X-box Media Center
 

Ok, before I get started, I just want everyone to know that I dont have alot of answers to the technical part of this, all I know is that Im REALLY happy with the results.

I was over at a friends house one night and he showed me how he basically took apart his X-box, added a mod chip and now he is able to store all of his mp3's, x box games, video game emulators, videos, and just about everything else that the "carputers" that I was looking at could do.

All I needed to buy to make it work was a mod chip (smartxx) and an RF remote controller. All together with the chip, the controller, and the dinner I had to buy him for doing it, I have a kick ass system for under $150 bucks. Now you have to figure in that I have an AVElectronics video switcher, so that I can input into the monitor, but the screen resolution is awesome, even though the pictures dont show it.

The only problem I have with it is that I have to use a power inverter to power the xbox, since there is no 12 volt adapter. And its giving me a little backround noise that I dont like... So I will have to find a solution for that.... Otherwise... Its pretty damned cool...

The first screen is the startup menu that pops up after the X-box logo comes up..(my buddy changed it from green to red for me!) The mazda logo screen comes on anytime a program is loading.... and then all the menus pop up... I have about 6 different skins, but I like this one the best.
And NO... this isnt a photoshop job guys!

more pics

more screen shots

and the controller im using....matches pretty well with the interior...and its RF not line of sight.... so it works without having to point it at anything =)

sure...ill hop on a plane to Phoenix and be there in about 8 hours... =)

that is what I've been trying to to forever...arrrrggghh I have the xbox modded already with 250gig HD, it is just laying around but no way to get the video into the Nav monitor with a decent signal

I want to use the Xbox HDTV output box I have...and pump out the highest resolution I can onto our monitor...with virtually no noise...that way the signal will be almost as good as a computer hooked up to an LCD monitor

flyboyindy...now that you have the xbox setup down you want to help in the quest for High resolution inputing?

for now I may just get a cheap composite to RGBs converter so I can atleast use the XBox as a huge music server/video server while I wait for a higher resolution solution...since I'll have the auxin audio by next week :)

just so you know this is underconsideration at the moment: Extron CVC-200 for high quality conversion...not just transcoding

Actually, I think the video signal isnt too bad...its that damned converter thats giving me trouble... does anyone have a solution?

but the signal could be about twice a good with you using a 480 or higher output of your xbox

omg thats insane! i wish i bought mine with a navi. :(

hey that background noise is probably not caused by the inverter (did you get an inverter you can ground?)

others have hooked up ps2s and xboxs on the AVelectronic unit and that noise is pretty standard...since you have a static image....noise is produced primarily from the interlaced image (ask antichristpm he is becoming a guru on our nav display's video specs)

if we can get a progressive signal into the monitor those problems will subside

(this is a hint to help me in my quest people :))

Looks sweet!

Bill I havent seen you in ages!! I really want to see the bluemobile in person! Email me and lets meet up soon!

Later dude!

were did you put the xbox
 

you are the man that is the coolest car av thing i seen in my life but were did you put your xbox ??

The X-box is in the trunk next to my AVelectronics tuner and 6 disc changer. I wouldnt say its the coolest thing ever...but for the little bit of money I put into it, I think its pretty bad ass =)

flyboy I think it is damn cool

Very nice. It looks like your using the Evo-X dash. I'm making an Unleash-X skin that has a better GUI and animated backgrounds. I'll post it here in the near future. Xbox friggin' ownz all.

TxRx8

I was wondering when someone would do this mod. I just don't have the money for the navi..
I didn't buy it with the car.:( What evox ver. are you running?

Abbid,
Get a X-box if you do not have one and come over some time.

How does that work with the audio? People around here are still trying to figure an easy way to hook electronics up to the stock HU.

Maz/Alp PIE adaptor...do a search on it...or you can solder an aux in straight onto the HU or CDplayer unit

New Pics
 

Here are some pics of the new menu system for my xbox media center.... The color of the red matches perfectly on the computer, but not as well in the car, so i wll be working on that. It actually looks pretty good for just a few minutes playing around... Sorry the pics are a little blurry~!

I had the same setup on my 2K jetta before I sold it... it runs great! Killer job on the install, flyboyindy! :)

Maaaaaan... now I gotta move my xbox to my car.

I have a 300W inverter and when I use it to power my laptop my navi screen is also getting noise.

Does the navi still work?
 

Outstanding job...looks incredible. Can you access the navigation while using the Xbox as an MP3 player?

he is using the avelectronic box...all you need to do is push a button and it swtiches

yeah... what he said =P

Several of you have asked for the skin jpegs that I made for my X-box. Here are the jpegs if you want to use them.

What about sound?


I've been planning to do this for a while.

it does sound switching too...for audio in you need a pie box

talk to Thew he owns rx8garage.net and is a vendor here...he carries the av unit, will be carrying the pie unit for audio too...plus he is looking into a plug and play solution for the video

PM him

Hey...Truemagellan... How bout letting me answer some of these! =P Actually, I have the older stereo, so I am using the tape deck mod, until the Sylfex AUX In mod is ready...

hey flyboy...thanks for the pics! any mods I do to my xbox I'll upload them for you

I can only give you general advice about powering your X-box.

The X-box like most electronics needs DC not AC power. I typical computer power supply (like the one in the X-box), takes in AC and outputs DC to motherboard.

It doesn't make much sense to do a DC to AC inversion just to do another AC to DC conversion.

What you need is a 12 volt in DC/DC computer power supply. With any luck you can find one that swaps out directly with the one in the X-box or fits inside with a little modification. But even if it didn't fit in the case, you wouldn't need to inverter and thus the solution would take up about the same amount of space you are already using.

I did a quick search and here is one I came up with. Looks pretty small and 200 Watts should be enough.

http://store.mini-box.com/ituner/pw1220atxmip1.html

-Mr. Wigggles

hey guys I really love flyboyindy's xbox setup and I want to thank him for reminding me how great a modded xbox can be :) so I'm adding mine soon (wireless controllers and all :)). I also want to thank Thew at rx8garage.net for upgrading my Head Unit since I was running 9.53 and couldn't use the PIE auxilary input adapter...now I get crystal clear audio in for my xbox and portable MP3 player!!!!!

Thought I'd pop in and share my 2 cents.

I have 2 xbox modded, dating from when it came out on the store shelves. All these box can do .... awesome. But I'm realizing that I'm using the xbox much more for my movies or any other videos than for games.

As you guys are using the xbox in a car, mainly for video/audio I guess (unless you feel like playing Toca2 is heavy traffic lineups), having XBOX MEDIA CENTER straight as a dash is not a bad idea. When powering up the xbox, you don't end up on the EVOX dash or any other dash, it will simply boot up straight in the XBMC (where you always go anwyay to play your files)...

The XBMC acts pretty good as a dash, loads your games, programs, videos, audio, all from the same place. It's also highly customizable, so you can have your Mazda look & feel.

Have a nice day

(I won't do this mod since I don't have a NAV system... But those little nav/screens looks pretty darn cool to own... on the pictures it looked like the screen perfectly fits in the top compartment - this is not a mod? I have a top compartment on my Mazda6 2004, have they designed a nav-screen to perfectly fit in THAT compartment?)


Krass

hey Krass...the NAV (including that motorized screen that goes up when you turn on the car and down when you turn it off) is actually a factory option, you can't get it from mazda after you buy the car

oh yeah XBMC is great I agree...I have an older XBOX modded with evox but you are right not as good as the XBMC....that is why I'm upgrading to XBMC and I'm going to try to jam a 250gig or even 300gig HD in there...that way I can rip tons of movies to the hard drive (dvd or divx) and have a video server in the car, no hassle of DVDs...this makes sense especially since I don't play video games much anyway (although I'll keep a few on the system and definitely have racing games with the rx8 in it!)

Is it possible to use a controller on port 3 or 4 to navigate the menus on XBMC?

This way you could hack up a controller a bit and have it perminantly installed for navigating the menus. I think this would be a lot cleaner than having a controller floating around the cabin.

Then just put wireless controllers on port 1 & 2 for actually playing games and leave them in the glove box most of the time.


Also would be less incriminating if you were to get pulled over.

yes all controllers work the same within EVOX and XBMC brilliant idea...I've been thinking about hacking one up and installing it behind the steering wheel myself :) (like the audio steering wheel controls on many chrysler/dodge cars)

Good to know.

I was just thinking about the blank panel where the minidisc player would go.

We just finished an A/V system in a S2K recently. Its also running a modded Xbox. Here are some pictures:

here's another custom stealth box between the seats..only this time its a 10" JLw0 rather than a 8" diamond audio cm3.
http://www.motormusicinc.com/SEANS2K/1.jpg


We created an armrest to house a concept half-din dvd player here
http://www.motormusicinc.com/SEANS2K/7.jpg


Also seen here in front of the dvd player is the game port for a fully modded Xbox mounted in the spare tire well.
http://www.motormusicinc.com/SEANS2K/9.jpg

And here is the monitor
http://www.motormusicinc.com/SEANS2K/3.jpg
http://www.motormusicinc.com/SEANS2K/4.jpg
http://www.motormusicinc.com/SEANS2K/5.jpg

And finally, the amp rack with embedded cross overs and xbox
http://www.motormusicinc.com/SEANS2K/16.jpg
http://www.motormusicinc.com/SEANS2K/14.jpg
http://www.motormusicinc.com/SEANS2K/13.jpg

log onto our site and see our other install projects.
http://www.motormusicinc.com

Flyboy that is the shit! Wish i'd gotten nav heh...

S2L,
Cool job Brother !!
If you are ever in Az I'll let you hook up my 8.. :D

Anyone in the boston area able to do this? I'm getting my 8 soon and I have a modded box ready to go!

you guys ever gonna have instructions to get this working.. =) from modding the xbox all the way to havin it comepleting working...

There is no a way to use Xbox with 12v?
Thanks

This sounds like pure criticism, but it's only partial criticism. It's also part curiosity:

Why would people want a multimedia center in the RX-8? I could see doing it in an SUV, for the passengers, but not in a sports car/GT. Or is this just a way of tricking out the car for car shows and competitions, etc.?

In other words, do people do such things because they use them as part of the car, or to make the car look cool?

I'm personally interested in something like this for 2 reasons- back seat entertainment (movies/video games) for the kids (we take my car on most roadtrips), to which I plan on adding 2 small LCDs to the seat backs (mobile entertainment is getting very cheap). I also like the idea of using the nav screen for audio management of my mp3's, instead of my portable mp3 player that I have to look down at the center console to see the screen. Having that available in your line of sight while driving is very attractive to me.

Fair enough. Sounds pretty cool, actually.

use an inverter or swap the power supply on it

I don't know how can I install an inverter. And then I'm afraid of the autonomy of my car battery. How many time can it work with engine off? 10 minutes?
I don't understand "swap the power supply on it". Could you explain it more and better. Thanks

the inverter is easy as pie...just wire it into the fuse box/split the rear power outlet or just plug it into the rear power outlet

then you simply plug the xbox into the inverter...but one last thing, ground it....ground it to the chassis to remove some interference/noise by sending a wire off the the negative

as for power supply swap...you open the xbox install a DC powersupply (like swapping one on a computer...it isn't as easy as it sounds so stick with the inverter idea)

good luck thommino