Difference between revisions of "XenoGC"

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|image        = [[File:xenogc.jpg|200px|alt=XenoGC Modchip]]
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|image        = [[File:Xeno.jpeg|200px|alt=XenoLogo]]
 
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|caption      = XenoGC modchip
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|image2        = [[File:xenogc.jpg|200px|alt=XenoGC Modchip]]
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|caption2      = XenoGC modchip
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|header1 = Specification
 
|header1 = Specification
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|label4  = XenoGC
 
|label4  = XenoGC
 
|data4  = N/A
 
|data4  = N/A
 +
|header5 = Source Code
 +
|label6  = Original
 +
|data6  = [http://www.gc-forever.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=439 GC-Forever]
 +
|label7  = fork
 +
|data7  = [https://github.com/emukidid/xenogcfork GitHub]
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
==Overview==
 
==Overview==
−
The XenoGC is a drivechip for the Nintendo Gamecube. It's installed directly on the disc board and injects patch code into the DVD drive at run time to enable debug commands and read DVD+/-R/RW. The original project name of the modchip was Qoob Lite (later discovered from the source code).
+
The XenoGC is a drivechip for the Nintendo Gamecube. It is installed directly to the optical drive's logic board and injects patch code into the drive at run time.  This enables the execution of debug commands and reading of DVD+/-R/RW media. The original project name of the modchip was Qoob Lite (subsequently discovered in the source code).
  
 
==Versions==
 
==Versions==
−
There are two versions available of the XenoGC. Version 1.0 does not provide MultiGame disc support via the XenoShell, but version 2.0 does provide MultiGame support. (Version 2.0 is displayed as version 1.5). Version 1.0 XenoGC has a Green LED to indicate when the drive was successfully patched whereas Version 2.0 has an orange LED (As do the clones/knockoffs).
+
The XenoGC is available in two variants. Version 2.0 (displayed as 1.5) includes support for multi-game discs, while Version 1.0 does not.  Version 1.0 has a Green LED to indicate that the drive has been patched successfully, whereas Version 2.0 has an orange LED. As the XenoGC is now effectively an open source modchip, certain clones will defy these color conventions.
  
  
 
==Features==
 
==Features==
−
* direct boot of DVD+-RW media
+
* Direct boot of DVD+-RW media
−
* compatible with all regions & all versions
+
* Compatible with all regions & all versions
−
* region free loading
+
* Region-free game loading
−
* super easy wireless install
+
* Wireless installation
−
* no need to remove mainboard
+
* Removal of motherboard not required
 
* PAL/NTSC region force
 
* PAL/NTSC region force
−
* installation control LEDs
+
* Status LEDs
−
* switchable read setting adjustment / error retry
+
* Switchable read setting adjustment & error retry
−
* switchable audiofix
+
* Switchable audiofix
−
* anti-static packaging
+
* Anti-static packaging
−
* extremely low cost
+
* Extremely low cost
  
 
==Settings==
 
==Settings==
 
===General Info===
 
===General Info===
−
You can adjust a few settings by holding various buttons on controller 1 while booting a game - this means from just before and during the black screen as the boot up menu goes away and the game starts up. The settings will be in effect per boot and not change behaviour permanently.
+
You can adjust a few settings by holding various buttons on controller one while booting a game. This means from just before and during the black screen as the boot menu disappears and the game launches. Settings are applied on a per-boot basis and do not permanently alter the behavior of the console.
  
 
===[L button] Disable audiofix===
 
===[L button] Disable audiofix===
−
If you modified your backup images to work with bioses that didn't support streaming audio correctly, you can disable the native fix.
+
If you have previously modified your backup images to work with a BIOS that did not have proper support for audio streaming, this setting will disable that modification.
  
 
===[R button] Disable DREfix===
 
===[R button] Disable DREfix===
−
Turns off the native read adjustment/retries. Can be useful if you want to scan a disc for read errors. The chip will not try to prevent any errors and use the default read settings
+
Disables the native read adjustment and retries. This may be useful if you wish to scan a disc for read errors. The XenoGC will not attempt to correct any errors and will use the default read settings.
  
 
===[X/Y button] Force NTSC/PAL display mode===
 
===[X/Y button] Force NTSC/PAL display mode===
−
Will force the selected region's display mode regardless of the actual game region. This will work for some games, for others it won't.
+
This will force the selected region's display mode regardless of the actual game region. Some games are not compatible with this setting.
  
 
===[START button] Version display===
 
===[START button] Version display===
−
On a version 1.0 XenoGC it shows some basic version info (Chip, GC and drive)
+
* On a Version 1.0 XenoGC, this displays basic version information (modchip, console and drive).
−
On a version 2.0 XenoGC it shows the XenoShell which only runs in PAL50 (bug?) and is only useful for running MultiGame discs (not multi-disc games).
+
* On a Version 2.0 XenoGC, this displays the XenoShell in PAL50 (bug?) and is only useful for running multi-game discs (not multi-disc games).
  
 
===Status LEDs===
 
===Status LEDs===
−
The XenoGC features two status LEDs to indicate correct function. The red LED is active when the drive resets and the chip is doing its job. Once the drive has been patched successfully, the green (or orange on XenoGC2.0 and clones) LED will light up. Check your install if you only get the red LED, or it doesn't light up at all.
+
The XenoGC features two status LEDs to indicate correct function. The red LED is active when the drive resets and the modchip is doing its job. Once the drive has been patched successfully, the green (orange on XenoGC2.0 and certain clones) LED will illuminate. If only the red LED illuminates, check your installation. It should be noted however that some XenoGC clones may only have red LEDs to indicate functionality, if this is the case check to see how many times the LED blinks on and off. If the LED blinks twice, pauses, and stays on afterwards than the installation and patching was successful.
 +
 
 +
==Troubleshooting Installation==
 +
The XenoGC doesn't offer much in terms of diagnostics, however there are a number of ways to determine how well it is working. Ideally, you should see a red LED illuminate on the XenoGC when the console turns on and then a green (Version 1.0) or orange (Version 2.0) LED when the drive has been patched successfully. If none of the LEDs on the XenoGC illuminate, then check your solder joints and consider removing it in favor of a wired installation instead.
 +
 
 +
The following steps should be performed after the XenoGC has been installed and performed in order. If the first step fails, so will those which follow.
 +
# Start the console with an original disc in the drive and the lid closed, don't press anything, if it works, great, the laser isn't dead. Alternatively try [[Laser_Tuning|tuning the laser]] and trying this step again.
 +
# Hold the Start button down in controller 1, start the console with an original disc in the drive and hold start until the game is supposed to load. If the game doesn't load and a menu (v2+) or credits screen (v1) loads up the XenoGC is working properly. Alternatively try to run a disc for another region if you have no controller.
 +
# Start the console with a copy of the [https://github.com/emukidid/swiss-gc/releases/latest Swiss ISO] or something known to work, use Ritek G05 discs (probably near impossible to get now) or something decent with a dark dye, it seems to work better. If the disc boots then everything works, if it doesn't, tune the laser and go through Step 3 again until it does.
  
 
==Firmware Updates==
 
==Firmware Updates==
Line 69: Line 90:
 
==DIY XenoGC Clone==
 
==DIY XenoGC Clone==
 
Information on making a XenoGC Clone or to understand how to modify an actual XenoGC for flashing can be found [http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=XenoGC_Clone HERE]
 
Information on making a XenoGC Clone or to understand how to modify an actual XenoGC for flashing can be found [http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=XenoGC_Clone HERE]
 +
 +
 +
{| border="3" align="center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="2" style="background:lightblue;font-size:10pt" width="800"| XenoGC
 +
|-
 +
! scope="row" width="200" | Developers
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
! scope="row" | CPU
 +
| Atmel Atmega8L
 +
|-
 +
! scope="row" | Modchip Type
 +
| [[Drivechip]]
 +
|-
 +
! scope="row" | Features
 +
| [[Gamecube BIOS]]
 +
|-
 +
! scope="row" | Installation
 +
| 0 wires (optional 6 wires)
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
  
 
[[Category:Modchips]]
 
[[Category:Modchips]]

Revision as of 21:25, 12 October 2020

XenoGC
XenoLogo
XenoGC Modchip
XenoGC modchip
Specification
Generation Drivechip
Flash Size
XenoGC N/A
Source Code
Original GC-Forever
fork GitHub
v · d · e

Overview

The XenoGC is a drivechip for the Nintendo Gamecube. It is installed directly to the optical drive's logic board and injects patch code into the drive at run time. This enables the execution of debug commands and reading of DVD+/-R/RW media. The original project name of the modchip was Qoob Lite (subsequently discovered in the source code).

Versions

The XenoGC is available in two variants. Version 2.0 (displayed as 1.5) includes support for multi-game discs, while Version 1.0 does not. Version 1.0 has a Green LED to indicate that the drive has been patched successfully, whereas Version 2.0 has an orange LED. As the XenoGC is now effectively an open source modchip, certain clones will defy these color conventions.


Features

  • Direct boot of DVD+-RW media
  • Compatible with all regions & all versions
  • Region-free game loading
  • Wireless installation
  • Removal of motherboard not required
  • PAL/NTSC region force
  • Status LEDs
  • Switchable read setting adjustment & error retry
  • Switchable audiofix
  • Anti-static packaging
  • Extremely low cost

Settings

General Info

You can adjust a few settings by holding various buttons on controller one while booting a game. This means from just before and during the black screen as the boot menu disappears and the game launches. Settings are applied on a per-boot basis and do not permanently alter the behavior of the console.

[L button] Disable audiofix

If you have previously modified your backup images to work with a BIOS that did not have proper support for audio streaming, this setting will disable that modification.

[R button] Disable DREfix

Disables the native read adjustment and retries. This may be useful if you wish to scan a disc for read errors. The XenoGC will not attempt to correct any errors and will use the default read settings.

[X/Y button] Force NTSC/PAL display mode

This will force the selected region's display mode regardless of the actual game region. Some games are not compatible with this setting.

[START button] Version display

  • On a Version 1.0 XenoGC, this displays basic version information (modchip, console and drive).
  • On a Version 2.0 XenoGC, this displays the XenoShell in PAL50 (bug?) and is only useful for running multi-game discs (not multi-disc games).

Status LEDs

The XenoGC features two status LEDs to indicate correct function. The red LED is active when the drive resets and the modchip is doing its job. Once the drive has been patched successfully, the green (orange on XenoGC2.0 and certain clones) LED will illuminate. If only the red LED illuminates, check your installation. It should be noted however that some XenoGC clones may only have red LEDs to indicate functionality, if this is the case check to see how many times the LED blinks on and off. If the LED blinks twice, pauses, and stays on afterwards than the installation and patching was successful.

Troubleshooting Installation

The XenoGC doesn't offer much in terms of diagnostics, however there are a number of ways to determine how well it is working. Ideally, you should see a red LED illuminate on the XenoGC when the console turns on and then a green (Version 1.0) or orange (Version 2.0) LED when the drive has been patched successfully. If none of the LEDs on the XenoGC illuminate, then check your solder joints and consider removing it in favor of a wired installation instead.

The following steps should be performed after the XenoGC has been installed and performed in order. If the first step fails, so will those which follow.

  1. Start the console with an original disc in the drive and the lid closed, don't press anything, if it works, great, the laser isn't dead. Alternatively try tuning the laser and trying this step again.
  2. Hold the Start button down in controller 1, start the console with an original disc in the drive and hold start until the game is supposed to load. If the game doesn't load and a menu (v2+) or credits screen (v1) loads up the XenoGC is working properly. Alternatively try to run a disc for another region if you have no controller.
  3. Start the console with a copy of the Swiss ISO or something known to work, use Ritek G05 discs (probably near impossible to get now) or something decent with a dark dye, it seems to work better. If the disc boots then everything works, if it doesn't, tune the laser and go through Step 3 again until it does.

Firmware Updates

Two official versions of software exist which were only available pre-installed at time of purchase. Since the release of the source code, a XenoGC Flashing Utility has been discovered which will enable the user to upgrade and/or downgrade the XenoGC software using the appropriate flashing utility version. In order to prepare the XenoGC to allow flashing, a switch must be installed between GND and any of the letters 'X E N O' which can be found on the circuit board.

Source Code

In February 2011 the source code was made publicly available at GC-Forever

DIY XenoGC Clone

Information on making a XenoGC Clone or to understand how to modify an actual XenoGC for flashing can be found HERE


XenoGC
Developers
CPU Atmel Atmega8L
Modchip Type Drivechip
Features Gamecube BIOS
Installation 0 wires (optional 6 wires)
Retrieved from "http://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=XenoGC&oldid=6022"