Xbox replacement DVD drive

APHawkes · Post by **APHawkes** » Fri May 16, 2008 4:01 pm

I think so. Once you've got the Xbox modded enough to run unsigned code then it should also have the restriction about requiring a genuine XBOX DVD drive.

Shouldn't be too hard to try out first, no?

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Fri May 16, 2008 4:28 pm

I'm pretty sure it has to be modded (soft mod or chip). I think you also have to short a couple of the yellow wires (dunno which) that go to the original DVD drive for power, so that it thinks the original is still there.

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Fri May 16, 2008 5:08 pm

if it a computer dvd drive i almost sure it has to be moded but if you can get an other xbox dvd drive you should be fine.

ffrr · Post by **ffrr** » Tue May 20, 2008 10:20 am

what's wrong with your original DVDrom drive?

If it's a laser problem they are dirt cheap to buy new now and very easy to fit.

If you are after swapping the original drive for an after market / non original xbox drive take a look on the xbox.scene site under tutorials > hardware addons / modifications > DVD Drive modifications - tab.

APHawkes · Post by **APHawkes** » Wed May 21, 2008 6:52 am

I'm having similar thoughts about my xbox laptop. For those who don't know, the DVD drive is about 8" deep x 1-5/8" tall x 6" wide. If you've got a mod (chip may be necessary) you can eliminate the drive entirely. Maybe make it an external drive? Not sure where you're headed with this project, but if you get a large laptop drive to replace the standard one, then you can largely do away with the drive.

APHawkes · Post by **APHawkes** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:31 am

I wish I could tell you. My xbox is in pieces at the moment. I'm in the "it has to get worse before it gets better" stage.

When I get home tonight I'll try to connect the pieces to see if it'll startup without the DVD drive. I have a softmod (did a Hot-swap) so we'll see. I really think you'd either need a mod chip or you'd have to flash the EEPROM/TSOP, as the detection of the HDD and DVD is done fairly early in the boot process.

-=FamilyGuy=- · Post by **-=FamilyGuy=-** » Thu May 22, 2008 9:02 am

I think you don't need the dvd-drive to be present. Maybe just short some wire like vskid said.

This guy : http://customportables.com/xbox%201.5.htm

Actually softmodded his XBOX and made a no-dvd portable. Games are loaded from the HDD or via LAN and are put on the HDD by reconnecting the dvd-drive or sending the files by LAN.

I hope it helped !

FG

APHawkes · Post by **APHawkes** » Thu May 22, 2008 9:51 am

-=FamilyGuy=- wrote:I think you don't need the dvd-drive to be present. Maybe just short some wire like vskid said.

Found this page after a bit of hunting:
http://www.xbox-linux.org/docs/pcdvd.html
My guess is that you have to power the "CD_READY" pin with the 5v supplied to "trick" the board into thinking that the drive is attached and ready. Maybe power the "TRAY_IN" as well to indicate that the disc tray really is closed.

APHawkes · Post by **APHawkes** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:10 pm

You'd need a few more pins than the IDE cable would have (for power, obviously). It's another enclosure to build, or maybe you could hack a pre-made one. It depends how much the space means to you. For me, I wanted a laptop that was a full true-blue xbox, no compromises.

The "mini" USB keyboard I got from tiger direct is about 7/16" thick. Thinner ones exist (Apple keyboard is OMG super-thin).