Xbox 360: Mod chip/Flash

Groundhog · 12-11-2006, 06:44 PM

So I was at the mall last nite trying to stop myself from buying Gears of War when I started chatting to this guy about the xbox 360. I was telling him how great I thought the console was, but that I was a little peeved that some titles (College Hoops 2k7) are unavailable to me thanks to region coding. This guy then tells me that he knows a guy who can install a mod chip/flash device in my 360 that will bypass the security and make my xbox region free.

Firstly, am I being taken for a ride? I didn't know these things existed for the 360. Secondly, I know these things aren't exactly legal, in the States at least. Over here there was some legal action a few years ago regarding Sony and mod chip makers. I'm not sure exactly how it ended up, but I believe that they are more "shady" than illegal now, and we are far more lenient on the issue than overseas.

I was also told that modding it in this way would not affect my ability to use Live or anything else.

As a disclaimer, I have no intention of using this to "make backup copies of my games" (ie. pirate software), just to play titles that will not be released in my region.

Eaglesfan27 · 12-11-2006, 06:50 PM

I'm far from an expert, but my understanding (from casual reading of a few tech savvy sites) is that Live could somehow tell if a 360 was modded and that modding it may inhibit your ability to use Live.

SackAttack · 12-11-2006, 07:51 PM

Groundhog, hackers have had, from my understanding, a booger of a time solving the Xbox 360. That may be relative, but an acquaintance of mine who, in the past, has been given to download pirated software, said that he isn't even bothering with such on his 360. That "Microsoft won."

That said, not all 360 games are region-locked; typically, that appears to be a publisher decision, and the guys behind College Hoops 2k7, 2K Sports, are one of the publishers that seem to be firmly in the 'just say no to region-free' camp.

It WILL void your warranty, and it CAN interfere with your Live activities, so do keep your head about you on this one.

Yellow5 · 12-11-2006, 08:43 PM

I know there was a firmware hack to get around this but it has finally been detected with Xbox Live and folks have been banned.

edit: And just found out there is a new mod chip for the 360 but I have no idea if it can be detected on Live or not.

Groundhog · 12-11-2006, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SackAttack

That said, not all 360 games are region-locked; typically, that appears to be a publisher decision, and the guys behind College Hoops 2k7, 2K Sports, are one of the publishers that seem to be firmly in the 'just say no to region-free' camp.

It WILL void your warranty, and it CAN interfere with your Live activities, so do keep your head about you on this one.

I bought College Hoops 2K6 from the states from Ebay, popped it in my xbox 360 and got the invalid region error, so it appears that 2K are not (or were not) in that camp unfortunately.

The warranty is my biggest concern at this moment.

SackAttack · 12-11-2006, 08:55 PM

Yup, like I say, I think 2K are basically giving other regions the finger, but since most of their console games are fairly region-specific in terms of interest to begin with...

It's not a MS thing, though - it's definitely a publisher thing. I have FM for 360 that works just fine on my American 360.

Groundhog · 12-11-2006, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow5

I know there was a firmware hack to get around this but it has finally been detected with Xbox Live and folks have been banned.

edit: And just found out there is a new mod chip for the 360 but I have no idea if it can be detected on Live or not.

I phoned the number the guy gave me a few hours ago and the dude that answered told me that Live does not detect the hack, and that he was playing a US copy of Gears of War on xbox live at the very moment I called him.

He said it's not a mod chip, but a "flash device" - whatever that means. I'm currently googling for xbox 360 flash but all I'm coming up with are hacks to run flash animations on your xbox...

Another thing that makes me feel a little safer about all this is that he gave me his home address to drop the console off, so I know where this dude lives in case he has been feeding me BS.

Right now I'm leaning towards doing this. It costs $140AU (like $110US), and I'm dying to play College Hoops.

MacroGuru · 12-11-2006, 10:37 PM

Honestly, I have to say, that Microsoft does a eprom detect, and will lock it out if they detect the modification...if it's a flash drive mod, that is an interesting concept, but still, I think it would be detected by Live and block your access...all I can say is be careful, or you might sit on a $399 paperweight, the schematics are out for the 360, it's slowly being worked on for the mods to go as deep as the original, but I don't think it will hit to far to soon.

Groundhog · 12-11-2006, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

Honestly, I have to say, that Microsoft does a eprom detect, and will lock it out if they detect the modification...if it's a flash drive mod, that is an interesting concept, but still, I think it would be detected by Live and block your access...all I can say is be careful, or you might sit on a $399 paperweight, the schematics are out for the 360, it's slowly being worked on for the mods to go as deep as the original, but I don't think it will hit to far to soon.

Well, if the worst case scenario is no xbox live, I'm willing to take the risk. 95% of my gaming is offline.

I'm going to research for the next week or so and so what I can find out about this flash mod.

Yellow5 · 12-12-2006, 08:24 AM

It's probbaly the NME mod from Team Underdog. They claim that it's 100% firmware stealth. I personally don't have a need for it right now on my 360 but would be interested to hear your results.

Groundhog · 12-12-2006, 06:26 PM

Just did some reading, and apparently this NME mod (if that is indeed the same one as the guy I contacted plans to use) sits between the DVD player and the motherboard, making it undetectable. Really, I wonder how exactly MS would be able to ever detect something like that?

Icy · 12-13-2006, 05:39 PM

I have been reading about it before purchasing my xbox360 for exactly same reasons than you, to be able to play US games like College Hoops that i really miss after enjoying greatly NBA2k7.

If you want to play region coded games, the only way is using a mod chip, the flash thing is to play backups/pirated games, but not to play other region games.

There are some chips, NME is one, Globe 360 is another. Both are supposedly to be undetectable and nobody has been banned yet for using them online but... you never know if they are just allowed as Microsoft wants their monthly income from Gold memberships, or if they will end banned. Nobody has been banned for the flash trick, there was a rumor about it, but denied in most of the Xbox hacking sites.

Again I'm not sure if Microsoft will want to ban anybody knowing that you pay monthly to play online so baning you they lose big money too. About detecting it, i guess it's just about a Microsoft tech buying the chip and programming a tool to detect it of they really want to do it.

In resume, you need a mod chip to play imports, by now nobody has been banned but nobody knows about future. Online is the only reason i have not modded my xbox already, i want to play it and don't want to be banned, but I'm really tempted just because some companies like 2k sports don't' release their games region free as a lot of other developers do.

[Rant mode /ON ]

That leads to another discussion, why do companies like 2K sport release their games region locked? I know most of Europeans don't know about College sports for example, but even if we are a hundred or two, that could be a hundred or two more sales. Even worse is that they locked also their baseball game, when there are a lot of Baseball fans outside USA that would buy it.

It really pisses me and i can't find a good reason, in fact i think they are pushing us to mod our consoles. I did it in my PS2 just to play usa games, and you know what? i end downloading most of them instead of buying them as i have my PS2 already modded. At the end, they are inciting me to pirate games, while my main reason to mod it was not to play pirated games but to be able to play USA region games.

To prove what i'm saying, by now my 360 is not modded when i could have the flash done in 20 minutes, there are tons of tutorials about how to do it, but the only reason is to play pirated games, that i don't have any interest on doing. But, if the mod chip ends not being detected, I'll buy it to play USA games and probably that will lead to me also downloading some pirated games too. That could have been avoided by making all the games region free as a lot of companies do (for example, the new Raimbow Six is region Free, and a lot more too). Too bad games companies don't care about what their customers demand, but then they get so pissed then their games are pirated.

This is the evolution of the problem:

1- I buy a new console that is region codded. (Crap, can't play USA games)
2- There is a way to mod your console to play pirated games, (I don't care, i buy all my games).
3- There is a chip to mod your console to play USA games (...umm i'm interested now).
4- I put the chip in the console. (nice i can buy and play USA games).
5- A friend offers me his hundred of pirated games that i can play for free in my modded console. (Umm why not to give them a shoot just to test them before buying?).
6- I end getting the pirated games instead of buying them. While I agree that moral is also involved, step 1 leads to step 6 for a lot of guys i know, including me for the PS2, not for the Xbox360 as i'm afraid of loosing my Live account.

[Rant mode /OFF ]

Groundhog · 12-13-2006, 07:09 PM

Your 6-step evolution is pretty much spot on. Right now I've been reading about the various mods and hacks - all just to try and get region-free ability on my console - and already I've come across pirated xbox 360 games available for free download. I wasn't aware of this and probably wouldn't have been for some time if I didn't just want to play frickin College Hoops 2K7.

Also re: 2K Sports, it really boggles the mind. I sent them an e-mail a few months ago asking if there were any plans to release CH 2K7 in my region, and within hours they replied "No". Then I replied back and asked if they were at least releasing the title region free, and they didn't even respond at all.

Icy · 12-14-2006, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Also re: 2K Sports, it really boggles the mind. I sent them an e-mail a few months ago asking if there were any plans to release CH 2K7 in my region, and within hours they replied "No". Then I replied back and asked if they were at least releasing the title region free, and they didn't even respond at all.

If you read their official forums, you will see them full of requests from europeans about releasng their games region free, none of them has been answered. Some guys have also emailed them a lot of times without answer either.

12-11-2006, 06:50 PM	#2
Eaglesfan27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: New Jersey	I'm far from an expert, but my understanding (from casual reading of a few tech savvy sites) is that Live could somehow tell if a 360 was modded and that modding it may inhibit your ability to use Live. __________________ Retired GM of the eNFL 2007 Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles (19-0 record.) GM of the WOOF 2006 Doggie Bowl Champion Atlantic City Gamblers. GM of the IHOF 2019 and 2022 IHOF Bowl Champion Asheville Axemen.

12-11-2006, 08:43 PM	#4
Yellow5 High School Varsity Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tacoma, Wa.	I know there was a firmware hack to get around this but it has finally been detected with Xbox Live and folks have been banned. edit: And just found out there is a new mod chip for the 360 but I have no idea if it can be detected on Live or not. __________________ Xbox Gamertag: m0nk3y b0t Last edited by Yellow5 : 12-11-2006 at 08:46 PM.

12-11-2006, 10:37 PM	#8
MacroGuru Coordinator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Utah	Honestly, I have to say, that Microsoft does a eprom detect, and will lock it out if they detect the modification...if it's a flash drive mod, that is an interesting concept, but still, I think it would be detected by Live and block your access...all I can say is be careful, or you might sit on a $399 paperweight, the schematics are out for the 360, it's slowly being worked on for the mods to go as deep as the original, but I don't think it will hit to far to soon. __________________ "forgetting what is in the past, I strive for the future"

12-12-2006, 08:24 AM	#10
Yellow5 High School Varsity Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tacoma, Wa.	It's probbaly the NME mod from Team Underdog. They claim that it's 100% firmware stealth. I personally don't have a need for it right now on my 360 but would be interested to hear your results. __________________ Xbox Gamertag: m0nk3y b0t

12-12-2006, 06:26 PM	#11
Groundhog Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia	Just did some reading, and apparently this NME mod (if that is indeed the same one as the guy I contacted plans to use) sits between the DVD player and the motherboard, making it undetectable. Really, I wonder how exactly MS would be able to ever detect something like that? __________________ Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. --Ambrose Bierce

12-11-2006, 07:51 PM	#3
SackAttack Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Green Bay, WI	Groundhog, hackers have had, from my understanding, a booger of a time solving the Xbox 360. That may be relative, but an acquaintance of mine who, in the past, has been given to download pirated software, said that he isn't even bothering with such on his 360. That "Microsoft won." That said, not all 360 games are region-locked; typically, that appears to be a publisher decision, and the guys behind College Hoops 2k7, 2K Sports, are one of the publishers that seem to be firmly in the 'just say no to region-free' camp. It WILL void your warranty, and it CAN interfere with your Live activities, so do keep your head about you on this one.

12-11-2006, 08:55 PM	#6
SackAttack Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Green Bay, WI	Yup, like I say, I think 2K are basically giving other regions the finger, but since most of their console games are fairly region-specific in terms of interest to begin with... It's not a MS thing, though - it's definitely a publisher thing. I have FM for 360 that works just fine on my American 360.

12-13-2006, 05:39 PM	#12
Icy Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Toledo - Spain	I have been reading about it before purchasing my xbox360 for exactly same reasons than you, to be able to play US games like College Hoops that i really miss after enjoying greatly NBA2k7. If you want to play region coded games, the only way is using a mod chip, the flash thing is to play backups/pirated games, but not to play other region games. There are some chips, NME is one, Globe 360 is another. Both are supposedly to be undetectable and nobody has been banned yet for using them online but... you never know if they are just allowed as Microsoft wants their monthly income from Gold memberships, or if they will end banned. Nobody has been banned for the flash trick, there was a rumor about it, but denied in most of the Xbox hacking sites. Again I'm not sure if Microsoft will want to ban anybody knowing that you pay monthly to play online so baning you they lose big money too. About detecting it, i guess it's just about a Microsoft tech buying the chip and programming a tool to detect it of they really want to do it. In resume, you need a mod chip to play imports, by now nobody has been banned but nobody knows about future. Online is the only reason i have not modded my xbox already, i want to play it and don't want to be banned, but I'm really tempted just because some companies like 2k sports don't' release their games region free as a lot of other developers do. [Rant mode /ON ] That leads to another discussion, why do companies like 2K sport release their games region locked? I know most of Europeans don't know about College sports for example, but even if we are a hundred or two, that could be a hundred or two more sales. Even worse is that they locked also their baseball game, when there are a lot of Baseball fans outside USA that would buy it. It really pisses me and i can't find a good reason, in fact i think they are pushing us to mod our consoles. I did it in my PS2 just to play usa games, and you know what? i end downloading most of them instead of buying them as i have my PS2 already modded. At the end, they are inciting me to pirate games, while my main reason to mod it was not to play pirated games but to be able to play USA region games. To prove what i'm saying, by now my 360 is not modded when i could have the flash done in 20 minutes, there are tons of tutorials about how to do it, but the only reason is to play pirated games, that i don't have any interest on doing. But, if the mod chip ends not being detected, I'll buy it to play USA games and probably that will lead to me also downloading some pirated games too. That could have been avoided by making all the games region free as a lot of companies do (for example, the new Raimbow Six is region Free, and a lot more too). Too bad games companies don't care about what their customers demand, but then they get so pissed then their games are pirated. This is the evolution of the problem: 1- I buy a new console that is region codded. (Crap, can't play USA games) 2- There is a way to mod your console to play pirated games, (I don't care, i buy all my games). 3- There is a chip to mod your console to play USA games (...umm i'm interested now). 4- I put the chip in the console. (nice i can buy and play USA games). 5- A friend offers me his hundred of pirated games that i can play for free in my modded console. (Umm why not to give them a shoot just to test them before buying?). 6- I end getting the pirated games instead of buying them. While I agree that moral is also involved, step 1 leads to step 6 for a lot of guys i know, including me for the PS2, not for the Xbox360 as i'm afraid of loosing my Live account. [Rant mode /OFF ] __________________ Last edited by Icy : 12-13-2006 at 05:51 PM.

12-13-2006, 07:09 PM	#13
Groundhog Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia	Your 6-step evolution is pretty much spot on. Right now I've been reading about the various mods and hacks - all just to try and get region-free ability on my console - and already I've come across pirated xbox 360 games available for free download. I wasn't aware of this and probably wouldn't have been for some time if I didn't just want to play frickin College Hoops 2K7. Also re: 2K Sports, it really boggles the mind. I sent them an e-mail a few months ago asking if there were any plans to release CH 2K7 in my region, and within hours they replied "No". Then I replied back and asked if they were at least releasing the title region free, and they didn't even respond at all. __________________ Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. --Ambrose Bierce

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