Best course of action?

[StasisRat]

Hello, here is my dilemma.

Working several weeks rehabbing an old cabinet. I decided to use my old xbox and xbmc as my frontend. Used a television with component inputs for the display, very pleased with quality.

I wanted to use the xbox because.
1. already had a modded xbox
2. speedy boot time
3. no need to incorporate mouse and keyboard
4. already had a modded xbox

Decided to use the x-arcade diy kit to wire up the existing control panel. It supports usb and more importantly supports the xbox w/the correct adapter.
Everything was done and ready. Software ready, control panel tested on my computer.I was just waiting for the (backordered)X-arcade adapter to come in the mail and then I'd be set.

The adapter shows up. I'm so excited I rush to connect it to my control panel. I fire up the xbox and hello, xbox screen of death. CRAP!!
To make a really long story only seem kinda long. It appears the bios I had on my modchip took issue with the xarcade and "unflashed" itself so to speak. It appears some bios's  have this problem(who knew?). The xbox is ok. It will boot normal when I disable the chip and reconnect original harddrive. The control panel works great with regular xbox games.

What would you do?
1. I could buy another chip, spend $60,take a chance it will fail also
2. Buy a computer maybe, then it would need a video card w/component outs, and either linux?xp?
3. Use an old Mac? Slow,slow,slow and limited.....but it's here,now and free
4. Use unmodded xbox? Dedicated Marvel vs Capcom 2 machine?
5. Throw the cabinet into the fires of Mount Doom

I am a Macuser which complicates things a bit. I don't have a lot of money to spend. This project keeps adding up(haha). If I go PC route is linux(cause its free) a viable option? Do I have to have a mouse and keyboard? What are the minimum PC specs I should look for?

I apologize if this is the wrong forum. Any opinions will be greatly appreciated. I tried to explain this to my wife, she has no idea what I'm talking about. She just knows that I'm upset and there is an xbox ripped apart on her floor.

Thanks
 

[Hoopz]

Can you softmod the Xbox and go that route?

What version of Mame do you want to run?  What games (classics, 90's, fighters etc)?  You may be able to find a free pc off of Freecycle that can meet your needs. 

[waveryder]

Or you could just reflash the bios on your modchip

[StasisRat]

Currently researching softmods. I don't think that existed a few years ago when I originally did this mod.

I don't think I can reflash the chip with a Mac.

Thanks, you guys are quick

[Warborg]

What modchip are you running?  Some of them have a backup "flash" bios that has just the basic functionality of letting you reflash the main memory bank in the mod chip...

[waveryder]

you flash your chips bios with a CD! I wouldnt advise putting a mac into the dvd of the xbox they are tempremental enough

Seriously though....
Im assuming you didnt chip the xbox yourself. Your modchip would have been flashed off a CD. You will probably find that the bios has probably been updated a few times since it was originally done, especially if you didnt do it yourself. Most Xbox chips have 4 256kb bios banks anyway, so you should be able to get another bios on. Some chips are a bit twitchy as the whole xbox bios thing turned into a shambles when people started flashing any old bios on to any chip. You need to head on over to #xbins and find a suitable bios, burn it to cd shove it in the xbox with your chip switched on and wait for it to load up the new bios.

[HaRuMaN]

Use your Xbox, and just do an official Xbox controller hack.  Probably would be the simplest (and cheapest) route to go.

[waveryder]

Thats for sure!
I though X-arcade owners were a myth

[StasisRat]

It's the x2.3b lite solderless.

It's been a while but I did peform this mod myself. I still have the bios disks I created. It is not respnding to it.  This chip has two banks on a switch. The linux cromwell bios should be on a bank as also the M7(that I installed) bios should be on the other.

Hacking an xbox controller would have been easier???

Yeah, putting a mac in the drive. funny

I would need ancient technology like a parallel port. Only found on PC's . To connect to this chip directly I would have to hunt down a xecuter x-lite programmer with an x2cable.

[HaRuMaN]

I didn't fully read your post, sorry.  What I meant to say was reflash your bios, and and then use a controller hack, so that the X-arcade wouldn't wipe your bios clean again.

[StasisRat]

I've heard it was kind of risky to hack xbox controllers. With all the small solder points. And the risk of damaging your box(which I apparently already have). I went with the xarcade board because it seemed like it would be the easiest and safest. Besides I was going to use the cabinets original joysticks a buttons anyway. And it seemed like most xarcade complaints were about the feel.

Thanks

[HaRuMaN]

I've heard it was kind of risky to hack xbox controllers. With all the small solder points. And the risk of damaging your box(which I apparently already have). I went with the xarcade board because it seemed like it would be the easiest and safest. Besides I was going to use the cabinets original joysticks a buttons anyway. And it seemed like most xarcade complaints were about the feel.

Thanks

There is a way...

<edit> I need to read better </edit>

[StasisRat]

No, I just got the encoder. I figured it would work with the xbox and then if I came across something better down the road  It would work fine with that also. I don't know who made the buttons and stuff. Happs I would guess. It was an old Stargate Cab that had been converted to a Street Fighter 2. It had plenty of Buttons. Thanks I'll check out that link.

[StasisRat]

There is a way...

That appears to be for the 360

[HaRuMaN]

Same method can be applied to Xbox xontroller (almost any game system, in fact).