Title: Game Console Hacking: Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Game Boy, Atari, & SegaAuthor(s): Joe Grand, Albert Yarusso, Ralph H. Baer, Marcus R. Brown, Frank Thornton Publisher: Syngress Year: 2005 Edition: 1Language: English Pages: 594ISBN: 9781931836319, 1931836310
The worldwide video game console market surpassed $10 billion in 2003. Current sales of new consoles is consolidated around 3 major companies and their proprietary platforms: Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. In addition, there is an enormous installed "retro gaming" base of Ataria and Sega console enthusiasts. This book, written by a team led by Joe Grand, author of "Hardware Hacking: Have Fun While Voiding Your Warranty", provides hard-core gamers with they keys to the kingdom: specific instructions on how to crack into their console and make it do things it was never designed to do. By definition, video console game players like to have fun. Most of them are addicted to the adrenaline rush associated with "winning", and even more so when the "winning" involves beating the system by discovering the multitude of "cheats" built into most video games. Now, they can have the ultimate adrenaline rush---actually messing around with the soul of the machine and configuring it to behave exactly as the command. This book builds on the motto of "Have Fun While Voiding Your Warranty" and will appeal to the community of hardware geeks who associate unscrewing the back of their video console with para-jumping into the perfect storm. * Providing a reliable, field-tested guide to hacking all of the most popular video gaming consoles. * Written by some of the most knowledgeable and recognizable names in the hardware hacking community. * Game Console Hacking is the first book on the market to show game enthusiasts (self described hardware geeks) how to disassemble, reconfigure, customize and re-purpose their Atari, Sega, Nintendo, Playstation and Xbox systems.
Table of contents :
Cover......Page 2Contents......Page 13Foreword......Page 23Introduction 2.0......Page 29Introduction 1.0......Page 31Part 1. Introduction to Hardware Hacking......Page 35Tools of the Warranty - Voiding Trade......Page 37Introduction......Page 38The Essential Tools......Page 39Basic Hardware Hacking......Page 42Advanced Projects and Reverse Engineering......Page 47Where to Obtain the Tools......Page 50Case Modifications: Building an Atari 2600PC......Page 53Introduction......Page 54Choosing Your Features: Why the Atari 2600?......Page 55Preparing for the Hack......Page 57Performing the Hack......Page 63Resources and Other Hacks......Page 116Part 2. Modern Game Consoles......Page 119Xbox......Page 121Introduction......Page 122Opening the Xbox......Page 126Controller Hacks......Page 129Getting Inside Your Controller......Page 131Xbox Networking Hacks......Page 146Creating Your Own Crossover Cable......Page 150Status LEDs to the Front Panel......Page 154Wireless Networking Hacks......Page 157Installing a Modchip......Page 165Running Linux on an Unmodified Xbox......Page 175Homebrew Game Development......Page 178Xbox Resources on the Web......Page 180PlayStation 2......Page 181Commercial Hardware Hacking: Modchips......Page 182Getting Inside the PS2......Page 184Installing a Serial Port......Page 190Booting Code from the Memory Card......Page 198Other Hacks: Independent Hard Drives......Page 204PS2 Technical Details......Page 205Homebrew Game Development......Page 210PS2 Resources on the Web......Page 211Part 3. Handheld Game Platforms......Page 213Nintendo Game Boy Advance......Page 215Introduction......Page 216A Very Brief History of Nintendo......Page 220Opening the GBA Console......Page 221Replacing the Display Lens......Page 227with the GBA Afterburner Mod......Page 232with the GBA Stealth Dimmer Chip......Page 251Nintendo GBA Technical Specifications......Page 260Homebrew Game Development......Page 267Other Hacks......Page 268Nintendo GBA Resources on the Web......Page 272Gamepark 32 (GP32)......Page 275Introduction......Page 276Out of the Box: Configuring Your GP32......Page 279Opening the GP32 Console......Page 285Replacing the GP32 Screen Cover......Page 291Repairing Your Buttons......Page 296(CPU Core Voltage Increase)......Page 298Creating a DC Power Adapter......Page 303Installing the Multifirmware Loader......Page 309Homebrew Game Development......Page 314Other Hacks......Page 318GP32 Resources on the Web......Page 320Part 4. Retro and Classic Systems......Page 323Nintendo NES......Page 325Introduction......Page 326Opening the NES Console......Page 328Replacing the 72- Pin Cartridge Connector......Page 333Blue Power LED Modification......Page 336Disabling the NES “Lockout Chip”......Page 345Opening an NES Game Cartridge......Page 350in Certain Game Cartridges......Page 353for Homebrew Game Development......Page 358Homebrew Game Development......Page 364Other Hacks......Page 366NES Resources on the Web......Page 367Atari 2600......Page 369Introduction......Page 370Atari 2600 Left- Handed Joystick Modification......Page 371Repair Your Atari 2600 Joysticks......Page 376Revitalize Your Atari 2600 Paddles......Page 383Use an NES Control Pad with your 2600......Page 390Atari 2600 S- Video/ Audio Mod......Page 398Atari 2600 Stereo Audio Output......Page 416Homebrew Game Development......Page 425Atari 2600 Resources on the Web......Page 430Atari 5200......Page 433Introduction......Page 434Opening the Atari 5200......Page 435Atari 5200 Blue LED Modification......Page 442Atari 5200 Two- Port BIOS Replacement......Page 447Creating an Atari 5200 Paddle Controller......Page 453the 5200 Four- Port Switchbox......Page 468Audio Upgrade Modification......Page 480Other Hacks......Page 501Homebrew Game Development......Page 504Atari Resources on the Web......Page 508Atari 7800......Page 511Introduction......Page 512Blue LED Modification......Page 513Play Certain Atari 2600 Games......Page 520Voltage Regulator Replacement......Page 524Power Supply Plug Retrofit......Page 529Other Hacks......Page 535Homebrew Game Development......Page 536Atari 7800 Resources on the Web......Page 540Appendix. Electrical Engineering Basics......Page 543Fundamentals......Page 544Basic Device Theory......Page 553Microprocessors and Embedded Systems......Page 564Soldering Techniques......Page 565Common Engineering Mistakes......Page 571Web Links and Other Resources......Page 572Index......Page 575