Is this information correct?

I just wanted to make sure that the information i have gathered is correct for xbox dev consoles.

There were supposedly four dev consoles (or maybe five if you count the pre-alpha prototypes?).

DVT-1 (AKA Alpha 1)
DVT-2 (AKA Alpha 2)
DVT-3 (Clear case with SCSI and serial ports)
DVT-4 (Green debug consoles and a few rumored clear versions)

The only one supported in the later XDK versions (5933) is DVT-4? So in other words, if you wanted to do software development then a green debug kit (DVT-4) is your best bet.

the DVT-4 Debug consoles also supposedly do not have a hard drive lock. So you are able to insert any hard drive into a debug kit and format it using the XDK remote recovery. The only limitation is the 137gb HDD size limit which can be overcome with a mod chip.

There is little information i can find about 5933 internal vs external. Internal seems impossible to find while external is still out there. Most seem to say that the differences don't matter from a functionality standpoint.

So does this all look right?

 

Not correct, not really anyway.

DVT-1 and DVT-2 may refer to a number of things. Some call them the Alpha kits, but no Alpha kit Ive seen has been marked as such. There may have been a few revisions of a more-final kit internally called that, but it remains unconfirmed. There were also a few later kits called DVT-2 for some reason. A bit confusing. Just refer to the Alpha kits as Alpha kits, until there is some solid proof as to if they were called DVT-1/2

DVT-3 has a clear case and normally has a metal jewel, as opposed to plastic, although some of the very last DVT-3 units (may, havent confirmed) have a plastic jewel. This has slightly different hardware from the final version, so some code does not run

The DVT-4 ALSO has a clear case, and final hardware.

The debug kit is just that, a debug kit, (mostly) in a green case. There are also a limited number of black debug kits in circulation.

Both debug kits and DVT-4s can use the August 2001 Final Hardware Recovery or later, up until the last build. Each previous kit had their own recovery software.

For software development, a retail kit works just as well once it has been modified for almost all cases. Extra RAM could be handy, but if you're doing homebrew, the likelihood is that you wouldn't use it.

Most DVT-4 consoles should be unlocked, but some are locked for whatever reason. A modchip could be used, but that is a waste of hardware.

Internal vs External doesn't matter much, the rumor always was that the Internal build was used by Bungie for Halo 2.

 

So a debug kit != a dvt-4? What are the advantages of having a dvt-4 over a debug kit (if any)? I understand a modded retail box can work just as well, but i'd like to have some sort development console. I'm assuming the dvt-4 will have serial / scsi ports, but from what i can tell there aren't many practical uses.

 

Nope, they aren't the same. The DVT-4 has the additional hardware addons that allow for extra debugging, and DVD emulation.

 

I see, thank you for your help so far.

There's a lot of conflicting info out there. Some say the DVT-4 is a prototype. The DVT-4 has a serial and scsi port correct? Is there out documentation out there on how to use the serial / scsi ports? Im also assuming the scsi port can take scsi disks and load data from them as if they were dvd's?

In other words if you were looking for the best console to develop a game for and have all possible dev features, the DVT-4 would be the console to get?

 

DVT-3's are the prototype, as they are beta hardware. Some DVT-4s are marked as prototype as they hadn't yet gotten FCC certification and all that jazz in the US.

No, the SCSI port connects to a Raptor DVD emulator card, which has a harddrive attached to it. You can load DVD images via the tool included in the Xbox SDK, which then emulates a DVD drive and it's quirks (like a Thompson drive).

DVT-4 is the absolute best, but unnecessary unless you are planning on having DVDs made up.

 

Great, am i right in thinking that the serial port was disabled in new dashboard versions?

 

To be honest, I never really had to use it so I'm not sure. Most debugging can be done over Ethernet anyway, so even if it was, I don't know how much would be missed.

 

I've seen a lot of DVT's mentioned in the kernel source code. DVT-5+ but I didn't do any research to see what they were referencing. Maybe just a place holder for possible newer revisions.

IIRC they did also consider alpha 1/2 DVT-1 and DVT 2 (from comments in source code)

 

X3 Config Live refers to retail consoles as "DVT-4/DVT-5"

 

There were a lot of internal testing models too. Take, for instance, the Beta Live kits, id imagine they had their own DVT designation. Various prototypes got named different things, but it's hard to keep track of since there isn't a whole lot of information about them. Someone had a console marked DVT-6 at some point, possibly a 1.6 prototype but that was years ago so I cant recall

 

i just came across that post a few minuets ago while searching. I appreciate your help.

I'd like to piece together an entire DVT4 kit with everything that would have come with it in the box. I'm not sure yet what all came with the kit, but I'm still searching.

 

Here's a copy of the checklist that came with XDK's:

 

Thats is awesome! thank you so much! do you happen to also have this sheet for the debug kit?

Also another question, what is involved in changing a PAL dev / debug unit to NTSC? i know the power supple needs to be changed but what else?

 

I don't think I got a scan of a Debug Kit Checklist, but iirc, it was everything of the above minus the Raptor DVD Emulator, the SCSI Cable and the IDE cable.

 

Just the power supply. Video mode can be changed in software.

 

with the power supply problem you could buy a adapter maybe?
http://www.myshopping.com.au/ZM--1217919172_GN_P1W_60W_220V_110V_Transformer_Power_Socket_Outlet
and the pal to ntsc some newer tv can do it in there setting (well mine dose anyway)

 

Yeah step-up/down converters work fine, they just arent convenient.

 

The important bit here is that only the NTSC boxes will natively allow you to enable HD resolutions which are normally used with the component out cable.
Hence my retail PAL box also had to be flashed to NTSC.

 

Beta live kits were still DVT-4. The DVT designations only refer to motherboard revisions. The beta live kits were standard retail kits with a custom kernel (and the only thing they changed was hosts table and the private key).

The 1.6 revisions were codenamed 'xblade', and were the product of a huge cost-cutting project.

As for other strangeness in the DVT coding scheme, microsoft produced a series of DVT-3 debug consoles in August 2001 with standard retail black casing. Usually they don't have the green jewel, and the plastic they used for the case is slightly different (a slightly lighter shade of gray)