Converting an Air Flo Cooler to just a video out: Possible?

[xerocalibur]

Hey all, I just wanted to post here and ask some questions in regard to this accessory.
It can be read about on the Xbox 360 Accessories wiki article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360_Accessories




It worked perfectly with my Xbox 360 which I purchased in August 2007. However, my Xbox RROD'd in January of this year. It got sent along to Microsoft, and I got a replacement (or rather, a refurb).

When I got the refurb, I noticed, somewhat disturbingly, that the Xbox 360 doesn't work properly with the Air Flo Cooler attached. What happens is this: You press the power on for the 360, and it lights up... however, it will not boot the console until a clear 40 to 60 seconds have passed. This is not normal behavior as the X360 "orb" logo appears almost instantaneously, or at latest a few seconds.

So, confirming that it's the accessory causing this fault -- by plugging in the cord that came with my 360 -- I now realize I have a somewhat useless accessory sitting around.

I have opened it up and have admired the manufacturer's ingenuity in use of space in the product -- everything is VERY well assembled.

I wouldn't like to just throw this out, so I am looking into repurposing it. I can take some pictures or scans of the PCB if you all would like to help figure it out.

I kind of want to make Ben's break-out box http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/14/how- ... -cable-fo/ but with the design similarity to Stupidfinger's take on it http://www.stupidfingers.com/projects/360vga/ . I do not need to use the USB hub on the product as I think that's partly to blame for the slow start ups. I still have the casing it was in intact; I figure I can lop off the USB hub end and the added fans section and just use the video out templates that are left.

I think that the product was taking too much power from the 360 upon boot, thus delaying the 360's power up procedures. This is probably due to the accessory taking power from the video out of the 360 in order to run (fans and USB hub). Do the newer motherboards consume less power, which would cause this?

Hopefully this post isn't too rambly or wordy for you all. Any other questions, please ask away. Would ideally like to keep VGA / RCA / Component functionality. Anything else would be gravy.

[XCVG]

need... pictures.... of.... insides

[xerocalibur]

need... pictures.... of.... insides

Ask and ye shall receive. I don't know where my power brick is for my scanner at the moment, but I will find it tonight and scan the board itself and get some better / hi-res images of it, so hopefully people can discern traces.

I'm kind of worried about all the chips -- possibly resistors -- near the USB hub on it. There's also a control chip.

Worst of worse case scenario, I sand every trace off with my dremel, and hard-wire everything correctly as per Ben's instructions, I think.

[Aguiluz]

Remove the fans? You can still use the same case. You'll have to probably file and snap out the plastic to improve ventilation.

[xerocalibur]

Remove the fans? You can still use the same case. You'll have to probably file and snap out the plastic to improve ventilation.

The problem being, I think it is still drawing extra power, even if I clip off both fans. It's still drawing power to power all four USB ports (as a hub)... which is causing the slow boot up of the console.

As it is now, I don't know if any of the traces are going to a control chip or whatever to process the signals out into their various formats. The two slide switches indicate which output is selected...

As follows:
Switch 1 and 2 have two positions...

HDTV Switch 1 Pos 1 Switch 2 pos 1
AV / S-VIDEO Switch 1 pos 1 Switch 2 pos 2
AV / PrPbY Switch 1 Pos 2 Switch 2 pos 1
VGA Switch 1 pos 2 Switch 2 pos 2

Wouldn't this indicate some sort of switching circuit?

Again, I will scan the PCB later tonight to get a clearer image of the traces when I find my power brick for my scanner...

[Aguiluz]

Try reassembling the thing and omitting the male USB plug.

[Rekarp]

The USBs are now going to draw power unless you plug something into them. If anything its going to be the fans. Doesn't really make sense as you would think the Xbox psu could spare an Amp. I bet it has more to do with the video circuit in there then power consumption. Try contacting the maker of that add on for a fix.

[XCVG]

Disconnect the fans and try it. That may be the problem. If not, you haven't lost much.

[xerocalibur]

Try reassembling the thing and omitting the male USB plug.

Tried that WAYYYY back when I first disassembled it, omitting the LAN and USB plugs from the system, and just plugging in the video component. Still laggy boot-ups of 40-60s.

The USBs are now going to draw power unless you plug something into them. If anything its going to be the fans. Doesn't really make sense as you would think the Xbox psu could spare an Amp. I bet it has more to do with the video circuit in there then power consumption. Try contacting the maker of that add on for a fix.

I think the USB ports draw power regardless because they're tapping power on the video cable plug adapter pin thing. Whatever you want to call it. It's tapping +5v or +12v on there somewhere in order to power up the four plugs in the hub. All the USB plug would do is allow the four plugs in the hub to send / receive data; it would not be supplying power to all four ports, or if it did, would not be adequate to run things in all ports (from my understanding of normal USB hubs). It probably does have to do with the video circuit.

Your suggestion to contact the maker / distributor is null and void seeing as Nyko has discontinued this product a long time ago, and simply distributed it in the USA. It was made by some England company under the product name "Cooler King". There has never been a Version 2, so I highly doubt anybody will be willing to answer any questions for me at a corporate level, let alone "get a fix".

Disconnect the fans and try it. That may be the problem. If not, you haven't lost much.

I will indeed try that, as one of the fans has already snapped off (bad solder + bad glue job, go figure. Was probably the fan that was sputtering inside of it for a bit...). However, as stated above, I think it might be the USB hub causing the issues. I would love to just lop that off and call it a day. We'll see.

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Scan of the PCB coming soon tonight. Hang on.