Project Stellar, a new OG Xbox modchip with insane expandability

[Dungeonseeker]

Coming from the developers behind the XboxHD+, Project Stellar is a brand new modchip for the original Xbox.

MakeMHz have reverse engineered the original Xbox BIOS and created a brand new reimplementation of it. Built from the ground up with expandability in mind, it features an onboard FPGA, built in flash storage, ports to connect it to the XboxHD+, USB-C (for firmware flashing and debugging) and a currently unused high speed expansion slot for future projects.

Built right into the device is a new firmware called StellarOS with a modern, clean looking interface that allows users to fully customise their OG Xboxes in ways never before possible. It is the worlds first legal Xbox BIOS replacement, is fully modular and is able to use the FPGA for post processing allowing the Xboxes resources to remain free for other things.

Features

• Built-in tools for system troubleshooting, configuration, hard-drive setup, etc.
• Automatic network based system updating.
• Kernel level ODE. (ISO Loading)
• Compressed ISO Loading. (CISO)
• Additional controller support. (Xbox One)
• Network loading of ISOs and virtual HDD images.
• Titan+ support. Supports legacy configured drives and Titan formatted HDDs for up to 16TBs of native storage.
• Auto optimal UDMA timing. Up to UDMA5 autoconfigured, verifed, and tested on boot.
• Native ATA TRIM support.
• True no-DVD drive bypass. No external modifications required.
• Support for 64MB, 128MB, and 256MB RAM configurations.
• Automatic system time updating via network on boot.
• Analog video improvements and fixes with feature parity of the XboxHD+.
• Native boot animation in 720P.
• Native force 480P with HD+ fixes.
• Insignia enhancments.
• Advance fan control.
• Kernel debugger over USB.
• GDB debugger via USB.
• And so much more...

Website
Github

 

[FAST6191]

Some interesting stuff there but not sure how excited I should be if xbox linux is of little interest (have raspberry pis for such things these days) and rock a TV with legacy support. $100 USD price tag/preorder price is possibly going to make it a tough sell for some around here/claw my softmods out of my cold dead hands.

Jargon dodging.
Features

• Built-in tools for system troubleshooting, configuration, hard-drive setup, etc.
  Suppose better than hoping your drive works and Slayer's boots.
• Automatic network based system updating.
  Fair enough.
• Kernel level ODE. (ISO Loading)
  ODE= optical drive emulator. Given custom loaders did more than adequately there and xbox live (even with the returning version) would have been the main aspect for this then this seems somewhat redundant. I will not knock it as a concept though.
• Compressed ISO Loading. (CISO)
  Bit more interesting, though given the rest of this seems to be about large hard drives then eh.
• Additional controller support. (Xbox One)
  Genuinely nice one there and might be harder to replicate by more traditional means.
• Network loading of ISOs and virtual HDD images.
  It is a thing people have pondered over the years, and I suppose a NAS loaded effort or PC file shares might do for some people and with debugging mentioned later. Most will probably still go for the install a large hard drive approach (especially if you are dropping 100 and the price of a drive) but hey maybe there are still those that have the little brother problem with them messing up their saves.
• Titan+ support. Supports legacy configured drives and Titan formatted HDDs for up to 16TBs of native storage.
  https://github.com/gaasedelen/titan Titan is a set of patches designed to allow a basically pentium 3 PC to rock 16terabyte hard drives.
• Auto optimal UDMA timing. Up to UDMA5 autoconfigured, verifed, and tested on boot.
  I am not sure what the native xbox rocks for this sort of thing (UDMA is a fast mode of data transfer compared to some older, slower ones) but if it does make things better then fantastic if of less practical use (the HDD is usually faster than the optical drive so games work better regardless).
• Native ATA TRIM support.
  TRIM is something SSDs have to do to stay healthy after so much writing, and for older stuff was done at OS level which various hacked dashboards will not do and presumably this will.
• True no-DVD drive bypass. No external modifications required.
  Don't know how many are rocking driveless setups these days but nice to see I guess, and if it is more viable the space gained by this might see some of the mods people stuck in there instead do good things.
• Support for 64MB, 128MB, and 256MB RAM configurations.
  You can upgrade the RAM in xboxes, and have been able to for a while. Mostly useful for homebrew but I suppose could be seen for games. Would have been interesting if the RAM could be provided by the FPGA like we are seeing on some (admittedly older) device mod chips using them but that might be a bit much for this.
  https://gbatemp.net/threads/xbox-og-1-6-ram-upgrade-pics.617390/
• Automatic system time updating via network on boot.
  Between lost clock capacitors and the like then xboxes did not keep time unless you had external network access. Doing it on boot rather than maybe hoping whatever dash does it and does it quickly is a nice perk I suppose.
• Analog video improvements and fixes with feature parity of the XboxHD+
  For the unaware the original xbox in NTSC regions (and PAL if you do a quick homebrew tweak and buy in/make some new cables) supports a variety of video modes not normally associated with the era, some games even can output them and emulators do quite well too with this. Not sure what goes for this as far as specifics and if it is like the gamecube gb player stuff with low latency and whatnot options.
• Native boot animation in 720P.
  Possibly nice if your TV struggles switching modes in a timely manner.
• Native force 480P with HD+ fixes.
  I am not sure/quick search does not provide too much info on the fixes. Nice thing to see though if running on a new TV that does not play too nicely with some legacy modes or the handful of games that need a slap to do that mode.
• Insignia enhancments.
  https://insignia.live/
  This is the xbox live replacement. https://gbatemp.net/threads/xbox-li...ment-server-announced-titled-insignia.565759/ is older but a discussion around here.
• Advance fan control.
  While not as noisy or hot as the early 360s I suppose this is a nice thing.
• Kernel debugger over USB.
• GDB debugger via USB.
  If xbox emulation is still lagging somewhat (though far better than many expected) the ability to debug things in hardware is very nice to see. The latter is probably more of interest to general homebrew and game hackers, the former for those writing kernels and wanting some better feedback.
• And so much more...

 

[Ryccardo]

$100 USD price tag/preorder price

Conveniently not mentioned, eh?
(There's actually at least one very good reason not to, namely never advertise what you cannot in good faith guarantee especially as a small electronics manufacturer, but still...)

Further, this seems to be a proprietary design with proprietary firmware, that for the same reason may or may not have availability issues like the HyperBoot, or turn out an exit scam* like the PS2NetBox - not something I would put significant money in for benefits I find uninteresting and are apparently more related to the clone kernel!

* = never heard of its author, so no real prejudice against whoever may well be a reputable person - but given we, of all forums, got a finance section it might be worth remembering past performance is not an infallible indicator of the future, see the first name I dropped for one example

Now if it had Hitachi compatible LCD support?
...well, not even that, sorry - there are better value deals to get that

 

[SylverReZ]

I'm currently fine with OpenXenium thanks. Not going for closed-source projects.

 

[JellyTime09]

I kind of struggle to see the point of this mod lol, og xbox seems ok with what it's got and this thing seems to try and tackle so many things, wouldn't really trust it to do everything perfect and that price is STEEP for something that doesn't seem to solve a whole lot and I'd rather not have a useless proprietary board when they dump the scene.

 

[Deleted member 546149]

Sorry but I'm too lazy too buy that lol

 

[Donnie-Burger]

Coming from the developers behind the XboxHD+, Project Stellar is a brand new modchip for the original Xbox.

MakeMHz have reverse engineered the original Xbox BIOS and created a brand new reimplementation of it. Built from the ground up with expandability in mind, it features an onboard FPGA, built in flash storage, ports to connect it to the XboxHD+, USB-C (for firmware flashing and debugging) and a currently unused high speed expansion slot for future projects.

Built right into the device is a new firmware called StellarOS with a modern, clean looking interface that allows users to fully customise their OG Xboxes in ways never before possible. It is the worlds first legal Xbox BIOS replacement, is fully modular and is able to use the FPGA for post processing allowing the Xboxes resources to remain free for other things.

Features

• Built-in tools for system troubleshooting, configuration, hard-drive setup, etc.
• Automatic network based system updating.
• Kernel level ODE. (ISO Loading)
• Compressed ISO Loading. (CISO)
• Additional controller support. (Xbox One)
• Network loading of ISOs and virtual HDD images.
• Titan+ support. Supports legacy configured drives and Titan formatted HDDs for up to 16TBs of native storage.
• Auto optimal UDMA timing. Up to UDMA5 autoconfigured, verifed, and tested on boot.
• Native ATA TRIM support.
• True no-DVD drive bypass. No external modifications required.
• Support for 64MB, 128MB, and 256MB RAM configurations.
• Automatic system time updating via network on boot.
• Analog video improvements and fixes with feature parity of the XboxHD+.
• Native boot animation in 720P.
• Native force 480P with HD+ fixes.
• Insignia enhancments.
• Advance fan control.
• Kernel debugger over USB.
• GDB debugger via USB.
• And so much more...

Website
Github

Stellar HD+ Pron:

 

[SylverReZ]

One Xbox, One Mod.

 

[Donnie-Burger]

One Xbox, One Mod.

No idea what that means

 

[Garcimak]

If they could poke the bios in the right place, unlock native force 240P and i'm sold

 

[PopcornSweetie]

No idea what that means

It's a Two Girls, one cup ref.

 

[SylverReZ]

I'd say ModzvilleUSA has some brilliant points of criticism to give out regarding the Project Stella. They didn't meet expectations when advertising the Stella like giving it ODE and CISO support, however, it is possible that they "might" add these in a future update of which I highly doubt but we'll see.

 

[FAST6191]

Was going well until the Dino Crisis 3 choice as background visuals.

More seriously (though I am always serious about Dino Crisis) that does appear to be a bait and switch. CISO is neither here nor there but ODE represents something interesting, as did controllers and network loading would also have been something.

 

[hecker_isaac]

Macho Nacho has a good video for installing and overviewing this chip

 

[SylverReZ]

Macho Nacho has a good video for installing and overviewing this chip

I honestly don't like the style that he uses for his videos, I feel that its too overused in my opinion.

 

[DebianLoriX]

Hi guys, do you think this PStellar mod is a good choice for buying in these days a brand new Xbox Series S bargain?

 

[sudeki300]

Hi guys, do you think this PStellar mod is a good choice for buying in these days a brand new Xbox Series S bargain?

this mod is for original xbox only

 

[TheStonedModder]

Hi guys, do you think this PStellar mod is a good choice for buying in these days a brand new Xbox Series S bargain?

It’s not. It doesn’t offer half the features it says it does yet(it’s always coming soon) and the main dev of it is a toxic asshat.

He recently told another member to drink bleach because he disagreed.

Go with literally any other chip.

 

[DebianLoriX]

Go with literally any other chip.

Which one do you recommend me?

 

[SylverReZ]

Which one do you recommend me?

OpenXenium.

It’s not. It doesn’t offer half the features it says it does yet(it’s always coming soon) and the main dev of it is a toxic asshat.

He recently told another member to drink bleach because he disagreed.

Go with literally any other chip.

Yeah, that guy acts like a man child who doesn't get his way.