DMS X-B.I.T review
>> After several days of testing ... here's my review of the X-B.I.T modchip:
Official DMS X-B.I.T website:
*
http://www.dms-x-bit.comWhere to buy:
* divineo.co.uk (official reseller)
What's in the package:
* X-B.I.T modchip
* external adaptor with usb-connector, bios switches and enable/disable switch
* wires needed to connect X-B.I.T with external adaptor
* diod (for optional power-button support feature)
* screw and spacer (for pogopin/nosolder install)
* wire connector (for wire install)
* All packed in a static shielding bag
Pictures:
* (IMG:
http://pictures.xbox-scene.com/4/xbit/01.jpg)
* (IMG:
http://pictures.xbox-scene.com/4/xbit/02.jpg)
* (IMG:
http://pictures.xbox-scene.com/4/xbit/03.jpg)
* (IMG:
http://pictures.xbox-scene.com/4/xbit/04.jpg)
Install the Modchip:
DMS made all the installation guides, you can find them on their website:
http://www.dms3.com/xmanuals.htm.
You have the choice between 3 install methods:
* The PogoPin/Solderless install
Most people will probably install the X-B.I.T this way ... you pay for those pogopins, so might
aswell use them.
I was surprized how easy the pogopins aligned. I don't know how they managed to do it ... is it due
the spiked pogopins (for "d0" point), is it because the board is pretty large and fits around the
corner of the IDE connector (which also causes it to be stable)? ... anyway the modchip alligns
very easily. Just put the LPC pogopins on the LPC points, and the d0 pogopin is almost automaticly
correctly alligned.
The X-B.I.T has 2 spiked "d0" pogopins, so it installs soldeless on all xbox versions till xbox
v1.4 (power and ground are disconnected on LPC on xbox v1.5 ... so it will need 2 extra wires).
There's also no stability problem with the pogo-pins, they keep good contact with the LPC points
and with d0.
I installed it on a motherboard with 'empty' LPC holes ... but I think it will also align without
too many problems on filled LPC holes (v1.0 and early v1.1 only).
* The wire install
It's a typical wire-install for a LPC modchip. The X-B.I.T comes with a wireconnector, so you don't
have to solder any wire on the modchip itself ... only on the xbox motherboard.
* The Headerpin install
Honnestly I have no idea why DMS decided to ship the X-B.I.T with a male headerpin soldered
directly on the modchip.
While the actual install method stays the same ... it takes away all advantages of the headerpin
(easy to swap/upgrade, mass flash modchips, easy to remove, ...)
For those who already installed a male-male headerpin in their xbox and don't want to solder to
upgrade to X-B.I.T, there's only 1 solution ... get a female-female headerpin block at your local
electronic shop.
If you want to solder your X-B.I.T, I suggest you use the wire-install.
* Optional En/Disable with Xbox power button.
With 2 optional solderpoints (1 on modchip, 1 on xbox motherboard) you can use the xbox power
button to enable/disable your modchip. If you press power button 1sec modchip will be enabled, if
you press power button 3sec your modchip will be disabled.
Testing:
The biggest new features on the X-B.I.T are:
- 2MB flash size
- PC flashing via USB
The PCB pogopins and ic's look very solid and of high quality.
The X-B.I.T can very easily be programmed with your PC using the USB port. You can download the
flashing software for free from
http://www.dms3.com/xdownload.htm.
Because it's using USB, there will be no compatibility problem people had with LTP (parallel port)
programmers.
Also the modchip must not be installed to be programmed - it gets power from the USB. Their
software is fully grafical and very easy to use.
Programming/Erasing itself is alot slower then I expected using USB ... but Team DMS explained why
the flash speed is so slow here (because they use unshielded wires).
http://www.dms3.com/xfaq.htmXbox booted with the expected bios from the first try.
Bios swithching also worked correctly (1-3 switch on the exterenal adaptor). The bios selection is
explained here.
http://www.dms3.com/xbit_bios_selection.htmThe 4th switch is the enable/disabled switch (they call it 'Stealth-Mode'). You have the choice
between these bios split-ups:
1. 1x2048k
2. 2x1024k
3. 2x512k 1x1024k
4. 2x256k 1x512k 1x1024k
5. 4x256k 1x1024
6. 4x256k 2x512k
On the external adaptor (that should be placed on the backside of the Xbox) there's a small led
that shows if your modchip is enabled or not ... very useful to check before you go on xlive.
The X-B.I.T allows flashing directly from the Xbox software as far as I know, but so far no xbox
program has support for the 2mb of the X-B.I.T. A new or updated (evo-x for example) program will
probably be released sooner or later. I tried to add the correct flash-line in the latest evo-x ...
but the program hang when I tried to flash ... I guess it doesn't like the 2mb file yet.
One feature missing is the 'flash protection' (there's a 'seal' on the X-B.I.T, but you have to
remove it to install the X-B.I.T ... so once installed your X-B.I.T is always flashable). But so
far MS has never tried to flash the bios ... and even if they did - you can always reflash your
X-B.I.T via USB. So this feature is certainly not essential.
POSITIVE:
+ 2MByte flash size
+ 6 different bios split-ups possible and upto 6 different bioses on chip.
+ PC flashing via USB (no compatibility problems)
+ High quality PCB board
+ External adaptor with bios selector and en/disable switch+led
+ 3 ways to install it - you can choose
+ Pogopin/soldeless install: aligns very easily and stable
+ Wire-install: using connector so no need to solder on modchip
+ Optional en/disable with power-button
NEGATIVE:
- Very slow USB flashing/erasing
- HeaderPin install: Male headerpin soldered directly on X-B.I.T motherboard
- No flash disable (but you can flash via USB ... so it's really no must-have feature)
- Bug in flash software if you put window to background (will be solved soon)
- Can't flash directly with Xbox software yet (needs update of evo-x probably).
Feel free to post your questions/remarks/reviews about the X-B.I.T on our forums
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?act=SF&f=49Posted by:: XanTium
October 9 15:52 GMT+1
Author
Topic: Dms Team - X-b.i.t. Chips (Read 698 times)