Topic: Chipping A Philips & Benq Vad6038 -- Start To Finish (Read 113 times)

Diashi · « **on:** January 11, 2009, 06:09:00 PM »

Greetings Gentlemen,

With a spare 2007 model 360, containing a Philips and BenQ VAD6038 drive, I'm seeking the best option for playing backups. The NME v2.0 seems to be compatible, but I really want your honest opinion on what chip I should use.

Your helpful comments are greatly appreciated ;]

deilzfcjk · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2009, 06:14:00 PM »

yeah you could go witha a NME 2.0. That's not bad for benq's.

Diashi · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2009, 06:21:00 PM »

I should add that I've done some searching on the net and have scoured a few sections of XS to know that in 2007, the only option at a time for BenQs was to flash them, but that didn't yield great results. I've also found that older versions of NME had problems with BenQ, but v2.0 seems fully functional.

Are there other options that I'm not aware of which anyone would consider greater than NME? :]

Diashi · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:18:00 PM »

This thread offers some answers to anyone who's in the same boat I am. It seems that soldering an NME chip for BenQs is better than flashing in terms of auto-reading backups and original discs.

If someone doesn't recommend an alternative, I'm just going to order an NME v2.

I'll continue to update this thread on my progress and roadblocks as time goes on.

This post has been edited by Diashi: Jan 12 2009, 03:21 AM

ruley · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2009, 10:30:00 PM »

QUOTE(Diashi @ Jan 12 2009, 11:48 AM)

This thread offers some answers to anyone who's in the same boat I am. It seems that soldering an NME chip for BenQs is better than flashing in terms of auto-reading backups and original discs.

If someone doesn't recommend an alternative, I'm just going to order an NME v2.

I'll continue to update this thread on my progress and roadblocks as time goes on.

Just flash it with the latest ixtreme 1.5.
You won't have to wait for the chip to arrive and no soldering required.

Diashi · « **Reply #5 on:** January 12, 2009, 02:55:00 AM »

I understand that flashing is maybe quicker and less costly, but after listening to both sides of the isle on chipping vs. flashing, and understanding that I only have a laptop as my main computer, I think it's worth it to chip.

Found this a few minutes ago.

Guy gets strange noise after flashing BenQ drive with Ixtreme

These comments are valuable to me since this is my first mod, so thanks again and keep them coming. Right now I'm waiting for the NME2 to be in stock next week. :]

Diashi · « **Reply #6 on:** January 12, 2009, 03:03:00 AM »

OK, woahwoahwoah. I may eat my words here... Although I'd prefer chipping, IF there is a way to flash a BenQ with just a laptop, I think I'll do that. The problem is with the cables. Does anyone know of a sata to usb conversion and power kit for the BenQ?

Related links:

More bad news

Sabrent USB to SATA and power adapter

Another conversion kit

Found from the forums here. I think these kits only work with the Hitachi drives, and found nothing related to the BenQ in the TigerDirect consumer reviews.

ruley · « **Reply #7 on:** January 12, 2009, 03:32:00 AM »

QUOTE(Diashi @ Jan 12 2009, 08:09 PM)

OK, woahwoahwoah. I may eat my words here... Although I'd prefer chipping, IF there is a way to flash a BenQ with just a laptop, I think I'll do that. The problem is with the cables. Does anyone know of a sata to usb conversion and power kit for the BenQ?

Related links:

More bad news

Sabrent USB to SATA and power adapter

Another conversion kit

Found from the forums here. I think these kits only work with the Hitachi drives, and found nothing related to the BenQ in the TigerDirect consumer reviews.

I believe that if your laptop doesn't have an external sata port, you could remove your hdd because they are normally sata in laptops.

Diashi · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2009, 04:26:00 AM »

(IMG:http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/9091/ideataatapiportstq3.th.jpg)

I have 2 HDD. One is the main and the other is a backup for restoring factory contents and wiping the main HD. The above are my available ports. One is a SATA, but if it goes to my main HD, how am I going to run my OS and use the flash software..? Will the Ultra ATA work?

If I'm out of options for flashing, chipping will be the only solution.

This post has been edited by Diashi: Jan 12 2009, 12:26 PM

ruley · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2009, 04:54:00 AM »

QUOTE(Diashi @ Jan 12 2009, 08:56 PM)

I have 2 HDD. One is the main and the other is a backup for restoring factory contents and wiping the main HD. The above are my available ports. One is a SATA, but if it goes to my main HD, how am I going to run my OS and use the flash software..? Will the Ultra ATA work?

If I'm out of options for flashing, chipping will be the only solution.

You can do all the flashing process in dos. You use a usb to save all the data required for flashing, the easy method is using iprep. Normally that second hdd you see in my computer for os backup is a partion.

Diashi · « **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2009, 06:36:00 PM »

I'll open my machine after work and see what options are available.

Diashi · « **Reply #11 on:** January 24, 2009, 08:47:00 PM »

An update:

Now that the NME 2.5 has been announced, I'm looking for whomever has it available because it's sure to be out of stock shortly. GoCyberShop.com has it listed as "in stock", but I've heard plenty of stories from other enthusiasts - things like not receiving their merchandise because it was put on back-order, failure to deliver an item well over a month after purchase, no confirmation email several days after buying, etc. However, there are those who say they've used the site to buy things like Playstation2 and 3 chips without any trouble.

Is this a reliable site, and if I bought an NME 2.5 from them (as they're the only ones who seem to have it listed at the moment), would I actually get one in return promptly?

This post has been edited by Diashi: Jan 25 2009, 04:51 AM

Mindstrm · « **Reply #12 on:** January 26, 2009, 10:06:00 AM »

I am in the same boat...I am finally jumping on the chipping bandwagon and I want to use an NME 360 but apparently a new version just came out? Anyone have any luck determining where I could get one or when they will be avail? Thanks

-Mindstrm

Diashi · « **Reply #13 on:** January 26, 2009, 05:11:00 PM »

Hey Mind,

I just spent some $70 on the NME 2.5 from gocybershop.com. If they come through, I'll let you know.

Diashi · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2009, 01:43:00 AM »

Here's the final update on this project:

The NME 2.5 chip was never to be. Team Underdog apparently couldn't get it to work with the motherboard, so they scrapped the project and decided to update the 2.0 and release those over the next 2 weeks.

Because I already bought my chip from GoCyberShop, they said I could wait for the new 2.0 chip, or send my 'box to them for a flash. I decided enough time had been wasted and mailed my 360 a little over a week ago, and it's about 4 days from getting back.

Either way, I'm not too happy. Mailing to Canada for a flash costs about $25 - $30 (so it wasn't free), when you could spend about what the chip and shipping costs to buy a sata cable and sata card and flash the drive yourself. Soldering was something I wanted to do, but if I had a desktop, I definitely would have flashed now that I've seen the ups and downs to chipping/flashing.

Apologies to anyone now and in the future who was hoping this would aid them in accomplishing the same task.

This post has been edited by Diashi: Feb 23 2009, 09:45 AM

Author Topic: Chipping A Philips & Benq Vad6038 -- Start To Finish (Read 113 times)