Conclusion
If you made it this far, thank you! None of this would have been possible without the support from our users and community members.
We look forward to the future and everything that the XboxHD+ has to offer.
Thanks,
Dustin
We're excited to share the release of firmware version 1.5.0 for Project Stellar. In this update we've add a new in-game screenshot capture feature and fixed all known game compatibility issues!
Capture flawless in-game screenshots effortlessly, without the need for a capture card!
Simply press the Share button on your Xbox Series X|S controller or use one of the customizable alternative button combinations to capture pixel-perfect moments during gameplay.
The Stellar screenshot capture works by grabbing the GPU's backbuffer before it's sent to the video encoder for output and is a uncompressed pixel perfect representation of the game being played.
Captured screenshots are stored on the Xbox hard drive and can be conveniently accessed through various homebrew methods or transferred to a computer using StellarOS FTP.
It's widely acknowledged that certain games on the Original Xbox encounter issues, whether on unmodified systems or modded ones.
Common problems include game freezes, loading failures, or graphical glitches.
These challenges prompted the development of XboxHD+. As we encountered additional issues beyond video output, the inception of Project Stellar became apparent, allowing us to address a broader spectrum of issues.
Project Stellar aims to definitively resolve all compatibility issues once and for all. And with firmware v1.5.0 we've resolved all known game issues!
xbox: Disable network interrupts on platform_quit()
feat: Implement key repeat functionality for d-pad input
1.5.0
The main objective of this update was to address game fixes and enhance compatibility, and we are delighted with the substantial progress achieved.
Stay tuned for the upcoming release of v1.6.0, where we'll introduce network streaming of ISOs!
]]>We're excited to share the release of firmware version 1.4.0 for Project Stellar. In this update, we will be tackling one of the last remaining mysteries of the original Xbox.
From lost childhood saved games to lost media, such as DLC and title updates, the Xbox has historically had one problem. Losing the secret key to the hard drive meant no longer being able to access its contents.
With Project Stellar firmware update 1.4.0, that's no longer the case. Using advanced recovery techniques, we can now recover the hard drive key/password to any OEM hard drive.
It doesn't matter if the EEPROM is corrupt or if it's an entirely different board altogether. Stellar will automatically step you through recovery and the unlocking process.
In addition to hard drive key recovery, firmware v1.4.0 adds additional controls for manually unlocking and locking drives to the motherboard. This a great handy tool for people using Project Stellar as a recovery tool on other systems.
https://github.com/Ryzee119/LithiumX/commit/ccc740f04a73e20a58c5f9985f97eb87f0189c30
1.4.0
1.3.2
1.3.1
Words can't describe how awesome it is to finally release this feature to everyone after over a year of development. None of this would have been possible without our incredible team, and we can't wait to share more discoveries here in the near future.
Firmware v1.5.0 is just around the corner, and we'll see you again very soon!
We're excited to share the release of firmware version 1.3.0 for Project Stellar. This update brings a unique feature exclusively possible through the capabilities of Project Stellar.
The key feature of this firmware update is the introduction of support for Microsoft Xbox One and Xbox Series controllers via USB.
Initially, we developed USB drivers for the first-generation Xbox controllers. However, we encountered some hurdles post-launch, prompting us to disable this feature temporarily.
Our team embarked on an extensive reverse-engineering process of the entire Xbox software library to overcome these challenges. This task involved analyzing nearly 8,000 executables and required hundreds of hours of meticulous development and research.
For firmware 1.3.0, we completely rewrote everything from the ground.
Using the extra 8MBs of RAM on Project Stellar, we can dynamically relocate the USB stack from the software running on the Xbox and move it into the kernel, where we've developed additional USB drivers.
This allows us to expand software for the Xbox from only supporting original controllers to supporting all Xbox One controllers with no performance penalty and without any additional input latency that might be found when using an external adapter.
In our previous update, we briefly talked about the development of compressed ISO support, and our recommendation for most people was to use with repacked images.
However, one aspect we still needed to discuss in detail was the compatibility of this method with all software titles.
Removing padding from ISO images can sometimes lead to compatibility issues with specific software. For instance, some games, like TOCA 3, rely on the disk file system's sector information for real-time performance and sanity checks.
We have introduced a solution: virtual disc sector emulation to address this. This feature effectively resolves the limitations of repacked ISOs, ensuring full compatibility with all software titles that depend on disk layout information.
The boot animation in native 720P resolution, initially launched with Project Stellar, was impressive in terms of quality, but its framerate was somewhat inconsistent.
With firmware v1.3.0, we've gone back and optimized the original boot animation for 720P output. This enhancement significantly boosts the animation's framerate, aligning it closely with the intended performance.
1.3.0
1.2.2
Rewriting the USB stack on the Xbox has been one of the largest single undertakings thus far for Project Stellar, but we have so much more to show off here very soon.
Firmware v1.4.0 is just around the corner, and we'll see you again very soon!
As inventory dwindles on the original XboxHD+ v1 kits (non Project Stellar); it's time we talk about our next steps.
The original XboxHD+ was first launched at the end of 2020 and has been in active development ever since.
In 2022, we launched Project Stellar to make the XboxHD+ more accessible to the community. We also used our knowledge of the original Xbox to fix, improve, and expand the Xbox in ways that have never been explored before.
During the early development of Project Stellar, we had a crucial decision to make pretty early on, and that's what was the best direction for the XboxHD+. Throughout the lifespan of the original XboxHD+, we were constantly running into supply chain issues. To fix this, we decided to redesign the XboxHD+ to work directly with Project Stellar and, in the process, simplify the design by removing redundant components to decrease our supply chain constraints.
Now we've come full circle and supply chains have improved enough to where it's possible to offer a legacy solution for the newer XboxHD+ boards to work without Project Stellar.
Our future here at MakeMHz is focused on the continued development of Project Stellar and our next generation RetroHD+ line of products, we will be releasing this purely as a sunset device with limited support for the experienced modders that want to explore pixel perfect video output on the Xbox without the improvement and benefits of Project Stellar.
The XboxHD+ Legacy is open for orders starting today and is currently in production. We expect to ship orders at the end of January.
]]>Better late than never, right? For those who missed it, this update actually made its grand entrance back in August. Now, let's rewind a bit and dive into what this belatedly celebrated update brings to the table.
Before we delve in, it's worth noting that this post serves mostly as a historical record. We're on the cusp of rolling out the next big thing – firmware update 1.3.0 – which is right around the corner. But before we leap into the future, let's take a moment to appreciate the journey thus far and the strides made with 1.2.0. Stay tuned, as the best is yet to come!
In the past, installing games on the Xbox required copying the contents of the game disc to the hard drive, followed by patching the game executable to circumvent the Xbox's file system limitations. This method was far from ideal.
Enter Project Stellar, where we're shaking up these old practices. Our update 1.2.0 is a testament to our commitment to making patching obsolete.
Furthermore, extracting games to the hard drive in the traditional manner has several drawbacks:
Stellar 1.2.0 implements support for all kinds of different formatted ISO images.
The Classic ISO: This format is a 1:1 copy of a game disc, similar to a Redump image, minus the video partition. It occupies 7.4GB per game, which is quite sizable. Ideal for those who want an exact backup, it's less suited for users with limited storage space.
XISO - The Preferred Choice:
XISO repacks the original ISO by removing non-essential padding, a legacy of optimizing games for physical disc loading. This procedure greatly reduces the file size, maintaining the game's integrity and functionality.
The primary advantage of XISO files is their storage efficiency, featuring significantly smaller file sizes and faster load times, without compromising the original game's integrity.
We recommend this format for most Project Stellar users, as it offers a great balance between storage efficiency, performance, and compatibility.
CISO - Compact but Slower: The compressed ISO, or CISO, uses LZ4 compression to reduce file sizes at the cost of slightly longer loading times. It's a good option for those prioritizing maximum storage utilization over performance.
As we've navigated the development of Project Stellar, we've come to understand some crucial aspects of game compatibility and the role of image formats.
In the early stages, our strategy was centered around untouched compressed ISOs. We thought this was the key to achieving perfect game compatibility. What became clear, however, was that existing modifications fell short in this regard, particularly when it came to repacked images. The reality was that with the conventional mods, achieving flawless compatibility with repacked images was a challenge that hadn't been effectively addressed.
This is where Project Stellar marks a significant departure from the norm.
Our method involves complete emulation of the disc drive, a crucial step that allows us to eliminate the need for disc padding. While this might lead to less impressive compression figures compared to repacked ISOs, it opens up an entirely new realm of possibilities: we can now support repacked ISOs with full compatibility. And this is something quite unprecedented.
With Project Stellar, we're not just adapting existing methods for loading ISO images; we're fundamentally redefining them, setting new standards for game compatibility and storage efficiency.
Alongside the 1.2.0 update, we're also proud to release two new open-source projects.
These open-source projects reflect our dedication to community-driven development and innovation in gaming technology. Stay tuned for more updates from Project Stellar!
This Xbox executable is a key component of Project Stellar. It's designed for mounting and launching disc images, streamlining the process of playing your favorite games.
Complementing our storage solutions, this utility allows users to efficiently compress their game discs into the CISO format. It's an essential tool for those looking to save space without compromising on game quality.
Open source software is very important to us here and contributing back is one of the many ways we like to show our support.
xemu1.2.0
1.1.3
1.1.2
1.1.1
As we wrap up this update on Project Stellar, it's clear that we're on a journey of continuous innovation and improvement.
From expanding our support for diverse ISO formats to breaking new ground with our open-source initiatives and redefining game compatibility standards, we are committed to enhancing your gaming experience in ways previously unimagined. The lessons we've learned and the advancements we've made with Project Stellar are just the beginning.
We're excited to keep pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to evolve Project Stellar, and thank you for joining us on this remarkable adventure into the future of retro.
]]>]]>Get set for the next round of Stellar XboxHD+ shipments!🚀
— MakeMHz (@MakeMHz) August 30, 2023
These new and improved kits feature sleek injection molded parts and stunning boards from our fab partners. Exciting times ahead!
Shipping starts tomorrow. Due to high demand, we expect to clear the backlog by Sept… pic.twitter.com/X4nsor3dGk
]]>Project Stellar Shipping Update!
— MakeMHz (@MakeMHz) August 1, 2023
Today we received the next batch of Project Stellar boards and have begun preparing them for shipment.
We're wrapping up firmware version 1.2.0 this week, and orders will be shipping this weekend. pic.twitter.com/x5ASfooMF9
StellarOS has a few additional checks to ensure that the partitions being mounted are valid and can be used. This is to prevent data loss and corruption.
The original Xbox, in the past, can have a hard drive that's formatted in quite a few different ways. From the first version of oz_paulb's LBA48 patch to the LBA48v2 patch found inside m8plus and softmods. Legacy BIOS releases like m8plus have an optional hard-coded partition table. And recently, extensions to LBAv2 have been made to support 48-bit partition mapping.
StellarOS, on boot, will attempt to read the partition table from the drive, and if it's not found, it will try to detect partitions F and G at their respective offsets according to common hard-coded offsets.
If you believe you're experiencing drive/partition issues, the first step is to check both the Tools page (Hard Drive Overview) and the Diagnostics screen. The second step would be the Stellar Knowedlegebase, where you can find more information on the error code and decypher the diagnostics screen.
We hope the additional troubleshooting tools are helpful. We're always looking for ways to improve the user experience and make the modding process easier for all, both new and old.
See you in the next update!
- Dustin
Today we are happy to announce that shipping has resumed and that a new firmware update for Project Stellar is available. This is the most significant update to Project Stellar since its launch, and we are excited to share it with you.
The last two weeks have focused on bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements. However, we've also managed to squeeze in a few new features. This will be a long one, so make sure to stick around until the end!
By far, the biggest feature request for Project Stellar has been support for legacy and extended partitions...
When we first started the development of Project Stellar, three of the designs goals were to re-evaluate everything, keep things simple, and make Project Stellar as user-friendly as possible. This meant that we wanted to re-evaluate the partitioning scheme used by modded Xboxes.
Most modded Xboxes use a partitioning scheme that is based on the work of oz_paulb. This is a great design and has served the community well for many years. However, it does have some drawbacks.
We had originally planned to re-evaluate and roll out our own solution. However, this was put on the back burner due to time constraints, and instead, we launched with only supporting "All on F" as the only supported extended partitioning option.
Hindsight is 20/20, and we now realize that we should have just supported the legacy partitioning scheme from the start.
With the 1.1.0 release, StellarOS now supports both legacy and extended partitions. This includes supporting all past and current drive configurations.
With the 1.1.0 release, StellarOS now includes a built-in HDD formatting tool. This tool lets you format your HDD to the Xbox native FATX filesystem using the extended LBAv2 partitioning table. This tool is useful for formatting a new HDD or reformatting an existing one.
The formatting tool can format the entire HDD or just the extended partition. The latter is useful if you want to keep the contents of the retail partitions intact.
One of the goals of Project Stellar is to be completely self-contained. This means the Xbox dashboard is no longer needed to configure the system. And one of the last parts of the dashboard that was needed was the date and time settings. With StellarOS, the date and time can now be configured from the StellarOS settings.
In 2005 the US government changed the dates for daylight savings time. This change was never reflected in the Xbox dashboard, and as a result, the Xbox will always be an hour off during daylight savings time. StellarOS fixes this by correcting the timezone offset during daylight savings time.
Add this to the list of "I can't believe this has never been fixed or addressed in almost two decades!"...
— Dustin Holden - MakeMHz (@LoveMHz) May 8, 2023
StellarOS now correctly handles, and fixes, the system time according to daylight savings. pic.twitter.com/98uK2Gwv8C
Often called the holy grail of Xbox modding, CPU upgraded consoles have been around for over a decade. However, the CPU upgrade is only half the battle. The other half is getting games to run on the upgraded CPU. This is where StellarOS comes in. StellarOS includes a number of enhancements to the Xbox kernel that greatly improve game compatibility on these systems.
In the past, the only way to get games to run at these faster speeds on a CPU upgraded Xbox was to patch the game executables with very mixed results. Project Stellar takes a different approach. Instead of patching the game executables, Project Stellar handles the issues directly in the kernel.
Project Stellar's approach has a number of advantages over patching the game executables. The first and primary advantage is that compatibility is improved for all games. This means that games that have never worked on a CPU upgraded Xbox will now work. No more patching, video or audio stuttering, or crashing. Just load your game and play.
Extended CPU microcode support adds support for over 16 different Pentium III CPU models and steppings covering over a hundred different SKUs. This covers all possible CPU upgrades for the original Xbox.
With this feature enabled, on boot, StellarOS will automatically detect the CPU model/stepping and apply the correct and latest microcode update to the CPU.
With 1.1.0 two new tools have been added to StellarOS to help backup and restore the Xbox EEPROM. Backing up the EEPROM is a key step in making sure you never lose your Xbox's unique keys.
StellarOS now has improved OLED error codes. These new error codes are more descriptive and help you determine what went wrong.
In the past, a general hardware fault on power-up would result in a system that reboots and flashes red and green. With Project Stellar, we've disabled this behavior and instead display a more descriptive error code on the OLED. We're constantly working toward our database of error codes and their meanings.
For software, it's a bit different. In the past, a software crash would either lock the system up or cause it to reboot. With Project Stellar, we've added a new error code that will display on the OLED. This error code will help us figure out what went wrong and help you get back up and running.
Open source software is very important to us here and contributing back is one of the many ways we like to show our support.
nxdk lvgl LithiumXIf you've made it this far then you're probably wondering what's next. The month of May is primarily going to be focused on fully catching up orders and building up inventory.
There's still a lot more to come... See you in the next update!
- Dustin
Make sure to check out our last blog post if you missed it!
Project Stellar - Update #4
Since our last update we've received all the parts for the Project Stellar kits and began shipping our backlog of thousands of kits across the world.
Just received the last piece for Project Stellar kits! Orders will begin shipping out this week. 🎉🍍 pic.twitter.com/6sWSqNE0RK
— MakeMHz (@MakeMHz) March 14, 2023
Over the last few weeks we've been making countless trips to USPS, UPS, and FedEx. Progress has been going great and currently we're at over 75% of orders shipped.
Final inspection from Mojo before I make another trip to the post office! pic.twitter.com/J9moH835sX
— Dustin Holden - MakeMHz (@LoveMHz) April 10, 2023
After working tirelessly for several weeks, we've come to the decision to pause shipments of Project Stellar and Stellar XboxHD+ for a brief period of two to three weeks and to resume at the start of May.
During this time, we will be focused on addressing support tickets, bug fixes, and making improvements to both our documentation and StellarOS based on feedback from our users. Additionally, we will take the opportunity to restock on shipping supplies and reorganize.
We recognize that this may cause some inconvenience to some who are eagerly awaiting their orders. However, we firmly believe that this brief hiatus will ultimately result in a better experience for everyone who purchases Project Stellar or Stellar XboxHD+.
We appreciate your understanding and patience during this period, and we assure you that we will resume shipments as soon as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our support at support@makemhz.com.
We're okay with admitting that no release is without its issues. Since launch, we've released five updates to StellarOS to address those issues. The Project Stellar community has been great with submitting detailed bug reports.
And updating couldn't be any easier with Project Stellar! Just choose "Check for Updates" from inside StellarOS and let the automated web-based update run.
Firmware v1.0.5 is now live for Project Stellar!https://t.co/6GsuUwdnGM
— MakeMHz (@MakeMHz) April 5, 2023
tl;dr
Over 75% of orders have shipped. Over the next two to three weeks we'll be focused on support, documentation, and improvements to StellarOS. Pending orders for Project Stellar and Stellar XboxHD+ will resume shipping at the start of May.
Hey everyone! We hope you're all doing well and staying safe. Time for another, and hopefully final, production update on Project Stellar and XboxHD+ prior to initial shipments going out.
Guess who just received a large production run of Project Stellar boards! We did! Let the flashing, testing, final assembly, packing, and shipping begin! pic.twitter.com/yH5aE4bBuQ
— MakeMHz (@MakeMHz) February 20, 2023
Early last week we received the first production run of Project Stellar. Since then it's been all hands on deck assembling the final kits. We're hard at work assembling the final kits and preparing them for shipment. This involves a variety of tasks such as testing, programming the boards, kitting, and final assembly.
While we assemble the final kits, we're still short one crucial part. The Stellar link cable.
We're working closely with the manufacturer to speed up the process, but it's taking longer than expected. The cables were originally scheduled to arrive last week, but unfortunately, the manufacturer is taking longer than expected to deliver them.
We've also enlisted the help of a backup manufacturer, just in case. We expect to have the cables in our possession in the next week or the back up in two, and we'll start shipping out the kits immediately after.
We also wanted to share some news about the price of Project Stellar. Starting today, the price will be increasing from $80 to $100 and $160 for the XboxHD+ HDMI bundle. Once production and stock stabilizes we'll be offering the XboxHD+ HDMI separately for $60 as an upgrade to those that purchased Project Stellar by itself.
The main reason for the price increase is that production costs have gone up since we first started developing Project Stellar. In addition, we want to grow our business and continue to innovate and improve the product. The increased price will allow us to do that in a sustainable way.
tl;dr
We're waiting on one part of the Project Stellar kits but we have in place a back up plan that should only delay us by two weeks at the most. Once the cable arrives, we ship. All current orders should be out in March. Product pages have been updated ship dates.
We want to end this update by thanking you for your support and your patience. We want you to know that we're committed to delivering a high-quality product and a great customer experience. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to help and we appreciate your feedback.
]]>In our last post we went over how pretty much the only thing left was the final Project Stellar boards from fabrication.
At the beginning of December we had express shipped via DHL some additional parts to our fabrication partners with the expectation for them to arrive before the end of the month. But due to delays in leaving the US due to weather, Christmas, New Years, and custom issues the parts didn't arrive until almost a month later (just a few days ago).
For those unaware, China celebrates Lunar New Year towards the end of January and most businesses completely shutdown for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, after speaking with our fabrication partners the shipping delays has put our boards from shipping before the Lunar New Year to production starting on February 1st.
We're in the process of building the StellarHD+ and QSB boards in house and expect the Project Stellar boards to arrive in February.
Due to these delays we're pushing the ship dates back for the first batch, including retail orders, towards the end of February and expect to have all orders shipped out by then.
]]>Hey everyone! Time for another production update on Project Stellar and the XboxHD+. The month of November has been a very productive one with only a couple of set backs.
All the parts for the Project Stellar kits have arrived (cable assemblies, flex cables, OLED displays, etc) except for the final retail box. Over the next couple of weeks we expect to receive the final retail boxes and start the process of assembling kits.
The first production samples of the Project Stellar board have arrived and they're great! Except... we need to make a couple of small changes based on feedback from the PCB assembly company. This means we're currently waiting for another batch of samples to re-verify before we can give the go ahead on the final production run.
Unfortunately, this pushes our timeline back for third-party retail orders from the end of November into January when accounting for all of the end of the year holidays. To accommodate for this we have reached out to CastleManiaGames, 8bitmods, and VideoGamePerfection to update their listed ship date to end of January.
All pre-orders from MakeMHz.com are still on track and expected to ship according to their original listed timelines.
]]>Due to overwhelming demand we've started a second batch for Project Stellar and Stellar XboxHD+ (Project Stellar and XboxHD+ as one complete kit). The ship date for the second batch is set for the end of Feb 2023. Currently we're waiting on one part and will be pushing to product as soon as it arrives (Lead-time confirmed and locked in).
As for the first batch, we're very well into production.
XboxHD+
Currently waiting on production PCB panels. We are building these in house towards the end of November.
Project Stellar
Currently waiting on product samples from fab. These should arrive any day now and once verified we will be giving the go ahead on the full production run.
We also have various other items in the verification or production phase such as the product boxes, cable assembles, flex cables, OLED displays, etc. While there are a lot of parts that have to come together before the end of November; we're confident that we will hit our ship date of November 31st to retailers for the Stellar XboxHD+ and the end of January for Project Stellar orders, as long as all of our suppliers hit their deadlines as expected.
There were quite a few questions after our announcement for Project Stellar and we want to try and answer as many of those as possible here.
What does the StellarOS beta mean?
StellarOS will be in beta at launch and will be in beta until around the end of January (when the standalone kits ship). The goal of launching with the beta first is to allow us to focus on the in-rush of XboxHD+ installs and support. StellarOS beta will first launch with all the feature comforts that are expected from a mod for the Xbox and we will be opening up the more advance features as we get going. In addition, we will be working with the community to write guides, add various support to homebrew, etc as we wrap up the beta phase.
Will Project Stellar work if I already have a soft-mod installed?
Yes! In most cases Project Stellar will detect softmods automatically and remove them. StellarOS also provides an option to scan your system's hard drive to fix any leftover files.
Can I replace *blank* mod with Project Stellar?
Of course! In most cases Project Stellar should be a drop in replacement.
How difficult is Project Stellar to install?
Fairly simple. If you already have a mod installed, then chance are Project Stellar should just be a drop right in replacement. For unmodded systems, a pin header is provided to be installed along with a QSB for 1.6 systems.
Hey everyone! After much anticipation and over two years of development, today is the day we finally get to talk about Project Stellar!
Join us as we share with you Project Stellar, StellarOS, XboxHD+ v2, and most importantly the future of the Original Xbox. This is going to be a long one so, grab a snack and let's get to it!
Development of Project Stellar started in 2020, shortly after the release of the XboxHDMI, with the goal of creating the best possible add-on board for the Original Xbox. Using modern software and hardware, we wanted to create something unique that would push the limits what's possible... we wanted to create something stellar.
With Project Stellar we set out to build the best possible platform. The hardware was carefully chosen to be as flexible and future-proof. This allowed us to continue on our mission of not only fixing all the problems and issues of the original system, but also adding additional features that have been considered impossible in the past.
Traditional mods for the Original Xbox have used the LPC port to force the system to load an alternative BIOS, operating system, on boot and nothing more. What's seemed to be lost for the last two decades is the fact that this interface can provide so much more.
Project Stellar takes full advantage of the LPC interface. On board Project Stellar is a modern and top-of-its-class FPGA that fully implements the memory interface used for the BIOS, as well as the complete LPC interface for I/O and DMA transactions.
But what does all of this mean? By fully implementing the LPC interface, we can give the system access to an additional 8MB of SDRAM plus 16MB of static RAM (all of which is MMU mapped as virtual system memory, CPU cache-able, and usable by the kernel) along with two ARM CPU cores that can be used for off-loading tasks from the Xbox's CPU.
Additionally, we've added an OLED screen for troubleshooting/error-code readouts, a MicroSD card slot for loading alternative BIOSes (Legacy BIOSes, non-StellarOS), three expansion connections for future add-ons, and USB-C connection for firmware recovery and kernel debugging.
The hardware behind Project Stellar is not even half of the story for today...
We have to first start with a bit of history before we can begin talking about StellarOS.
When we first started developing the XboxHDMI mod back in 2019, we quickly realized that for the best possible video output we would have to patch the Xbox kernel. The Xbox supports close to 200 different video modes and being able to accurately detect these modes isn't possible with hardware alone. Not to mention the game breaking bugs related to video output in some hardware revisions. This meant we needed to modify the kernel to help us out.
It was at this point we started researching the Xbox kernel. Along the way, we were shocked to learn that most BIOS modifications for the Xbox were not modifications, but compiled binaries of stolen and leaked pre-production source code! So we had to decide if we wanted to support these sketchy releases and taint ourselves from future clean reverse engineering or base our modifications on a retail release...
The answer was obvious to us and we ultimately choose to use the official 5838 kernel as the base for our research and modifications. This was an easy choice in the end since it was the last kernel officially released by Microsoft. It also supports all hardware revisions which was a must have for a product that targets all console revisions.
In the beginning, all of the XboxHDMI modifications were written by hand in assembly. This was a very daunting task. Large chunks of the kernel had to be relocated by hand to different parts of the kernel space.
The Xbox kernel is very flat and sections are for the most part fixed in memory. Any additional logic meant having to make room in other logic by simplifying and relocating pieces around manually until everything fit. This would often result in multiple day-long debug sessions trying to figure out what was broken in the process.
It wasn't until the release of the XboxHD+ that we started building out a basic C-based build system for reducing the amount of handwritten assembly code.
As the XboxHD+ matured we expanded the build system to also generate relocatable objects. This solved the overly complicated development process described before, but it didn't quite solve the issue of limited memory space.
With the 2.1.0 firmware release we implemented dynamic relocation on boot. With this, and a bit of static analysis data, it allows the XboxHD+ to unload the entire video output subsystems and dynamically replace it with only the logic needed for that console revision. This frees up enough space for all the XboxHD+ features plus some for future development of the v1 XboxHD+.
Because of all of this we were able to show, for the first time, that the Xbox kernel could be legally and cleanly re-implemented in modular fashion if enough work was put into it.
StellarOS is the first completely legal re-implementation of the retail Xbox BIOS. Built from the ground up using modern tooling, StellarOS was designed to take full advantage of the additional 8MB of SDRAM on board Project Stellar. On boot the kernel is dynamically recompiled using modules of the re-implemented kernel targeting the user's hardware setup and ones for the enabled features.
With this approach StellarOS can load in any number of additional modules at will while not using up any additional system RAM.
Features
With Project Stellar and StellarOS the future is bright and the possibilities are endless. We will be continuing to expand StellarOS well into the future and we'll even be releasing an plugin system and SDK at some point.
As StellarOS continues to grow we look forward to releasing the re-implemented stock kernel source code, under a MIT-like license, as a separate project for use in other community projects such as xemu.
The fun doesn't end with Project Stellar! The XboxHD+ has also went a major overhaul for the first time since its initial release. With XboxHD+ v2, Stellar XboxHD+, we went back to the drawing board and redesigned it to be a plug and play companion to Project Stellar.
New Features Exclusive to Stellar XboxHD+
The first batch of Stellar XboxHD+ is expected to ship in late November to our retail partners. These kits will include the first public release of StellarOS beta and will have all the features you would expect from an Xbox mod. StellarOS will be in beta until the end of Jan 2023.
This is by far the largest retro project we've ever worked on with years of research and development. We can not even begin to express how thankful we are for all of the support we've received.
We still have a lot of work to do, but hope you will join us as we continue to push the realm of possibilites.
]]>Hey everyone! We've been hard at work on quite a few unannounced projects and today we're happy to announce one of them, Project Atlas, as a teaser of what the future holds!
The goal of Project Atlas is to be a comprehensive framework for reverse engineering, documenting, and extending the original Microsoft Xbox software library via static analytics.
What started off as simple research and toolchain development for our XboxHD+ has quickly developed into much more. Project Atlas aims to take the years of research and development from that project and incorporated it into an easy-to-use framework for documentation, analysis, and extending software on the original Xbox. At the core of Project Atlas is a set of tools for static analyzing and on top of that is a set of build tools for injecting native C code directly into XBEs.
The first proof-of-concept that we're releasing today is adding additional USB controller support to games, in this case, the original release of Halo.
Adding additional "drivers" in the past has always been labeled as impossible. The USB stack and all of its drivers are builtin directly into every game. But with Project Atlas, we can use static analytics to automatically perform ahead-of-time full abstraction out every function, member, struct, datatype, etc of the USB system to quickly and easily implement in support for more controllers.
RequirementsQ: Will this work for other games?
While the patch we're releasing today is only for Halo, the tools and method used to make this possible does work with any game.
Q: Will there be long term support this patch?
No. For now this is just a proof-of-concept and there's no plans for the Project Atlas project to support it in the future. It's purely to show what's possible and is part of much bigger projects.
Q: Where's the source code?
We're in the process of releasing all of our tools and documentation for Project Atlas on the GitHub page. There's currently no ETA at this time.
We're also excited to announce that we now have high quality Xbox USB adapters in stock! This adapter allows you to connect USB devices to your Xbox for use in homebrew games, emulators, and so much more!
Buy now. Buy 4 or more and automatically save 30% at checkout!
]]>
Between Alien Hominid and Hello Kitty Roller Rescue, there are over 80 non-NTSC exclusive titles for the Xbox and now they’re 100% compatible with the XboxHD+ under FW2.1.
Traditionally, these games would require the user to modify their system’s EEPROM to the desired system region, reboot, and play those games. This is a messy solution since it is error-prone and not user-friendly.
With FW2.1 we started with reimplementing the Xbox kernel logic to automatically switch the system region from NTSC to the correct region based on the game that’s being played. Additionally, we have implemented correct native 480P and upscaling for 576i content to any desired resolution.
We’re also releasing an updated BIOS patch that enables the 128MB RAM mod on m8plus! This will allow for Chihiro games to be playable along with betas and other software, such as emulators, that require or take advantage of the additional system memory.
Along with our recent update to XeniumOS, the recovery operating system for OpenXenium, we now have full native 480p support! XOS was known to have display incompatibilities, but all known issues have now been resolved.
One of the ongoing goals of the XboxHD+ is to continually add features and to make them as easy as possible for anyone to use. With FW2.1, we rewrote the UI to better highlight items that are currently selected. Additionally, we added helpful descriptions that automatically show up when a menu option is selected.
During display mode changes, the GPU output on the Xbox is in an unknown state. This can result in graphical ‘garbage’ being shortly displayed. With FW2.1, we’ve added ‘Auto Video Blanking’ which will automatically blank video output during these transitions.
While working on FW2.1, we learned a lot about correctly detecting and scaling the various aspect ratios of the Xbox game library. With FW2.1, we improved and added additional options to ensure the correct aspect ratio is always displayed!
If you don’t know about Kung Fu Chaos for the original Xbox then you’re truly missing out on a classic! If you do, then you probably know that it’s one of the few games that traditionally refuses to run natively at 480P. Fortunately, this wasn’t a challenge for us! With FW 2.1, you can now play this amazing game for the first time natively in 480P on hardware!
FW2.1 has easily been the largest rewrite of our code base since we started development on this project. Every part of the project has been improved and rewritten in some way or another. With FW2.1, we’re now dynamically injecting native reimplemented kernel logic.
Additional Changes and Fixes
On top of everything else, we're also excited about the official upgrade guide for taking an original XboxHDMI kit and upgrading it to XboxHD+.
Upgrading to XboxHD+
There are easy methods to update the firmware on the HD+.
Automatic
With the Xbox connected to the internet, select 'Check for Update' in the XboxHD+ app. This will perform an automatic update. If it fails, then a manual update can be performed.
Manual Update
Users can also update the XboxHD+ firmware by downloading the latest XboxHD+ app release, transfer it to the Xbox via FTP and launch the app. Once the app has been launched, it will prompt the user to update.
We're very excited for what the future has in store for the XboxHD+. We're actively working on firmware 2.2 and will be posting some very exciting news very soon!
]]>Hey everyone! It's Dustin from MakeMHz with a quick XboxHD+ compatibility update for XeniumOS (the OS used on Xenium and OpenXenium)!
XeniumOS v2.3.5 Changelog
Download
]]>Back in November of 2021 we released the first update to XeniumOS in almost a decade. With this update we fixed the long standing video output bug on 1.6 systems and more importantly removed multiple 'self-destruct' routines.
As part of our commitment to FOSS and open source projects we've continued our work. And today, we're happy to release our latest update, v2.3.4, that brings numerous fixes and additional features to XeniumOS.
XeniumOS v2.3.4 Changelog
Download
]]>Hey everyone! It's Dustin from MakeMHz with quick update. This will be a quick update to cover shipping, programming kits, and support.
Over the last two weeks we've shipped almost 1,000 XboxHD+ kits! Unfortunately though, we did not quite hit our goal of having all orders shipped by September 1st as we still have close to 200 remaining orders.
Our current projection is to have all outstanding orders caught up by September 15th.
All the parts have been received and tested for the XboxHD+ programming kits for those who received a kit with a bad firmware flash. We're currently waiting on the final PCB for the adapter and expect them to arrive by September 10th. Emails will with be sent out Friday and if all goes as planned then kits will go out the following Tuesday.
We are admittedly very behind on support emails and will be catching up as soon as possible! All of us here are working as hard as possible, while being short-staffed, to accomplish everything that needs to be done. Please bear with us as we catch up!
While we're not happy with the shipping delays, we do feel that we're quickly learning, improving, and doing better at keeping time frames. With the global chip shortage, shipping delays from vendors, etc every process has been slow and painful. Thank you to everyone that continues to show us their support and compassion!
Sincerely,
- Dustin
Hey everyone! It's Dustin from MakeMHz with a weekend update. This will be a quick update to cover an issue related to some recently shipped 1.6 kits.
Recently we discovered an issue with XboxHD+ 1.6 kits labeled with 'Firmware: v2.0.5'. After investigating the issue, it was determined that the kits had been flashed with pre-production firmware with broken updating functionality. This appears to have affected around 80 orders.
Once this issue was identified, we updated our installation guide with a warning. Unfortunately, the fix will require an external programming device.
Over the next week, we'll be sending out an order confirmation for an ST-LINK v2 USB programmer and adapter for flashing the correct firmware. The device, shipping, etc., will be completely free. In addition, we will be providing free replacement flex cables, wire kits, and services to those that attempted the install before the warning was added.
If your shipping address is still good, then no action will be needed. If you've sent your Xbox/XboxHD+ to an installer and would like the repair kit redirected, or if you have any other concerns/questions, then please let us know via our support email at support@makemhz.com.
Customers who order a large number of kits are also welcome to contact us directly for additional support.
We have implemented additional safeguards in our QA process to prevent mistakes like this in the future. Testing and validation are now verified against firmware releases and will flag the operator when the flashed firmware version is not the latest.
As a final note, we want to apologize to the affected users. This was a 100% avoidable mistake on our part, and it happened at the very last step of production. We're constantly pushing ourselves to achieve more, and mistakes like this remind us that sometimes we need to slow down a bit to ensure we're delivering the best possible product and experience.
Please bear with us as we resolve this issue and catch up on support. If you have any questions or concerns, then feel free to reach out.
Sincerely,
- Dustin
Hey, guess what? It's Dustin from MakeMHz with another update! We're underway on shipping out the first batch of XboxHD+ kits and wanted to provide an update. We're all very busy working on final assembly, testing, packing, and shipping so this post will be a very short one.
As promised, kits for the XboxHD+ began shipping on July 1st. Currently, we're processing 1.6 kit orders first and will be following that with 1.0 - 1.1 and 1.2 - 1.5 kits.
We decided to start with 1.6 orders due to part availability for the other boards. At this time we're currently waiting on a part substitute for the 1.0 - 1.5 kits, as our vendor had over promised/sold the availability of a single part, and expect to have them in the next 2 weeks. At this time we do not expect this to cause any delays in our timeline of having all orders from the first batch shipped out by August 1st, just in time for the second batch.
The v2 firmware (upgrade to XboxHD+) for XboxHDMI boards is still being tested by our beta testers. All is looking well and we expect to release everything publicly this week pending any last-minute tweaks.
]]>Hey, guess what? It's Dustin from MakeMHz with another update! We're quickly approaching July 1st and will begin shipping kits very soon.
Since our last update a lot has happened so here's a quick update. (The tl;dr of this post)
Back at the end of April we had to make the very hard decision to limit the number of orders for the next batch of XboxHD+ kits. Due to the global chip shortage we had only received a partial order of some of the critical and hard to find components needed. The last thing we wanted was to oversell.
A few days before May 12th, the original end date, we had to close orders. Today, I'm happy to say that we were able to acquire enough components to reopen orders for an additional 100 kits at an adjusted shipping begin date of July 30th. These kits will not last and will close on June 1st.
This won't be the last time you hear 'global chip shortage', but it's very real and it's hitting us hard. If you follow other hobby electronic companies you've probably seen a lot about delays and stock issues.
We're very happy to say that all components have been ordered and all critical parts are already in-hand. With that, we're fully on track, as long as there's no unexpected delivery delays.
One issue that caught us off guard from the original XboxHDMI kits was the unexpected compatibility issues with N64freak's CPU upgraded 1.0 and 1.1 systems. After receiving a board on loan, huge thanks to community member Alpha, work began on identifying the issue.
The Xbox shares a power plane between the CPU and GPU/encoder section. When the CPU is changed, or the system has failing capacitors, noise can be introduced into the GPU's voltage reference. When an unstable voltage reference is applied to the GPU, it can affect clock signals going to the encoder or the proper triggering of CLKO from the onboard encoder. If the system fails to lock onto a stable CLKO from the encoder on boot, it will FRAG or freeze post-boot.
On later revision Xbox motherboards, proper transmission termination on the GPU's CLK output was added, along with additional GPU voltage reference decoupling capacitors.
With the additional noise from the CPU upgrade and the load of the XboxHDMI, the system would be unstable in most instances. And even with a full system recap, it was not enough to correct the issue.
The redesigned QSB, shipping with XboxHD+ kits, injects a cleaner voltage to the GPU/encoder section via a ultra-low noise LDO. In addition, proper CLK signal termination is added, and an overkill amount of filtering and decoupling is used. This has been shown to fix all power noise-related issues on 1.0 and 1.1 motherboards.
When we started this project, the goals and expectations were pretty simple. It was about creating a simple digital to digital video output mod for Original Xbox enthusiasts.
A lot has changed since then. This solution is no longer limited to 1:1 video output and instead is leveraging the built-in video output scaler of the Nvidia NV2A to act as our own polyphase scaler.
With that comes changes via patches to the Xbox kernel. Not only have we reimplemented all of the kernel level video output logic to allow for full control of the video output scaler, but we've also placed select code hooks to work around video output issues and other oversights left in by game publishers and Microsoft.
But not everyone has the time or knowledge to patch the kernel and repack the BIOS for every update, right? Right! And that's why we've started the kpatch project.
The kpatch project is a very light weight and portable framework that's very similar in goals to the well-known Xbox softmodding tool known as nkpatcher. Instead, it is in the form of a kernel patch that's executed very early in the Xbox boot process. The patch executes and gains full system control right after the kernel is unpacked into memory and allows for us to dynamically load executable code from the hard drive to perform any desired operation 'pre-boot', such as patching.
With this method, the patch loads kpatch.bin from the harddrive and executes the XboxHDMI/XboxHD+ logic for detecting the device and applying the necessary patches. This allows us to easily and completely update the patch logic by replacing the kpatch.bin automatically during the online update function of the configuration app without the user having to do anything.
Is there any love for the configuration app? Yes! With a huge thanks to Ryzee119 and their port of lvgl to the Xbox, the configuration app has been completely rewritten and is nearing completion. A full dedicated post will be written in the future covering all of the features and changes.
If you made it this far, thank you! None of this would have been possible without the support from our users and community members.
We look forward to the future and everything that the XboxHD+ has to offer.
Thanks,
Dustin
Hey, Dustin here from MakeMHz with another update and a very exciting one at that! If you have been following along with us on our adventure via Twitter or Discord then this post will help you catch up.
Since our last update a lot has happened so here's a quick update.
]]>Hey, Dustin here from MakeMHz with another update and a very exciting one at that! If you have been following along with us on our adventure via Twitter or Discord then this post will help you catch up.
Since our last update a lot has happened so here's a quick update. (The tl;dr of this post)
When we released the XboxHDMI, now XboxHD+, we could have never dreamt of how much interest there would be. The original goal of the project was to provide a perfect one to one video output mod for the Xbox and we've achieved that.
We've heard everyone's requests for upscaling and the long list of video related features that we should add, so we're adding those and more!
The XboxHD+ is the next step in our adventure and those paying close attention may have noticed that all references to XboxHDMI have been replaced with XboxHD+ and the reason for this is simple. We're taking a new direction with the product and since it offers more, we felt the name needed to change to reflect it.
And for everyone that supported us by purchasing the XboxHDMI you're not out of luck. All new features will be available, completely for free, via a firmware update here shortly.
The next batch is now up for order! Orders for the XboxHD+ will be open until May 10th at a reduced price of $80USD. Pricing will increase to $100USD, due to the increased cost of materials and development, after this batch.
Orders will begin to ship out July 1st. This is a firm date and gives us plenty of time. Our timeline is below and has plenty of room for dates to move without affecting the final shipping date of July 1st.
Global chip shortage:
Currently we have one part that's being affected by the global chip shortage. We have already placed an order with our vendor for a quantity of the part that should last us well in to next year. We expect to have the part the second or third week of May and currently do not expect any other delays.
Timeline:
April 9th - May 10th | Batch sale dates |
April 9th - June 1st | Focus on support, documentation, firmware update, and the configuration app. |
May 12th | Order remaining components |
June 1st | Production verification |
June 7th | Production of kits begin |
July 1st | Begin shipment of kits |
Alongside the completely rewritten configuration app comes a long list of new features and options. Additional options and tweaks are on their way. (We look forward to feedback on what we can add!)
And that's just the tip of the iceberg of the features that are shipping with the XboxHD+!
We're currently looking for users with the XboxHDMI kit installed to help out with testing the next firmware release. If you would like to play around with all of these new features then make sure to join our Discord server so you can be added to the beta tester group.
While the hardware is mostly the same, a lot of small tweaks have been made to simplify manufacturing, workaround the global chip shortage, and to make the installation process a lot easier. The flex cable has not changed and is backwards compatible.
A lot is going on behind the scenes as we continue to learn and grow. We're continuing to invest in our fabrication operations. Our focus now is improving the quality of our products even more, both pre-fabrication through upgrades to our PCB stenciling process and to our post-processing with better depaneling tools and industrial cleaning machines.
We look forward to sharing more on our in house fabrication operation and processes in the near future!
If you made it this far, thank you! None of this would have been possible without the support from our users and community members.
We look forward to the future and everything that the XboxHD+ has to offer.
Thanks,
Dustin
XboxHDMI - Update #4 - Part 1
XboxHDMI - Update #3
XboxHDMI - Update #2
XboxHDMI - Update #1
Testing is underway on the QSB fix for 1.0/1.1 systems as covered in our last blog post. These systems have been carefully assembled with a mix of different CPU capacitor and PSU configurations to completely cover all possibilities.
Throughout this week these 5 systems will be running none stop using a custom test suite to detect lockups and signal loss. Current testing looks very promising with all 5 systems performing thus far with no issues detected.
We've gone ahead and placed an order for 1,000+ of the QSB for fabrication and should have them sometime later next week.
At this time we're holding off shipping more 1.0 - 1.5 XboxHDMI kits out until the 1.0/1.1 QSB kits are verified and ready to ship. Shipping will resume on Feb. 1st. This is to allow us time to focus on providing support, refining the installation guide, and fully testing the 1.0/1.1 QSB fix.
Orders for the 1.0 - 1.5 kit will include the 1.0/1.1 QSB fix for free moving forwards. This is the quickest and easiest way for us to ensure that everyone receiving the kit will have all of the parts they need to properly install it.
In addition to providing the 1.0/1.1 QSB fix with all future shipments, we're also offering the fix to anyone that has already received their order. For orders that have already been received, we're offering the following options.
We will be sending an email out once we've compiled a list of orders that have been shipped with a quick online form for you to choose one of the options above.
2020 was a very stressful year for many of us and as a 1.5 employee company, we're definitely feeling that stress. Workdays are still 18 hours long and 7 days a week, but we're pushing forwards to deliver the best possible product.
With bumps along the way aside, we've seen a great deal of progress. Customers are receiving their orders, installing them, and are experiencing new life in their consoles.
XboxHDMI - Update #3
XboxHDMI - Update #2
XboxHDMI - Update #1
This post will be a little different than the previous posts and will be broken up into 3 parts. 1.0-1.1 Improvements, Shipping Update, and Quality Assurance/Testing. Each one will be posted throughout this week.
* This post was originally written on December 15th and has since been rewritten due to the site and blog being down.
It was brought to our attention shortly after our last update post that two separate users encountered issues with their 1.0-1.1 install that was an undocumented failure case. Immediately we updated the installation manual with a note for users installing on a 1.0-1.1 to wait until further investigation was done.
“We are currently investigating an issue related to SOME revisions of the 1.0 motherboard. We've narrowed down the issue and will be making it our top priority to have the guide updated to reflect the changes that may need to be done.”
With confirmation from two customers of the issue, it was very important for us to drop everything and begin investigating immediately. The first step was to perform the installation on more 1.0 systems and see if we could reproduce the issue. During development and testing, we had installed the XboxHDMI on at least 4 other 1.0/1.1 systems and never ran into this issue. Searching the bin of Xbox boards we quickly found 2 more boards and performed the XboxHDMI install and was able to reproduce the issue on one of them.
The Xbox GPU and TV encoder run in a Pseudo-Master Interface lock-step set up with the pixel clock going from the GPU to the encoder and back to GPU. During boot the system will hang if the GPU fails to properly latch on to the clock out signal from the encoder. (The GPU is set up in master mode if the system boots to an error screen and bypasses the need for a stable clock out signal from the encoder).
After extensive testing it was determined that the issue came down to poor power rail design, failing capacitors, and small component variances in Xbox systems. This also explains why the issue was not discovered in our testing as systems that have been recapped, both motherboard and PSU, can work correctly without any additional modifications.
In later motherboard revisions Microsoft added additional filtering to the pixel clock in, pixel clock out, and the field data lines.
The solution is to add additional filtering to the data lines the same way that other revisions do. This should clean up the signals and fix the issue of the Xbox hanging on boot. The cleanest solution for this will be via a small QSB, quick solder board, attached to the bottom of the Xbox motherboard.
In about two weeks we've quickly identified an issue related to some revision 1.0 and 1.1 motherboards, investigated the issue, designed, and implemented a workaround.
While a full recap can resolve this issue in some cases, we're going to be rewriting the installation guide to reflect the additional step of installing and verifying the installation of the QSB.
We just received our first samples of the fix QSB yesterday, December 28th, and are working to verify it on as many boards as possible before signing off on it. We hope to complete the testing this week. If all goes well, and our initial testing says yes, we will be placing a bulk order at the beginning of next week.
It's very unfortunate that this issue caught us off guard. We developed and tested the XboxHDMI on every board revision throughout the development of the product and never ran into this issue. At the end of the day, we hope that this discovery not only resolves the issue with the XboxHDMI but also the issue of 'coma' 1.0 Xbox systems that have not been modified.
We hope to have this wrapped up as quickly as possible. In our next post, in a couple of days, we will be covering our plans on sending out these boards at no cost to orders that have already shipped out. The QSB will also be included in all 1.0 - 1.5 kits going forwards.
]]>The largest concern brought to our attention over the last two weeks is shipping labels. In our previous post, we talked about how we generate labels in bulk to identify orders that may have had an issue. These may be orders with notes attached, invalid or incorrectly formatted shipping address, import restrictions, flagged as possibly fraudulent, or for other reasons.
After completing the boards’ fabrication, enough for pre-orders and future orders, we decided to move forward with generating labels for all orders. In retrospect, this was a mistake on our part but was done in good faith.
The logic behind generating labels all at once was to free up time and to allow us to focus on shipping the orders in the order that they were placed.
One of the most time-consuming aspects of using Shopify as our e-commerce platform is that there’s no easy way to print both the label, invoice, and packing slip at the same time so they’re one after the other coming off the printer. This is very important as it allows us to take each order and have the packing list so we can efficiently ship orders out without having to look up each order or having to find the packing list in a massive stack of print offs.
Moving forward, we’ll be rewriting the default ‘shipping notification’ that is sent out to customers to be more detailed on what’s exactly going on. We’ve been told this has caused problems for other Shopify stores in the past, and we want to correct it as quickly as possible. We’ll also be reducing the number of labels that are generated ahead of time to better match orders that are going out the door.
Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been shipping orders out as fast as we can, and along the way, have made many changes to our workflow. Working non-stop on orders has caused a few issues. The largest being missing chunks of orders from the #1000-1600 range.
Admittedly, we’re still a bit lost on why some orders have not been updated. Over the next week, we will be taking all of our notes and photos to update our database. Any orders that have not shipped will be shipped, and any missing orders will be reshipped. There have been errors on our side, and we’re working on sorting those out.
There was a bit of confusion about support emails being responded to, and we’ve updated our website to add our business hours (8 AM to 5 PM EST Monday through Friday, with respect to US holidays.)
We make every attempt to respond to all emails the same day.
Late last week, we noticed that we had about 20 unfilled orders for the OpenXenium modchip that could have been shipped out the same day. All of these orders have been taken care of.
We’ve set up Shopify filters to allow us to ship in-stock orders quicker, and this should not happen again.
The kernel patch to allow for auto anamorphic widescreen for widescreen 480P content, forced 480P, and various other kernel fixes will be released this weekend.
First and foremost, I want to address the lack of blog posts. As a very small company, my daily job is divided between engineering tasks, fabrication, testing, packing, shipping, social media, and support. With very little time between everything, the focus for updates has inadvertently shifted to Discord. This was a mistake on our part, and we will be shifting our focus, of being fully transparent, back to making weekly updates on the site.
Since our last blog, we’ve taken all of the community feedback received and implemented the following changes.
We wrapped up the fabrication of the boards on November 16th. Even after losing power for a few days due to a tropical storm, we’re happy to say that all of the XboxHDMI boards are completed.
This will allow us to focus our attention on testing, shipping, and ultimately increase the number of orders shipped every week. We’ve manufactured an extra 500 boards to keep stock and cover for any possible RMAs.
Currently, we’re caught up to around order #1600, with exceptions to DHL and 1.6 orders. Our last shipment was on Friday with a USPS pickup, and we expect those packages to be scanned in this week.
This week, due to Thanksgiving and catching up on other tasks, we plan to ship an additional 100 orders with the following week, increasing to 200 orders a week. We understand that this is a lot lower than previously stated, but after the last few weeks, this number is more realistic as we try to dial back the 16-hour workdays.
Moving forward any changes to the schedule will be posted on the blog.
Orders including an XboxHDMI 1.6 kit or a replacement 1.6 flex have been held back from shipping. This was initially due to wanting to perform more testing and ultimately resulted in finding some graphical issues.
Currently, we do not have an expedited date to when the issues will be resolved, but it looks to be at least four weeks out before we can start the investigation process.
As we work with members of the community to solve this issue, we ask that customers bear with us as we take the appropriate time to re-evaluate and thoroughly test a working solution.
We’re asking everyone who has made an order including a 1.6 kit or replacement flex to chose one of the following options and to let us know via our support email, support@makemhz.com.
If we do not hear back from you after two weeks, we will automatically cancel any shipping labels attached to your order. And after four weeks of no response, we will automatically refund your order.
We’re happy to announce that the installation manual has now been made publicly available.
https://makemhz.com/xboxhdmi-install
Please feel to reach if you have any questions or concerns with the installation process!
We’re also happy to announce that the source code for the XboxHDMI config homebrew app has been made open source under the GPLv2 license.
https://github.com/MakeMHz/xbox-hdmi-app
As another piece of our commitment to opensource and sharing information, we’re releasing our internal schematics for the Xbox GPU encoder section.
https://github.com/MakeMHz/xbox-hdmi/tree/master/research/schematics
Over the next week, we will be implementing the following changes based on community feedback.
Words can not begin to describe how thankful we are for the community support. As a manufacturing small business currently being run out of a two-car garage, our gratitude can not be expressed as to how fortunate we feel every day to be able to bring a product from concept to market, build a community, and to be able to do all of this in the USA.
We ask our customers and the community to work with us as we wrap up some of the first milestones for the XboxHDMI and just the beginning of MakeMHz. We understand the frustration of delayed orders, and at the end of the day, we will do everything we can to make it right. Our goal is to provide quality products and services.
Q: Why did I receive an email saying my order has shipped, but the tracking number still says ‘pre-shipping’?
A: Orders are processed in batches of 250 orders at a time. This allows us to print the labels and invoices using a single roll of labels. In addition, this allows us to catch any orders that may have an incorrect address and fails to generate a shipping label.
Q: You said that my order was shipped on Friday, but it’s Monday, and there’s still no movement.
A: Due to COVID, USPS budget cuts, holiday season, a large number of packages, etc. please allow up to a week after the shipping schedule for the package to be scanned in. In the case of a lost package, please contact support@makemhz.com to resolve the issue.
Q: Are orders processed first in, first out order?
A: Yes, and no, if an order is international, has a payment-gateway hold, or has some other issue then that order will be handled separately. Orders to countries with difficult custom requirements, or that have COVID restrictions, may also take additional time.
Q: Where are you in the order queue?
A: We’ve processed and shipped orders up to #1600, excluding 1.6 orders and some DHL orders.
Q: What are your business hours? (When should I expect a response from a support email)
A: Our business hours are 8 AM to 5 PM EST Monday through Friday, with respect to US holidays.
First and foremost, we want to personally thank each and every one of you that have shown your support by pre-ordering! Also, a very special thanks goes out to RetroRGB and Modern Vintage Gamer for their in-depth and unbiased reviews.
More updates coming soon! As a new company, and one committed to full transparency, we are working on dedicating more time to writing blog-style updates. In the meantime, feel free to join us on Discord for by-the-minute updates.
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