Xbox Mini

talking_walnut

Hey,

Just wondering if anyone here has made an Xbox Mini? I got a 360 recently and while it's good, the media playback has nothing on XBMC on the original.

I'm thinking of starting small. 3.5" drives to 2.5" drives. That should save a load of space and I think I've an old laptop to cannibalise for the parts. Further down the line I'd like to replace the PSU with an ATX one to save space, replace the old laptop parts with new ones, and eventually replacing the case.

Has anyone done this themselves? If they have is there anything I should watch out for? It's been a good while since I've messed around inside my Xbox so I've forgotten a lot.

witnessmenow

You'd want to replace the DVD drive as well, a Regular DVD drive to Laptop DVD drive would be a bigger saving that a 3.5" to 2.5" HD

talking_walnut

Oh ya sorry. I ment that too. Have 2x 2.5" to 3.5" IDE converters ordered off eBay. Guess I'll have to be patient and wait for them

Anyone know if the access time for IDE laptop drives is fast enough for smooth playback?

WellyJ

talking_walnut wrote: »

Oh ya sorry. I ment that too. Have 2x 2.5" to 3.5" IDE converters ordered off eBay. Guess I'll have to be patient and wait for them

Anyone know if the access time for IDE laptop drives is fast enough for smooth playback?

Of course it is,

They have the same RPM as the larger drives, 5400/7200 etc.

How do you think videos play on laptops

weeder

could always just go the whole hog and take the dvd out altogether

witnessmenow

The only thing is a slim DVD drive + a 2.5" HD are probably no wider than a xbox mobo, so if your going to build a Xbox mine you may aswell leave it in for completness.

There is a few of these already done that look pretty cool, Im not all that bothered about doing it myself as i dont know what I would house it in.

docentore

witnessmenow wrote: »

You'd want to replace the DVD drive as well, a Regular DVD drive to Laptop DVD drive would be a bigger saving that a 3.5" to 2.5" HD

How would you connect the eject button? I have slim dvd drive from ibook (slot loading) and I wonder how I could solve the eject problem.

appleidog

Kinetic^

The 2nd one is definately something I'd go for, looks really smart. I wonder if it has built in wifi.

witnessmenow

docentore wrote: »

How would you connect the eject button? I have slim dvd drive from ibook (slot loading) and I wonder how I could solve the eject problem.

I'd say you'd need to wire the eject button directly to your drive. Do you have the exact model of your CD drive? Dang i'm kinda of interested in doing it myself now... man i'm fickle!

docentore

witnessmenow wrote: »

I'd say you'd need to wire the eject button directly to your drive. Do you have the exact model of your CD drive? Dang i'm kinda of interested in doing it myself now... man i'm fickle!

will get that for you tomorrow. My dvd drive died few weeks ago, have samsung 616 with modded fw, but newer had chance to finish the mod.
I could try to do this instead...

gumballz

appleidog wrote: »

Nice looking Xbox!

docentore

witnessmenow wrote: »

I'd say you'd need to wire the eject button directly to your drive. Do you have the exact model of your CD drive? Dang i'm kinda of interested in doing it myself now... man i'm fickle!

hey witnessmenow, I've checked the model no. Its cw-8123-c from Matsu****a. There is no eject button (ibook version) but in original should be. I need to split it apart and have a look. Will update when done

docentore

tried the dvd drive yesterday. I wired eject button, it's working fine, but the drive conflicts with hdd. Tried the different setting on the hdd, CS, MA no joy. I think the dvd is set to master, I tried to bridge adaptor to force it to slave, no joy.
It's either an adaptor or the drive, I don't wan't to spend any money on new adaptor so I think I'll leave it for now.

Anyone one has a spare adaptor for laptop cd-rom drive to IDE? just for testing, I will give it back as soon as checked

GrumPy

It's so pretty!