Transformers 4 xbox 360 case mod: Completed!

Oh you know... Just chilling in the bathroom, checking my phone, drinking my Monster Energy drink, when it hits me that I need to do a project today (yesterday). I haven't done a new and original project in a long time.

I'm sitting at my computer drawing a complete blank. I have all of my inspirational stuff surrounding me. Mighty Muggs Soundwave is just sitting there staring at me, saying, "do me do me" and I'm like "I already did you 4 years ago".

The it all came to me. Transformers 4! BAM. I found my image and did a little shoop de` loop.

Next I printed the image and made sure it would be the appropriate size.

It fit pretty well so I trimmed the image down.

Then I cut a piece of hectograph paper roughly a quarter inch bigger than the T4 image. I laid it "transfer side down". (hectograph paper is the stuff that tattoo artists use to make your tattoo stencil) I'm sure carbon paper would work just as good, but this is all I had on hand.

I adjusted the T4 logo dead center.

Then I taped it all down so it wouldn't move or slide all around. No, that's not my tiny little hand...

Trace...

TRACE....

I used a straight edge to make sure my lines were perfect...

When you use transfer paper, it makes a perfect impression on whatever surface you're applying it to.

The lines were a little faint, so I traced over it again with red Sharpie.

ANGRY Transformers 4 xbox! I think I need a gold toof! What do you think?

Sitting on the desk with the transfer image in the background with the obligatory can of Monster... (dont ask)

I opened the case so I could get the lid on its own...

Here I pictured both of my Dremels, but I only used the corded one on the right. Word to the wise, please dont buy the $20 cordless Dremel. I bought one, 4 years ago, because I was on a budget. It was fine for what it was BUT the charger doesn't have an indicator letting you know when the battery is finished charging. So, if you under charge your battery, you ruin it. If you over charge your battery, you ruin it. Like I said, this was 4 years ago and maybe I got the economy model... maybe they have changed since then, but I was severely disappointing in that particular product.

I started by drilling a series of holes on the inside of the lines... half done.

After I was dont drilling the entire image, I drug the Dremel from hole to hole "cutting" out the shape.

Using sand paper wrapped around a plastic ruler and a set of files (Walmart, $4.99), I started to smooth down the edges.

Done sanding and filing...

After sanding the inside of the case I measured out and cut a piece of plexi glass (lexan?) to 6.5" x 7.75"

I removed the plastic film from the side that will be facing out. I held it tightly in place while I applied a nice, even bead of HOT GLUE around the entire perimeter of the "window" glass. I left the film on the inside of the glass while I was working so I didn't scratch it or get boogers on it or anything. When I was finished beading the edge, I removed the film completely.

I got a little excited here... I was finished so I just put the xbox 360 back together. The Decepticons eye was sanded and applied to the plexi with hot glue (not pictured).

I have plans for this xbox 360 in the future... What they are, I don't know. This particular 360 has red ringed on me twice in the year and a half that I had it. It was given to me by a good friend. He told me that it was RRoD before he gave it to me and when I plugged it in, it booted fine. My old roommates' brother was messing around with it one day and left it on over night and a good part of the next day and it RRoD. I was pissed. I left it alone for about a month, then it booted again. I added an external hard drive to it and it worked beautifully for the next 6 months or so and RRoD on me in the middle of watching a DVD. I haven't plugged it in since.

I figured since this is just a case mod, why not use the red headed step child of my collection. It might actually work now. 

I may, or may not, use this case in the future for an original xbox mod. I have a few ideas floating around in my head as to what I can do and how I want it to work. Who knows... I might sell it on eBay or auction it off on here in a raffle and donate all of the money to a charity or something. 

As I am sitting here writing this, I'm looking over this 360. There is SO MUCH MORE that I can do. So much more that I WANT to do. Time will tell. Not bad for a 4 hour project huh?

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Transformers 4 case? Transformers 4 case!

This is a little something that I am working on today. 

A complete write-up is in the near future ::wink wink:: Keep a keen eye out for it :)

UPDATE:
I finished this case mod in roughly 4 hours.
I do not have time to do a write-up right now... but I will tomorrow!

Stay tuned!

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Picture Removal

Somebody had sent me an email requesting me to remove their picture from this blog.

Unfortunately it went to my spam folder and I only caught the title before it got deleted.
I want to please everybody. If you requested the picture removal, can you please resend the email or reply to this post so I can take care of that?

Thanks
-Josh

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The elusive "Orange" Controller (Updated with *NEW* information)

I have been asked about this controller a couple of times now. Honestly I have no clue whats it is, where it came from, who made it or how one would obtain it etc..

There has been speculation that it was a prize for a contest but I can find absolutely no documentation as to which contest, when and where.

You can clearly see one in this persons (unknown) collection . (middle shelf, on the right).

(Middle shelf, on the right, in between the hard drive and the prototype crystal controller.)

 Someone that lives in Redmond, Wshington was able to find all three of these in a local thrift store. Here we have a Duke prototype called the "Dakota", a Debug Kit and the ever so elusive orange controller.

Some people claim that the orange controller was a match to this console. But to me, it looks like either a one-of-a-kind color swatch mock up actually made by Microsoft using a Crystal jewel, or a custom tinted crystal console made by a fan. The hue of orange doesn't seem to match in my eyes...

Update : Actually it was a custom production made from Xbox short run marketing test parts. So this was a one of a kind Xbox.

Other people were trying to say that the orange controller was the segway for the "Super Rare Red Controller"... which turned out to be a batch of custom made, 3rd party controller shells as debunked by members of the xbox-scene forums several years ago.

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Prototype "Test Market" Console

Description:
(eBay, early 2012)
Microsoft Xbox Extremely Rare "Prototype" Test Market Black Console!

WORKING!!
NO REGISTRATION WITH FCC OR ANYTHING NOTED.
WORKS REGULAR DISC BUT WITH EXTRA GOODIES ON IT, ANIMATED TEST SCREENS SHOWING COMPUTER GRAPHICS, IE...GOLF BALLS BEING HIT ROLLING & BOUNCING, DOLPHINS SWIMMING, ETC. MORE!

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I'm sorry but this guy must have been a fan of the late great Billy Mays... (caps lock kills my face..)

From what I gather this is not a prototype console, its an early prototype Development Kit! They describe this console to display "dolphins swimming". That describes the Dev Kit to the teeth but without the Raptor interface card installed.

This could be the genuine real deal. If it is, then it's missing the tell-tale holographic reflective jewel that's consistent with early "Prototype Crystal Dev Kits" seen HERE.

I am willing to put my money on the fact that it could also be a hoax. A clever h@x0r may have dumped the bios from a Dev Kit, flashed the TSOP of a standard issue console and slapped home made "Prototype" stickers on it to better their chances of a legit  eBay sale.

Even though the seller claims that it has "extra goodies" and displays characteristics of an official Dev Kit, it can be easily duplicated.

Prove me wrong...

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Prototype Duke Controller (no jewel)

Original Description: (Italian)
Prototipo Joypad Xbox

Prototipo del primo modello di controller per microsoft xbox soprannominato Duke.
Tra le varie differenze, un ingresso supplementare nella parte inferiore.

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Translated Description: (English)
Prototype Xbox Joypad

Prototype of the first model controller for microsoft xbox nicknamed Duke.
Among the various differences, an additional inlet at the bottom.

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Since this is the only photo of this particular prototype I can not comment on the alleged "inlet" or "port" on the bottom of the controller. If this is in fact an actual prototype and not a classic Italian knock-off, it's a semi-early to mid design prototype. The buttons are not colored and there is a sever lack of a jewel.

An early, and I mean EARLY prototype controller can be seen HERE sitting in front of the Alpha II.

Later prototype "Duke" controllers can be found HERE.

If you have any other information on the alleged "Italian Duke" Prototype Controller, please use the "Contact" page above and drop me a line.

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Tutorial: Replace your xbox controller cable with a USB cable

Description:

What if you want to use a controller on your PC or laptop to play games or emulators, BUT you dont want to shell out a bazillion dollars for a PC gaming controller?

What if you modded your xbox and no longer have those big ugly, original, controller ports. Youre a minimalist and only have USB ports?

What if you just want to do a simple, cheap, fast mod just for the sake of doing it?

If any of the above scenarios apply, then this is the mod for you! Please read...

The Build:

Basically all you need to do this is a controller and a USB cable with an a-type male plug on one end. And of course a soldering iron, solder, wire cutters or "side cutters", heat shrink (optional), hot glue (optional)...

First thing you're going to want to do is remove the screws that hold your controller together.

Set your screws aside. I use shot classes. I don't know if you have seen them in the background of my other tutorials' photos, but they're extremely useful for not loosing small screws or small pieces.

Now, locate where the cord connects to the controllers' PCB (printed circuit board). If you're doing this to an S-Type controller, the connector block is actually soldered to the PCB, so you'll have to clip the wires about and inch and a half away from the block. In this case my wires were soldered to the motherboard and were extremely easy to remove. Once your cable is free, set both the PCB and cable aside.

You'll notice that I'm actually using a different cable that is pictured above. I realized that I have been looking for my mini USB cable for a couple of days now... ANYWAYS... Time to clip the female end off of the cable. Most people leave a small portion of the wires so they can use it later, but I have other plans for the female end.

I trimmed about an inch, maybe an inc and a half from the end of the insulation. Now, this particular cable does not use the standard red, white, green and black. Instead it uses GREY, white, green and black. After testing the grey wire in fact was the VCC (red) wire and the rest were spot on.

I added a little heat shrink, then stripped and tinned the ends of the individual wires.

Remembering the order in which I de-soldered the wires, I re-soldered the new ones in place. It was a little tight, but not too difficult. Remember that the GRAY wire replaces the RED (VCC) wire. Also, please note, that I skipped a solder pad in between the green (D+) and the black (GND) wires. This blank pad is reserved for the original controller cables' "Yellow" wire. 

You're going to want to somehow secure the cable to the controller case. Once that's done, you may now put your controller back together.

NOTE:

A friend came over while I was doing this project and distracted me a little. I forgot to photograph the fact that I used hot glue in place of my cable stop.  I'm sure you can see it in the following photos.

This picture shows the newly "USB-ified" original xbox controller plugged into my netbook. In the bottom right corner of the screen, you'll see that it was recognized, but unknown. I guess it's time to install the XBCD software and get this thing kicking properly!

Here is the final product.

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Disclaimer:

Be careful using a soldering iron. They're HOT. Your wattage should be between 15 and 25. It is good practice to use "Lead Free" solder (for health reasons). Never leave your soldering unattended, especially around small children or pets. 

Please be careful to NOT short out ANY pins on the controller port or USB cable. Shorting pins WILL cause your hardware to FAIL (sometimes permanently). Check and recheck your work before attempting to use it.

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