Glossary

Glossary

Modding has its own vocabulary. Here are the core terms you will meet throughout this guide.

Softmod

A software modification that unlocks the console without altering hardware. It works by placing a specially crafted game save on the system that, when loaded, runs custom code. Because nothing is soldered or flashed, a softmod is fully reversible.

TSOP

Short for Thin Small-Outline Package, the surface-mount flash chip on the motherboard that stores the BIOS. TSOP flashing means rewriting that chip with a custom BIOS. It is possible only on revisions 1.0 through 1.5.

Modchip

A small add-on circuit board installed inside the console (such as the OpenXenium or Aladdin XT/XT Plus2) that supplies its own BIOS, bypassing the stock one. Modchips work on all revisions and can usually be removed later.

EEPROM

A tiny non-volatile memory chip holding console-specific settings and, crucially, the HDD key. Backing it up is mandatory before any modding.

HDD key

A unique encryption key, stored in the EEPROM, that locks the hard drive to your specific console. Lose it and the original drive cannot be unlocked.

Dashboard

The on-screen interface that loads at boot. Modding lets you replace the stock dashboard with a custom one such as XBMC4Gamers, EvoX, or UnleashX.