Xbox : Blow the Lid Off!

by Underdahl, Brian

• ISBN13: 9780072227925
• ISBN10: 0072227923
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-10-01
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media

Summary

Achieve a whole new level of game play with this tell-all hardware guide. You’ll learn how to network your XBOX and challenge your friends online, and get a glimpse into the gaming industry through “sneak peek” sidebars. Packed with inside tips and advice, this book helps you unlock secret levels, discover hidden characters, and maximize your gaming experience.

Author Biography

Brian Underdahl is the best-seling author of more than 60 books on all aspects of cornputing. His critically acclalmed books have received numerous honors, including an Rward of Merit from the Northern California Technical Communications Competition, With a background in electrical engineering. Underdahl enjoys getting undemeath the casings and discovering the in-and-outs of the latest hardware.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction	p. ix
Bring It On!	p. 1
Busting out Your Xbox	p. 2
What You Do, and Don't, Get	p. 3
Cables--They Make a Difference	p. 4
One Big and Bulky Controller	p. 5
One Skinny Little Manual	p. 7
I Wonder Why the Box Looks Like a PC?	p. 7
What You See Is Not What You Get!	p. 8
Beyond Gaming: Tweaking Your Xbox	p. 8
How Not to Get Ripped Off	p. 10
Places to Look for a Deal	p. 10
Bundles: Are They Worth It?	p. 10
Buyer Beware: Online Deals	p. 11
Being Nice to Your Xbox	p. 13
Don't Do This at Home!	p. 14
Hook Yourself Up!	p. 17
Creating the Ultimate Game Central	p. 18
The Bigger the Better--Connecting to Your TV	p. 19
Identify Your Connection	p. 19
Trouble with Video? Fix It	p. 21
Getting Great Sounds--Connecting to Your Stereo	p. 23
Yup, You Need an Amplifier	p. 24
Trouble with Sound? Fix It	p. 25
Getting out of the Family Room--Connecting to Your PC	p. 25
Setting the Xbox Options	p. 27
Set Your Time	p. 29
Choose Your Language	p. 31
Get the Right Audio	p. 32
Get the Best Picture	p. 32
Choose Your Game and Movie Ratings	p. 33
Save Some Power	p. 34
Protecting Your Box and Your Fuse	p. 35
Maintaining Your Game Domain	p. 37
Be on Top of Your Game!	p. 39
Enhance Your Game Play	p. 40
What Is Available and What Is Coming	p. 41
The Not-So-Average Controller	p. 41
Cool and Programmable Controllers	p. 42
Shooting Guns Without Bullets	p. 45
No Wings? Fly Anyway	p. 45
Oh Yeah! Going Wireless	p. 46
Using PlayStation Controllers	p. 46
Finding the Gear and Deal	p. 47
Standing in the Brick and Mortar Store	p. 47
More Options--Go Online	p. 48
Even More Options--Buy It Used	p. 48
Save Lives, Discover Hidden Power, Burn Music, and More	p. 51
Small and Expensive	p. 52
Do You Really Need a Memory Card for Every Game?	p. 53
Not All Memory Cards Are Created Equal	p. 53
Finding the Cards with Preloaded Game Saves	p. 54
Making Room on Your Memory Card	p. 55
Copying a Game Save to Your Memory Card	p. 58
Burn. Burn. Burn.	p. 59
Copying Music to Your Xbox's Hard Drive	p. 59
Creating Your Own Game Soundtracks	p. 61
Viewing an Xbox Easter Egg	p. 64
Hidden Possibilities: Mods	p. 65
What Are Mods?	p. 65
Not in a Store Near You	p. 66
What It's All About: Games!	p. 69
It Is All About the Games	p. 70
What Can You Play?	p. 70
Domestic vs. Imported	p. 71
Finding Your Best Deal	p. 72
Ratings: Ethics Are Optional	p. 75
Murder, Stealing, and Breaking the Rules	p. 76
Parental Controls	p. 77
Game Reviews	p. 81
Magazine Reviews	p. 81
Online Reviews	p. 81
Late Breaking Game Shopping News	p. 82
Get Connected	p. 85
Multiplayer Game Options	p. 86
Cooperating with Your Buddies	p. 87
Competing Against Your Buddies	p. 88
Getting a Real Army Going	p. 90
Taking Your Xbox Online	p. 90
Online Gaming Sites	p. 91
Using Xbox Connector	p. 92
Using GameSpy Arcade	p. 93
What's This Xbox Live!?	p. 95
Connecting to Your Friends Online	p. 95
Another Online Xbox Gaming Project	p. 96
Go Hardcore--Network Your Xbox	p. 99
Xbox to Xbox	p. 100
The Official Hardware Options	p. 102
The "Unofficial" Hardware Options	p. 102
Adding an Xbox to an Existing Network	p. 102
Trouble? Fix It!	p. 103
Go Wireless With Your Xbox?	p. 105
Cheat Now! It's Allowed	p. 107
Nobody Plays Fair	p. 108
How Cheats Work	p. 109
Secret Extras	p. 109
Xbox Cheat Hardware Options	p. 110
GameShark--The Authorized Hackers	p. 110
The Xbox Code Breaker	p. 112
Cheat Hardware vs Cheat Codes	p. 114
More Cheating--Online Xbox Cheating Resources	p. 117
The Magical, Mystical World of Cheat Codes	p. 118
What Are These Cheat Codes, Anyway?	p. 119
Where Do I Find My Cheat Codes?	p. 120
What Can Cheat Codes Do for Me?	p. 126
Cheat Codes Are Programmed In	p. 126
Looking at Shark Codes	p. 127
What Are Shark Codes?	p. 127
Warning: Void Your Xbox Warranty	p. 131
Going Undercover	p. 132
Going Inside Will Void Your Xbox Warranty	p. 132
Warning: Danger for Your Xbox	p. 133
Taking a Tour	p. 133
Are You Really Going to Open It Up?	p. 135
Do-It-Yourself Xbox	p. 136
Simple Xbox Modifications	p. 136
Not So Simple Modifications	p. 137
Is It Worth Modifying Your Xbox?	p. 141
Xbox Beyond Gaming--DVDs and CDs	p. 143
Get More from Your Xbox	p. 144
Your Xbox and Your DVDs	p. 145
What Does It Take to Play DVDs?	p. 145
You Need a DVD Remote--No Arguments	p. 146
Optimizing DVD Playback	p. 148
Xbox and Music	p. 154
Playing Audio CDs	p. 154
Playing Your Recorded Music	p. 155
Viewing the Xbox Light Show	p. 157
Index	p. 159
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.