You’ll be hard pressed to find anything as useful and ‘open’ as the Xbox Media Center. The XBMC is your DIY entertainment hub on a budget: The host hardware (and therefore the cost) is yours to choose because XBMC is open source, free and cross platform. You can build your entertainment HQ from a high end processor heavyweight to a small, capable netbook. It’s actually really easy to setup as the tutorial below shows you how to build your own personal XBMC using a $200 Netbook from Acer.

The Parts:

• Acer AspireRevo: Cheap on eBay – The netbook has 1GB of RAM, an Intel Atom 230 processor, 160GB hard drive and more importantly an integrated NVIDIA ION graphics chip that handles HD video and outputs it to HDMI.
• XBMC Live: The Live CD for the XBMC installation based around a Linux distro with a light processor footprint.
• A Flash Drive: Minimum 1.5GB formatted to FAT32 that will load the XBMC installation on the netbook.
• Windows Media Center remote (optional): A USB receiver and lets you control the media center from a distance.

The Installation:

The tutorial gives an in-depth step by step approach to the installation and setup of the XBMC. To help you along, links to the source files are just a click away. Here’s a sketch of the setup process –

1. Download the XBMC Live installer with the updated NVIDIA drivers.  Both the direct link and the torrent sources are given. The download is a 341 MB zipped image file.
2. Create the installation CD – Simply burn the unzipped image file to a CD using a CD writing software.
3. Install XBMC Live on a Thumb Drive – Because the Acer AspireRevo doesn’t have a DVD Drive, using a thumb drive as the installation source is the cheaper option.
4. Tweak the System BIOS of the Acer AspireRevo – A couple of changes for booting with the thumb drive and for smoother HD playback.



5. The Final Installation – Install XBMC from the thumb drive to the netbook’s hard drive.
6. Finishing touches for smooth play – For squeeze the most out of the graphics processor like HDMI playback, make some changes to the video and audio settings. Some final touches relate to setting up a file transfer protocol for streaming in third party add-ins and other files via a FTP program like FileZilla.

Well, the basic setup doesn’t seem that back breaking, especially when all source files are provided.  If you have succeeded and are itching to stretch your experience further learn how to Turbo Charge your XBMC Installation. This tutorial takes you into ways to pull media from the internet for your listening and viewing pleasure.

Recline and enjoy!

We have covered many ways to take an Xbox to the next level -  Launch into our Xbox and Xbox360 posts:

• Build your own Movie Server
• How to: Watch Hulu Videos on your Xbox
• Play Xbox Live in Your Car

The Innards:

Dimensions:
- 23.5 x 21.65 x 2.5 cm

Technical Specs:
- 320 GB 2.5″ HDD
- PW-200-V PSU
- TSOP flashed with iND-BIOS
- Motherboard v1.4

The case itself is made up of 3mm thick polycarbonate sheets glued together with epoxy and plastic welder. The shiny sleek look comes from a few coats of primer and Krylon Fusion. The shrunken size means that the motherboard and components have to be packed together. But the end result is amazingly functional and eye-pleasing.

We have covered plenty of case mods…but few which have squished such a large console into such a small space.

Don’t miss out on these other Xbox Mods:

• Xbox 360 Hellboy Case Mod
• Simple Xbox 360 Case Mod using Bondo
• Xbox – Rapid Fire Mod

via HackaDay

Comic books and movies are the inspirations for case mods this year. If it was the Wall-E case mod or the Star Wars Nintendo Wii Case Mod then, it’s a Hellboy inspired case mod for the Xbox 360.

One look at the entirely red Xbox 360 Hellboy Case Mod and you know the creator, Frank Gonzales, has stacked up a lot on Hellboy comics. The case mod matches the dark mood of the horror-hero. Unlike others, this case mod is about texture and art and less about hardcore cutting and grafting. Frank Gonzales, a graphic artist, has sauced up an Xbox 360 with a crusty surface, red paint job and the Hellboy logo in the center. The end effect looks like one of those collectors’ editions that comic book fans line up for.

Take a 360 degree perspective in the pictures below:

If you are wowed by case mods like these and trying to make your first cut then read our Ultimate Case Modding Tutorial.

Don’t forget to browse through our entire section of case mod hacks on HacknMod.

This is a fantastic and quick weekend project for you.  Take an authentic U.S. Army Vietnam-era headset and turn it into a custom Xbox Live headset.  It’s incredibly simple to pull off – Basically just cut and connect a few wires and you’re good to go!  A few more pictures and directions can be found at the blog post above.

• You could even use it to play Xbox Live in your car if you’ve installed a gaming console.

This gaming hobbyist has shown that there is more than one way to take a photograph. He has found a unique way to get something more out of his work as an x-ray technician.

His “camera” of choice is an X-Ray machine of course:

Using his spare hours, he has stacked up quite a collection of X-Ray photographs of gaming consoles. From Wii-motes to a PSP and even X-rays of cartridges, he has captured them all in black and white.

The hobby is uncommon and almost weird. The effects though are extraordinary. The X-Ray photographs look like detailed blueprints. Take a look at his collection of photographs on Flickr and you will surely appreciate his work.   They would definately make for some cool wallpapers too.

If taking unique snapshots is your game, then look through our collection of photography hacks.

Once again, learn to harness the power of bondo to build your own custom case mod.  We’ve seen bondo used in several mods including the mario wii mod.  This time, use bondo to make a screaming skull which appears trapped inside your Xbox, trying to push itself out through the side.  Rather creepy, but real cool.

All it takes is an $11 screaming skull protective cover which is actually meant for a PS3, some bondo and bondo glaze, plastic epoxy, tape, primer and paint. Plus, of course, six different grades of sandpaper and lots of elbow grease to smooth and blend the dried bondo you applied to help mold the mask cover onto the case.  Just follow the tutuorial’s detailed five-step pictorial instructions, which in condensed form are:

• Assemble your materials from list
• Mount skull to case and apply bondo
• Sand, sand and sand bondo to blend into case
• Prime and wet sand to fine finish
• Paint with Krylon Fusion

When the paint dries, admire your completed screaming skull Xbox case mod.  Pick up all your DIY projet supplies in our store and subscribe to HacknMod for daily updates.

You’ll also enjoy:

• Build your own Movie Server
• Multi-Room Wireless Music Control

DesktopGaming has an incredible collection of all your old school gaming favorites in the form of desktop wallpapers.  They simply grab screenshots from emulated consoles and stitch them together for common widescreen monitor sizes.  A few of our favorites are below, see DesktopGaming for more.

Gotta have the classic mario.

Who doesn’t love Punch Out? One of my personal favorites.

Donkey Kong is a nice looking black wallpaper.

Of course, you can’t have mario without Duck Hunt.

Don’t miss out!

• Retro NES and Atari Hacks
• How to Create Custom Desktop Themes
• Xbox 360 Hacks

Items flying off the shelves:

• Flexible camera tripods – $8.49
  
• Microfiber cleaning cloths for lenses and screens (6-pack) – $2.99
• Nintendo DS Guitar Hero controller – $11.19
• Kingston Memory SD cards 2gb -$ 7.99

Hacking and modding supplies:

Xbox 360 opening tool – $4.75
Digital calipers (precise measuring) – $19.99
Ethernet RJ45 cable maker crimp tool – $14.95

New RFID section featuring:

• Read and Read/Write modules
• 125mhz and 13mhz cards
  

Be sure to enter our T-Shirt design contest to earn cash toward the HacknMod store.

Portable game systems are great on the go, but what if you want more? If you want to take your gaming on the road, don’t stop at a PSP or DS, take it all the way and install your console in your car. Learn everything you need to know from console-connection power issues to choosing the right monitor.

• You can also install a PC in your car
  
• Play Xbox live on the go

Three Ways to Become a  Mobile Gamer:

Method 1: Modded Xbox incorporated into a Scion TC

The brain of the project is a Xbox soft modded with linux running XBMC (Xbox Media Center) and a 250gb hard drive. This project will show how you can take an Xbox and have the on/off, eject/close buttons, and the dvd drive in the center console for your convenience.

Method 2: Integrating A Game Console Into A Vehicle

From stealthy systems to the outrageous (building a motorized Transformer in the trunk of your car is definitely out there), there are as many ways to get gaming into your ride as there are games to play.

Method 3: Throw a PS2 in your car.

BONUS: Play Xbox Live in your Car