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360 get another retail tilt mod: the BestTilt
Whether or not you think the Xbox 360 needs motion control is irrelevant, because somebody wants to sell it to you. First there was the DIY tiltBoard that was picked up by Talismoon for mass production. Now Xbox-Scene informs us that Team Xtender is jumping into the fray with its tilt mod, the XCM BestTilt. The video above shows the BestTilt in action. Team Xtender boasts that their tilt modification bests other offerings with its simple plug and play operation. We like the idea, but there appears to be some lag between tilt input and game output. We weren't thrilled with Team Xtender's XFPS keyboard and mouse adapter, so we suggest you wait on some reviews before you lay down your money for the BestTilt.There doesn't appear to be a product listing for the BestTilt at Team Xtender's website yet, so price and release date remain unknown.
Linux invades the Xbox 360
Oh those Hypervisor Vulnerabilities! They open up our Xbox 360s to all kinds of shenanigans. Just three weeks ago, the first proof of concept hack utilizing the Hypervisor Vulnerability was released, and now we've reached the next benchmark: Linux. We're not sure what compels hackers to wedge Linux onto every possible platform, from iPods to Xboxes, but that's not really the point. The point is that the Xbox 360 has been successfully hacked and is running practical unsigned code. Of course, you'll still need the proper kernels (4532 or 4548) which were updated some time ago to combat this very possibility.As usual, we won't pretend to understand all the technical jibba jabba, so we point you to our friends at Xbox-Scene, where you can learn all you need to know. Should you decide to dabble in Linux (or something else) on your Xbox 360, let us know how it goes.Anyone out there itching to give it a try?
New "super quiet" DVD drive for 360s
Our friends at Xbox-Scene have discovered that a new "super quiet" DVD drive is sneaking its way into Xbox 360 consoles. The BenQ drive (model VAD6038) is reportedly much quieter than previous drives and it even seems to load information faster. The drive was apparently incorporated into the Xbox 360 during the Christmas season last year, and 360 owners with a console manufactured in November 2006 or later may have the drive in their console. Of course, the drive wasn't incorporated across all manufacturing lines at the same time, so a November 2006 manufacturing date does not guarantee a new drive. Now if they could just cram those cheaper, cooler 65nm chips in there, we'd have us an icy cold, quiet 360.While the new drive is a blessing for 360 owners with sensitive ears (I swear mine is getting louder now), it presents a new hurdle for L337 H4XX0RZ, as there is currently no modified firmware for the new drive. Rest assured, someone will analyze the hardware and create a hack. See? Everybody wins.Would you be willing to buy a new 360 just for a quieter DVD drive?[Via Joystiq]
Xbox 360 sporting new 'super-quiet' internal DVD drives
The Xbox-Scene forums are abuzz with news that some newly built Xbox 360 consoles (manufactured November 2006 and up) are trading in their previously noisy (and we mean loud) DVD drives for the "super-quiet" BenQ VAD6038. But just cause it's quiet, doesn't mean it can't keep up with its two noisier predecessors; the new drive is reported to load "stuff a bit faster and smoother." Stuff, eh? Imagine it: this drive coupled with those smaller, cooler (and delayed) 65nm chips, maybe an HDMI port for good measure, and all of a sudden our old-model 360 (which is gonna need a clever nickname) will be looking less like the firstborn and more like a redheaded stepchild.[Via Engadget]
Install an SATA drive in your 360
Xbox modders extraordinaire, Xbox-Scene, have posted a method for installing an SATA hard drive into your 360. Before you run out to buy a 100GB hard drive to slap into your 360, you should know there are a few caveats. First, it must be a Western Digital BEVS brand hard drive. Second, you're still limited to 20GB of space (essentially, the hack copies the ID information from an official hard drive). Also, it's not a one click solution, so you'll need some technological know-how to make this work. In fact, just looking at the instructions makes us nervous. Still, if you've got the L337 5K1LLz and you don't want to waste 100 bucks on an official Microsoft drive, you may want to check it out.It's worth noting that when Microsoft releases a larger hard drive, the hack will be able to utilize the same amount of space. Hit the "read" link for all the details.
Xbox 360 getting an HDMI port soon?
That is the latest rumor from Xbox-Scene, who were also sent the requisite fuzzy picture of what is purported to be an Xbox 360 motherboard with HDMI-out equipped. No word from the anonymous source if this is actually coming soon (or ever), if it could be part of the HD DVD-equipped Xbox 360 that isn't planned, or just a mockup of some kind. We also don't know if this would be a deep color 1080p capable HDMI 1.3 output or...well really anything at all just yet but it makes for an interesting picture. Do you need a digital output on your next-gen console or are you proudly analog forever?[Via Engadget]
More liquid cooling goodness
Liquid cooling is the new black it seems. The boys at Xbox-Scene give us the first glimpse at a do-it-yourself liquid cooling kit for the Xbox 360. While it may not be as "cool" as the internally cooled 360 we covered last week, this kit from Koolance promises to keep your 'box frosty for the incredibly affordable price of US $394.99. An undertaking of this magnitude can be very difficult and Koolance warns that it is "not for the faint of heart." Let me ask all the modders out there: for that price, how cool does your 360 need to be?
Water + 360 = Cool
Behold the internally water cooled 360. As noted by Xbox-Scene, there have been other -- more Frankensteinian -- water cooled 360s, but this is the first to be completely internal. All the hardware is inside the case itself. No easy task, to be sure. Dano2k0, creator of the mod, explains his inspiration: "It had been talked about in the past about having a complete internal watercooling system and everyone doubted it would ever be possible due to the lack of space. This is when i got the idea of pulling off the impossible, and it hit my requirements perfect, a completly [sic] portable solution with the cooling needs i was after, in the exact same original sized case." One time, I tried to cool my 360 by pouring water into the disc drive ... it didn't work. [Thanks Revadarth and GP2S]
