This is the best place to ask this.

[Negative_Creep]

Erm... $200 for a load of pirated crap? Xboxs are worth like $20.. and the last I remember, 80GB HDDs are also very cheap.

Unless the games are actually physical disks, your getting done up the rear end on the price.

[bicostp]

Depends on the kind of TV you have, what connections you have at your disposal, how far apart they are, and the kinds of cables you need.

DVI to HDMI would (obviously) give the best picture quality with very little signal degradation, but you need an HDTV for that.

I usually just use S-Video; the picture quality is more than enough for standard TVs, and most cards will run at 1024x768 over that connection no problem. Measure the cable run you'll have to make to see how long a cable you'll need. (Tiger Direct has a 50' cable for $35.)

I don't recommend composite or RF, if you can help it. Text will be nearly illegible.

It takes a little bit of effort to set this up, but once it's up and running you'll wonder why you didn't think of it sooner.

But yeah whoever's trying to sell that Xbox is trying to wring every cent possible from it. Personally, the only $200 Xboxes I've seen in the last year came with at least 2 controllers and around 5 Xbox games.

[Joes2Silly]

Here is a Joes2silly Price guide (this is based on prices I paid for items and prices I have seen on local craigslist):

xbox:$20-50 (If you buy one for $20 or less it may be broken)
softmodding supplies: $10 (this is an estimate, you may be able to do it cheaper)
Hard drive (80GB)- $20-30
(OPTIONAL) Modchip: $15-$20

TOTAL: around $60 with softmod and around $80 for a hardmod

[vskid]

Here is a Joes2silly Price guide (this is based on prices I paid for items and prices I have seen on local craigslist):

xbox:$20-50 (If you buy one for $20 or less it may be broken)
softmodding supplies: $10 (this is an estimate, you may be able to do it cheaper)
Hard drive (80GB)- $20-30
(OPTIONAL) Modchip: $15-$20

TOTAL: around $60 with softmod and around $80 for a hardmod

I got an xbox w/1 controller for $40 (thrift store), Splinter Cell for $2 (gamestop), modded a breakaway to have a USB port for free (stuff I already had), and a USB flash drive (used one of my dad's). Total of $42, but not a bigger drive (I just have my desktop share its hard drive).
Helpful links I used to mod mine:
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/578329
http://lifehacker.com/software/geek-to- ... 299809.php
http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Xbox_USB ... ility_List

[ganonbanned]

I'd buy the classic games. I have both, a modded xbox, and a ton of classic games, and its way better to play the classic games on an NES, in your bedroom thats a mess, on an old TV that uses a dial to change the channel and have a window air conditioner unit. Soda cans laying around you, a bowl of soggy froot-loops at your feet. reminds me of back in the day. I'd rather use my xbox to get pwned in halo.