Back in July, I made reference to two prototype XBOX controllers that I had acquired back in 2001 shortly after the XBOX launched in the US. I got them from a liquidation site that had no idea what they were. Here's a pic from that thread of what I actually bought: and here's a link to that original thread: http://www.assemblergames.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=13290&highlight=#13290 So anyway, after seeing old engineer's early XBOX dev kits, I decided to disassemble one of the controllers and post the pics to my .Mac homepage. Check them out! http://homepage.mac.com/adrianmr/PhotoAlbum4.html Obviously, the casings are exactly like the final revision save for the smooth and shiny plastic. Each controller has a small label on the back with the following text: 0105 FW rev: A B C D E The memory card connectors are vastly different and there are actual wires bridged all over the PCB. The controllers have the rumble motors intact and there's a small little access door on the back which presumably allowed the XBOX team to test the controller. The large cpu on the board is a Mitsubishi brand chip with the following marking: M30240ECPP 0400100 Interestingly, a breakaway cable from a standard xbox controller WILL NOT work, thus I cannot test these controllers unless a new breakaway cable is hacked. That's assuming this would even work on a commercial XBOX. Anyway, enjoy the pics. I hope I was able to contribute something to the community with my acquisition as early XBOX dev items are hard to find information for. [/img]
It would be interesting to see if a cable from a regular Xbox controller would fit where it connects to the circuit board so you could try it on an Xbox to see if it works.
Here's a dilemma I've been having. Assuming I'd like to part with one of these controllers....how do you proto experts determine the value of something like this? There's no real set "price guide" or any sort of yardstick to determine the value, or is there?
The only sure fire way would be to sell on the open market such as eBay. ...This way u get the whole world looking in and bidding, I know it's obvious, but hey, the simplist answers usually are ...Oh, but please leave us guys a link to it if u do decide to eBay it m8, ta
xbox proto / dev controller friend of mine has an xbox pre-release proto / dev controller (his company was developing a launch title or two, i forget which) it looks about the same as pictured above, except with an oversize green/yellow XBOX logo medallion thinger where there's an empty round spot pictured above.. i'll get a picture next time i'm over there.
Re: xbox proto / dev controller I have one of those as well. The green jeweled large controllers are code-named "Dakota" (the label says so on the back) and you can sometimes run across one in the used controller sections at some game stores. I've found 3 over the last few years. Functionally, it's the same (the memory card slot will accept a production memory card), but the casing has a bit more gray tint to it and the cable is a lighter color as well. They look really cool!
This looks like the multitudes of 3rd party borderline bootleg controllers that are hawked constantly on eBay. :smt042 Pretty neat!
Go wash your mouth out! ...This guy's controllers are part of console history!!! ...Not some damn 3rd party job!!!!
While we are on the subject...for those of you who havent seen my GameCube prototype controller (notice the "1999" part...) Shiggsy
I'll get a pic of my Dakota controller up shortly! Front and back (for the purposes of displaying the label). Possibly an interior shot if I get around to disassembling it. I need to dig it out of storage first and clean up some webspace! :smt023
Oh, I've got the space (.Mac account)....I just need to go in and clean it up and rearrange it a bit! That's after I get around to digging through my storage boxes for the controller. Moved recently...
