customer service to keep track of repeated account access, our expert said. This allows hackers employing social-engineering tactics to call support lines without being tracked. A hacker can then use this information to gain access to a user's Xbox Live gamertag, which typically has a credit card attached.
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Full Story: mtv.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
ESA Applauds Prison Sentences for New York and Florida Game Pirates
>> From the ESA press release:
[QUOTE]
The Entertainment Software Association today applauded the recent sentencings of two convicted pirates to significant prison time. These rulings send a clear message that intellectual property theft and game piracy are serious offenses. On August 20, 2008, U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney in the Western District of North Carolina sentenced Kevin Fuchs of West Amherst, NY, to eight months in prison, to be followed by eight months of home confinement during two years of court supervision. On August 15, 2008, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III in the Eastern District of Virginia sentenced Kifah Maswadi of Oakland, FL, to fifteen months in prison, followed by three years' supervised release and fifty hours of community service. Maswadi was also ordered to pay $415,900 in restitution.
"We commend the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Western District of North Carolina and the Eastern District of Virginia and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work in bringing these criminals to justice," said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, the trade group representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. "These decisions illustrate, once again, that game piracy will not be tolerated and the extent at which these criminals will be prosecuted. The ESA and its members will continue to support law enforcement's efforts to protect the intellectual property of our industry."
On January 3, 2007, Fuchs plead guilty to conspiring to reproduce and distribute copyrighted works, including entertainment software. Fuchs played a key role in the "warez scene" where he was a "supplier," whose role was to obtain pre-release copies of copyrighted software, and a "tester" who checked the functionality of pirated software after the copy protection was removed or bypassed by other warez scene members. This case was part of Operations Fastlink and Site Down, two of the largest piracy investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. The operations targeted "warez groups," which illegally distribute copyrighted movies, games, software and movies online.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation field office in Charlotte, NC, handled the investigation of defendant Fuch's activities. Trial Attorneys Richard D. Green and John Zacharia of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Klumb, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Ellis of the Western District of North Carolina, handled the prosecution.
The Fuchs sentencing comes on the heels of a fifteen month sentence imposed on a Florida game pirate. On June 3, 2008, Kifah Maswadi pleaded guilty to one count of criminal copyright infringement. He admitted to selling "Power Players," which are game systems that connect directly to a television and were pre-loaded with at least 76 pirated copies of video games. From 2006 to 2007, Maswadi sold these game systems containing illegal copies of games via the Internet and earned more than $390,000 through this illegal activity. Maswadi was facing up to three years in prison but received a reduced sentence for cooperating with the government.
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Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Square Enix: Absolutely No Final Fantasy Xbox 360 For Japan
>> From kotaku.com:
[QUOTE]
An issue of Dengeki PlayStation that goes on sale August 29th in Japan, Final Fantasy XIII director and writer Motomu Toriyama and FFXIII Versus director Tetsuya Nomura talk about the possibility of Japan getting a Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 version. Nomura says that he himself was "surprised" at the FFXIII Xbox 360 Asia version news, saying that Microsoft's comment ("It would be nice if the game came out") was taken to mean that it was actually confirmed for Asia. More interesting than that clusterfuck is Toriyama's comment about whether or not Final Fantasy XIII will be released in Japan on the Xbox 360 platform:
"There will absolutely not be an Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII for Japan."
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[FS] kotaku.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Immersion to pay Microsoft 21 million USD using Sony Money
>> From manufacturing.net:
[QUOTE]
Immersion Corp. has agreed to pay Microsoft Corp. $20.75 million to settle a legal tangle that started with a suit against Microsoft over the "rumble" feature of its Xbox game console controllers.
San Jose-based Immersion sued Microsoft in 2002, alleging that the Xbox controller infringed on a patent for force feedback, Immersion's specialty. The Xbox controller shakes when triggered by a game event, like a car driving over a speed bump. Microsoft agreed to pay Immersion $26 million to settle the lawsuit.
Immersion also sued Sony Corp., which makes the PlayStation game console. That suit was resolved in March last year, when the electronics maker agreed to pay Immersion $22.5 million over three years, plus more than $100 million in costs, royalties and patent license fees.
Immersion's agreement with Microsoft contained a clause requiring it to hand over a slice of any settlement with Sony -- a minimum of $15 million, plus percentages of any amount over $100 million. Immersion said the agreement with Sony did not trigger that clause, but Microsoft disagreed, and filed suit last year in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
Both the Microsoft suit and Immersion's counterclaim have now been settled, Immersion said.
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Full Story: manufacturing.net
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Best Buy ad offers yet more evidence of Xbox 360 price cuts
>> From engadget.com:
[QUOTE]
While it seems to be all but a sure thing that all three Xbox 360 SKUs will be getting a price cut on September 7th, if you need a bit more reassurance, you can now take comfort in this apparently authentic Best Buy ad provided by a helpful tipster, which should be making an appearance in paper form just in time for the big day.
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Full Story: engadget.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Bit-Tech First Look: Lian Li XB01
>> From bit-tech.net:
[QUOTE]
We've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of our review sample of the Lian Li XB01 for a few weeks now and were practically brimming with excitement when the delivery man brought this unassuming black and orange box through our door. Does it work as expected? Does the 360 fit perfectly? Does it make it any cooler or any quieter? Is it worth the upgrade? So many questions, so little time.
And here it is, the XB01 in all it's glory. For those looking for a little scale, the rear exhaust fan is of the 120mm variety - needless to say its more than twice the size of a standard Xbox 360 case. The fan is 12V, 0.27A and comes with a 3-pin Molex connection. We tried looking for details on this and the reports across the net vary - but it shifts around 56 CFM and is between 22-25 dB at 1,300-1,500RPM.
At full speed that's not silent, but it's a decent airflow for something a lot quieter than the original 70mm 360 fans. It's worth noting though that the 360 dynamically scales the speed according to the internal temperatures anyway, so it'll likely often run a lot less than full.
Other than our concerns about fingerprints and sprung hatches, the XB01 certainly seems to be a very strong, durable case on the face of things. Every panel fits together securely and all edges are all well machined. While we criticise the flaps, we have to admit they fit well and are magnetically held in place keeping things neat and flush.
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Full Story: bit-tech.net (2 pages)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Kojima wishes people would stop asking about MGS4 on 360
>> From eurogamer.net:
[QUOTE]
Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has told Eurogamer that he looks forward to a day when people stop asking him whether MGS4 is coming out on Xbox 360.
"I've been doing a lot of interviews and stage shows, and half the questions are like 'Will MGS4 be coming out on 360 or other formats?', and in the near future I hope they'll ask me about Metal Gear, about us, about our future projects, and will stop caring about the hardware," Kojima told Eurogamer in an interview published today.
Pressed on MGS4's exclusivity and the possibility of an Xbox 360 port, Kojima reiterated that the PS3 had been chosen because he believed that the series' success had been entwined with PlayStation's, and admitted that "because MGS4 was optimised for the PS3 it is probably not possible".
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Full Story: eurogamer.net
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
XCM HDMI Blaster
>> XCM-USA announced the XCM HDMI Blaster:
* Finally an HDMI converter for older (hdmi-less) consoles that brings the analog signal into the digital age.
* Converts your old analog signal to the new High Definition standard digital signal (HDMI).
* Compatible with Nintendo Wii, Playstation 2, Original Xbox consoles and more!
* Experience the Brilliant, Colorful and Sharp video output on your HDTV.
Pictures will be posted in about a week and Pre-Orders will begin in about 2 weeks on www.Extreme-Mods.com
Official Site: http://www.xcm-usa.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox Originals and Backwards Compatibility come to an end?
>> From mundorare.com:
[QUOTE]
In recent time, MR asked Global Marketing Director, Albert Pennello, regarding the future of Backwards Compatibility for the 360. While Rare fans got what they wanted, his answers were very interesting. He insisted that if there has been a title that we haven't seen backwards compatible yet, it's because that there have been technical difficulties putting them on the service. "People are moving on," he said, "would you rather have those guys working on that or doing something new?" in reference to the new Xbox Live Avatar-filled Dashboard.
What does this have to do with Xbox Originals, you may ask? Through different insider sources, MundoRare can confirm that Xbox Originals, the service that re-releases some Xbox 1 titles on Xbox Live, won't be around for the same reason that Backwards Compatibility will most likely never see another update again. "I think they are pretty much done with that," another source told us.
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Full Story: mundorare.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
The New Xbox Experience at PAX
>> From Major Nelson's Blog:
[QUOTE]
If you're going to attend the Penny Arcade Expo this weekend in Seattle, be sure to make time to stop by the Microsoft booth (Booth #412.) where I'll be doing demos of the new Xbox experience. I'll be bringing my dev kit with the latest build, and focusing on some of the previously announced features, like the guide, parties and more. Currently, I am scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at 10:30am and 3:30pm. The Gamerscoreblog has a post that shows the full schedule of activities in the booth, so there will be no shortage of things to see and do at the booth, in addition to the crazy PAX session schedule.
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Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
XBMC for Xbox 2008-08-25 SVN rev15165 'Atlantis' ALPHA4 build - T3CH
>> T3CH released a new SVN compile (rev15165 Atlantis ALPHA4) of XBMC for Xbox(info).
This T3CH-compile is a complete snapshot of what is in SVN at the time the build was compiled, with just a few small additions.
Special Notes and Noteworthy/XML/Script changes:
* This is the 'alpha 4' build made from tag in Trunk. No MediaStream bundled this week since I didn't have a new version to bundle.
From xbmc.org:
[QUOTE]
Due to the great feedback from Alpha 3 users in terms of bug reports, many of which have already been fixed, Team-XBMC have released the latest Alpha version of XBMC for Linux, Mac OS X, Windows and Xbox. This is the last in a series of alpha releases in preparation for the upcoming stable release of XBMC, code named 'Atlantis'.
XBMC 'Atlantis' is still in a feature freeze and the final version is planned to be released on Linux, Mac, Windows, and Xbox in October. You may track the development progress here, with the next release scheduled to be the first Beta.
We need your help in order to make 'Atlantis' as stable as possible. Please download and use this latest Alpha release instead of XBMC SVN builds. We encourage all users to test it thoroughly and report all bugs to our tracking-system.
We would also appreciate any and all assistance in making sure that the XBMC Online Manual and FAQ are as up to date as possible. Both the manual and FAQ are wiki based so just register and request write access if you wish to contribute. In addition, translations and updates of XBMC language files is another area where help would be appreciated.
We expect to be inviting some official beta testers on to the team in the next few weeks, so get testing if you wish to be considered for this role - we'll be looking for people submitting good quality bug reports for these positions.
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For the full changelog (all added/fixed/changed/updated stuff) since the 2008-08-19 SVN Rev15026 build click here.
Keep in mind this is a SVN snapshot of the current development tree. It's not an official (stable) point release. Use only if you know what you are doing.
Official XBMC Site: http://xbmc.org (manual and FAQ)
Official T3CH Site: http://t3ch.yi.se (release RSS feed)
Download Binaries: n/a (built with XDK) | Download SourceCode: here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox 360 fall update arriving in November?
>> From gamespot.com:
[QUOTE]
What we heard: Not to belie the obvious, Microsoft has thus far only said that the dashboard overhaul will be rolled out this fall. However, confirmation of a more narrowed release window appeared to arrive earlier today. After attending a Microsoft London event last week demoing the new update, a representative of the publisher reportedly told UK gaming blog RPG-TV that the dashboard revamp would be pushed live in November.
"I'm not sure if this has been confirmed already or not but I was told the new dashboard would arrive in November," said the gaming blog.
The official story: Unfortunately, it appears as if RPG-TV's information was either erroneous or off the record. After contacting the publisher to confirm the validity of the information, a Microsoft representative told GameSpot, "We have not yet announced the timing of the fall update."
Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus that the fall Xbox Live dashboard update is a lock for November. However, given that the hardware maker's last two fall updates arrived at the end of October and the beginning of December, a November launch is certainly possible.
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Full Story: gamespot.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Kmart adscan gives us more 360 price cut proof
>> From xbox360fanboy.com:
[QUOTE]
Adding to our mountain of September Xbox 360 price cut proof that we've constructed over the past few weeks, today we bring you yet another piece of adscan evidence. Pictured is a supposed Kmart retail adscan from the week of September 7th that lists the rumored Xbox 360 console price cuts: $199 for an Arcade, $299 for a Pro and $399 for an Elite.
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Full Story: xbox360fanboy.com
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