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[Boxman]

The main advantage of the Matrix is it's "solder free!!!"

But, you could do it. You'd need a forced air station (ideally) to heat up the surface mount female header, though you might be able to do it with some skills and solderwick/solder pump....

then, just solder from the surface mount pads to the corresponding holes on the XBox motherboard.

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to do this...? This is a lot of effort, and depending on how much you value your time it might just be worth it for you to get a more "solder friendly" mod!

B

[Rek]

that seems too difficult.
The easiest way to solder it to the board would be to solder wires to the TOP of the pogo pin then to the correct pad on the xbox board. Why the top ? so you can keep the pogo pins clean in case you want to use them later or sell it.

[Seye]

because when i move my box too much, the damn matrix becomes un aligned... so i have resorted to leaving the xbox case off, so i can realign it once in awhile if need be.

[mickey123]

If you want to solder the matrix, you should definitely use wires.  Connect the wires to the matrix first then too the motherboard.

[Boxman]

Rek--

Though I've never handled a Matrix, judging from the pictures the pin acceptor is a surface mount component... meaning the pins don't go through to the other side! Do they also have pads on the bottom? As I've said, never held one, so I'm just going by the pics.

If they do have pads on the bottom, then definitely solder to those pads and don't go through the hassle of the dismount.

B

[Xevious]

Here's the IDEAL method:

1) Remove Matrix
2) Sell Matrix to weak-minded friend or younger sibling. If this fails, simply discard Matrix
3) Buy X-ecuter 2 and install using header pins.

Simple, clean, reliable.

[mickey123]

You might be able to solder the pin header onto the matrix?

[Troll123]

Why not just solder one of the pins? That should be enough to hold it in place.

[vokal4]

if ur usin a v1 console, just apply a small amount of pressure on the matrix and heat the pads from the bottom so the pogos sink in and get surrounded by the flux

[Nailed]

This posting is just getting too wierd.  I realize some of you might be having alignment problems (I could shake my box to death and I'd never have one but I guess they can happen) but if you're going to solder, why the Matrix?  You're going to want to unsolder and resolder a new chip when the latest and greatest comes out anyway; why waste the time with a chip not meant to be soldered?
(to be cynical: just trying to get an insite into the minds of people who may think they're 3l33t cause they can solder 9 wires)

[GTac01]

DUDE!!!, USE A HOT GLUE GUN!!!!, OR LOTS OF TAPE DUH!!

[drew1969]

One of the main reasons I soldered - after sheer frustration - was that I was doing one for a friends son for christmas - and I could picture the telephone call at 7.30am christmas day - the xbox isnt coming on...........just unscrew it and wiggle that chip around till it goes green it will only take a few days then try and screw it down without actually moving it all - soldering was easier.
Anyway the reason I replied to this was
Whats "l33t" mean?

[Nailed]

l33t is older h4x0r (hacker) lingo for elite.

And why couldn't someone solder?  For myself two reasons: first, I simply don't have the nerves.  Second, I like having the latest and greatest.  I don't want wait (which requires additional time & money) for someone to solder the Matrix in place, only to later pay them to unsolder it, and solder an Xecuter2 in place.

More power to you if you can solder... just curious why you picked the Matrix chip since OpenBioxx is much better (although I guess.. difficult to come by now)

[Nailed]

One last thing... on the whole, pogo pins may not be reliable... but I could shake my XBox until the harddrive broke and I'm confident my Matrix wouldn't become unlodged.  Seems to me any amatuer could go out and buy a bigger screw, save the 15 or so minutes it took to solder.

[Antdog24]