tech.nocr.at » xbox

XBMC Launches On Apple TV 2 & iOS

Frank — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 02:26:26 +0000

The second generation Apple TV suddenly looks a lot better as a home theater PC. XBMC, the open-source media center software that is the driving force behind projects like Boxee and Plex has just launched for jailbroken second generation Apple TVs.

The Apple TV iOS port uses Apple’s “VideoToolBox” private acceleration API. This gives XBMC access to the built-in hardware video acceleration included in Apple’s A4 chip, allowing for non-Apple approved HD video playback. You heard me correct, full 1080p video playback on the tiny $99 box. Video playback isn’t the only thing you get, most of the core apps that are in the Desktop or Xbox versions are there as well.

Since the second generation Apple TV runs iOS, developers didn’t stop there. They added an iPhone and iPod touch port which can be installed on jailbroken devices via Cydia. Not a remote application, a full blown XBMC system on your iPhone or iPad. The iPad version tends to be less frustrating to use than the iPhone version, but I’m sure they will work on that.

I hope Apple can see the benefit of XBMC on their devices, it would be an instant hit if it ever hits the App store.

[Link to XBMC for iOS]

XBMC Launches On Apple TV 2 & iOS originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2011/01/21. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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Official Kinect SDK Coming Soon

Frank — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 06:02:03 +0000

Balmer let the world know during CES that Microsoft would be releasing an SDK for their popular Xbox 360 add-on the Kinect. Sources say that Microsoft may be preparing the release of the SDK sooner than they anticipated, in just a few months. “Sources familiar with the plans” told WinRumors that an official SDK and drivers are being prepped for a beta release “in the coming months,” potentially arriving with an upcoming XNA update dubbed the “Community Technical Preview.”

Ever since the release of the Kinect, hackers have been having a field day with it. Unofficial USB drivers for the Windows environment have already been developed and there are countless hacks out there from X-Ray vision to controlling World of Warcraft.

Now that Microsoft has acknowledged the popularity of the product and will be officially releasing the SDK maybe we might see another revolution in PC gaming, one that could rival the early 90′s.

Official Kinect SDK Coming Soon originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2011/01/19. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Open Source HTPC’s That Don’t Suck

Frank — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:30:11 +0000

In our next installment of Distros That Don’t Suck we will be looking at open source HTPC software. Sure you can load up VLC or even use Windows Media player, but having a dedicated solution with a UI that is made for a TV is a lot easier and pleasing. I’ve left the PVR-centric software like MythTV and Freevo off the list since their main purpose is to act as a PVR. I’ll be reviewing open source PVR software by itself at a later date.

XBMC – The Xbox Media Center Project started as homebrew software for the original Xbox gaming system and has since been ported to Linux, Windows, OSX, AppleTV and even as a standalone Linux based LiveCD/LiveUSB image. It offers a clean UI, intuitive interface and can play just about anything you throw at it. It offers a plugin system with a huge repository of community plugins to enhance the experience. It’s real easy to setup and it’s configuration is portable across operating systems. If you have an old Xbox laying around this makes a great HTPC that is powerful and best of all cheap.

MediaPortal – This is a Windows based HTPC software so technically it’s not 100% open source since it requires Windows and doesn’t offer a Linux port. If offers everything you would expect in HTPC software; Video streaming, DVD playback, Internet Radio, Picture Gallery and it’s own plugin system. You will need a compatible TV Tuner card to enjoy PVR features and to watch TV but it’s not needed to run the software. If you are a Windows fan and are looking for an alternate to Windows Media Center this is as close as you can get without the cost.

Element – Element is an open source HTPC system that comes pre-loaded with XBMC and the ability to play back just about any media locally or over the Internet. Element also has it’s own framework for offering add-on modules that allow you to play content from services like Hulu, Cooliris, Boxee, Clicker, Amazon on Demand and Youtube. They have adapted the UI’s of popular open source software like Firefox and Pidgin so that it fits the TV experience better than their native desktop versions. They also offer an Android app that allows you to use your Android phone as a remote control; definitely a neat idea for the times you can’t find the remote anywhere.

GeeXboX – A Gentoo based fully functional media center that can be run from LiveCD, LiveUSB, or be installed on a hard drive. GeeXbox is a very lean distro that doesn’t require a lot of processing power so it’s perfect for older hardware. It uses Enna as it’s primary media center application to play your music, videos or look at your pictures. This is the perfect distro for the no-frills experience when you just want to play your media and aren’t looking for any additional functionality.

Open Source HTPC’s That Don’t Suck originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2011/01/06. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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Xtoaster360

Frank — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 05:50:40 +0000

I have seen many mods in my time, but I have never seen anything like this. Modder ncaruso11 yanked out the guts of his toaster and replaced them in epic fashion with the innards of an Xbox 360. Sure it ends up being a lot bulkier than your average 360, but how cool would it be to have a toaster sitting under your TV. If that doesn’t get the chicks I don’t know what will (alright so it won’t get you any chicks or toast actually).

How sweet is that, especially how he moved the interface status lights to the front on the toaster. ncaruso11 says “If I can sell this one then there are sure to be bigger and better ones in the future. Feel free to throw out any ideas.”. I just might consider bidding on this. I need a new 360 for the basement and best of all, I can tell my wife I’m just buying a toaster, and expensive one yes, but still a toaster.

Xtoaster360 originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2011/01/02. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Ben Heck Show Is On The Air

Frank — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:14:31 +0000

You by now already know who Ben Heck is. We have featured his awesome mods time and time again here on tech.nocr.at. Ben now has his very own internet TV show. The Ben Heck Show started airing yesterday on element14 and is pretty cool. In his first episode, Ben builds an Xbox controller for a gamer who only has one hand and starts work on his Xbox 360 laptop mod which will be stretched out over a few episodes. Definitely a must watch.

[The Ben Heck Show]

Ben Heck Show Is On The Air originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2010/09/14. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Iron Man 360 Mod

Frank — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:57:51 +0000

A 19 year old modder decided to take his love for Iron Man to new levels. He decided to take his 360, add some gold and red paint, add a custom arc reactor on the side of the case that mimics the ring on the front of the box and add some spit and shine. Voila, an Iron Man looking Xbox 360.

I wonder if his custom arc reactor RRoD’s as well. Check out the video below to see the unit in action.

Iron Man 360 Mod originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2010/08/29. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Tweet From Your Joystick

Frank — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:52:13 +0000

Xbox 360 fans rejoice, you will soon be able to tweet from your Xbox 360, another great reason to not use the console for what it’s made for, playing games. You’ll also get a few other tweaks to the update that will be pushed down on the 17th like on-demand 1080p HD video from the Zune Video outlet. Check out the video of Twitter on the 360 after the break.

[Via Engadget]

Tweet From Your Joystick originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2009/11/12. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Turn A Dead 360 Into A PC

Frank — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:45:55 +0000

Got a dead 360 laying around that you can’t fix? Turn that sexy piece of hardware into a fully functional PC. The guys over at Hack N Mod have posted a detailed mod which converts a 360 console into a fully functional PC. Best of all, no red ring of death on this one. Check out the video after the break.

The main challenge with an Xbox to PC mod is fitting everything inside the cramped space of an Xbox 360. The CPU and the power supply have different sizes and line up differently. Innovation is the name of the game as electric0ant shows through careful planning and his project illustrations. Check out a few below. The complete step by step is given on his project page.

Now if only someone could cram a fully functional quad core into an altoids tin, that would be awesome.

[Link to Resurrect a Dead XBox 360 into a PC]

Turn A Dead 360 Into A PC originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2009/11/07. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Videogame Alarm Clocks

Frank — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:41:10 +0000

Every hardcore gammer should alway emerge him or herself with gaming at all times. Games on your phone, games on your PDA, games on your computer, games on your tv and even gaming to wake you up. The guys over at the TechEBlog have put together a pretty cool collection of “Alarm Clocks Made From Video Game Consoles”.

My personal favorite is the Xbox 360 with built in space for your kleenex. I sure hope whoever made that one picked up a dead system to build it with. If not, that can easily be classified as the most expensive alarm clock anyone person should own.

If you know of any other cool things made from video game consoles, let us know in the comments or in the tech.nocr.at forums

[Link to Alarm Clocks Made From Video Game Consoles]

Videogame Alarm Clocks originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2009/11/03. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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In Case You Missed It: Week 42 Round Up

Frank — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:49:12 +0000

In case you missed anything this past week, we have everything from cooling with mineral oil to video editing on your iPhone. Enjoy.

Gadgets

Asus Keyboard PC

Gaming

Cool Your Xbox With Mineral Oil
PS3 Smashing Into A TV At 80 KMH
Open Source DS Bluetooth Adapter
Black Wii For The Brits
Rock Band For iPhone Now Available

Hacking and Security

Remote Control That’s Impossible To Lose
DIY: Build A Solar Power Station
PS3 Laptop
Hard Drive Lock Pick

Mac

Dead: ZFS For The Mac
Rebel EFI: A Thorn In Apples Side
ReelDirector: Video Editing For Your iPhone

Tech News

Project Eagle Claw: Taking Out The Scammers
Skype And Chrome Go Portable
Microsoft’s App Lab
Windows 7: Will You Upgrade?
B&N Nook Officially Released
Super Fast Robot Hands

In Case You Missed It: Week 42 Round Up originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2009/10/25. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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Cool Your Xbox With Mineral Oil

Frank — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:52:17 +0000

You really have to be playing your Xbox non-stop to generate enough heat to justify submerging your Xbox motherboard into a non-conductive fluid such as mineral oil which B-rad used.

Besides the two obvious things that should never ever be submerged, the hard drive and dvd drive, every other component that was housed inside the Xbox case was submerged into a fish tank fill of mineral oil. Surprisingly enough, after he submerged his unit it ran on average 10 degrees cooler.

Maybe it’s worth while if you’re having a cooling issue, but one thing is for sure, having something like this out in the open will almost guarantee that you will never get laid.

[Link to B-rad's Xbox Tank]

Cool Your Xbox With Mineral Oil originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2009/10/24. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

PS3 Laptop

Frank — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:25:09 +0000

Our favorite gaming console modder, Ben Heck, is back at it again. We have already seen his Xbox 360 Elite Laptop mod and more recently his NES Cartridge mod and now his brings us this super sexy PS3 Laptop mod.

As light or as small as a netbook it is not but it’s still impressive how he managed to integrate a 17-inch HD display into the whole thing. Ben says that he could have made it smaller but wanted to use as large a screen as possible while still making it portable. Check out the video of the PS3 Laptop below.

PS3 Laptop originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2009/10/19. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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Nuclear Battery In Your Pocket

Frank — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:30:16 +0000

Yep, you heard me correctly, a nuclear battery. Researchers at the University of Missouri have created super tiny nuclear power sources that can be used as batteries. Dead gadgets and XBox 360 controllers will soon be a thing of the past.

The secret to these tiny power plants is the use of new liquid semiconductors instead of solid ones. Don’t think you can run out and pick a set up at Radio Shack just yet. The current focus is on powering nano electromechanical systems not your digital camera. Which in my opinion might be a good idea. We have all heard of cell phone and laptop batteries exploding, imagine if something goes wrong with one of these. You’ll have a lot more to worry about than burn wounds.

Nuclear Battery In Your Pocket originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2009/10/08. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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More Dead Space, More Of Everything

Ryan Yewell — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:31:16 +0000

If you own an Xbox 360, PS3, or decent PC, and can appreciate top notch audio/visual production values in your video games (along with some solid gameplay and storyline), then you owe it to yourself to check out “Dead Space”, Electronic Arts’ new survival horror game.

Dead Space is getting scores in the mid to high 80′s on Metacritic, which doesn’t really tell the whole story, as EA has created one of the most stunning visual and audio experiences you’ll have in a video game this year.

BTW, for those that aren’t familiar with metacritic.com, it’s a site that mashes published scores of games, movies, music, etc. from mostly
well-known and respected sources into one overall “meta” score. When I worked at Electronic Arts, the metacritic score of a game was used as a measuring stick internally within the studio, so you can be rest assured that metacritic is highly regarded within the industry as an objective way of scoring a game, if you believe that’s possible.

Anyway, more to the point of this posting, in an interview with Variety, Dead Space executive producer Glenn Schofield mentioned how
EA is working on a Dead Space sequel (not all that surprising), and that the intellectual property (IP) that is “Dead Space” is getting shopped around for more comics, movies, and probably anything else EA can put its stamp on. This mandate isn’t only reserved for Dead
Space, of course, as Army of Two is another IP that is getting shopped around for other mediums and is likely getting a game sequel as well.

http://weblogs.variety.com/the_cut_scene/2008/10/army-of-two-seq.html

Why I find this interesting is that, as we move forward day by day, year by year, the gaming industry just keeps getting bigger, and our
entertainment is starting to truly spread into all kinds of mediums, from movies, to comics, to just about anything.

We’ve seen music move into games with Rock Band and Guitar Hero, we’re seeing game IP’s move into comics and movies, though the movies have been mostly disappointing so far (but anyone interested in a Gears Of War movie, no doubt it will arrive someday).

We’re on the cusp of what will soon be, if not already, a melting pot of all mediums, and Electronic Arts is poised to be a major player
(they are already the biggest software entertainment company in the world, if you don’t include those that also manufacture the hardware… Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

As the current generation of consoles create experiences and stories that rival that of TV/movies, we’ll see who becomes king of the hill
when it comes to consumer’s choices and consumer dollars (my bet is on the gaming industry).

More Dead Space, More Of Everything originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/10/28. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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Xbox G4

Frank — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 03:27:02 +0000

I have seen my fair share of PC case mods, but an Apple case mod, especially one that encompasses a Microsoft created case, awesome. Inside this Xbox 360 Elite lives a functional G4 powered by an old Powerbook G4 867MHz processor. Modder Phil Herlihy had some spare 360 cases laying around and thought he would put them to good use and turn one of them into a Mac.

Unfortunately there was no way to get the Xbox’s DVD tray to work since all Powerbooks came with a slot loading drive so he had to cut a slot in the front of the unit to get it to work.

I’m an avid broken Xbox 360 collector, trying to develop strategies for hacking and repairing once-thought dead consoles. I’ve got plenty of empty 360 cases around with nothing to do but gather dust. When it hit me, The PowerBook logic boards are tiny. Perfect for one of those cases. Even better with PSU integration.

[Link to Xbox G4]

Xbox G4 originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/10/17. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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Rock Band Smoke And Light Kit

Frank — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:19:05 +0000

Do you think that you are a? Play Rock Band day and night? Why not add to your experience with the Rock band smoke and light kit. Alright, so I agree with you, this is a stupid idea, but then again stupid people buy stupid things. Performance Designed Products will soon be selling a smoke and light effects kit that will synchronize with the music from Rock Band. Not too much more info but it seems that the kit is only available to Xbox 360 owners.

You can pre-order it right now from Amazon for $99.99 as it won’t clutter store shelves until November 11th. rockstar

Rock Band Smoke And Light Kit originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/10/14. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Slimmed Down Xbox

Frank — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:11:46 +0000

Once Microsoft decided to roll out the 360, they had no plans to offer a lite or slim version. One modder has decided to defy the laws of console gaming and build his own slim version of the original Xbox. The slimmed down Xbox is reduced by almost 2 inches in length, width, and height. With a total reduction in volume of around 60%, you know this unit has undergone a serious diet. The weight of the unit is just as impressive, 4 pounds down from a hefty 8.5 pounds.

The mods were possible with some new components – a slimline DVD, 2.5 inch drive, Wi-Fi adapter, and a pair of Iceburg4 Pro Chip Cooling fans keep it all nice and cool.

He should produce a slim kit that people could buy, with original Xbox units selling now-a-days for peanuts they make great media center PC’s since that can run XBMC or ever a MythTV frontend.

[Link to Xbox Slim]

Slimmed Down Xbox originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/10/11. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

New Xbox Experience Coming Nov. 19th

Frank — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:43:22 +0000

We have all been waiting for it and we now know when we will get it. On November 19th Xbox will roll out the Xbox 360 experience, and your dashboard will never be the same. Avatars, group chat and some other new features are in the works. The new 360 dashboard will roll out on November 19th worldwide.

[Via Joystiq]

New Xbox Experience Coming Nov. 19th originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/10/10. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Boxee For Your AppleTV

Frank — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:03:55 +0000

Don’t like the look of your AppleTV UI? No problem. Boxee, which is a fork of the awesome XBMC project, has just rolled out a version that will work on your AppleTV. Now you can enjoy all of your media without being tied into the iTunes DRM. Boxee installs on a flash drive which you can then use to install on your AppleTV. The interface is similar to the original Xbox version that started it all.

You can sign up for the Boxee alpha here

Boxee For Your AppleTV originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/10/01. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

XBMC App For Your iPhone

Frank — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:41:12 +0000

One of the coolest apps that ever rolled out of the iTunes app store was the Apple Remote app that allowed you to control your iTunes or Apple TV via your iPhone or iPod Touch. This has come in quite handy when I can’t find the remote for my Appple TV.

Now you can have that same fun and functionality with your XBMC (Xbox Media Center). The remote application (iTunes Link) allows you to control your XBMC with your iPhone or iPod Touch. You will clearly need an instance of XBMC (They just release a new multi-platform beta) running somewhere. Features include:

Play, queue and shuffle the media on XBMC
View cover art for albums, TV Shows and movies
View artist and album reviews and information
‘Standard’ remote mode. Control XBMC with standard remote buttons

You can pickup XBMC from iTunes for $4.99.

XBMC App For Your iPhone originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/09/19. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

XBMC ‘Atlantis’ Beta 1 Released

Frank — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:01:27 +0000

The uber cool open source media center application Xbox Media Center (XBMC) has just release the first beta of XBMC Atlantis for all platforms (Windows, OS X, Linux, Xbox, and even on a live cd or thumb drive). Don’t let the beta status scare you, these guys are really close to brining this to production. Mac OS X users get a pretty benefit out of their release, integrated iTunes and iPhoto support. This could easily replace Front Row on every Mac, even replace your AppleTV if you have a Mac Mini laying around.

XBMC is free as in beer and works on all platforms. It’s still in beta so if you experience a bug here or there report it, but it’s been running real smooth on my machine.

[Link to XBMC]

XBMC ‘Atlantis’ Beta 1 Released originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/09/19. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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10 Things You Can Do With A 360

Frank — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:18:43 +0000

Physical hacks are great but that requires a screwdriver and some form of mechanical instinct. So for those people who don’t fall under that type of user TechRadar has a great list of “10 things you never knew you can do with an Xbox 360″. For example did you know that you could do the following:

Connect your Xbox 360 to two screens at once
Play your own music in original Xbox games
It can write its own blog
Play Xbox 360 games online for free – without a Live account
Interact with your Xbox 360 music
Connect your Xbox 360 to a wireless network without an official adaptor
Play music from your iPod
Reset your Xbox 360 video settings
Play any media file, plus online videos on your Xbox 360
Use any HDMI cable and still get digital surround sound

Check out their detailed post on how to do any of the above.

10 Things You Can Do With A 360 originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/09/16. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Ultimate Arcade Cabinet

Frank — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:07:00 +0000

Last week we mention the Super Genintari which housed 4 classic console system. Well, today we take it one step further with the ultimate arcade cabinet. The C-MACC arcade cabinet can play virtually any emulated game thanks to the computer that is buried inside.

The unit also contains a Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and a few other game consoles, meaning you can literally play any game ever made on it. It comes with a set of custom controls on the front and even has buttons on the side for playing pinball. Total cost to build: $8,900. A bit pricey for the average Joe, but just imagine the years of entertainment a unit like this would bring.

[Link to Ultimate Arcade Cabinet]

Ultimate Arcade Cabinet originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/09/16. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Xbox 360 Wireless Interface

Frank — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:04:11 +0000

A crafty hacker on the benheck forums decided that building a portable Xbox had been done so instead he decided to build a wireless video interface for his Xbox 360. The device acts more like a “thin client” and streams whatever his Xbox is playing. The unit has a 1.2GHz A/V receiver and the guts of a wireless controller. It’s powered by two 2600mAh batteries running at 7.5V and even has it’s own built in charging circuit.

It’s a crafty build and great for playing Xbox games while wondering around the house. Plus, it will keep your girl friend/wife off your back for hogging up the TV.

Xbox 360 Wireless Interface originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/09/15. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

360 Chatpad On A PSP

Frank — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:57:22 +0000

Just because the Xbox 360 Chatpad box says that you need an Xbox 360 to make it work doesn’t mean that it won’t work on a PSP, with a bit of skill that is. All it takes is some patience and the willingness to try something different.

“Hey all talk a look at my Microsoft Xbox360 Chatpad connected to my PSP Phat and Slim. Thanks to Jean over at ps2dev.org and this project that he developed we can all have nice keyboards connected to our PSP’s. My PSP’s are running CFW 4.01 M33-2, a special version of piKey and a custom flash on the Chatpad. Text input is a breeze and it works with the Sony OSK (on screen keyboard) and the Danzeff OSK under AFKIM. It does not work with PSPWrite and other ZX-81 applications because they are not compiled to do so but Jean is working on a compatible drive to make them work natively.”

[Link to getting your Chatpad working on your PSP]

360 Chatpad On A PSP originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/09/07. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

XBMC Goes Cross Platform

Frank — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:15:25 +0000

Just because I purchased a 360 doesn’t mean my original Xbox sits in the closet. No, no, no, the entire family uses it as a powerful media center thanks to the homebrew app XBMC (Xbox Media Center), and now the XBMC is going cross platform. You can go and grab early alpha releases right now off their website for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The funny thing is that they can’t put the Xbox version up on their site for legal reasons (go figure).

XBMC is a robust and powerful media player that is skinnable, supports plugins like TV guides, and access to nearly 1750 movie trailers via Apple’s movie trailer site. It will play pretty much anything you throw at it and also supports all know audio formats as well a picture viewer.

This is just another great reason why the homebrew community can create and deliver such robust and effective applications.

[XBMC]

XBMC Goes Cross Platform originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/08/15. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Lian Li’s Xbox 360 Case

Frank — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:37:24 +0000

Sick and tired of the heat issue in your Xbox 360 that cases the evil red ring of death? Why not jam your 360 internals in one of these beautiful Lian Li cases specifically designed for the 360. The custom case, which will run you $150, promises silent vibration-free operation and a cooler running gaming experience.

The Lian Li PC-XB01 is shipping now and should be at your favorite Lian Li distributor.

Lian Li’s Xbox 360 Case originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/08/14. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Xbox Experience Interface

Frank — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:30:17 +0000

I’m not sure how this one got out of the bag, but the new Xbox Experience interface has gotten out of the bag and is making it’s way around the internets, in a video format no less. One of the new features that I am excited about is the ability to install games to your units internal hard drive. In the video: the installation, checking of the memory footprint, and launching of the actual game (You will still need the disc in the drive in order to play). I’m sure it won’t take hackers that long to bypass the disc protection. Enjoy.

Xbox Experience Interface originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/08/12. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Rockband 2 Release Dates

Frank — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:06:09 +0000

Waiting patiently for the arrival of Rockband 2? Wait no more, well mark your calendars, at least. Kotaku got their hands on some snaps from a retailer of the supposed release dates for the much anticipated game across all the major platforms.

Looks like the kiddies with Xbox 360′s will get it first followed by the PS3 and finally the Wii.

Rockband 2 Release Dates originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/08/05. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

FireNES – NES Games In Your Browser

Frank — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:53:57 +0000

For all of you hardcore 8-bit gamers, you can now play your favorite NES games right in your browser. Available exclusively for Firefox, FireNES allows you to browse and play through some 20,000 NES games. The beauty of it? You don’t need any additional software, just download the extension and it will run in Firefox no matter what OS you use.

Now if they could only create a PSP or XBox360 Firefox extension i’d be set.

FireNES

FireNES – NES Games In Your Browser originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/06/08. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Activision Files For DJ Hero Patent

Frank — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:12:22 +0000

The maker of the popular Guitar Hero franchise has recently filed for a trademark for the name â€œDJ Heroâ€.

The trademark makes reference to software to be released with a special controller, leading us to believe that we might soon be rocking out to an Oakenfold or Van Dyk techno track on a Xbox 360 enabled turntable.

What will they come up with next? Why not car wash hero? With a real scrub cloth?

Activision Files For DJ Hero Patent originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/02/19. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Xbox 360 Red Ring Of Death Repair Kit

Frank — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:40:54 +0000

Team Xecuter, whose beloved X2 Pro modchip for the original Xbox resides in all of my Xboxâ€™s at home, has developed a kit that fixes Xbox 360â€™s that have been affected by the red ring of death.

The kit, which only costs $12.95, comes with all the necessary Torx drivers to open your console and parts needed to repair your unit.

If the kit works as they claim, it would be a much quicker fix than sending your Xbox to Microsoft for repair. Team Xecuter is reporting that the repair kit will be available to the general market soon, although soon isnâ€™t soon enough for some of us.

Xbox 360 Red Ring Of Death Repair Kit originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/02/15. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Xbox Media Center Coming For The Mac?

Frank — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:01:09 +0000

For those of you who never toyed in the original Xbox hombrew sense Xbox Media Center was the end-all be-all of homebrew applications. It was originally created in 2002 and required either a hardware modchip or a software exploit on the Xbox to run.

XBMC was the ultimate media center application on the Xbox and I still run it on 2 Xboxâ€™s in my house, it offer a rich video experience and can play virtually any media file either off the internal hard drive or by way of a network share. This is why I’m ecstatic to possibly seeing it arrive for the Mac OS.

The Mac version looks to be very promising. With a Linux version also under development we may just see a common UI for a rich media center application across any platform.

The Mac end of the project is being headed up by Elan Feingold, who was just interviewed by 9 to 5 Mac which can be read here.

Xbox Media Center Coming For The Mac? originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/02/08. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Xbox 360 Elite Laptop

Frank — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:40:03 +0000

Looks like Ben Heck is at it again. The portable Xbox 360 features a Halo 3 theme, is based on the Elite’s internals, offers a 120 GB hard drive, new 65nm CPU, and a special DMI-to-DVI connector which keeps the signal digital all the way to the 17-inch screen.

Bundled in the uber-hack is a built in Xbox Live camera and WiFi, so itâ€™s truly as portable as you can get. I need me one of these for those long road trips. It sure beats watching cable when your stuck in some hotel room.

Xbox 360 Elite Laptop originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/02/04. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Modchipper Hides Cash In Gutted Colsoles

Frank — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:25:47 +0000

Authorities found $23,758 USD jammed inside of four game consoles that belonged to a man suspected of running an illegal PSP memory card and chipping outfit. Videogamer is reporting that during the bust at the manâ€™s home in London England, cops started taking apart consoles with the hopes of finding illegal mod chips; to their surprise the found bags of cash where the hard drive should have been.

All monies were found in an original Xbox and 2 PS2s. No next-get consoles were harmed during the raid.

Modchipper Hides Cash In Gutted Colsoles originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/01/31. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Xbox Live Lawsuit Worth Pennies

Frank — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 04:23:19 +0000

Remember the class action lawsuit we talked about a few days ago that claimed over $5 million in damages for all for all Xbox Live downtime? Gaming Steve did some math and figured out that for a $50 a year Gold service membership, one day of outage is worth approximately $0.14. Tally that up to 6 days of outages, that comes out to $0.84, or a total of $2.52 in total for the 3 people who filed the suit in Texas.

Of course you can do all of the math you want until you read the Xbox Live Terms of Use; clause 16 states “We Make No Warranty: We provide the Service ‘as-is,’ ‘with all faults’ and ‘as available”. I guess people should just be happy that they are getting a free game out of the whole deal.

Xbox Live Lawsuit Worth Pennies originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/01/09. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

MediaLink Mac – PS3 Media Sharing

Frank — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:00:23 +0000

The guys over at Nullriver have given Mac and PS3 users something to rejoice. MediaLink Mac will be released later this week and will give some Conect360 style media sharing to the Playstation 3. The software will provide true integration with a Mac. It’s about time that people get some sort of PS3/Mac integration, and what better that Nullriver coming through, after all they did create Connect360 for Xbox 360/Mac lovers. No price announced yet, but i’m sure it will probably be around the $20 mark since thats what they charge for Connect360.

MediaLink Mac – PS3 Media Sharing originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/01/08. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Xbox Live Lawsuit

Frank — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:33:57 +0000

It seems that a sincere apology and a free arcade game isn’t enough to satisfy the rage that some Xbox Live lovers have been suffering. Three Texans slapped the evil empire with a class action lawsuit this past Friday, claiming that the outrage and disruption of service is a breech of the Terms of Use contract that all Xbox Live users have. The suit claims that total damages exceed $5 million. Yes I said $5 million.

Looks like Microsoft will have to pony up more than a free arcade game to keep their users happy.

Xbox Live Lawsuit originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/01/06. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

Xbox Live Compensates Gamers With Free Game

Frank — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 16:01:37 +0000

The evil empire’s online gaming service, Xbox Live, has been plagued with all sorts of problems for several days now, and they are now ponying up to all of the disgruntled gamers, 8 million of them worldwide, by offering a downloadable game.

Xbox Live General Manager Mark Whitten said that the problem stemmed from a massive increase in new users who got there shinny new units for Christmas. Convenient excuse or just not prepared, what do you think?

Xbox Live Compensates Gamers With Free Game originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/01/05. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

XBMC Coming To The Mac

Frank — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:20:01 +0000

Everyone’s favorite media center software for the Xbox, Xbox Media Center (or XBMC), is coming for Leopard. XBMC is designed to run on the original Microsoft Xbox console and it’s got one of the best media center interfaces around (I have 2 original Xbox’s at home to do just that, run XBMC).

The guys over at XBMC have been working to get the software ported over to Linux, and if it can work on Linux it should be able to work in Leopard. Elan over on the XBMC forums thought so, so he hacked together a close-to-working version on XBMC on Leopard. No final releases have ben built yet but I can smell me some XBMC on my mac any day now.

XBMC Coming To The Mac originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2008/01/04. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

EA and Hasbro to dust off board games

Frank — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

EA and Hasbro have joined forces to bring you those classic board games that we all grew up with and loved.

The agreement gives EA the exclusive worldwide tight to create digital versions of the classic board games. Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Nerf, Tonka and Littlest Pet Shop could hit the shelves in early 2008. EA will then develop “interactive experiences for a mass audience to play across key platforms including mobile, online, handheld, PC and consoles,” the companies said.

My only concern is that the gaming industry is running out of ideas. Then again, just imagine how cool the graphics will be on the Xbox 360 when you finally get the building on Park Ave.

EA and Hasbro to dust off board games originally appeared on tech.nocr.at on 2007/08/11. Reproduction of content not allowed without consent.

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