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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xbox Laptop - TSOP Flash / HDD upgrade / Software

TSOP Flash:
Not to leave you in the dark, but a few days ago I attempted my very first TSOP flash. The soldering went well but I didn't read the instructions on where to place what files thoroughly. Long story short, xbox-scene member "Heimdall" was a tremendous help getting me through that BS. Serious props to that guy for being so patient with me. Thanks Man!!

HDD Upgrade:
This morning I embarked on the journey of upgrading my hard drive. I chose a 60GB, 2.5" Toshiba... why? Because that's what I had on hand. Again, Heimdall suggested to me that I use a HeXeN disk to do the dirty work for me. After a subtle misunderstanding as to what the password was, I got everything under control.

Software:
After a couple of hours fussing with ini files, FTP, Apps etc.. I am well on my way to getting this thing setup just the way I want it. Right now I am ripping games to my hard drive and then I'll do some last minute tweaks to clean up.

Now that I have the hard drive squared away, next is working on the motherboard:
-install Iceberq's (the came in the mail yesterday)
-Flatten the motherboard (laying down / re-locating caps etc..)

After that I'll start building the case! That's where the REAL fun begins!!

Watch for the updates!

Thanks!
Josh

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xbox Laptop - The very begining!

Some of you may know this to be my covenanted project, or my top secret project, but some may know this as "Project Buddha".

So far, all that I have revealed is that I need an LCD screen to pull this together. That's true. Some have speculated that I am building a portable. That's half true. I am going to build the worlds first xbox 1 laptop. Why? Because I want to and to the best of my knowledge nobody has done it before.

Last week, during the "eBay woes" fiasco I bought a ton of parts. Basically everything I needed to build this is one except a Pico PSU... Well, the parts started rolling in today so I expect to be starting pretty soon.

Parts List:
-1.1 motherboard
-keyboard
-4 port mini USB hub
-xbox DVD playback kit
-mini SDHC card reader
-2x Vantec IceBerq 4 fans
-pico PSU
-9" head rest monitor
-3x OEM empty black xbox cases
-60gb 2.5" Toshiba HDD
-2.5" IDE HDD adapter
-Stayers AID disk
-random and misc small connectors, screws, bits & bobs. Most of which I already have or I can get at a hardware store when the time comes(LED's USB ports, screws, nuts & bolts etc..). I also ordered a new tool kit to go along side this project. That should be here any day now.

Some of my tutorials are going to be directly descended from this project. I hope all of you like this. I hope to get more followers and what not. I hope I do not run into too many snags along the way.

Now... I'm off to soft mod this motherboard and possibly attempt my very first TSOP flash. Wish me luck folks!

Till next time,
Josh


P.S. Here are some pictures and sketches and what-not... to start you off.

This is the xbox I will be using:


These are what parts I have 'right now':


These are sketches of what I want her to look like:


This is Oliver from my comic "And My Axe":

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