X2 - Custom case built to make the Xbox console as small and quiet as possible.

This case was built using aluminium and perspex for the top panel.

The milling machine is being unpacked.

milling machine

The motherboard mod chip pins were soldered flush into the board to reduce the height of the mod chip.

xbox modchip

The mod chip fitted and the red power wire was glued using a hot glue gun to the main board to stop any movement.

modchip wires

The original Xbox heat sinks were to be replaced by a solid aluminium heat transfer plate. This was milled from 10mm aluminium

heatsink milling

The new heat transfer plate in place on the motherboard

heatsink plate

The case sides were milled from an aluminium block and the base is a 4mm aluminium panel base assembled

The motherboard mounting points were fitted, and the base was drilled and tapped to accept the motherboard mounting bolts.

motherboard mounting points

The motherboard is fitted to the case with the heat transfer plate bolted to the side.

first fitting test

The front panel was made with 18mm MDF and curved at each end. It was covered in walnut veneer and polished. The rear panel was 8mm aluminium and an additional heat transfer bar was fitted across the width of the case.

new case front

The hard drive (120gig 2.5inch) was fitted in a custom caddy made from Foamex (a plastic board from local sign suppliers)

hard drive caddy

The finished hard drive caddy

completed hard drive caddy

Top view of the hard drive caddy. Note the capacitor on its side in the lower right corner to save space.

top view of the hard drive caddy

The infra-red unit was fitted at the back of the case next to a USB socket to allow us to connect controllers, etc.

infra red unit

The power supply was fitted into an external case and a 7-core power lead was fitted to a custom board with pins to connect to the existing motherboard power connector.

Power header

A Logitech wireless controller was used and the control board was fitted next to the hard drive and power connector.

wireless controller board

Once the major components were fitted, we ran the Xbox for approx 30 minutes and the heat transfer block went up to around 50 deg C, to make the console run cooler we fitted 4 40mm fans from www.quietpc.com and added air channels to the main transfer block to aid cooling.

Checking running temps

The cooling fans

Case fans

All major components are fitted to the case.

Major components fitted

The finished Xbox with the perspex top panel fitted.

perspex top panel fitted

Front view showing aluminium power button with white LED

Front of the case

Back of the Xbox shows fans, video, USB, Network and Power cable.

Back of the Xbox

The custom Xbox next to an Xbox 360 and 32" Samsung TV

Xbox next to a Xbox 360

The finished system.

The completed system