Help with an Xbox

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Mobile Video, GPS, and Navigation
Forum Discription: Mobile Video Head Units, DVD Players, LCD and TFT Monitors, Navigation, GPS, PS2, PS3, XBox, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=24120
Printed Date: May 04, 2024 at 7:59 PM

Topic: Help with an Xbox

Posted By: LEOAYERS
Subject: Help with an Xbox
Date Posted: January 07, 2004 at 3:11 PM

I want to install an xbox in my 2000 blazer but want to hide most of the components. My plan is to put the bulk of the xbox in the rear of the truck in the storage compartment that is there but I want to put the DVD drive in the front of the truck below the dash. I found a lot of places that sell 40-pin ribbon cable on-line in roll form. My problem is that I am not sure if the length on the ribbon cable would be trouble, as it would have to be around 15ft long. I have everything else worked out but this damn DVD player. If anybody has any ideas, or if anyone has installed an xbox in this model truck and has any input would they would be greatly appreciated. Thanks posted_image

Replies:

Posted By: mindctrl
Date Posted: January 10, 2004 at 3:42 PM

The problem is in the cable. The 40 pin ribbon cable is an IDE cable, and hard drives use 80pin cables, as well as optical drives. However, some optical drives only use a 40... So you need to open up your XBox and find out for yourself. As well, you are going to run into some major noise problems with running the cable through your car, as it is not shielded and the signal WILL attenuate at a quicker rate being as the wires are not twisted pair... My advice, don't mess with it. Figure out a place to put your XBox up in the front, because otherwise you are going to run into problem after problem when you are relocating different parts to different places of the car... So just DON'T DO IT. You'll be sorry you did =P

--mindctrl

Posted By: telmd
Date Posted: January 10, 2004 at 3:46 PM

what's goin to be your use for the box watching movies/playing games/playing mp3's also how often do you plan on changin cd's...the reason i as is that there are other routes to take in mounting it... pm me for more info

Posted By: LEOAYERS
Date Posted: January 10, 2004 at 5:20 PM

I know that the xbox uses a 40 pin cable it is not the 80 pin ide cables. It uses cabel select to tell which is the DVD and which is the harddisk (which being a computer tech I know how to make but I have never made them that long. I thought about buying the cable and trying it just to see if it would but figured I would ask first) I plan on using it for both movies and games for my kids on long trips. In the 2000 blazer their is a compartment in the back of the truck that an xbox will fit perfectly but I wanted to take out the DVD and the controller ports and put them in the front of the truck. all who have kids know how one minute they want to watch a movie then they want to play games and all that getting in and out to change the disks does not make my life easier. I don't know where else to put it where I don't have to worry about the kids stepping on it or banging it around. I have seen on other posts where people have asked this same question but there were no responses and they never said wheather it would or not.

Posted By: LEOAYERS
Date Posted: January 10, 2004 at 5:30 PM

I also wnated to say to B]telmd that 3m makes a flat ide cable that is twisted check it outtwisted cable If you think that would make a difference let me know. Thanks

Posted By: Nocturnal
Date Posted: January 11, 2004 at 5:50 AM

You've done your research. So it's worth a shot. Let me know how it works.

Posted By: mindctrl
Date Posted: January 11, 2004 at 1:45 PM

Twisted cabling should shield against most RF interference and electromagnetic interference, but keep in mind, computer components(which the xbox basically is), are very sensitive, especially to voltage potential difference. Make sure that they both have the same voltage potential or you've got yourself a potential shock hazard with your xbox... and that means GOODBYE GAMING.

--mindctrl

Posted By: mindctrl
Date Posted: January 11, 2004 at 5:54 PM

I just remembered reading a book called "Hacking the X-Box" by some asian guy named Andrew Huang, I believe. If you went to Borders, Barnes and Nobles, or something along those lines, you could probably pick up a copy, or even find out the email of the author by looking through it. If you do that, you might be able to drop him a line. He's an extremely smart electronics engineer from MIT, so he could probably help you. Just a thought. Look in the Computers section.

--mindctrl

Posted By: su_root
Date Posted: January 20, 2004 at 12:21 AM

Leoayars, just mod your console with 120gb disk, dump all games /dvd;s on the HD of the xbox and drop it in your trunk . get rf controllers from logitech, and reverse engineer a wireless doorbell ringer from home depot to switch on the xbox using a 5v relay.

https://members.cardomain.com/su_root

take a look at my cars page for pics on my install..

yes, the xbox does use a 40pin cable for the hd and the dvdrom. however the ieee spec for ide specifies a limit to the length possible for ribbon cables. and im not sure but i think its 36 inches. so your idea wont work...its possible with a ps2 since the ps2 doesnt use an ata controller for its optical drive.

rgds

Posted By: telmd
Date Posted: January 20, 2004 at 5:35 AM

Nice setup su_root,

Same setup here with the exception that I wired a external ethernet jack that is right behind my rear bumper. When the car is in my garage there is no need to open the trunk to link to the box. Just plug in through a network outlet in my garage power the box up and transfer using flashfxp.