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Week of October 11, 2009
Xbox LIVE BanHammer for Playing Forza 3 Early *Update Borderlands*
>> It looks like Microsoft started banning users from Xbox LIVE for playing Forza 3 early (the game was leaked on the internet a few days ago). It's not the first time Microsoft puts out the BanHammer from playing leaked games and it will certainly not be the last time. For now it seems to be an Account BAN and not a Console BAN.
*Update* Same seems to be happening to people playing Borderlands early.
Here's a quote of the email banned users got from MS:
[QUOTE]
Notification of Permanent Suspension: Pre-release title play
This email is to notify you that your Xbox LIVE account privileges have been permanently suspended due to illegitimate pre-release title play.
Your conduct was brought to the attention of the LIVE Enforcement Team through the course of our operation of the service. The LIVE Enforcement Team has reviewed the complaints and other evidence regarding this content and determined it violates the Xbox LIVE Terms of Use and/or Code of Conduct. Because your conduct is in violation, the Xbox LIVE Enforcement Team has enacted this permanent suspension against your gamertag.
During your suspension, you will not be able to log into Xbox LIVE. Your Xbox LIVE privileges will not be reinstated.
Customer Support is not able to modify or provide any further details about your suspension.
Microsoft expects that all customers abide by the Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct provides guidelines for appropriate behavior while using the service.
[/QUOTE]
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
MS to Block 'unauthorized' Xbox 360 Storage Devices with new Update
>> From majornelson.com:
[QUOTE]
When Preview Program members start receiving the Xbox 360 system update next week, one of the changes is that unauthorized Memory Units will no longer work with the Xbox 360. If you've moved your profile or saved games onto one to "back it up," you'd better move it back onto an authorized Xbox 360 storage device prior to taking the update. If you continue to use an unauthorized Memory Unit after the update, you will not be able to access your stored profile or saved games.
If you need help identifying officially licensed Xbox 360 storage devices or accessories you can read more about the licensed accessories program on Xbox.com
[/QUOTE]
It's unsure if they mean devices like Datel's MAX Memory or homemade Xbox 360 HDDs, but I guess we can assume they will try to block both. There's no 'stealth' what-so-ever with home-made 360 HDDs so it would be pretty easy for MS to detect them. Back to paying 150usd for a 40usd 120gb 2.5" SATA drive with a fancy case?
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Limited Edition Xbox 360 Wireless Controller and Play and Charge kit
>> From majornelson.com:
[QUOTE]
In case you missed it, Xbox 360 has teamed up with GameStop to design an exclusive limited edition Wireless Controller that will be available next week. Bundled with a Play & Charge Kit, the controller features a new design which sports black carbon fiber with red accents. This controller will be sold exclusively at GameStop, EB Games and Micromania retailers in the U.S., Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand.
The suggested retail price will be US $69.99.
[/QUOTE]
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
More Details About 'Wave 4' from abgx360 - v1.0.2 coming soon *update*
>> From Kushan on ABGX360.net:
[QUOTE]
* What IS "Wave 4"?
A regular, retail Xbox 360 disk is split into several sections or "partitions". One of these partitions is known as the "video partition". Before March 2009, this partition simply contained a video that would play if you inserted the disk into a regular DVD player, the video would basically tell you that you were an idiot and need to put it into an Xbox 360 to play it.
One of the ways Microsoft can detect you being a dirty, filthy pirate is to scan this video to make sure it matches with what is supposed to be on the disk, so to protect you, the firmware itself does a quick checksum of it and if it doesn't match with known video data, it wont boot. Every now and then, this video changed, with each change being called a "wave".
Normally, system updates (dashboard updates) are stored on a different part of the disk, taking up about 8Mb of space, however in November 2008 Microsoft launched the "NXE", a completely new Dashboard for the system. Along with the new dash came Avatars, making the whole update substantially larger (somewhere in the region of 130MB). This meant the update wouldn't fit on the disk in the same partition that previous updates were located and so instead the update was placed within the video partition. This was known as "wave 3" and hit around March 2009.
As Microsoft now distributes new Dashboard updates in the same partition, each time the 360 gets a software update, we will see a new "wave" a few months later. There was a Dashboard update in August 2009 and that is now being distributed with the latest games. This is known as Wave4. Its identical to Wave3, except the video partition now contains the August 09 Dash update. The first known game to have this was Cars Race-o-rama.
Now, its important to remember that iXtreme was designed to PROTECT you and part of that protection is the "video partition" check. When this video partition changes, the firmware doesn't know if its just a new "wave" or if its a bad rip and thus opts to not boot it.
When wave 3 hit, iXtreme 1.51 was quickly released to tackle the problem. This was a temporary fix only, the firmware simply does not do the video partition check and thus boots ANY wave, up to wave 4 and beyond.
However, this in itself is "unsafe". If the disk is fine, then you'll be fine, but if the video partition is in any way corrupt, iXtreme 1.51 will still boot it and thus you could be detected by Microsoft and banned. This also is not helped by the fact that some impatient, idiotic people decided to "patch" Wave3 games with Wave2 data in order to get iXtreme 1.5 or below to boot it. This is a great way to get yourself banned and thus iXtreme 1.6 was created.
ix1.6 will only boot games that have the CORRECT video partition, up to and including wave 3. This means that if you have a Wave 3 game that was patched with a Wave 2 video partition (aka a great big bullseye for Microsoft to target), iXtreme 1.6 will not boot it but ix1.51 will.
* Will I need a new firmware to play Wave 4 games?
IF you are on iXtreme 1.5 or below, Wave3 games will not boot for you and thus Wave4 games will not either. In this case, YES you need to update your firmware!
IF you are on iXtreme 1.51 (Hitachi), then ANY wave will boot fine, including Wave4 however you must be EXTRA careful as you are not protected against corrupt or incorrect video partitions. This is one of the many reasons to always use abgx360(info). If a game is fully verified, playing it on iXtreme 1.51 is just as safe as playing it on iXtreme 1.6 - this includes Wave4 games.
IF you are on iXtreme 1.51 (BenQ/LiteOn/Samsung), then YES you need to update your firmware!
IF you are on iXtreme 1.6, you can ALSO play Wave 4 and above games, however you need to use a special activation disk to do so. This was added to the firmware specifically for this eventuality - the disk activates "one-shot-boot" mode, essentially it allows iX1.6 to boot any game you insert into the drive, even if its not properly stealthed. You simply insert the disk into the drive, let it spin up (it will say "play DVD"), then swap in your Wave4 game. You will need to do this each time you want to play a Wave 4 (or above) game. Don't worry, if the game has all the necessary stealth data, then iX1.6 will still use it, so if you boot a VERIFIED Wave4 game using this method, you should be just as safe as you were booting a verified wave 3 game.
The disk is available here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/5ed5xr and needs to be burned to a DUAL LAYER disk, but entirely on the first layer (do not set a layerbreak and when imgburn prompts, tell it to burn to the first layer only).
A new iXtreme firmware will eventually be released with strict wave4 support (no activation disk needed), however some time needs to pass before this happens. Although Cars: Race-o-Rama was the first game to appear in the wild with Wave 4 video, it was not necessarily the first game to be pressed with it. Also, during a wave transition there are often a few exceptions to the process which also need to be known about. There will be no timeframe for this, so do not ask.
* What about abgx360? Will that need to be updated?
abgx360 v1.0.1 (latest as of time of writing) does not recognise a "wave 4" image and will report a POSSIBLE corrupt/bad PFI/Video partition, however the program is actually still completely compatible with Wave 4 games. Once a Wave4 title is verified, abgx360 will still download the .ini from the database and fully check out the image. If the image matches and the game is verified, then it has also passed the stealth checks and thus it is as safe to play as any wave3 or wave2 game.
abgx360 v1.0.2 will be released with full Wave4 recognition in a similar manner to the new iXtreme; that is once the transition date is known and any exceptions are noted.
[/QUOTE]
*Update* "Looks like we were wrong in assuming that iXtreme v1.51 was fully compatible with 4th Wave PFI/Video. Turns out that only Hitachi iXtreme v1.51 will boot 4th Wave backups, and BenQ/LiteOn/Samsung iXtreme v1.51 will NOT boot 4th Wave. It would have been fully compatible if only the Video data had changed but not with the change in PFI (capacity). So currently the only safe option for booting 4th Wave backups on a BenQ/LiteOn/Samsung drive is to use iXtreme v1.6 and the one shot boot disc."
Official Site: abgx360.net
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Pachter: Natal Just 50USD, 250USD for Xbox360 with 250gb and Natal Next Year
>> From industrygamers.com:
[QUOTE]
As for pricing, each has to keep the consumer's cost relatively low in order to achieve broad penetration. I think that Natal will cost $50, as it only really involves a camera (a three-lensed camera, but a camera nonetheless). The EyeWand [PS3], on the other hand, involves a camera and two controllers, so it may be slightly more expensive. I would be surprised if the EyeWand retails for more than $100. Neither impacts the other, as neither is intended to compete with the other.
I think Natal will do better for two reasons: first, it is likely to be lower cost because less hardware is involved; second, it is likely to be bundled with all new Xbox 360s, ensuring a broader penetration. Keep in mind that Microsoft has another price cut in its pocket, and that the company is not afraid to subsidize something if it deems it important. I could see a $50 price cut next year, accompanied by an upgrade to the HDD to 250Gb and the inclusion of Natal. Yes, I said a $249.99 Xbox 360 with a 250Gb hard drive and Natal included.
[/QUOTE]
Full Story: industrygamers.com (6 pages)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Cars Race o Rama is first 'Wave 4' disc
>> Cars Race o Rama seems to be the first Xbox 360 game with the 'Wave 4'. Basically, Wave 4 is Wave 3 with the new 8498 NXE update.
Because iXtreme v1.6 checks the video partition CRC (for security) to only boot Wave1/2/3, it will not be able to boot the new Wave4 discs.
There are several solutions ... you can downgrade to iXtreme v1.51 (that was made when Wave 3 was released) that does not check the Video partition CRC and if you must use iXtreme v1.6 (liteon drive) you can use the activate.iso boot-disc that will bypass this check for you.
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Final Burn v1.0 for Xbox1
>> Nes6502 released a port of Final Burn v0.517 to Xbox1.
From the readme/nfo:
[QUOTE]
This is an Xbox port of Final Burn 0.517. Source code is included. It supports the following games:
After Burner
After Burner 2
Galaxy Force 2
Galaxy Force 2 Japan
Power Drift
Power Drift Japan
Thunder Blade Japan
Rail Chase
All games run fullspeed even in HD resolutions with filters. The port has the following features:
* Hardware Filters: Point, Bilinear, Anisotropic, Gaussian Cubic
* Software Filters: SuperScale, SuperScale75 (SuperScale + Scanlines), AdvanceMame2X, Simple2X
* Games can be run in 480i/p, 720p, and 1080i
* Flicker Filter can be set from 0 - 5
* Soften can be enabled or disabled
* Preview support
* Saving screenshots
* DVD support (an XISO must be burned). Edit the Path.ini file and set UsePathINI=1 to UsePathINI=0 when running from a DVD.
* All GUI elements can be edited from the GUI
* GUI Background music
* GUI Sound Effects
* All games match MAME 0.134
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: n/a, by Nes6502 on forums.xbox-scene.com
Download: n/a (built with XDK)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Xbox LIVE Preview Program: Zune, Facebook and Twitter
>> From majornelson.com:
[QUOTE]
I am happy to announce that we're doing an Xbox LIVE Update Preview program for upcoming features such as Zune, Facebook and Twitter. Much like we have done in the past, you'll need to visit the Microsoft Connect site from this link and sign in with your Windows LIVE ID that is connected to your Xbox LIVE Gamertag.
Once you do that, you need to fill out the "Xbox LIVE Update Preview Sign Up" survey in order to be considered for receiving the Preview System Update. We're asking a few questions about where you live, your home network, ISP connection and a few other pieces of information. We are looking for a good cross-section of our members in order to get the best feedback we can.
The Xbox team will then review all of the applications and if you're selected we'll send you an email notifying you of your acceptance in the program. A couple of points before you head off to register:
* We're looking for multiple thousands of participants, so your chances of making it in are good
* This opportunity is open to all Xbox LIVE Members in regions where Xbox LIVE is available
* Just completing the survey does not automatically get you access to the Preview Program. We'll be making final selections from the completed surveys and send you an email if you are selected.
* While both Xbox LIVE Gold and Silver members can sign up, Priority will be given to Gold members in the selection process.
For additional details and specific requirements, head to Xbox.com.
If you are accepted, you'll hear from us in about a week. Make sure your information on Connect is updated with a current email address so we can email you if you are accepte
[/QUOTE]
Full Story: majornelson.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Rumor: ATI already won next gen Xbox deal?
>> From fudzilla.com:
[QUOTE]
We've learned from industry sources that AMD / ATI has already won the GPU deal for the next generation XboX console. It looks like Microsoft was happy with first Xeon(info)s GPU and it wants to continue using the same, especially since the new ATI GPU should keep the compatibility with legacy games.
We don't know how the GPU looks like but judging from the timeline when it is supposed to be delivered we suspect that it might be a 28nm part.
[/QUOTE]
Full Story: fudzilla.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Japanese Retail Employee: Xbox 360 has been abandoned
>> From gamesthirstarticles.blogspot.com:
[QUOTE]
Since the Xbox 360 was released in Japan, the journey has been a rocky one to say the least. For some reason, the Japanese never gravitated to Microsoft's console like some thought they would. Even after four long years, only 1.1 million units have been sold. It's a tough outlook for the Xbox 360 in Japan and recently a Japanese retail employee echoed that same sentiment on his personal blog.
"I think the greatest problem is there's little software," the employee said.
"This year, the eagerly anticipated titles are Final Fantasy 13 on the PS3 and for the Wii it's Super Mario Bros. and Zelda, and nothing much on the 360."
"It might be very hard to change the flow and direction of a country, I feel like Japan has already abandoned [the Xbox 360]".
[/QUOTE]
Full Story: gamesthirstarticles.blogspot.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Chihiro Xbox Bios Dumped
>> Alex dumped the Chihiro Xbox (Arcade version of Xbox1) BIOS on his blog:
[QUOTE]
Hi Folks
As promissed, chihiro xbox bios dump
Thanks to those guys to make this dump possible
Notice that i previously dumped the rest of the Chihiro Flashes, more info on this link.
[/QUOTE]
Full Story: amusements-shop.com (via eurasia.nu)
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Team Cygnos integrates JTAG hack into Cygnos360 v2
>> We received this news from Team Cygnos:
[QUOTE]
The last couple of weeks have been very turbulent for all Xbox360 lovers. We have seen some very good developments towards homebrew and better linux.
We had fought with delays caused by the manufacturing and sourcing process which we finally solved. Now, Cygnos360 V2 is on stock at several shops and on the way to others. Production is still slow but ramping up and we are shortening delivery times.
We did however not spend the time waiting doing nothing. We have used the time to significantly improve the functionality and usability of Cygnos360 V2.
* Most interesting new features are:
-Integration of the JTAG hack into our firmware so that we can play the role of the microcontroller doing the JTAG inject. This is running and tested on xenon and falcon mainboards. The other versions will follow via software updates. No taking apart or re-wiring needed. (please note that we cannot (yet) read and program the 256 & 512 Mb jaspers, 16Mb Jaspers are fine)
-The Cygnos360 V2 USB board now has a vertical USB connector. That way it is much easier and cleaner to install in your Xbox360.
 This is a photo of the production version of Cygnos360 V2
-We have added the functionality to enable switching between kernels having different SMC versions. It is not necessary to unplug the console for kernel switching, which is the case on current homebrew nand switchers and XD card solutions.
-We have added a back-channel to the Cygnos360 V2 that enables developers to talk back from applications running on the 360 to Cygnos. This way it is possible for example to send data from within the 360 to the PC via Cygnos360 V2. (e.g. temperatures, CPU/DVD key, or other nice stuff)
* Firmware and Toolbox
A flaw in our firmware has been fixed that caused the JTAG hack to work only once every power cycle. The JTAG hack has so far been tested on Xenon and Falcon. Opus is very likely to work as well. We appreciate, if anyone could test this on a Zephyr. Please report any errors!
The new toolbox in conjunction with the firmware will display serial output from XeLL, Linux, etc. in the console window. Here is a screenshot of the new toolbox:
Output coming from the Xbox 360 is colored yellow in order to distinguish it from toolbox messages (green). Since XeLL outputs the fuse settings via serial port, there's now a very convenient way to save these to a file.
Download the new firmware and toolbox from here
* XeLL
Since our microcontroller cannot handle serial communication at 115200 baud, we had to make a minor modification to XeLL. The modification will set the baud rate register of the Xbox 360 to 38400 baud, 8 data bits, no parity and one stop bit. This implies that you have to build a custom JTAG hack image for Cygnos360 V2 with our modified XeLL. You can download the XeLL binaries and sources from here.
* imgbuild
The free60 imgbuild tool does by default not generate a full image as required by our toolbox. We therefore modified the build script accordingly. You can download the whole package from here.
Building your own image under Windows requires the installation of a Python interpreter. The simplest way is to download and install the Cygwin base system along with the "python" and "python-crypto" packages from here[cygwin.com].
Our modified imgbuild tool does not require a full binutils/gcc toolchain to generate an image. We included a precompiled payload binary instead. The SMC config block is taken from a dump of your Xbox 360. A typical command to generate and image would look like this:
python build.py dump.bin CBxxxx.bin CDxxxx.bin xboxupd.bin smc_hacked.bin xell-1f.bin
CBxxxx.bin and CDxxxx.bin are console (Xenon, Zephyr, Falcon, Opus, Jasper) specific, as well as smc_hacked.bin. Please use the xell-1f.bin from our XeLL package.
* Manual
For all interested for more info, check out the installation manual it contains a lot of info:
Happy Hacking!
Team Cygnos
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.cygnos360.com
Buy Cygnos v2: homebrewdev.com | divineo.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
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