[mythtv-users] Xbox frontend - what features do I need

[Phill Edwards]

> If I buy a used Xbox system off of ebay can I buy just any of the used
> system, or should I only buy ones with the DVD option and remote?  Do you
> use the remote that comes with the Xbox to control all the MythTV menus?

Doesn't matter really. You do use the remote to control MythTV. There
are lots of cheap Xbox remotes also available on eBay.

> If you get a unit without the remote, how can you navigate?

You can use the keyboard once you've booted up Linux and MythTV.

> Is there anything I should be wary of when buying a used Xbox off of ebay?
> I see there are different versions of the Xbox and you can only tell by
> looking at the serial code and manufacture date.  Do I need to know this in
> advance of buying it?  All the reading I have done on this topic
> (http://www.xbox-linux.org/) originally indicated a problem with version 1.6
> of the Xbox, but it is a bit unclear whether that has been resolved yet.

These problems relate to how easy it is to mod the box to allow you to
install things like Linux and MythTV on it (you do know you have to do
that, don't you?) The later versions are not quite as easy to mod, as
I understand it, though I believe it's still very do-able.

There are 2 ways to mod the box - either put in a hardware chip which
means opening the case and (usually) soldering, or you can do a soft
mod which negates opening the case and is pretty much as effective.
The main downside of soft-mods is that you can get banned off Xbox
Live, though there are workarounds, and you have to find special
versions of certain games to exploit in order to do the mod. I found
this site really useful when I soft-modded my Xbox -
http://www.biline.ca/xbox.htm

Once you've modded your box search the MythTV wiki for Xbox to find
links to installing Xebian Linux and MythTV.

Good luck with it all.

Regards,
Phill