I am soon going to recieve my x2.3b pro modchip. I don't know which method to use, the wire or pin header. I am leaning towards the wire install since I have a v.1.0 xbox. I was just wondering, what soldering methods did you use for either your pin header, or wire install. What about the D0 point? What's the safest way to do these things for an inexperienced person? Tell me how it worked out. If you guys totally recommend it, I can bring it to the local modchip guy and have him solder mine for a hundred bucks!! Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time
I prefer the pin header install but on a 1.0 the holes are filled. You will need to get a desoldering tool from radioshak or the like. It heats up the solder and then sucks it out. If you go wire install just tin the wire ends and they will slide right in the filled holes with a little touch from the iron. The pin header just lets you swap chips easily. Look for a diagram that shows the alternate D0 point on the bottom of the board. It is a little easier to solder to. You'll have to extend the wire a bit to reach it. Just take your time and be careful and you should be fine. Give it a try first before spending $100!! Use the sharpest soldering iron tip and very small amounts of solder. Again with the holes already filled for you the wire install will be easy.
thanks for your reply scottas. How much solder do you recommend I tin the wires with... how do I know when is enough? The thing is, I'm afraid I'll put too much and then it will melt over a surface area which would cause a short circuit and render the motherboard useless. Also, do you think it's necessary to clean the D0 point before soldering, and if so, with what? I can't thank you enough for your help. _ _X_X_X_X_X_[small]HEY HEY!! huhuhuhu ha aa a[/small]
When you tin the wires, just enough to cover the stripped area exposed. (about 3/16") Use just enough to cover (or color)the wire. Put a small amount on the gun tip and touch it to the wire. Thats all you need. If you use the bottom D0 point, it doesn't need to be cleaned. Just tin the wire and a quick touch with the gun. You can tape it in place to help hold it.
the method I use is I fill the ltp holes first, and solder the wires straight down the holes (in a 1.0 the holes are filled already) the only problem as such for an inexperienced solderer, would be the d0,but if you have a good iron, and decent solder (the stuff from walmart sux, its wayyyy to fat and "blobby") radioshack sell decent solder, and if youre going to do a LOT of soldering, Id recommend Kester 60/40 .25 width rosin core. excellent solder! (costs about $19 shipped for a 1lb spool on amazon.com) Soldering irons themselves, Ive been doing electronics/ pcb builds, repairs etc a long time so I have 3 irons, and they wernt cheap! BUT SOME ofthe cheaper irons are quite good, if you can get a weller or something like that, with a nice pointed tip (ideal for modchip installs) and dont get a iron thats too heavy, or has huge thick mains wire coming out of the top, it does nothing but get in the way Good to see you mentioned tinning Id tin the d0 after cleaning, so you can just see a thin film of solder, and tin the wires a little too, then you can touch the iron onto the d0 without using anymore solder at all, and the tinned areas will flow together, hold a second, pull the iron away, leave a second or two, and you should have a nice join (Id tape down the d0 wire too after the local dude charges $100!!damn, bit steep!! Id say I dont charge anywhere near that, ......but the moddies would say Im advertising!! (lol) _X_X_X_X_X_[small]Ignorance isn't bliss.....It's just costly![/small]
Thanks for the response djboogie, the more opinions the better. One more thing, does the wire for the d0 point reach the back side of of the mother board d0 point when doing the wire install? I hope so :S I'm asking this because I want to know whether to de-solder one of the lpc points to put the d0 wire through. _ _X_X_X_X_X_[small]HEY HEY!! huhuhuhu ha aa a[/small]
On the x2 chip for wire installs, the wire isnt long enough to go around the mobo and under the board. BUT I did mod one once where this guy wanted it done that way, I extended the wire which is not always a good thing to do, but he says it works fine (no idea why he wanted it that way, but he insisted) But the way you want to do it, go through a unused or desoldered LPT hole would work just fine, and the d0 wire is plenty long enough for that _X_X_X_X_X_[small]Ignorance isn't bliss.....It's just costly![/small]
I always do the wire install and stick the chip to the side of the metal casing. I also use the top d0, just put some solder on that point and solder the grey wire to it.
