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OG Xbox Forums => Modchip Forums => Matrix & Chameleon Modchips => Topic started by: opjose on November 03, 2002, 05:25:00 PM

Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: opjose on November 03, 2002, 05:25:00 PM
I've noted a real RASH of problems with the Matrix that don't really seem to be user related.

The most troublesome is the "disk doesn't boot" problem.

While people report that the mod chip itself is working, users are looking the ability to boot from mounted DVD media. This simply should NOT happen with known good media.

Yeah there are instances of bad burns etc. which are to blame, but there do seem to be a large number of people reporting problems with disks that have previously booted fine.

The initial assumption is that the Matrix was knocked out of alignment, causing the boot failure. Yet in most cases the Xbox boots with the colored logos just fine, indicating a sucessful BIOS read.

Then there are the "removed Matrix, Xbox f@#Ked up" posts, etc.

Something seems seriously amiss.

Comments, observations? Bueller?

Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: vwadam on November 03, 2002, 06:16:00 PM
well opjose this isnt 100% what your talking about, but just wanted to add the the whole matrix problems thing for everyones knowledge.

there was a bad batch of programmers with missing components.  long story short: my programmer was missing a diode on it, and all these people were saying the whole time i must be an idiot not to get it working, anyway i soldered a new diode onto it where it had to go and it flashed first time.  another guy emailed me about having the same problem because i posted this and he told me easybuy told him it was normal not to have a diode there. what a load of crap. (it was the actual exodus support team that told me of the defect) anyways they are supposed to send me a new programmer, but i got mine working now anyway.

opjose could these problems be manufacturing related do you think also?  just seemed if they could mess up such a simple thing, not even looking at the products let alone testing them they could have messed up the chip somehow.

now guys add what have you heard of these other matrix problem as stated by opjose
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: opjose on November 04, 2002, 05:58:00 AM
I dunno.

I find that there are simply too many posts about not being able to read DVD's, etc. that simply should not happen.

E.G. if the mod chip works the disk MUST boot, etc.

And this is only one of the problems I'm focused on.

Something is very wrong.
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: vwadam on November 04, 2002, 09:50:00 AM
im thinking that if these dvd related problems are happening after time it is maybe to do with the connections of th pogo pins not being good enough and if this happens to me i will just take it out and solder it completely to the board.
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: Scan-C on November 04, 2002, 10:53:00 AM
a possibility is that the matrix gets unaligned because the dvd-rom is spinning.the box is vibrating a bit and this could intercept the matrix connection only for a hundred of seconds but its enough to stop a cd/dvd from booting.
and maybe this is the cause with all the fu**ed up boxes after the matrix is removed.only a possibility but i think it sounds logical.
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: opjose on November 04, 2002, 11:35:00 AM
QUOTE (Scan-C @ Nov 4 2002, 05:53 PM)
a possibility is that the matrix gets unaligned because the dvd-rom is spinning.the box is vibrating a bit and this could intercept the matrix connection only for a hundred of seconds but its enough to stop a cd/dvd from booting.
and maybe this is the cause with all the fu**ed up boxes after the matrix is removed.only a possibility but i think it sounds logical.

                                    Fasat: No!

Scan-C: Wow! This is grasping at straws, isn't it?

It's HIGHLY unlikely, effectively once the Xbox gets to the "load default.xbe" code the ROM is in cache memory and should not be needed anymore.

It also does nothing to explain the rash of "removed Matrix" now Xbox doesn't even show flubber animation posts.
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: sofam on November 04, 2002, 03:42:00 PM
All I know is that I haven't had one problem with the matrix yet, it programmed fine, it installed fine, nothing big yet, but a couple of hours after I installed it it got misaligned thus I had to open the box up, align it right again and viola, it worked fine again.

So I'm happy with it.
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: wiseblood on November 04, 2002, 05:46:00 PM
Haven't had a problem with mine either.
In fact, I just installed 2 external switches to the Matrix to enable flashing without having to open up the 'Box.
If you think about it, most people wouldn't take the time to post their good experiences with the Matrix.
You see more posts about people having problems with them, because that's what people predominantly post on these forums for; to have their questions answered and problems solved.
Not many people come to these forums to just air their happy thoughts about a modchip.
Thus, you would see more posts about problems than not.
That's my theory anyways, shoot it down if you would like........ rolleyes.gif
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: Dark Schneider on November 04, 2002, 06:12:00 PM
Opjose just chalk it up to this..morons with a mod.

Now don't go off on me saying I'm lambasting newbs again! laugh.gif

Just lets say most of the posts seem to be from people with little or no technical skill. Yes yes..I know, soldering does not make you leet...but it scares the shit out of you to make sure you know what you are doing..and doing it right!

Now I also know people that know what they are doing use the Matrix...not bashing the chip at all.

But let's get back to the basics. People with little or no skill getting their hands on a very nice mod. We must assume that these people also have little or no computer skills. Or just enough to get them into trouble..and they are indeed.

Sure they say they know what they are doing..but who really knows! beerchug.gif
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: wiseblood on November 04, 2002, 07:58:00 PM
QUOTE (Dark Schneider @ Nov 4 2002, 07:12 PM)


..People with little or no skill getting their hands on a very nice mod. We must assume that these people also have little or no computer skills. Or just enough to get them into trouble..and they are indeed......


Very well said, and I quite agree.
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: knowledgeiv on November 05, 2002, 09:20:00 AM
Just a thought...

The new matrix install guide says to use tape to hold the lock washer in place, but the switches of the matrix look to go to ground where the screw attaches.  Wouldn't the tape act as an insulator preventing the connection to ground?  Or does this matter at all?

I was having a lot of problems with my matrix, so I did several things all at once.  I didn't want to have to open that bastard up again.

this is what I did...
-reflashed with different bios
-didn't use tape
-used longer screw

I haven't had a problem since.  I can't say that the tape was the problem, since I made several changes at once, but I wonder if this could be causing problems.  I don't really understand why the matrix team would say to use tape.  Maybe they think that the people that buy it are morons and wouldn't realize that washer slipped out and was shorting out connections on the mobo.

Dark Schneider, I'm a newbie, so give me everything you got.  I can take it.   tongue.gif
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: Cornholio on November 05, 2002, 09:43:00 AM
wink.gif This makes me wonder - perhaps the MS dash does a few retries before giving up, and perhaps EvoX does not ? Could this be related to the people who can't get their CD-RWs to boot anymore ?
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: Cornholio on November 05, 2002, 10:27:00 AM
QUOTE (vwadam @ Nov 4 2002, 01:16 AM)
(it was the actual exodus support team that told me of the defect) anyways they are supposed to send me a new programmer, but i got mine working now anyway.

                                    Any chance you could post a pic of your modded programmer, so we can all see what you're talking about ?
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: knowledgeiv on November 06, 2002, 08:16:00 AM
mad.gif

Does anyone know the mechanism that is used to determine alignment of the matrix?  Does it check every connection or just the one bitch of a pogo pin?
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: s_lipowitz on November 06, 2002, 12:15:00 PM
QUOTE (knowledgeiv @ Nov 6 2002, 08:16 AM)
Does anyone know the mechanism that is used to determine alignment of the matrix?  Does it check every connection or just the one bitch of a pogo pin?

                                    Ya know, I've been wondering the same thing. I don't have one, so I can't figure it out myself.

Detailed pictures of both sides would help, but it's still a pain to follow the traces without them being in the same position on the same picture.

Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: Ripklawe on November 06, 2002, 08:14:00 PM
QUOTE (knowledgeiv @ Nov 5 2002, 04:20 PM)
Just a thought...

The new matrix install guide says to use tape to hold the lock washer in place, but the switches of the matrix look to go to ground where the screw attaches.  Wouldn't the tape act as an insulator preventing the connection to ground?  Or does this matter at all?

I was having a lot of problems with my matrix, so I did several things all at once.  I didn't want to have to open that bastard up again.

this is what I did...
-reflashed with different bios
-didn't use tape
-used longer screw

I haven't had a problem since.  I can't say that the tape was the problem, since I made several changes at once, but I wonder if this could be causing problems.  I don't really understand why the matrix team would say to use tape.  Maybe they think that the people that buy it are morons and wouldn't realize that washer slipped out and was shorting out connections on the mobo.

Dark Schneider, I'm a newbie, so give me everything you got.  I can take it.   tongue.gif

                                    I may be a total moron, but what the $%#% is a longer screw going to acomplish? Just means it takes that much longer to get it in contact with the modchip. Is there some other benefit??

Ripklawe
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: knowledgeiv on November 07, 2002, 10:02:00 AM
QUOTE (Ripklawe @ Nov 7 2002, 03:14 AM)
I may be a total moron, but what the $%#% is a longer screw going to acomplish? Just means it takes that much longer to get it in contact with the modchip. Is there some other benefit??

Ripklawe

                                    Well, I can't answer the total moron part, but when you install the matrix you are adding the space of the washer and the matrix and keeping the same length screw.  So the original screw is not going to grab as much, so it would be more likely to become loose after time...Just a little common sense.
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: clifface on November 07, 2002, 07:26:00 PM
I installed 2 matrix chips flawlessly.  Somebody I know tried installing his for a week with no luck, he finally gave in and asked me for help.  After I got his stuff the first thing I was going to do was re flash it.  Just to make sure I was going to put a brand new 9volt battery, when removing the battery in there guess what I found.  The washer still taped to the programmer under the battery.  I removed the chip from the xbox, re flashed it, installed it with the washer and it was perfect.  Since then I have installed 3 others and all went in perfect.  1 of them did have a slight problem where it gave me the green lights and after powering it on, it wouldn't boot the bios.  I realigned again and it's worked since.  I have seen people on these boards that should not be messing with this process.  People ranging from I have a chip where do I get the bios?  to I couldn't get it aligned so I soldered it and now with the chip off nothing works.  I honestly think a lot of the issues here are with the people installing the chip rather than the chip itself.  I know there are people that are more experienced than I am and have had problems and in their case it probably is the chip.  Unfortunatly there isn't much troubleshooting that can be done and we all know how *sarcastic* easy it is to get ahold of easybuy for a return/refund.  Just my 2 cents.
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: wiseblood on November 07, 2002, 08:12:00 PM
wink.gif
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: wiseblood on November 07, 2002, 08:36:00 PM
tongue.gif
You saw that?
I thought it was a little wordy, and I also didn't want to alienate too many people with my words....... biggrin.gif
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: yourstruly on November 07, 2002, 10:36:00 PM
smile.gif
















Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: DaGamePimp on November 08, 2002, 12:33:00 PM
wink.gif and gets a perfect ground ] , and the washer is just a bit thicker so the chip itself sits much more even and the pins line up much easier .
--- DGP ---
Title: What's The Problem With Matrix Chips?
Post by: ozweepay on November 08, 2002, 05:33:00 PM
QUOTE (DaGamePimp @ Nov 8 2002, 07:33 PM)
__ I actually soldered the washer that I bought to the underside of the Matrix [ it is not moving now wink.gif and gets a perfect ground ] , and the washer is just a bit thicker so the chip itself sits much more even and the pins line up much easier .
--- DGP ---

Hey, that's a very good idea.
But we are forgetting that most of these Matrix noobs are a bunch of numbnutz who aren't very adept at wielding a soldering iron, much less a screwdriver. Or else why would they order the non-solder mod? One of these useless titz just posted a cry for help because his Xbox was flashing orange and green, and it got cleared up, because he forgot to plug in the A/V cable. Isn't that something that you could figure out for yourself by doing a search and reading? That's the epitome of being lazy and unmotivated. They just want the easy way out, which is why they bought the no-solder mod in the first place.