Playstation2 and Xbox Servers....

[eyceguy]

Now that the Xbox has been hacked to allow linux installs and Sony has a linux you can install on the PS2 I was wondering will we begin to see home users(or maybe even small businneses) using "old" video game consoles for purposes other than playing games.

In my opinion i think that re-using PS2's and Xbox's as home servers is a great idea. They are small, they have decent processor speeds, they are basically standard computers and they are above all, quiet. So in a few years when the prices of these things really drop and I begin to see them in thrift stores (like the N64's and SNES's right now), i might grab one or two to play around with.

So now I want your opinions. Do you think that Playstations and Xbox's will replace old i386's and i486's in homes as routers, fileservers, webservers, and the such? Do you think it would be worthwhile? And (if given the chance to do so) would you do this yourself?

I understand that Xbox's might be more useful for this since you dont have to buy a 200$ kit to get linux on it. But you can never tell what will happen with the future

[Choozo]

Provided you can have more than one NIC in those, they would be great for firewalls? :D

[amgeex]

I was actually thinking on getting an XBox to run gentoo on it, as a web server or something, even as a desktop, but ya know, being 16-year old and no money, there's little I can do to get it. Regarding the PS2, I think that with the release of the *new* hard drive early next year it could be hacked easily to accept linux installations. Plus, you gotta admit it, it would look a lot sleeker to run your server or router (could these consoles be hacked to accept more than one *NIC/Network adaptor?) on a PS2*Box or X*Box (XBox, and I wonder why did they named it like that) than on an old 486.

Also, it'd be great to do back-ups 'n stuff. I'd certainly use the X*Box's 8 Gig Hard Drive to store some more mp3's.

Cheers, the AMGeeX!

[raz0rblade]

If I had the cash I would love to hack up a Xbox :P

Add another ethernet jack and you got a very powerful and sleek looking router :D

[amgeex]

It'd be fun to hack the X*Box. What I'd like to do is build a regular pc in a PS2 shell (case). That way I would be able to install any flavor of linux that I like, and at the same time have a very sleek-looking pc!! Of course, it'd be pricer, but then again, it offers some advantages 'cause you wouldn't be limited by the console's hardware, just by the size of the case.

[jailbreaker]

they already do:D http://arrakis.ncsa.uiuc.edu/ps2/cluster.php very interesting:D

[amgeex]

What I mean is using regular pc hardware inside a ps2 case to build a common pc, not using the "official" ps2 linux kit. And then install debian for example.

[Gertrude]

Originally posted by Choozo
Provided you can have more than one NIC in those, they would be great for firewalls? :D


You could if you used a USB --> ethernet converter. You can modify USB cables, and plug them into where the controllers fit in. They are just normal USB connectors with a 5th pin for the rumble feature on the controller.

[jailbreaker]

Originally posted by amgeex
What I mean is using regular pc hardware inside a ps2 case to build a common pc, not using the "official" ps2 linux kit. And then install debian for example.

no.

Binary code that is developed for other Linux systems cannot be used with Linux PS2.

The supplied software is compatible only with the Internal Hard Disk Drive (40GB) (for PlayStation 2). Note that it cannot be used with other hard disk drives.

An Internal Hard Disk Drive (40GB) (for PlayStation 2) and a Memory Card (8MB) (for PlayStation 2) for exclusive Linux PS2 use are required to use this product. These items will be formatted for Linux use and will not be able to be used for other purposes.

The Internal Hard Disk Drive (40GB) (for PlayStation 2) and the Memory Card (8MB) (for PlayStation 2) will be formatted when Linux PS2 is installed. Because all stored data will be deleted during formatting, it is recommended that you back up data to another Memory Card (8MB) (for PlayStation 2) or to another computer, if possible. It is also recommended that you back up data periodically after installation.

[The Linux Kid]

I'm currently tracking down the best deal for an xBox for my new workstation. Anyone know where I can get one for less than AU$250 is Australia (Sydney)?

The Linux Kid

[jailbreaker]

Have you tried looking in your local buy&sell:confused: or if there is a place that sell new/uses games hardware then you can buy it used :)

EDIT: I found this http://www.adpost.com/au/?db=au_video_games&website=&language=&session_key=&list_and_display_db_button=on&results_format=long&db_id=39&query=retrieval

[The Linux Kid]

Thanks jailbreaker! I'm looking into it as we speak...

[janne_oksanen]

I've been working on my xbox for a couple of weeks now to get Linux running. I can tell you it can be a bit more difficult than the project site (http://xbox-linux.sourceforge.net/) says. I think i'll have to mod mine to get it working. I'm determined to get it running no matter what it costs. This is between me and Bill... :mad:

[El_Cu_Guy]

osOpinion.com had an article about this a long time ago when the Xbox Linux projects first started.

So in a few years when the prices of these things really drop and I begin to see them in thrift stores (like the N64's and SNES's right now), i might grab one or two to play around with.

Oh, yeah like Dreamcast Linux (http://www.m17n.org/linux-sh/dreamcast/distribution)

I understand that Xbox's might be more useful for this since you dont have to buy a 200$ kit to get linux on it. But you can never tell what will happen with the future

The Kit is simply a hard drive, LCD monitor, keyboard and mouse, plus a copy of GNU/Linux provided by Sony. The PS2 will accept USB keyboards and mice and the hard drive is coming soon (to coincide with the launch of FFXI). Adapters for the monitor are already avaliable.

It'd be fun to hack the X*Box. What I'd like to do is build a regular pc in a PS2 shell (case).

Then you chouls check out mini-itx.com

jailbreaker--

Regarding a custom built PC using the PS2 "shell" involve ripping out the guts and using the PS2's case. Projects like this are all over mini-itx.com.