I just had mine modded a while back. I have found that it is very easy to download games. If you can get your Xbox modded properly for 200 bucks or left, it's worth it. I mean, what is that? 2 or 3 games? For that price, you never have to buy a game again! Of course, that is if you do not want to play on Live. If you do want to play on Live, you really ought to get a top of the line chip, with a switch. People will tell you you don't need a switch, and it's not that complicated to solder yourself, but in the long run, it is better to get a good mod chip, with all of the idiot-proof stuff on the market. Also, get someone you trust to do it. Is it worth it? Definitly!
ECNAL, PLEASE READ FORUM RULES!! no piracy ! downloading games = piracy! you dont need a top of the line chip for a switch, an xecuter 2.6 has a switch, and its not considered top of the line. You have to bear in mind that MS detects your eeprom now on xbox live, so if you have already signed for xbox live with the hard drive you have, THEN change your hard drive, theres a possibility you can be banned. If you want to replace you xbox hard drive, you have to mod it one way or another, you cant just take out the hard drive, and put a 120gb drive in or whatever, and expect it to work. All XBOX retail drives are locked to the motherboard theyre on. A hard drive also HAS to be locked to boot up with a chip disabled. Its pretty easy to mod and setup yourself, especially if you use an auto installer.
mine was under $100 total and i can just borrow friends games and play forever or rent them from B_-C-BUS-_er (u know it! i dont want to write directly) then use XBCONNECT which is pretty close to LIVE
