HOW-TO: Upscaling XBox DVD Player

[crodrigues]

Well I think some people here would like to use their XBox as an upscaling DVD player. So here you have a small how-to. :D

Requirements:
- XBox video game console with Hi-Def AV pack (to give you component and optical audio outputs) or with a VGA-out pack.
- Mod-chip installed on your XBox.
- XBox Media Center (just look for it on Google) software (this is NOT from Microsoft, it is an open source project available on the Internet).

Installation:
Download the XBox Media Center and upload it through FTP to your XBox. Usually we upload applications to the E: drive on the XBox under a folder called Apps.
Set your dashboard (normally EvoX) to use the default.xbe file under E:\Apps\MediaCenter as the DVD player.

Configuration:
Not too much to do. Just make sure you DISABLE the filter for POST PROCESSING in case you use 1080i. For some unknown reason (bug) it does not work at 1080i. Works fine at 720p.
The resolution you can set under Settings on the main screen of the XBox Media Center.

That is all. And before anyone asks, yes, it fully supports the XBox Remote Control and does NOT crop any 2.35:1 movie as most of the upscaling DVD players I tried.

[minus_3]

This may be the worst how-to thread ever...

This part right here needs a tremendous amount of clarification:

Set your dashboard (normally EvoX) to use the default.xbe file under E:\Apps\MediaCenter as the DVD player.

Configuration:
Not too much to do. Just make sure you DISABLE the filter for POST PROCESSING in case you use 1080i. For some unknown reason (bug) it does not work at 1080i. Works fine at 720p.
The resolution you can set under Settings on the main screen of the XBox Media Center.

That is all. And before anyone asks, yes, it fully supports the XBox Remote Control and does NOT crop any 2.35:1 movie as most of the upscaling DVD players I tried.

Thanks for your thoughtfulness in posting this, but we need more info if this is going to be of any use. Maybe a link to an ongoing discussion on the subject mighthelp... THanks!

[daumier]

What is a mod-chip?
Thanks.

D

[crodrigues]

Sorry for that. :D
This thread assumes a couple things. If you have a modded XBox (required) it probably means you know what a mod chip is. And in this case, there is huge change you use Evox and if you do, for sure you know how to set the default DVD player for it. But let me explain more for those not XBox hard cores:
- Mod chip: a device that allows your XBox to run unsigned code. This means any XBox applications developed by anyone and not Microsoft approved ones. By default a normal XBox runs only Microsoft or Microsoft approved software (in this case games and Microsoft add-ons like XBox live). A modded XBox allows you to run any kind of software compiled for the XBox platform (for example, Linux as there is a port for the XBox).
- EvoX: a common, unsigned, dashboard for the XBox. This means you need a modded XBox to use this dashboard instead of the Microsoft one (the green screen you see when you turn your XBox with no games on it).

To set the DVD software to be used you must edit the Evox.ini file that is usually on the C: drive on your XBox (modded and with EvoX installed). On this file you will see a line like this:
DVDPlayer = "E:\APPS\DVD2X\default.xbe"

Change it to:

DVDPlayer = "E:\APPS\MediaCenter\default.xbe"

This assumes you have the MediaCenter software installed on the E: drive on your XBox (another partition available on the XBox hard drive and normally not used much).
Regarding configuration of the Media Center, once you launch it (normally anything on E:\APPS will show up automatically on the LAUNCH menu on EvoX) you will have a SETTINGS screen where you can set the resolution for the GUI. Whatever you set here will be the resolution used by the DVD player what means if you set it to 720p, the DVD player software will upscale to 720p. If you set to 1080i it will upscale to 1080i.
Under Settings | My Videos, is where you can enable/disable the filter options I mentioned. If using 1080i, you must disable the postprocessing filter.

If anyone has comments/suggestions please go ahead and post. I want to make this as good as possible for both XBox hackers and people starting with the XBox.

Thanks!

[minus_3]

That's much better... I did a TSOP flash of the Xbox, and EvoX is used as my dash. I am currently using DVDx2 as my app for playing DVDs without the dongle, and I edited the default.xbe file for DVDx2 so that the DVDs are played in progressive scan. Worked great and looks great. Now, getting 1080i out of it is another story.

I have Xbox Media Player installed on the Xbox already, but apparently i need to find myself Xbox Media Center. I am still a little fuzzy with your instructions, but I will take a closer look and ask questions from there. Maybe my asking questions helps others catch on. Thanks for the repost, and thanks for your time.

[minus_3]

I just read that Xbox Media Center is the successor to Xbox Media Player... That explains a lot... Now where can I find XBMC? Hmmm....

[daumier]

Hey thanks! I have an XBox that is just gathering dust (no time to play :-( ). Since I'm waiting for the next gen. HDMI players, this may do the trick until then.

One more question: where do I get a Mod Chip? Is this someting I get from Microsoft, or is it available at compusa?

thanks!

[crodrigues]

Originally posted by daumier
Hey thanks! I have an XBox that is just gathering dust (no time to play :-( ). Since I'm waiting for the next gen. HDMI players, this may do the trick until then.

One more question: where do I get a Mod Chip? Is this someting I get from Microsoft, or is it available at compusa?

thanks!
Some warnings about Mod chips:
1. They are completely UNSUPPORTED and more than that, probably considered illegal by Microsoft. Although legally I am sure you are allowed to do whatever you want with your own XBox (there are many discussions about that on different forums).
2. If you have a Mod Chip and you connect to the XBox live and Microsoft detects your modchip, your XBox will be BANNED from the XBox live system. This is why some modchips you can DISABLE BEFORE connecting to the Live system.
3. As you see these Microsoft does not like modchips at all and therefore you will NOT be able to find these on any retail stores like Compusa, Best Buy etc. Usually on every single town there is someone that sells and installs them for you.

Hope this helps.

[crodrigues]

Originally posted by minus_3
That's much better... I did a TSOP flash of the Xbox, and EvoX is used as my dash. I am currently using DVDx2 as my app for playing DVDs without the dongle, and I edited the default.xbe file for DVDx2 so that the DVDs are played in progressive scan. Worked great and looks great. Now, getting 1080i out of it is another story.

I have Xbox Media Player installed on the Xbox already, but apparently i need to find myself Xbox Media Center. I am still a little fuzzy with your instructions, but I will take a closer look and ask questions from there. Maybe my asking questions helps others catch on. Thanks for the repost, and thanks for your time.

So you are familiar with the whole EvoX thing. :D
What you need to do is very simple.
1. Download XBox Media Center from somewhere.
2. Turn on your XBox and leave it boot with no disc inside, until you see the EvoX dashboard screen (make sure under settings you have the FTP enabled. Username xbox, password xbox is the default).
3. Using any FTP program (SmartFTP, CuteFTP, etc) connect to your XBox. Go to the E: drive and there you should see an APPS folder. Simply drag and drop the MediaCenter folder you extracted (rename the parent folder to MediaCenter) to E:\APPS and wait until it finishes copying everything.
4. Edit the C:\Evox.ini file and change the line I mentioned above to point to the default.xbe on the MediaCenter folder.
5. Turn off the XBox.
6. Turn it on with a DVD inside the drive.
7. The first screen of the XBox Media Player should appear. Go to Settings and set the resolution you want and under Settings | My Videos enable/disable filters depending on the resolution you chose.
8. Go back to the first XBox Media Center screen and go to My Videos. Select Play DVD and watch the movie, now upscaled to the same resolution as the MediaCenter!

Hope this helps!

[mmccking]

so how's the PQ?

[minus_3]

Unimpressed... I was able to get it to work, and I think XBMC is a very cool app, but the upconversion to 1080i is soft and fuzzy at best. I much prefer the Xbox's ability to display 480p. Now 720p looked very good, but again, I am not sure it is an improvement, mathematically nor physically, over DVDx2's 480p. Thanks for the help... I am going to keep testing.

[Jay L]

If it doesn't let you play live anymore forget it, I already have a DVD player, and you can't add info that doesn't exist and I don't have a FP system so no benefit...maybe a good idea if you have an extra xbox since samsung dvd, assumeing you WANT upscaling, is cheaper than new xbox...

[minus_3]

Originally posted by Jay L
you can't add info that doesn't exist

This is probably the biggest sticking point, assuming you mean what I think you mean. In other words: 480i---->480p, no new info is added, but rather deinterlacing is taking place, but 480i---->720p or 1080i, where is the extra resolution coming from? Hence the fuzziness... still a cool app though...

[crodrigues]

Originally posted by minus_3
Unimpressed... I was able to get it to work, and I think XBMC is a very cool app, but the upconversion to 1080i is soft and fuzzy at best. I much prefer the Xbox's ability to display 480p. Now 720p looked very good, but again, I am not sure it is an improvement, mathematically nor physically, over DVDx2's 480p. Thanks for the help... I am going to keep testing.
Using the VGA out, picture on my setup is not soft or fuzzy at all. Add to that what I mentioned that when comparing some DVD players (like the LG DV7832NXC) to the XBox at 1080i, the XBox was the ONLY one that did NOT crop the picture on the sides, showing the full frame at 2.35:1. This to me was a HUGE plus. We actually measured the picture size coming out of all DVDs and the XBox at 1080i gave a 2.34:1 ratio. Others were not even close to this.
And again, on my particular setup, with the XBox outputting directly through VGA, picture was as good as any other upscaling DVD player we tried.
And the DVD playback is way better than DVD2X in terms of GUI and easy to use. :D

[crodrigues]

Originally posted by Jay L
If it doesn't let you play live anymore forget it, I already have a DVD player, and you can't add info that doesn't exist and I don't have a FP system so no benefit...maybe a good idea if you have an extra xbox since samsung dvd, assumeing you WANT upscaling, is cheaper than new xbox...
If you want to play live you simply disable the mod chip BEFORE playing. Simple as that.
A modded XBox works as any other XBox on the live system if you disable the mod chip (normally a small switch at the back) before playing.

[shepP]

How do you get vga output on the xbox?

[XBR23]

new user here, just trying to learn more about DVD players and HD TV hacking.

llamma.com is a good source for XBOX mod stuff.

no relation, just trying to help, i have bought a couple of things there and was happy with the service.

[sonick182]

you can't add info that doesn't exist
Yeah you can...

1 + _ = 2

2 4 6 _ 10 12 _ 16 18 20

6 * _ = 36

Fill in the blanks.

Another example:
Low resolution:
----------------

-----------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------

High resolution (2nd and 4th line 'interpolated'):
----------------
---------------------------
-----------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------


Of course, the numbers and lines added could be totally wrong, but its a pretty good estimate that they are of correct length (for the latter example) and are the correct numbers (for the former example).

[lsarver]

Originally posted by sonick182
Yeah you can...

1 + _ = 2

2 4 6 _ 10 12 _ 16 18 20

6 * _ = 36

Fill in the blanks.

Another example:
Low resolution:
----------------

-----------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------

High resolution (2nd and 4th line 'interpolated'):
----------------
---------------------------
-----------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------


Of course, the numbers and lines added could be totally wrong, but its a pretty good estimate that they are of correct length (for the latter example) and are the correct numbers (for the former example).

Sorry, but no. You are NOT adding new information in any of your examples.

For example "6 * _ = 36" possesses zero degrees of freedom. Simply solving for the blank=6 adds nothing. It's a tautology.

Similarly, interpolation (you use the word yourself) simply averages data already available, but reveals nothing new. (It is just a bit more mathematically sophisticated than crude scan-doubling.)

EDIT: True hi-rez is, of course, not interpolated. (It is low-rez that discards information in the original.)

[muslenutz]

Which best displays games on my xbox - if my tv can handle 1080i even though the game is 480p will it upconvert. I heard games are better with progressive sacan?

[shepP]

Will this upscale also work with other media files played from the HD? I was trying unsuccesfully to do this the other day. I didn't uncheck the filter though so I will do that and then try again and see what happens.

[Foxbat121]

Originally posted by muslenutz
Which best displays games on my xbox - if my tv can handle 1080i even though the game is 480p will it upconvert. I heard games are better with progressive sacan?

Games don't upconvert. Very few games support 1080i. A handful of games that are worthy playing support 720p but your TV has to support 720p input in order to play it on XBox. Progressive scan or not, it all depends how well your TV handles it.

[BillJr106]

all xbox games support 480P (minus a very small handful of games that dont.) the best 720p games are Tony Hawk Thug 1 and 2, and 1080i for Amped 2. Matrix also goes to 1080i but that game blows the donkey if ya know what I mean ::wink wink nudge nudge:: . ::poke poke:: .... ::push push:: ..... ::hit hit kick kick:: ......ok..you get the idea....you were slow to catch on ...but you got it.... anyway, xbox hd kicks ass, If you are playing the xbox via the regular connections on a HD DLP, I noticed a lag time in button presses on mine, and the HD AV pack cleared that up and added great progressive scan widescreen support. Adds a whole new menu to the Dashboard.

[tic-tac]

Enter the Matrix and Dragon's Lair 3D may not be the best games ever made, but they are worth a look just to see how damn good 1080i HD gaming looks... And if you're at all a fan of the old DL (as I am) DL3D is definitely worth owning.

[Iguana Man]

Originally posted by crodrigues
If you want to play live you simply disable the mod chip BEFORE playing. Simple as that.
A modded XBox works as any other XBox on the live system if you disable the mod chip (normally a small switch at the back) before playing.

I'm not so sure it's that simple. From what I've been told, if you buy one of their new games which is Live aware, it will log you on without even telling you and wham:

You're banned.

[Ruined]

Originally posted by crodrigues
2. If you have a Mod Chip and you connect to the XBox live and Microsoft detects your modchip, your XBox will be BANNED from the XBox live system. This is why some modchips you can DISABLE BEFORE connecting to the Live system.

Microsoft has a new detection scheme for modchips since 11/9/04, and people have been getting banned off XBOX Live even with their modchips disabled. Their current scheme has still not been figured out. Many think it has something to do with using a larger hard drive, or Microsoft activating modchips via the LPC points on the XBOX mobo. There is another theory called the "marriage" theory regarding your Live account and hard drive, but I won't get into it.

Therefore, anyone who attempts this mod could easily get banned off Xbox Live even if their modchip is disabled when connected to XBOX Live due to Microsoft's new detection scheme.

You can read more info on the scheme at any of the xbox warez sites, which I will not link to, but basically there are some theories but no concrete info on what will definitely get you banned these days.

Disabling the modchip no longer protects you from getting banned off Live, and I would not recommend this mod to anyone who wants to play on Live in the future with their XBOX.

[Iguana Man]

Wow...that other stuff I didn't know about. Thanks!