[...]... different for some Xbox versions) Part III: Software Mods The third part of the book gives you an overview of the aftermarket software that is available for your Xbox, including a tutorial on using the Xenium O/S, EvolutionX, Avalaunch, and Xbox Media Center Part IV: Major Hardware Mods The fourth part of the book covers hardware mods, or modifications that you can do with your Xbox system components,... Competition: The Other Side of the Coin Microsoft faced a similar situation with the video game industry Microsoft actually entered the game industry back in 1983, surprisingly enough, with a product called MSX MSX was the result of a collaborative effort between ASCII and Microsoft The goal of the MSX was to produce a standard computer system that would run the same software regardless of the manufacturer... false prediction! The following sections chart the development of the Xbox 8 CHAPTER 1 FIGURE 1.1 Welcome to the Xbox Scene Xbox is a highly customizable video game console with great potential Breaking into an Industry An oft-repeated theory of Microsoft's success goes something like this: Microsoft expects to lose money on the first two versions of a product until it is perfected by the third version,... production, and then I will highlight some of the key modifications you will learn to do with your Xbox in this book "Getting" the Xbox The Xbox is the most powerful video game console ever designed and remains the reigning champ of the specs three years after it was first introduced to the public (see Figure 1.1) I have been an Xbox fan since the day it was released, when I gripped the original thick... all the major features and specifications of each revision of the Xbox, as well as all the major mod chips at your fingertips 3 4 Introduction What You Will Learn There are 14 chapters in this book, organized by major subject Here are the main subjects that you will find in this book: Part I: The Xbox Demystified The first part of the book provides introductory material that will get you heading in the. .. you how to modify your Xbox in various ways You will learn how to disassemble your Xbox, right down to the motherboard, and you will learn about each component, inside the Xbox case Several chapters are devoted to the most important part of Xbox modding: choosing a mod chip and then learning how to install it in your Xbox The mod chip allows you to run third-party software on your Xbox that is normally... thinking is unusual, but part and parcel of Microsoft's phenomenal long-term success Thus, after the hard lessons learned with WebTV and Dreamcast, Microsoft built a console that developers would love and gamel'S would love Realizing these two necessities, Microsoft forged ahead with the Xbox and, well, now you know the rest of the story Did Xbox Work Too Well? The very aspects of Xbox that have made it... competition with the PS2 first, and then the GameCube and Xbox the following year (after which point, all development shifted to these next-gen consoles) But part of the reason behind the Dreamcast development slowdown was due to the level of piracy occurring before the three new consoles debuted, and Sega's inability to stem the tide Had Dreamcast been allowed to mature during the first two years of its product... 13 14 CHAPTER 1 Welcome to the Xbox Scene Promises, Promises Even more surprising is the fact that Microsoft promised the development community a longevity on the Xbox regardless of net sales Microsoft promised to subsidize the Xbox whether it made a profit or not; game companies had an opportunity to ma1 . Your Xbox? So What's the Spiel? Summary Chapter 2: Disassembling Your Xbox Getting to Know the Xbox Hardware The Case The Motherboard The Power Supply The DVD-ROM Drive The Hard Drive. The Central. some Xbox versions). Part III: Software Mods. The third part of the book gives you an overview of the aftermarket soft- ware that is available for your Xbox, including a tutorial on using the. Xbox, with an overview chapter on the " ;Xbox scene;' another on disassembling your Xbox, and a chapter on how to identify your Xbox revision. Part II: Mod Chips. The second part of the