"Insignia" Announced, a homebrew replacement for Xbox Live on OG Xbox

[Borman]

Announcing Insignia
Insignia is a replacement server for the Xbox's online services and is currently in private development.

Video: https://youtu.be/Seou4ZiUXEE

This service will not require any modifications or patches to software and will work with both stock and modded consoles as long as you have a way to dump keys (a one-time game exploit could be used for this).

The implementation is completely clean room and has been in development since late last year.

We hope to have games working by Autumn 2020, but we cannot confirm anything at this time.

Important Notes

• Xboxes with HDD key NULLed (aka, set to all 0) will not work on Live, due to Microsoft's implementation. Any other repeating pattern (323232... etc) or your original HDD key will work fine
• Please make sure your Serial Number on your Xbox matches the one stored in your EEPROM, you must have a valid, unique Serial.
• This is not yet ready, but a private beta will follow when we require testers.

As always, if you are able to, please consider supporting me on Patreon, it helps me to be able to work on projects like Insignia
https://patreon.com/LukeUsher

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Source

This is being developed by one of the Xbox emulator CXBX-Reloaded developers, Luke Usher. Most importantly, it is unrelated to any of the leaks that have occurred, and has been in development since 2019.

As a big OG Xbox fan, I'm excited for this, as there are many functions that cannot be replicated by Xlinkkai and other System Link replacements.

Along with the announcement was a video showing that the signup process is indeed working for the first time since it was shut down in 2010.



Quick edit: Just to be clear, I have nothing to do with this, and am just an extremely excited Xbox fan who happens to be a historian too.

 

[Chief Malik]

Those sound effects on the dashboard along with the chatter in the background nearly destroyed me with nostalgia.

 

[Komo]

Honestly super thankful that this is finally going to be coming out.

 

[giancarlo123x]

Emulation is rad.

 

[Borman]

Emulation is rad.

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Best part is that the video itself is on real hardware, which doesnt need to be modified other than getting the keys themselves (which can be done without a full mod)

 

[Launchpad]

That is incredible.

 

[criteriondog]

Dang, that made me nostalgic for the Xbox and PS2 era where things weren't so minimalistic. The Xbox UI was so cool.

 

[Fisty]

Oh man, I had so much fun on Crimson Skies multiplayer back in the day

Edit: that credit card expiration date entry only went up to 2014, haha

 

[Jroc]

This is amazing, the Xbox homebrew scene is still a beast!

I remember the last guy who was working on an Xbox Live reimplementation got hired by Microsoft and shut it down.

 

[stn]

Does this mean we could go back and download DLC? I'd definitely like to download the hurricane packs again for Ninja Gaiden so I can mess around with the intercept technique.

 

[Stopdoor]

Hmm, this won't work with a 360 right? I know Xbox One would probably be off the table.

 

[Nemesis121]

Haven't booted my OG Xbox in years time to check and see if it works...

 

[JaggedSac]

This is pretty great. So which one of you folks is going to set up some Xbox live clusters?

 

[RivalGT]

why cant MS do this themselves? They now offer BC for xbox games, and many of those have MP, it makes sense for those games to still have live support.

 

[Platy]

What are the main online games that are stuck in the OG xbox that would mostly benefit from this ?

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

Seriously Phil needs to buy this out and reactivate Live for OG Xbox and the BC games

 

[Deleted member 5621]

Ah this is sick!

 

[Nacery]

I would love to play some Spies Vs Mercs in my XBONEX

 

[scitek]

Best Buy exclusive?

 

[Borman]

Hmm, this won't work with a 360 right? I know Xbox One would probably be off the table.

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Xbox OG only as far as I know. They arent looking to step on toes when it comes to active services.

What are the main online games that are stuck in the OG xbox that would mostly benefit from this ?

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Steel Battalion Line of Contact has a lot of fancy modes, though that will be harder to implement. Anything with Matchmaking would benefit, including Halo 2. Plus the handful of games without system link.

But there are other benefits, as System Link games are expecting LAN conditions, so many could work better over "Xbox Live" versus System Link.

 

[Aswitch]

As someone who has an OG Xbox hooked up and waiting for this day, I can't wait. Going to get a huge nostalgia kick. Halo 2, Counter-Strike and Spikeout awaits. Really love this age we're in where a lot of things we thought were lost completely are coming back.

 

[Birbos]

I want to see those wheels turn in Halo 2 again.

 

[SteviaRelievingYa]

why cant MS do this themselves? They now offer BC for xbox games, and many of those have MP, it makes sense for those games to still have live support.

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One of my biggest hopes for next gen is that MS will get Xbox live working again on backwards compatible OG Xbox games.

 

[so1337]

Warms my heart that people are this dedicated to preserving the OG Xbox experience.

Speaking of which, how is Xbox emulation these days? Is it still a fairly tricky system to get working? I'd love to be able to emulate JSRF one day but I'm not sure if it's even feasible.

 

[Deleted member 25606]

I miss OG X-Box, lots of nostalgia along with OG live which was quite the thing, console online feels like it has changed so much.

 

[Barrel Cannon]

This is fucking amazing. I'd support it day one. I doubt it'll work with 360 or Xbox one but it'll be amazing regardless. The only downside is games reliant on servers still won't be able to run

 

[Borman]

Warms my heart that people are this dedicated to preserving the OG Xbox experience.

Speaking of which, how is Xbox emulation these days? Is it still a fairly tricky system to get working? I'd love to be able to emulate JSRF one day but I'm not sure if it's even feasible.

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Better than it was, but lots of work to go. JSRF is mostly playable with a few minor issues, even at 4k.

This is fucking amazing. I'd support it day one. I doubt it'll work with 360 or Xbox one but it'll be amazing regardless. The only downside is games reliant on servers still won't be able to run

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My understanding based on following various attempts is that there are a lot of games that use basic Xbox Live tools that should be easy enough to recreate. I believe EA often did custom things, and MMOs of course like PSO, but there should be a lot of games that are on the easier side. Not to call it easy though, especially since I cant program at all.

 

[Str0ngStyle]

if this can easily do Unreal Championship 2 or Mechwarrior, I am SOOOO in!!!!

 

[Listai]

This is incredible.

I picked up my first OG Xbox this year for $20 in horrendous condition and refurbished it. It looks like I picked the perfect time to do so. Here's hoping it allows for PSO private servers like the DC and GC.

 

[XSX]

OG Xbox live was so sick. Back when paying for online seemed worth it compared to your other options lol

 

[SinkFla]

Time to use my og Xbox then!

 

[asmith906]

Can I use this to play Phantasy Star

 

[Jegriva]

Will patches and DLC be available?

(I guess no)

 

[Barrel Cannon]

Better than it was, but lots of work to go. JSRF is mostly playable with a few minor issues, even at 4k.


My understanding based on following various attempts is that there are a lot of games that use basic Xbox Live tools that should be easy enough to recreate. I believe EA often did custom things, and MMOs of course like PSO, but there should be a lot of games that are on the easier side. Not to call it easy though, especially since I cant program at all.

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Yep that's what I meant. Games like line of contact wouldn't likely be able to work. Luckily there is still a dedicated group that plays it through tunnelled LANs at least

 

[Borman]

Will patches and DLC be available?

(I guess no)

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I imagine copyright would be an issue for anyone hosting the server in those cases. But custom DLC? Hmm.

 

[OberstKrueger]

Props for using HiroProtagonist for the username of a very cyberpunky interface. I love it.

 

[Borman]

Props for using HiroProtagonist for the username of a very cyberpunky interface. I love it.

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It's also a reference to J Allard, for anyone who knows their Xbox history.

 

[Listai]

I just need the Dreamcast and Gamecube broad band adapters and I can realise my dream of having all four 6th generation systems hooked up to the internet and a CRT.

 

[SinkFla]

I think my Xbox has Homebrew os. Should still work right?

 

[so1337]

Better than it was, but lots of work to go. JSRF is mostly playable with a few minor issues, even at 4k.

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You're kidding! That sounds a heck of a lot better than how the 360 was able to run that game. That's actually really exciting.

Guess I'll be tinkering with CXBX-Reloaded this weekend, see if I can't get that to run on my system.

 

[Borman]

I think my Xbox has Homebrew os. Should still work right?

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You actually don't need Homebrew, and many of the bios interfere with Xbox Live connections so you might need to tweak some settings or turn off the mod. That's a holdover from preventing people with mods from getting banned on XBL, BIOS developers just blocked all Live traffic.

 

[scrapple]

still have my og live beta kit

 

[Windrunner]

This is amazing. The talent of the homebrew community never ceases to amaze.

I'll need to check my HDD key, it's been so long I can't remember how I went about the upgrade.

 

[Nerdkiller]

I came very close to purchasing an Original Xbox back around 2009 specifically to play the old Xbox Live games on the system, but MS's announcement of the service's discontinuation on the console held me back from doing so. Good to know there's now an opportunity to do so again.

My understanding based on following various attempts is that there are a lot of games that use basic Xbox Live tools that should be easy enough to recreate. I believe EA often did custom things, and MMOs of course like PSO, but there should be a lot of games that are on the easier side. Not to call it easy though, especially since I cant program at all.

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I was just about to address this regarding EA's part. Especially considering Burnout and TimeSplitters 3 are the games I want to play the most once this service is brought to fruition.

 

[Komo]

I imagine copyright would be an issue for anyone hosting the server in those cases. But custom DLC? Hmm.

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I wonder does it need to be signed if the console assumes it is downloading it from a legit source?

 

[Deleted member 8468]

This is incredible. I assumed this stuff would always be locked down to some degree, but to have it running on systems with original firmware and no hardware mods is crazy.

 

[emperor bohe]

omg i've been dreaming about this for years.

 

[Figments]

Microsoft should contact these guys and have them help get OG Xbox Live back up and running in an official capacity, that way people on modern Xbox hardware can take advantage of games whose online was shut down ages ago.

And also so Halo 2 can be made backwards compatible for that OG Live goodness.

 

[SinkFla]

You actually don't need Homebrew, and many of the bios interfere with Xbox Live connections so you might need to tweak some settings or turn off the mod. That's a holdover from preventing people with mods from getting banned on XBL, BIOS developers just blocked all Live traffic.

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Ah gotcha, thanks. Yeah a friend of mine modded my Xbox YEARS ago and I never really learned much about Homebrew myself sadly :(. All for the price of playing SNES, Genesis and MAME games on the Xbox. Doh. 🤦

 

[emperor bohe]

how can I check if my HDD key is NULLED or not? not sure what that means tbh but I will do whatever it takes to my Xbox to run this lol. I think mine has a Xenium mod chip? (might be remembering wrong)