{"id":14,"date":"2006-05-14T23:51:40","date_gmt":"2006-05-14T23:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/?p=14"},"modified":"2013-09-24T18:33:25","modified_gmt":"2013-09-25T02:33:25","slug":"change-your-xbox-leds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/item\/change-your-xbox-leds","title":{"rendered":"Change Your XBox LEDs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24 aligncenter\" title=\"Eject Button Blue\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/eject-button-blue.jpg\" alt=\"Eject Button Blue\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Are you tired of the puke-green and red LEDs that came with your XBox? Now you can change them in the comfort of your own home.\u00a0 This article walks you through the process step-by-step.<\/p>\n<p>The box uses 2x 3mm bi-color LEDs (one for each side of the ring around the eject button), which turned out to be really hard to find in anything besides red, yellow and icky-green.\u00a0 You can, however, find several good color combinations <a href=\"http:\/\/division-6.com\/shop\/X-Box-Eject-Button-LED-Kit.html\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.\u00a0 Wherever you get them from, make sure they are common cathode and not common anode.\u00a0 This means that the center pin is negative (-) and the two outside pins for the colors are positive (+).<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what you&#8217;ll need for this project:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>T10 Torx screwdriver or bit<\/li>\n<li>T20 Torx screwdriver or bit<\/li>\n<li>Flat screwdriver (for prying)<\/li>\n<li>Low-wattage soldering iron (if you like your XBox DO NOT use one of those giant soldering guns)<\/li>\n<li>Rosin-core solder<\/li>\n<li>Solder-sucker or solder-wick<\/li>\n<li>Mad soldering skillz (okay, so this mod isn&#8217;t really too tough. Basic skillz should do fine.)<\/li>\n<li>Wire cutters<\/li>\n<li>2x <a href=\"http:\/\/division-6.com\/shop\/X-Box-Eject-Button-LED-Kit.html\" target=\"_blank\">3mm common cathode bi-color LEDs<\/a><\/li>\n<li>XBox (duh!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The first thing to do is take apart the XBox. Turn it upside-down and remove the 6 screws with the T20 driver. Four of them are under the rubber feet which you&#8217;ll have to peel off, and the remaining two are under the stickers.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-25 aligncenter\" title=\"XBox Srew Locations\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-screw-locations.jpg\" alt=\"XBox Srew Locations\" width=\"300\" height=\"216\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Once you have removed the screws, turn the XBox right-side-up, grab the sides and lift the top of the case straight up and off. Next, unplug the power and IDE cables from the hard drive and DVD-Rom drive. Remove the 3 screws that hold the caddies for both drives in place with the T10 driver. Lift both caddies out (HD first) and set them aside.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-26\" title=\"XBox Drive Screws\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-drive-screws.jpg\" alt=\"XBox Drive Screws\" width=\"400\" height=\"297\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Unplug the front panel connector from the main board.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27\" title=\"XBox Front Panel Connector\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-front-panel-connector.jpg\" alt=\"XBox Front Panel Connector\" width=\"300\" height=\"222\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Now it&#8217;s time to separate the entire faceplate from the rest of the case. There are 3 tabs and two edges that will all need to be pried free.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-28\" title=\"XBox Faceplate Tabs\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-faceplate-tabs.jpg\" alt=\"XBox Faceplate Tabs\" width=\"400\" height=\"293\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-29\" title=\"XBox Faceplate Edge\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-faceplate-edge.jpg\" alt=\"XBox Faceplate Edge\" width=\"400\" height=\"293\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Once you have removed the faceplate, you will be able to see the circuit board that has the LEDs and buttons mounted to it. Separate it from the faceplate by bending the two tabs and lifting the board free.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-30\" title=\"XBox Front PCB Tabs\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-front-pcb-tabs.jpg\" alt=\"XBox Front PCB Tabs\" width=\"300\" height=\"221\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Now that you finally have the board free you can see the LEDs that you are going to replace.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-31\" title=\"XBox Front PCB LED Side\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-front-pcb-led-side.jpg\" alt=\"XBox Front PCB LED Side\" width=\"500\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-front-pcb-led-side.jpg 500w, http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-front-pcb-led-side-400x144.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Using your iron and solder sucker or wick, remove the solder from the 6 LED leads that protrude from the back of the board. You should be able to remove the LEDs now. If they are still stuck, apply some heat to the sticking leads.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-32\" title=\"XBox LED Leads\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-led-leads.jpg\" alt=\"XBox LED Leads\" width=\"400\" height=\"214\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Now you need to figure out which direction to install your new LEDs. First decide which color you want to light during normal operation (was green), and which you want during an error (was red). Use the information that you got from the LED manufacturer to determine which lead corresponds to which color (if you got your LEDs from Division 6 that information can be found here). Look at the diagram below and bend the leads on your LED so that when they are installed the correct color lead is aligned with the correct hole.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33\" title=\"XBox LED Diagram\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-led-diagram.jpg\" alt=\"XBox LED Diagram\" width=\"485\" height=\"241\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-led-diagram.jpg 485w, http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-led-diagram-400x198.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34\" title=\"XBox LED Bent Leads\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-led-bent-leads.jpg\" alt=\"XBox LED Bent Leads\" width=\"200\" height=\"145\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Once you have inserted the leads from your new LEDs through the correct holes and lined them up correctly, solder them into place. Once soldering is complete, trim the excess length off of the leads. The mod is now complete.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35\" title=\"XBox LED Soldered\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-led-soldered.jpg\" alt=\"XBox LED Soldered\" width=\"200\" height=\"155\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Reassemble your XBox in reverse order of how you took it apart. Plug it in, turn it on, and if everything was done correctly you should have shiny new colors around your eject button!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36\" title=\"xbox-blue-eject-button\" src=\"http:\/\/modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-blue-eject-button.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"164\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-blue-eject-button.jpg 500w, http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/xbox-blue-eject-button-400x131.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Are you tired of the puke-green and red LEDs that came with your XBox? Now you can change them in the comfort of your own home.\u00a0 This article walks you through the process step-by-step. The box uses 2x 3mm bi-color LEDs (one for each side of the ring around the eject button), which turned [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-xbox"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1029,"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14\/revisions\/1029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.modd3d.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}