As promised, here is the new beta firmware for the Wasabi 360 Ultra ODD emulator. Firmware v1.2 beta 2 includes the ability to automatically extract the unique drive key (key.bin file) from Lite-On (slim) DG-16D4S drives. Also, the AP2.5 disc profile database has been updated.
Changelog for v1.2 beta 2:
Automatic drive key extraction for Xbox Slim Lite-On SG-16D4S drives is now supported
Updated AP25 disc profile database.
Full details of the new automatic drive key extraction feature are available in the documentation included with the firmware download. The user guide will be updated to reflect these changes for the final v1.2 firmware release.
Check out the video–demonstrating the drive key extraction:
It’s finally coming… the ability to automatically extract the Xbox 360 DVD drive key (key.bin file), without any additional hardware or software–using only the Wasabi 360 Ultra. The upcoming v1.2 BETA 2 firmware for this optical disc emulator (ODD) will support the Xbox 360 slim Lite-On DG-16D4S drives. If you have the slim Lite-On DG-16D5S drive, you’re out of luck. As for the phat Xbox 360 drives, it’s currently under development.
Extracting your key.bin–which is unique to each Xbox 360 console–from the DG-16D4S can’t get any easier than this. Check out the video and information after the break for more details.
The xKey team has released a new firmware for their ODD emulator. This update includes a fix for the “Network Fail” message, the latest Mr_Waffles web app, and some language updates.
The Wasabi 360 Ultra (phat) is a very nice product. The product works as advertised and is compatible with the latest Xbox 360 Fall 2011 dashboard update. For this review, we test drive Wasabi with firmware v1.2 beta 1 and for the installation, we followed the steps provided on “Wasabi 360 Ultra X360Phat Installation Guide v1.1”. The installation guide is a bit outdated, so we took some nice high-resolution pictures and added some notes for clarification purposes.
The Wasabi 360 team has released a new firmware–v1.2 beta 1–for Wasabi 360 Ultra which includes support for AP25/XGD3 games on the latest 14699 dashboard, console specific DAE.bin updates, and hard drives larger than 2TB. With that said, the Wasabi 360 Ultra can respond to any random AP25 challenge. Download is available below. Thanks to the Wasabi 360 team for this update!
Changelog for v1.2 beta 1:
Dynamic AP25 responses based on disc profiles are now supported, allowing AP25 protected titles to function with the latest 14699 dash and console specific dae.bin updates
Support for GPT partitions added, enabling support for drives larger than 2TB
The updated handling of AP25 protection is in response so the recent AP25 updates that Microsoft has been rolling out via Xbox Live. Wasabi 360 Ultra is now capable of correctly responding to any random AP25 challenge, such as those found in the console specific part of dae.bin. This means that Wasabi 360 Ultra can now fully support any AP25 (and XGD3) games in conjunction with fully updated consoles running the latest 14699 dashboard. It is important to note that the way with which AP25 protection is handled has changed entirely with this release; full details may be found in the documentation within the update archive. Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with these changes before testing this BETA firmware.
Finally, if you are testing this BETA firmware, it is now safe to continue using Xbox Live with Wasabi 360 Ultra in pass-through mode.
The guys behind Wasabi 360 Ultra sent us an email informing us about the release of firmware v1.1. You’ll find that the advanced configuration options has been added, last used ISO file automatically mounted at boot, update from mounted ISO blocked, and much more.
We have released Wasabi 360 Ultra firmware v1.1 which includes the following changes:
Added advanced configuration options, manipulated through the new wasabi.xml file
Changed the default boot behaviour – now the previously used ISO file will be automatically mounted at boot, rather than the “mixed media” ISO list. Simply “eject” Wasabi in the usual manner in order to bring up the ISO list after boot. This behaviour can be configured (and thus reverted to the previous system) via wasabi.xml
Added an update blocker feature, which prevents Xbox dashboard updates from being initiated from a Wasabi mounted ISO file. This is enabled by default, although it can be configured via wasabi.xml. We recommend that you leave this enabled at all times; if you wish you update your Xbox dashboard then you should do so with Wasabi in pass-through mode, launching the update either from Xbox live or from a USB stick
The Wasabi ISO list has always had a feature where the most recently mounted ISO will be shown at the top of the list. From this release, this feature can be toggled on and off via wasabi.xml
You can now specify any arbitrary folder on your HDD from which Wasabi should list ISO files, once again configured via wasabi.xml
Various stability and performance tweaks
In addition to this, we’ve added an ISO thumbnail feature to the Wasabi 360 Ultra on-screen ISO menu. This feature is currently undergoing BETA testing and will be included in the v1.2 firmware release, due out in a few days. The v1.1 firmware release can be found in the downloads page. An updated user guide reflecting the above changes will be released shortly.
Finally, we can confirm that Wasabi 360 Ultra is compatible with the recently released 2.0.13604.0 system software update. The AP25 challenge table did not change with this dashboard update and thus, there is no change to the ap25.bin file.
As promised, a new firmware for xKey is now available for download. This release brings thumbnail support to the “IsoMenu”. There is also a special note addressed to Lite-On 0225, 0401, and 1071 users (see below).
Changelog for v1.05:
Added thumbnails to IsoMenu.
Removed msu.txt, added alternate Slim FW handling.
Lizard 0225u dumps, do nothing, XK will now detect 0225u automagically JF 0225u dumps, add the following to xkey.cfg
ALTSLIMFW=7
0225d dumps (0401 label, 0225 firmware), add the following to xkey.cfg
ALTSLIMFW=8
NOTE: For some 0225/0401/1071 it may be necessary to use this param if you are seeing “play DVD”. Valid values are 0-6
Changed partition naming, now shows “Volume Label”
It’s good to see that thumbnail support is coming to xKey’s IsoMenu. We’ll keep you posted when the firmware is ready for public consumption. See “How-to use” below for complete tutorial.
Just a quick sneak peek what we have in store this time.
What’s new:
Thumbnails are now added to the IsoMenu feature.
How-to use:
Add a JPG to the directory where the game ISO resides, give it the same name as the ISO but with a JPG file extension. That JPG is shown in the XBox’s Picture Library browser when the game is selected. A small white square is shown if there is no JPG.
It looks like Wasabi 360 Ultra won’t be the only ODD emulator device to have the ability to launch ISOs from the “Video Library” menu. The ISO menu system, AP25 failure grace period increase, and fixes for Hitachi and Samsung are coming to xKey firmware v1.04.
The 1.04 firmware beta is now being tested, and will soon be publicly available. It adds one major feature and a number of fixes:
Changelog for v1.04:
- isoMenu system
- Fixed Hitachi 78/79 & XGD3
- Fixed Samsung & XGD3 (thanks to morph0 and others)
- Increased AP25 failure grace period
- Implemented MenuIso menu system
- Changed behavior when an ISO is selected and tray is closed. ISO is now queued until tray opens
- Added Mount point count to main menu
- Added xkey.cfg file
On popular demand we have added the IsoMenu feature. It implements a Mixed Media style menu system. Xk3y generates a virtual ISO in memory that represents the USB Mass Storage devices attached to your Xk3y. You can then navigate the menu and launch games with the Xbox joypad.
Update: firmware v1.04 for xKey is now available for download. See changelog above for changes.
Instructions:
Extract the two files “rootfs” & “uImage”
Add the two files to the root folder of a Flash Drive or HDD. (Make sure to eject the drive properly from the PC, it may otherwise cause corrupt files)
Connect the Flash drive or HDD to your xk3y remote and wait for the xk3y to start the update.
The remote LED will now display “UPDATING – PLEASE WAIT” for about 35 seconds. (Do not turn off your XB360 or disconnect the remote while updating)
Once the update is completed, the LED will display “UPDATE COMPLETE – RESET XBOX” Reboot your xbox and the xk3y should now be updated to the latest firmware.
That’s it! Continue to enjoy using xk3y with the new features!
Note #1:
Its not needed, but recommended to remove the “rootfs” & “uImage” from the root of your drive after a firmware update. Since keeping them there will cause the xk3y to check the files if they are a newer firmware version then stored on your xk main board, and because of that take longer time for your HDD to be recognized.
About IsoMenu:
IsoMenu implements a MixedMedia style menu system. XKey generates a virtual ISO in memory that represents the USB Mass Storage devices attached to your XKey.
To Use
-Enable IsoMenu (see xkey.cfg below)
-Start your system as normal
-Once the Dash is on screen and HDD(s) have been recognised, eject the empty DVD drive. XKey will autoload the IsoMenu
-You may then use the XBox in Dash browser to navigate to the desired ISO. This is currently found under ‘Video Library’, ‘Current Disc’.
-Once desired ISO is selected you will see ‘ISO Selected, open tray to proceed’
-Eject the IsoMenu. XKey will autoload the desired ISO
Returning to the IsoMenu
-Eject the current game ISO. XKey will autoload the IsoMenu
Note #2:
You may select more than one game using the IsoMenu but it is the last game selected that will be autoloaded. XKey detects the user selections by observing which sectors are read from the IsoMenu by the XBox.The Xbox is caching data read from XKey the first time a directory is selected. The data is not reread if a directory is subsequently reselected.
This means that once a game has been selected it cannot be reselected. You can see this with a simple test:
Select Game A
Select Game B
Eject IsoMenu => Game B loads
Select Game A
Select Game B
Select Game A
Eject IsoMenu => Game B loads
Warning:
Unplugging USB Mass Storage devices while the IsoMenu is running or loading the IsoMenu while plugging Mass Storage devices may give unpredictable results
xkey.cfg:
The xkey.cfg file is used to configure current and future XK feature, it is copied from a USB Mass Storage device to internal SD in much the same way as updates are copied. An update and change in xkey.cfg can be combined by placing all three files in the root of a USB Mass Storage device.
The IsoMenu is controlled from xkey.cfg. To enable the IsoMenu create an xkey.cfg file in the root of your USB Mass Storage device, inside the xkey.cfg file add the line
MENUISO=Y
To enable the IsoMenu OR
MENUISO=N
To disable the IsoMenu.
Then plug the USB Mass Storage device into xkey and update XK as usual.
