Xbox

The original Xbox is a video game console developed by Microsoft. It was first released in North America on November 15, 2001. It is the first console in the Xbox family and was succeeded by the Xbox 360.

This page describes the physical and tactile features of the original Xbox console.

Directions assume that you are facing the front of the console unless otherwise specified.

Identifying your Xbox

The Xbox has several hardware revisions. Most revisions share the same external physical and tactile layout.

The main externally detectable distinction is the A/V port.

Feature	1.0–1.4	1.6 / 1.6b
A/V port	No bottom opening	Opening on bottom exposing shielding

This distinction is primarily useful for determining which clock capacitor precautions apply; the earlier revisions otherwise have essentially the same external physical layout.

Note: Revision 1.5 was reported but never confirmed and is generally considered erroneous. It is therefore treated as a skipped revision between 1.4 and 1.6.

Clock capacitor warning

The Xbox contains a clock capacitor that provides backup power for the console's real-time clock when the console is unplugged.

In many earlier Xbox revisions, this capacitor can leak with age. Leaking electrolyte can damage the console's motherboard.

Checking the clock capacitor requires opening the console and is not an external tactile identification procedure.

If you own this console, consider having the clock capacitor inspected by a qualified console repair technician.

Revision 1.6 and 1.6b consoles use a different clock capacitor and require the clock-capacitor circuit to be intact or appropriately bypassed for normal booting.

Power cord & GFI protection

The Xbox was initially supplied with a plain two-prong power cord. The console uses an IEC C8 power inlet, which accepts an IEC C7 power cord, commonly called a figure-8 connector.

Some consoles were supplied with, or later received, a replacement power cord containing an inline ground-fault protection device, commonly described as a GFI or GFCI.

The replacement power cord has a separate rectangular GFI unit along the cord, with the two-prong wall plug built directly onto it.

The front face of the unit has, from bottom to top: a green "XBOX" sticker, and above it, two buttons and a status LED.

The TEST button is small and circular, with raised sides on either edge flanking it.

The RESET button is pill-shaped and projects farther from the surface than the TEST button.

The status LED is above the RESET button.

What the status LED means

• If the light is green, the cord is functioning normally.
• If the light turns red, flashes red, or turns off and does not come back on when RESET is pressed, unplug the console immediately.

Testing the cord

Microsoft's printed instructions on the unit describe this test procedure:

1. Plug the cord into a live electrical outlet.
2. If the light is not green, press the red RESET button.
3. Press the yellow TEST button.
4. If the light briefly turns red, or stays red, unplug the console and replace the cord with one that has a working GFI unit.
5. Otherwise, press RESET again and continue normal use.

The unit's warning sticker states that the console should never be used without this cord, and that the cord should be tested every time it is plugged in.

Front

The left and right portions of the front have a predominantly matte texture. The middle portion has a glossy texture.

The lower left side of the front contains the Player 1 and Player 2 controller ports.

The Player 1 controller port is on the left, with the Player 2 controller port immediately to its right. The space between the two ports is approximately one fingertip wide.

Both controller ports are recessed and have the same thick, pill-shaped openings.

Above each controller port is a small circular depression containing its port number. The number can be felt individually by touch.

The disc tray occupies the area above the controller ports.

The "XBOX" marking is located toward the left side of the disc tray and can be felt by touch. The lettering is raised and its edges can be felt with a finger.

A seam separates the disc tray from the surrounding console.

The far right portion of the disc tray has a glossy texture. This glossy area is a useful tactile landmark for locating the middle of the front.

Moving downward from the seam near the right edge of the disc tray leads to the eject button, followed by the power button.

The eject button is larger than the power button and has a tactile eject icon. It is surrounded by a shallow depression.

The power button is smaller and is surrounded by a deeper, more easily felt depression. Both buttons are physical and click when pressed.

The lower right side of the front contains the Player 3 and Player 4 controller ports.

The Player 3 controller port is on the left, with the Player 4 controller port immediately to its right.

Both ports are recessed, with about one fingertip of space between them, and have the same thick, pill-shaped openings as the Player 1 and Player 2 ports.

Above each port is a small circular depression containing its port number. The number can be felt individually by touch.

The Microsoft logo is etched into the lower-right corner of the front and can be felt by touch.

The right side of the front also contains two raised markings: "COMPACT DISC" and "Dolby Digital".

Tactile sequence

Starting at the raised "XBOX" marking and moving right, a finger can encounter the matte surface, an angled transition, the glossy surface, the seam separating the disc tray from the console, another angled transition, the matte surface, "COMPACT DISC", and "Dolby Digital".

Moving downward from the O in "XBOX" leads across the disc tray to the seam separating the disc tray from the console, then to the Player 1 number depression and the recessed Player 1 controller port.

Moving left from the first X in "XBOX" crosses the seam separating the disc tray from the console. Continuing left causes the finger to fall off the front edge of the console. At this point, rotate to face the left side.

Left side

The side contains a matte surface, angled slopes, and a ventilation area consisting of 20 glossy ridges.

Moving left across the side passes the ridges and angled slope, followed by a matte surface, before reaching the corner where the side turns toward the rear of the console.

Moving right from the glossy ridges and angled slope leads back toward the front.

Right side

The right side mirrors the tactile layout of the left side.

The side contains the same matte surface, angled slopes, and ventilation area consisting of 20 glossy ridges.

Moving right across the side passes the ridges and angled slope, followed by a matte surface, before reaching the corner where the side turns toward the rear of the console.

Moving left from the glossy ridges and angled slope leads back toward the front.

Rear

The rear does not have a single prominent tactile landmark that immediately identifies its orientation. Care is required when transitioning from either side of the console onto the rear.

The rear contains an upper ventilation grille, a shorter lower ventilation pattern, and a couple of recessed and non-recessed ports.

The upper ventilation area consists of five long horizontal openings separated by raised bars.

When entering from the left side, maintaining the same finger position leads into the upper ventilation grille. Moving downward through the grille leads toward the Ethernet port on the lower right.

When entering from the right side, maintaining the same finger position leads into the upper ventilation grille. Moving downward through the grille leads toward the AC power connector on the lower left.

The fourth long space can also be followed left or right toward the corners of the console.

The rear also has a shorter ventilation pattern below the main grille. It consists of four shorter horizontal spaces and extends roughly from the AC power connector on the left to the A/V port on the right.

When maintaining the same finger position while transitioning into this lower section, the finger lands in the third space from the left.

The shorter length of these spaces provides a useful tactile indication of the ventilation area even though the actual ventilation openings are not readily detectable by touch.

The Ethernet port is recessed.

Moving left from the Ethernet port leads to a raised inscription reading "AUDIO VIDEO INPUT/OUTPUT". Continuing left leads into the recessed A/V port.

From the third space from the left in the lower ventilation section, moving left leads to the power connector.

The console's power connector receives AC power directly. The Xbox has an internal power supply, unlike later Xbox consoles which use an external power-converting brick. The connector is an IEC C8 power inlet, which accepts an IEC C7 power cord, commonly called a figure-8 connector. It is surrounded by a pill-shaped section of plastic. A "~" (AC power) symbol can be felt near the top of the connector. A nearby AC input rating sticker, found by moving to the left from the connector and moving up one level, lists the console's AC input rating. For example, "100V–127V ~2.1A" with "50/60 Hz" printed below it.

Moving right from the power connector returns to the third space from the left in the lower ventilation section.

Moving upward from the power connector reaches the fourth long space of the upper ventilation grille.

The rear port area is below the upper ventilation grille. Moving upward from the ports reaches a flat surface before reaching the fourth space of the long upper grille.

Moving left from the power connector crosses a level change and then reaches a corner leading back to the right side of the console and its ridges.

Moving right from the Ethernet port leads up one level and eventually reaches the corner from which the left side of the console and its ridges are encountered.

Moving downward from the power connector leads to a flat area and eventually to the bottom of the console.

Note: Consoles built for different regions may show different ratings on the AC input sticker; one made for a region using only 50 Hz mains power, for instance, would show "50 Hz" alone rather than "50/60 Hz."

Top

The top surface is dominated by a large X-shaped matte feature.

The boundaries of the X are clearly defined and can be felt by touch.

A raised plastic Xbox jewel is located in the center of the X. The jewel is surrounded by a circular depression.

Moving left or right from the X leads to ridges that connect toward the corresponding side panels.

Moving toward the front from the center jewel enters a glossy triangular section.

Maintaining the same finger position while continuing toward the front leads to the seam separating the disc tray from the surrounding console, followed by the eject button and then the power button.

Moving toward the rear from the center jewel enters a glossy triangular section followed by a flat surface.

Continuing toward the rear reaches the first long space of the rear ventilation grille.

Bottom

The bottom surface contains several tactile landmarks, including a central glossy rectangle, a glossy trapezoid toward the front, three stickers, level changes, ridged areas, and four rubber feet.

Four rubber feet are located near the corners of the surface. The four feet are identical in shape, size, and height, and the surrounding surface is also the same at each corner.

Across the front portion of the bottom, moving from left to right leads from the front-left rubber foot to a regulatory sticker, then to a caution sticker about opening the console and voiding the warranty, and finally to the front-right rubber foot.

Both stickers sit slightly below the surrounding surface, and their edges can be felt by touch.

The central portion of the bottom contains a blank glossy rectangle. It is approximately centered and is surrounded by a matte surface. The boundary between the glossy rectangle and the surrounding matte surface can be felt by touch.

Moving toward the front from the central rectangle leads across the matte surface to a level change into a glossy trapezoid-shaped area. The sides of the trapezoid form slight rises that can be felt when crossed.

Moving left or right from the trapezoid onto the corresponding side panel, the finger encounters five openings, followed by a single square-shaped feature, and then five additional openings. The same pattern is present on both sides.

Moving toward the front from the trapezoid leads to the front edge of the bottom, where the finger drops off the console. Continuing in the same direction allows the power button on the front of the console to be located.

Moving toward the rear from the central rectangle leads across the matte surface to the console-information sticker.

The sticker sits slightly below the surrounding surface, and its edges can be felt by touch. It contains the MFR Date, Serial No., and Product ID, which can be used to identify the hardware revision.

Two identical square features are located to the left of the console-information sticker. The squares have clearly defined edges that can be felt by touch, and approximately one pinky-finger width of space separates them.

Moving left from the second square leads across the surrounding surface to the rear-left rubber foot, with no additional tactile landmarks in between. Moving right from the console-information sticker likewise leads across the surrounding surface to the rear-right rubber foot, with no additional tactile landmarks in between.

Moving left or right from the central rectangle leads across the matte surface to a level change and then onto the corresponding ridged area along the side of the console.

Note: Rubber feet may be missing on used consoles. If a rubber foot is missing, a recessed Torx screw can be felt at the corresponding corner.