Xbox 360 Mod Chip - What Is It, And Why You Should Have One!

As a serious gamer myself, I love to see gameslittle games and programs to stream video and audio.
before they hit our shores here in North America. ButBut in order to play / run this software, users are
more than that, I am always looking for the hottestrequired to be able to load unsigned / home brew
and most unique games I can get my hands on.code onto their system. This is where mod chips
Unfortunately, many of those games just don't comecome in. Not only do they allow you to play the
to our side of the ocean from Japan. Typically, sincelatest game offerings from Japan, which as stated
the days of the original Nintendo NES, Japaneseearlier, are often much better both graphically and in
gamers have enjoyed much more unique and oftenthe way of originality than the games that are for
times much better games than their North Americanthe North American market.
Counter Parts. I've been very fortunate to be able toAs with any new system, and the new mod chips
play many of these Japanese games while I wasthat first come out - we're always hit with loads of
living in Japan, but when I returned back home to"compatibility" issues. Much like when the ps2 mod
Canada, I simply could not find many of the gameschip first came out, they had chips (different chips)
that I had played with such pleasure while in Japan.for each "version" of the ps2 console. And the Xbox
So I searched and researched and found exactly360 mod chips are no exception. The very first chips
what I needed to be able to just put those Japanesethat came out were for very specific "versions" of
games into game console and really start playingthe XBox 360. First it was a mod chip for the
again. What I found was a Mod Chip, for mySamsung drives .. Which means that if your XBox
Playstation console. And I've been using mod chips360 had a samsung DVD drive, then you needed to
ever since then. Having most recently purchased andbuy an Xbox 360 mod chip that worked on the
installed my Xbox 360 Mod Chip into my system -SAMSUNG drive, to bypass the current firmware.
and I've got games from Japan on the way.Then the Team Underdog chip came out, this chip
So Just what IS a mod chip? Let me explain. Ahad 2 versions. One for the samsung drives, and
modification chip or mod chip is a device used to playanother one for the LG/Hitachi Drives. So again, you
import, backup, or home brew games. Mod Chips firstwere "stuck" having to find out exactly which Xbox
came into "fame" when die hard, hard core gamers360 you had, in order to select the right chip for your
who were tired of the slim offerings that were madeconsole.
available for them in the USA, wanted to get theirNow, as with most developments in the mod chip
hands on the often better and more unique Japanesemanufacturing world, eventually, some very smart
games that were coming out for their game console.programmers and developers finally get it right.
This is nothing new, even the Nintendo NES has aNaturally, it is common sense to assume that
device that allowed gamers to plug Japanesecustomers would be much more likely to buy a mod
Famicom cartridges into their USA NES system sochip for their Xbox 360 is they could do away with
that they could play those really unique Japanesethe "version" checking, and buy a chip that they
games, or the latest Mario offering that was onlyKNOW will work in their Xbox 360 console... Of
available (or came out much sooner) in Japan.course, when they take it apart after receiving their
Mod chips are available for all the major video gamechip, they WILL have to find out which model they
consoles, including the Xbox 360, Xbox, Sony PSP,have so they can use the right installation directions -
PlayStation, Playstation 2 and GameCube. Almost allbut they don't have to fret or worry that the chip
modern console gaming systems havethey have purchased may NOT be compatible with
hardware-based schemes which ensure that onlytheir XBox 360.
officially sanctioned games may be used with theMuch like any product, customers want the peace of
system and implement regional lockout similar to themind of knowing that what they are buying will
scheme used in DVD movies. The specific technicalsimply just WORK, and in the case of mod chips, will
nature of these DRM systems varies by system, andwork in their Xbox 360 console regardless of the
may include cryptographic signing (Xbox), intentionallyversion of the Xbox 360 that they purchased.
unreadable sectors (PlayStation, Sega Saturn),In comes the Globe 360 Xbox 360 Mod Chip. The
custom optical media (GameCube, Dreamcast), orGlobe 360 is the world's First Xbox 360 mod chip
some combination thereof. Modchips are available alsothat is compatible with ALL DVD Drives currently on
for some DVD players, to defeat region codethe market! Rather than having to figure out which
enforcement and user operation prohibitions.model drive you have, as you do with other chips,
Mod Chips first came into "fame" when die hard, hardthe Globe360 Xbox 360 Mod chip works in ANY drive
core gamers who were tired of the slim offeringsmodel to date. And the home brew software that is
that were made available for them in the USA,available is outstanding - and I expect it to get a
wanted to get their hands on the often better andwhole lot better. My Xbox already acts as a
more unique Japanese games that were coming outcomplete media center, even streaming Google
for their game console. This is nothing new, even theVideos directly from the Internet. And my Playstation
Nintendo NES has a device that allowed gamers to2 has been transformed from just an awesome
plug Japanese Famicom cartridges into their USA NESgames machine to a DVD Player, DivX Player, MP3
system so that they could play those really uniquePlayer, and streaming content directly to the console
Japanese games, or the latest Mario offering thatfrom the Internet makes it something that I could
was only available (or came out much sooner) innot do without.
Japan.To sum it up, if you have an Xbox 360, then you
Modchips typically require some level of technicalshould really consider getting an Xbox 360 mod chip.
ability to install. Most commonly, modchips must beNot only will you be able to protect your expensive
soldered on to a console's motherboard, althoughinvestments by making backup copies of your own
there are no-solder install kits (which instead rely onoriginal games, and putting the originals away for safe
the precise positioning of electrical contacts within thekeeping, but you'll also open up a whole new world of
case) which work with some revisions of thegames that you simply would not be able to play
PlayStation 2 and Xbox hardware.otherwise. There are truly very unique (and playable)
As console systems got better and better, a wholeJapanese games that we'll simply never see
following of home brew developers starting makingotherwise. And if home brew or cool utilities,
their own software for their consoles. Software likeapplications or add-ons are your thing, then having a
the Xbox Media Center (XMBC) as well as their ownmod chip is an absolute must.