Evolution-X

Evolution-X is a replacement menu system for the Microsoft Xbox. It replaces the original Microsoft GUI (known as the "Dashboard") and allows games and applications to be run from a menu that can be navigated using an Xbox joypad or DVD remote. An Xbox with Evolution-X allows a PC or another Xbox to access the hard drive via FTP when connected by a network cable.

Evolution-X was one of the first dashboards to incorporate in-game reset, activated by pushing down four buttons simultaneously on the joypad (Back, Start or Black, Left trigger, and Right trigger), which is now a feature available in every dashboard today. It is also highly customizable, allowing the user to set their own menu structure by modifying the Evox.ini configuration file and use custom skins which change the visual style of the dashboard and choose what system information it should display.

EvoX (BIOS)

EvoX, not to be confused with the EvolutionX dashboard, is a replacement Xbox BIOS, that allows a user with a modchip or a TSOP flash, to boot unsigned code, and game backups.

This BIOS is old and obsolete, unless you're using the TSOP flash method (Only available on 1.0 to 1.5 Xboxes) The recommended BIOS is the Xecuter 2 5035 BIOS, since it is more up-to-date, but you can only use it on TSOP flashes for 1.0 and 1.1.

The latest and last release is EvoX M8 plus.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Easy to edit configuration file
• Simplistic and straightforward menu design
• Compatible with many Xbox game trainers
• In-game reset
• Does not allow users access to potentially dangerous things without explicitly telling it to
• Will boot to a very basic menu instead of crashing if the configuration file is missing or corrupt
• Can easily be run from a CD if user still wants access to Xbox Live
• Can easily be installed via softmod
• Small size
• Big skinning community

Cons

• Slow release cycle
• More prone to going into a clock loop if the Xbox is left unplugged for a long amount of time
• limited features compared with other dashboards.

Legal and usage issues

As of 2006, it is in violation of most countries' copyright law to distribute this program ready-to-run. The program, like most "homebrew" Xbox programs, is compiled using the Microsoft Xbox Development Kit (XDK). Microsoft only distributes licenses to developers, therefore the program binary (the executable file) is illegal to distribute, but legal to possess.

See also

Other dashboards for the original Xbox

• Xbox Media Center - Xbox dashboard and media player
• UnleashX - Flexible and popular dashboard
• Avalaunch
• UIX - Modified Xbox Dashboard based around Microsoft Sources

References