Closeted Xbox v1.6 with DuoX2 Hyundai chip - No TV-signal

[Vanheden84]

As the title says, I have a Xbox v1.6 modded with a DuoX2 Hyundai chip that I haven't used for years and now I get no TV-signal. I then remembered I could start it without the chip by starting it with the open button. Then I did get a working TV-signal so my problem seem chip related. One time when I tried to start I think the xbox ring blinked green and red, but now it always look normal green. I am basically a comlete nuub when it comes to electronics but I do have a soldering iron etc including a multimeter so I'm ready to try some CPR.

I did clean some goo from the mod chip between the switch and the chips, but can those even leak something? Most of what you see in the image as white is reflection of light and not that worn out from cleaning with a q-tip and isopropanol. I pulled the switch back and forth a few times to clean dust from it and make sure it has a good connection. The chip blinks red once every second but I read that this is normal for this chip when it runs. The thought have crossed me to try to boot it switched the other way just to see what happens, but that is for lower versions of the motherboard I believe and I had never opened the xbox before so it should be in the right position.

The motherboard seems fine too me. No leakages and all its capacitors look fine to me. I have the golden clock capacitor which seems to be in good condition. However the PSU Delta D capacitors may be leaking, or are those just some production markings? Looks a bit like some pen mark. The big capacitor have a surface difference on top due to my cleaning. I didn't want to clean it where it seems to have a blue stain before the photo so it is the blue stain I am wondering about. If they are leaking I suppose new capacitors or a new psu could perhaps solve my problems?

I read that one thing I could try is to use some flux and resolder the mod chip but since I'm a bit inexperienced I don't want to do it if I don't have to so I don't make a worse mess. But I just came to think of the fact that the entire chip can be tilted in it's socket on the motherboard. I dont know if it is supposed to fit that loose in the socked or if that socket is the problem?

I also read about a similar problem where it was recommended to try to reinstall bios in the mod chip by using a separate working chipped xbox and switch the chip just before install, but buying a working chipped xbox kind of defeats the purpose of fixing my old one. I suppose I can't install bios on the chip if I start it from without the chip by using the open button to power on and it would be difficult to install bios without a working TV-signal I guess.

Any helpful thoughts on where I should start? Are the PSU capacitors busted so I should start there or should I just get a new mod chip or what would you suggest? Just buying a new chip don't seem that easy either though. 

[Bowlsnapper]

Just now, Vanheden84 said:

As the title says, I have a Xbox v1.6 modded with a DuoX2 Hyundai chip that I haven't used for years and now I get no TV-signal. I then remembered I could start it without the chip by starting it with the open button. Then I did get a working TV-signal so my problem seem chip related. One time when I tried to start I think the xbox ring blinked green and red, but now it always look normal green. I am basically a comlete nuub when it comes to electronics but I do have a soldering iron etc including a multimeter so I'm ready to try some CPR.

I did clean some goo from the mod chip between the switch and the chips, but can those even leak something? Most of what you see in the image as white is reflection of light and not that worn out from cleaning with a q-tip and isopropanol. I pulled the switch back and forth a few times to clean dust from it and make sure it has a good connection. The chip blinks red once every second but I read that this is normal for this chip when it runs. The thought have crossed me to try to boot it switched the other way just to see what happens, but that is for lower versions of the motherboard I believe and I had never opened the xbox before so it should be in the right position.

The motherboard seems fine too me. No leakages and all its capacitors look fine to me. I have the golden clock capacitor which seems to be in good condition. However the PSU Delta D capacitors may be leaking, or are those just some production markings? Looks a bit like some pen mark. The big capacitor have a surface difference on top due to my cleaning. I didn't want to clean it where it seems to have a blue stain before the photo so it is the blue stain I am wondering about. If they are leaking I suppose new capacitors or a new psu could perhaps solve my problems?

I read that one thing I could try is to use some flux and resolder the mod chip but since I'm a bit inexperienced I don't want to do it if I don't have to so I don't make a worse mess. But I just came to think of the fact that the entire chip can be tilted in it's socket on the motherboard. I dont know if it is supposed to fit that loose in the socked or if that socket is the problem?

I also read about a similar problem where it was recommended to try to reinstall bios in the mod chip by using a separate working chipped xbox and switch the chip just before install, but buying a working chipped xbox kind of defeats the purpose of fixing my old one. I suppose I can't install bios on the chip if I start it from without the chip by using the open button to power on and it would be difficult to install bios without a working TV-signal I guess.

Any helpful thoughts on where I should start? Are the PSU capacitors busted so I should start there or should I just get a new mod chip or what would you suggest? Just buying a new chip don't seem that easy either though. 

If the TSOP is working, but the chip is not, then I would try a different chip. That one may be on its way out. It's exhibiting coma symptoms. This comes down to a corrupted flash, basically. That's probably why it was recommended to at least try reflashing. I think those are your two options for now.

[ChriZz]

Move the switch on the chip back and forth frequently and remove it from the LPC. Clean both with iso. You say the chip is flashing, so it's working. It just can't find the bios.

[FrostyMaGee]

16 minutes ago, ChriZz said:

Move the switch on the chip back and forth frequently and remove it from the LPC. Clean both with iso. You say the chip is flashing, so it's working. It just can't find the bios.

Would it be worth him hitting that switch with some contact cleaner and working it back and forth? I’ve had that work well on some other switches non hard mod related. 

Edited November 10 by FrostyMaGee

[ChriZz]

Yes, exactly that

[Bowlsnapper]

44 minutes ago, ChriZz said:

Move the switch on the chip back and forth frequently and remove it from the LPC. Clean both with iso. You say the chip is flashing, so it's working. It just can't find the bios.

It should either work, or not work. if the mod is disabled with a switch, it should load the TSOP. I don't know how cleaning the switch would help. The bios either loads fully from the LPC, or it does not. I suspect the flash chip is dying and can only be partially read, making it, essentially, a coma console. That's why I'm recommending he change the chip out and try to boot with a different flash through the LPC.

[Vanheden84]

10 hours ago, Bowlsnapper said:

It should either work, or not work. if the mod is disabled with a switch, it should load the TSOP. I don't know how cleaning the switch would help. The bios either loads fully from the LPC, or it does not. I suspect the flash chip is dying and can only be partially read, making it, essentially, a coma console. That's why I'm recommending he change the chip out and try to boot with a different flash through the LPC.

Ok, so my chip is likely dying/dead. I suppose the easiest thing to do would be to get another mod chip of the same make and model and just replace it. I have a hard time finding any mod chips at all in europe. From what I have found so far there are a few different chips that could work like Duo X2 (my current), some chip called Aladdin and some chip called OpenXenium but they all seems to be sold out where I have "found" them. 

What I want from my chip is basically to be able to read my old DVD-games, but being able to change the HDD to a larger one to hold my content would not be terrible either. What chip should I be looking for given availability, price and my basic need to just be able to do read my old DVDs like before? I don't need a lot of new functions, I just want to repair it to the lowest cost possible basically to regain previous functions. 

Edit: Or perhaps it would be cheaper and easier to buy a used xbox v.1-1.4 for $15-20 and TSOP mod it if I can't find a chip? I assume I would have to change some capacitors then though even if the adds claims they are working.

Edited November 10 by Vanheden84

[ChriZz]

12 hours ago, Bowlsnapper said:

It should either work, or not work. if the mod is disabled with a switch, it should load the TSOP. I don't know how cleaning the switch would help. The bios either loads fully from the LPC, or it does not. I suspect the flash chip is dying and can only be partially read, making it, essentially, a coma console. That's why I'm recommending he change the chip out and try to boot with a different flash through the LPC.

No. The switch on the chip is to switch between the 2 BIOS banks.

[Vanheden84]

28 minutes ago, ChriZz said:

No. The switch on the chip is to switch between the 2 BIOS banks.

Yes, this is what I read too, and one settings is for v1-1.4 and the other for 1.6 versions of the motherboard. I have been toggeling it a bit and tried to clean around it with iso. But am I supposed to spray some contact cleaner down by the switch to get it in there? I don't know if I have any suitable products for that. I have some electronics cleaner spray, iso-propanol and some battery contact cleaner for like car batteries. I lifted the chip and took a look at the connectors, but they look like they are brand new (no visible oxidation or anything like that). I did have some goo on the chip that I cleaned off before the photo so maybe something is physically busted on the chip?

I did just find some Aladdin chip on aliexpress pretty cheap, so maybe that is what I should try if I can't clean the old one back to life? Like you said, it can't find the bios, so then a faulty flash chip seems plausible or should I give resoldering a chance too before I give up on this chip?

Edited November 10 by Vanheden84

[Bowlsnapper]

55 minutes ago, ChriZz said:

No. The switch on the chip is to switch between the 2 BIOS banks.

Then it should either load a bios or frag if it can't find a bios. Not sit there and be solid green. That is coma behavior. He should try a different flash chip, which means a different modchip.

@Vanheden84

[ChriZz]

54 minutes ago, Vanheden84 said:

Yes, this is what I read too, and one settings is for v1-1.4 and the other for 1.6 versions of the motherboard. I have been toggeling it a bit and tried to clean around it with iso. But am I supposed to spray some contact cleaner down by the switch to get it in there? I don't know if I have any suitable products for that. I have some electronics cleaner spray, iso-propanol and some battery contact cleaner for like car batteries. I lifted the chip and took a look at the connectors, but they look like they are brand new (no visible oxidation or anything like that). I did have some goo on the chip that I cleaned off before the photo so maybe something is physically busted on the chip?

I did just find some Aladdin chip on aliexpress pretty cheap, so maybe that is what I should try if I can't clean the old one back to life? Like you said, it can't find the bios, so then a faulty flash chip seems plausible or should I give resoldering a chance too before I give up on this chip?

The grease you mention could be coming from the DVD drive. Isopropanol is fine for this. Try starting from one bank and then the other. If both don't work, that's obviously bad. Don't you happen to have another Xbox to test? If the duox2 were dead, you would get a question....That's not what they say.ps Ali's chips are shit. Better ask here in the forum.

[ChriZz]

Man o man google translate...hope you can understand it.

[Vanheden84]

23 hours ago, ChriZz said:

The grease you mention could be coming from the DVD drive. Isopropanol is fine for this. Try starting from one bank and then the other. If both don't work, that's obviously bad. Don't you happen to have another Xbox to test? If the duox2 were dead, you would get a question....That's not what they say.ps Ali's chips are shit. Better ask here in the forum.

I tried starting up from the other bank as well, but none of them provide a TV-signal. I don't have any other xbox to try with. So I will assume that the only thing I can do is replace the chip or buy a cheap xbox v1-1.4 and tsop flash it. The cheap xbox will probably require new capacitors etc so it will also take some work.

I looked up the aladdin chip from aliexpress more closely after your warning and they seem to have some annoying problems which I probably don't have the equipment to get around. The preinstalled bios don't work i presume since most buyers want to install their own bios which seems problematic. This was basically the only chip I could find so now I am lost. I did find some chip that required a lot of wiring in your xbox and it was also pretty expensive (like $50-60) considering I wont use my xbox that much in the end and I have no income at the moment.

Perhaps I should read more in forum or post a new thread in the right forum section, but my main requirement is to regain the function of reading burned dvds. I also liked that I could boot the original bios and software by starting the xbox with the open/eject button but that is not critical. Being able to swap the HDD to a larger one would be nice too, but not necessary. Ideally I wouldn't want to spend more than like $20-30 since that is what I probably would have to pay for a used xbox 1-1.4 + some new capactitors if I go for tsop flash mod instead. Anyone have any suggestions?

Edited November 11 by Vanheden84

[Bowlsnapper]

45 minutes ago, Vanheden84 said:

I tried starting up from the other bank as well, but none of them provide a TV-signal. I don't have any other xbox to try with. So I will assume that the only thing I can do is replace the chip or buy a cheap xbox v1-1.4 and tsop flash it. The cheap xbox will probably require new capacitors etc so it will also take some work.

I looked up the aladdin chip from aliexpress more closely after your warning and they seem to have some annoying problems which I probably don't have the equipment to get around. The preinstalled bios don't work i presume since most buyers want to install their own bios which seems problematic. This was basically the only chip I could find so now I am lost. I did find some chip that required a lot of wiring in your xbox and it was also pretty expensive (like $50-60) considering I wont use my xbox that much in the end and I have no income at the moment.

Perhaps I should read more in forum or post a new thread in the right forum section, but my main requirement is to regain the function of reading burned dvds. I also liked that I could boot the original bios and software by starting the xbox with the open/eject button but that is not critical. Being able to swap the HDD to a larger one would be nice too, but not necessary. Ideally I wouldn't want to spend more than like $20-30 since that is what I probably would have to pay for a used xbox 1-1.4 + some new capactitors if I go for tsop flash mod instead. Anyone have any suggestions?

I thought I sent a PM, but I do sell XBlast Aladdins for 30 bucks shipped. They come with XBlast OS which can be booted by pressing eject, and Cerbios on the 256 bank which can be booted be pressing power. There is also another 512 bank you can flash a 256 bios to since XBlast will resize it for you. You can flash with XBlast as well as do several other things. Makes life much simpler. These do not have the same problems as the bare Ali Express ones and will serve you well.

[Vanheden84]

37 minutes ago, Bowlsnapper said:

I thought I sent a PM, but I do sell XBlast Aladdins for 30 bucks shipped. They come with XBlast OS which can be booted by pressing eject, and Cerbios on the 256 bank which can be booted be pressing power. There is also another 512 bank you can flash a 256 bios to since XBlast will resize it for you. You can flash with XBlast as well as do several other things. Makes life much simpler. These do not have the same problems as the bare Ali Express ones and will serve you well.

Thank you. I missed your PMs but I have replied now. I don't really know the difference of all the different software, but it sounds good!

[ChriZz]

11 hours ago, Vanheden84 said:

I tried starting up from the other bank as well, but none of them provide a TV-signal. I don't have any other xbox to try with. So I will assume that the only thing I can do is replace the chip or buy a cheap xbox v1-1.4 and tsop flash it. The cheap xbox will probably require new capacitors etc so it will also take some work.

I looked up the aladdin chip from aliexpress more closely after your warning and they seem to have some annoying problems which I probably don't have the equipment to get around. The preinstalled bios don't work i presume since most buyers want to install their own bios which seems problematic. This was basically the only chip I could find so now I am lost. I did find some chip that required a lot of wiring in your xbox and it was also pretty expensive (like $50-60) considering I wont use my xbox that much in the end and I have no income at the moment.

Perhaps I should read more in forum or post a new thread in the right forum section, but my main requirement is to regain the function of reading burned dvds. I also liked that I could boot the original bios and software by starting the xbox with the open/eject button but that is not critical. Being able to swap the HDD to a larger one would be nice too, but not necessary. Ideally I wouldn't want to spend more than like $20-30 since that is what I probably would have to pay for a used xbox 1-1.4 + some new capactitors if I go for tsop flash mod instead. Anyone have any suggestions?

Unfortunately you can't do a tsop because you have a 1.6. You can do a softmod first. Because the xbox runs without a chip, was that right? Rocky5 his is good. This way you can continue to use the Xbox normally and don't have to rush into buying any chip. You also have to keep in mind that there could be a defect in the LPC somewhere and a new chip wouldn't help you unless it's repaired.

[Vanheden84]

On 11/12/2023 at 7:32 AM, ChriZz said:

Unfortunately you can't do a tsop because you have a 1.6. You can do a softmod first. Because the xbox runs without a chip, was that right? Rocky5 his is good. This way you can continue to use the Xbox normally and don't have to rush into buying any chip. You also have to keep in mind that there could be a defect in the LPC somewhere and a new chip wouldn't help you unless it's repaired.

I know 1.6 wont work with tsop, but if I find a cheap xbox for like $20-30 with the some of the older versions it may still be cheaper than a new chip. But I'd rather fix the one I got than getting another one. Or perhaps I should just remove my chip and make a softmod instead, like with rocky5 for instance.

I checked the added LPC board and it seems fine with good continuity from solder points to the LPC pins. I think the best guess to what my problem is, is that the flash on the chip is giving up so that I would need to replace that chip, soft mod or buy an older xbox and tsop flash it.

[Bowlsnapper]

4 hours ago, Vanheden84 said:

Or perhaps I should just remove my chip and make a softmod instead, like with rocky5 for instance.

Please don't...