Original Xbox FAQ
What can a modded original Xbox do?
UNLEASH the power
The original Xbox was basically just locked behind a door with no deadbolt lock. All it took was a credit card to pop open the door and unleash the real power of the console. Both soft mods and hard mods achieve similar functions (Though there are benefits to both) that accomplish the same task and get you to the same point. The soft and hard mod basically changes the coding on the console and allows you to do whatever you want. A gifted C+ and python coder could create apps and programs for just about anything if they put in the time. I've even seen an original Xbox running netflix, and streaming pandora radio, which didn't even exist when the original Xbox came out. I've seen an original Xbox connecting to and running all the media of an entire household. Bill gates even commented that he was so impressed with modders of the original Xbox that many of their ideas inspired Microsoft's direction with the Xbox 360. I could go on like this forever, but let's really dig into the coolest stuff a modded original Xbox can do.
Hard drive...AWAY!
After a soft mod or hard mod the most natural next step is upgrading the hard drive. In fact, with the right guidance you can upgrade all the way to a 2TB hard drive. Even the Xbox One only offers a few select and very expensive models that come with a 2TB HDD. Yet, the original Xbox came out nearly 15 years before the Xbox One! Upgrading the hard drive is just about mandatory. Why mod the console and then stick with the original 8GB hard drive? You are basically limiting yourself from being able to do just about any of the amazing things you can do. So, after the big ol hard drive, what can a modded original Xbox do with all that space?
Emulation domination
Only recently with the invention of the Raspberry Pi has someone managed to duplicate the emulation capabilities of the original Xbox console. But the Pi can't do any of the rest of it so don't go running out to get a Pi just yet. Basically every console from generations before the original Xbox had an emulator ported or created for it. There are even some emulators that will literally play CD discs from totally different consoles in the disc drive. People even ported tons of PC games to play directly on the original Xbox from the hard drive. The amount of ports and games you could emulate on a modded original Xbox console will easily go into the 10s and 20s of thousands. There are enough games and ports just from emulation to be more than you could physically play and beat in your entire life. So, let's keep the list rolling or my fingers are going to get tired from the typing.
Original Xbox gaming
So, what else can a modded original Xbox do? Play original Xbox games of course! But, I guess it could already do that right? Not quite. You can now install any original Xbox game entirely on the hard drive. Not only does that save you from putting wear and tear on your disc drive, it enhances load times to the point of almost being instant. Picture this, you start a split screen match of Halo 2 multiplayer, you set everything up and click start, then 1 second later (Literally one second) you're already in the game and playing. No load screen, no sitting in the lobby for 20 seconds, just click the start button and away you go. It really does make that big of a difference. Installing games on the hard drive steamlines everything. The load times, the fact that your games are at your fingertips and you don't have to switch discs. It just makes gaming more on the fly and intuitive. Last but not least we can make our modded original Xbox consoles put Netflix to shame.
Media center, like, for real.
I have seen a million different things called a media center but in reality, They never really seemed like an actual media, center. So what can a modded original Xbox do you ask? Handle, organize, and improve every piece of media you own. You can install every single movie or CD you own. You can literally digitize your entire movie and TV show library with the touch of a button. What about all those TV shows and movies you have on your PC? Isn't that annoying? Those 5 or 6 free digital movies you got from vudu via promotion, the 10 dollars you spent to buy that movie from amazon, the 10 you spent on Youtube, All of your movies and shows spread out over the entire planet it feels like. Well, take them all and FTP them right to your modded original Xbox. Do the same with your music, Got your Xbox hooked up to an entertainment center with a good sound system? FTP your entire library right to the hard drive of your Xbox. Oh, and spend the cash on a component cable that has the digital optical audio output and boom, the highest quality music you could have. (Well, okay, almost the highest) Get an original Xbox with a 128MB ram mod upgrade and you can even watch HD video too. But you could just do that with an external hard drive hooked up to your Bluray player right? Sure I guess. Except for the part where your modded original Xbox will actually go online and match you media with sources like IMDB. Then, download backgrounds, screen shots, episode info, and additional content that goes along with your media as well (This is only on the XBMC4Xbox Dashboard, which is the best dash on a modded Xbox but thats another article for another day.) Once again, with the touch of a button you get special info, ratings, box art, cast pictures and more downloaded right to your Xbox to greatly enhance your watching and listening experience.
There are still quite a few extra features I didn't go through but these are the most popular. even to this day I see someone who created another app or feature for the original Xbox. One last thing, There are a lot of cool things you can do with the appearance too, not to mention, well, before I get on another tangent about that too, just go check out these modded original Xbox consoles to see what I am talking about.
