XBOX The Jasper Hunt

[TheGoldenTouch]

The Jasper Hunt Continues: Still Looking for the 65nm Xbox 360

A number of readers have informed me that early Falcons were still labeled as drawing 16.5A, which is the same as the Zephyr/Xenon systems. That is, they were labeled directly on the console as such (the PSU rating is not really relevant). These Falcons came with either the 203W/16.5A PSU or a 175W/14.2A PSU, but again, the PSU labeling is not really that relevant unless it's something new (150W for Jasper). Despite the labeling, these systems drew the same amount of power as later Falcons that were labeled correctly. Chances are, Microsoft was just finishing off their stock of older pre-printed stickers. Therefore, my suggestion that a console labeled with 12.1A on the 12V rail, regardless of PSU included, would be the easiest way to identify a Jasper is only partially correct. Eventually, it will be true of all Jaspers, but it may not be true of the very first ones to hit stores. As such, I believe that measuring the power draw at the wall outlet using a Kill-a-Watt (or similar device) will be the best way to ID Jasper early on. Once again, here are Anand's numbers from his Falcon for reference (not a super early one, but not a late one either). Jasper should be about 40-50W less than Falcon both at idle and during game play - so around 50W idle, 75W during Halo 3.

Since the original article was published, the new 2008 Xbox 360 Holiday Bundle has started to hit stores and online retailers. It appears that these are a mix of existing stock that has been repackaged and truly new systems. Some of the repackaging is being done in-store, but a lot of it is being done by one of Microsoft's facilities, who is marking the systems with team "ADUE." A sticker is placed over the existing box to indicate the new games inside. This is similar to what happened last year with the 2007 Holiday Bundle. Meanwhile, newer systems (lot numbers 0836 and up it seems) are starting to show up in a new box that is pre-printed with the Holiday Bundle information. So far I've seen reports of up to 0837 in these new Holiday Bundles, some from online retailers and some from local stores. At this point, your best chance of getting a factory bundle is to order online, although there's no guarantee. That said, it also seems that overall local stores are slow at getting the factory-packaged bundles too. So, we're kind of stuck in that regard. Unfortunately, all those 0837s are Falcons still be all accounts. I should also mention that the likelihood of finding a Jasper in a non-bundled system is basically zero for the time being. I have yet to see any newer stock in a non-bundled system. The possible exception would be in a country where the bundle is not available, although I'm not sure if that's even a possibility.

Please don't forget that the manufacturing team is just as important as the lot number. Most likely, one of the manufacturing plants will switch over first so that if there's a problem, they don't loseall their manufacturing capacity. Last year, team FDOU was first with Falcon and team CSON switched over eventually.

Full Story: anandtech.com

NOTE: From Now on all the news and rumours related to Jasper will be posted here as Its gonna come out any time soon..Any other thread and Off topic posts regarding Jasper will be deleted without notice.

What is a Jasper console?

Jasper is the latest revision of Xbox 360. Although the console does not physically look any different, the PSU (power supply) has changed, as well as the GPU die size. The PSU is now 150W (as apposed to 175W with Falcon) and the GPU is now 65nm. With this revision the 360 is now a full 65nm console, with both the CPU and GPU die size being 65nm.

How to find Lot and Team info:

There is a white sticker on the side of the box with the lot # and team. In order to find the manufacturing date without opening the box, there is a flap on the side of the box that allows you to peek inside and see the manufacturing date on the console itself.

You can also see the console power rating through this opening, to the left of the serial barcode. If 12.1A is listed, then the console is a Jasper.

New Jasper Motherboard with 512MB internal MU ...

 

[Raptorian]

Well...it's good to have Jasper and all but I really hope the Lite-on drives get cracked soon.

 

[mystirfan]

Shayan bhai do u have any idea which lot# we should look for in order to get Jasper ??? c`oz m gonna buy it right away and spoof the drive till the flashing becomes possible....

 

[TheGoldenTouch]

It's very hard to say at this stage but i think we should look for lot# above 0845 becasue 360 with lot#0840 is available and there is no sign of jasper on that lot#, so just keep an eye on http://www.360drives.com/list or xbox-scene.

 

[USUF]

Falcons with Lite-on are somewhere above lot no 0821.

 

[Lars]

I have Lot NO: 0827 ,it may be FALCON but I am confirmed it has LITE-0N.

The only solution is to have original copies of games

 

[fady]

^^not necessarily..

 

[mediumBen]

There are chances that a hack for Lite-on might emerge this December and if it came out i will buy it straight away
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Reports that Xbox 360's Jasper chipset will begin shipping in August continue to hum along, as China Economic News Service has named three Taiwanese companies that have been contracted to manufacture, test and package the pair of 65nm microprocessors in preparation for a summer rollout. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) will build the chips, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering will test and package them, and Nanya will supply flip-chip packaging substrates (which sure do sound important). The Jasper combo will ideally use less power, simplify cooling and, most importantly, cut back on the console's jibba jabba.

Industry analysts have also pegged TSMC as the primary candidate for Valhalla chipset production (in addition to the Jasper contract, TSMC has also built 90nm chips for an older version of Xbox 360). Valhalla is rumored to be a single super-chip that combines the properties of a 65nm CPU and 65nm GPU, and is expected to be incorporated into Xbox 360 hardware in the fall of 2009.

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Now they are also in the very early stages of designing the fourth generation Xbox 360 called Valhalla.
At the heart of a Valhalla Xbox 360 is a combined 65nm CPU and 65nm GPU on a unified super chip. This also would only need one cooling system and be much quieter and hopefully more reliable than previous Xbox systems (if they include hardware JTAG testing reporting into the design).
It is really early in the design process but there are engineers at Microsoft working on it as you are reading this.

Microsoft has planned on near annual changes to the Xbox 360 motherboard generation designs.
First was the Xenon motherboard from 2005-06, then followed by the Zephyr motherboard 2006-2007, then the Falcon Motherboard 2007-now. Probably later on this year we will see the Jasper Motherboard 2008-2009. Then then comes Valhalla the year four motherboard in late 2009 or mid 2010.

 

[TheGoldenTouch]

this thread is only related to jasper so its better you guys don't think about lite on drive yet, for instance if jasper arrives but lite on doesn't get hacked then we still have an option of spoofing so its better we talk only about jasper motherboard.


@mediumben: That news is old, plz check date before posting any news.

 

[mediumBen]

Has anyone here spotted a Jasper?

@ShayanSheraz: very large number of people here dont know about the Valhalla version and my post might restraint a newbie from asking insane childish questions

 

[TheGoldenTouch]

@ShayanSheraz: very large number of people here dont know about the Valhalla version and my post might restraint a newbie from asking insane childish questions

this thread is all about jasper that's why we should stick with the jasper, people are more interested in jasper other than valhalla version and i haven't seen anyone asking about valhalla version, maybe in 2009 people start asking about valhalla version.

anyways i still appreciate that u have also mentioned about valhalla too.

Some info about xbox 360 motherboard since launch.

The Xbox 360 motherboard "Xenon" had a 90nm CPU and 90nm GPU and no HDMI.

The Xbox 360 motherboard "Zephyr" had a 90nm CPU and 90nm GPU and HDMI.

The Xbox 360 motherboard "Falcon" had a 65nm CPU and 90nm GPU and HDMI.

The Xbox 360 motherboard "Opus" had a 65nm CPU and 90nm GPU, no HDMI and only included in repaired "Xenon" system cases from Xbox repair centers.

The Xbox 360 motherboard "Jasper" will have a 65nm CPU and new 65nm GPU and HDMI.

 

[mediumBen]

I didnt knew that a motherboard such as Xenon existed. Thanks Shayan Bhai

 

[ahmadka]

nice clarification Shayan

 

[TheGoldenTouch]

Thanks ahmedka.

some more info regarding jasper.

Xenon/Zephyr - 203 W - 16.5 A
Falcon/Opus - 175 W - 14.2 A
Jasper - 150 W - 12.1 A

 

[mediumBen]

Are you dead sure that Jasper draws 150W - 12.1 A

 

[TheGoldenTouch]

Are you dead sure that Jasper draws 150W - 12.1 A

Anandtech found the power supply registered with the IECEE for both 110v and 220v variants but still only time will tell.

 

[elvis840]

correction shayan bhai the falcons have 80nm gpu not 90 nm.

 

[atifdarr]

Waiting for Jasper!

I am making a post here so that hopefully when a jasper is spotted, I will be one of the first to know. Have already been waiting a month to buy my 1st 360. Wonder how long I can last out! I am drooling at the prospect of playing games on my 12ft HD projector setup with 5.1 surround sound. I also need the 360 to stream downloaded TV programs to my projector from the BBC iPlayer website which cannot be burned to disk. So you can see why I am so impatient! Let me know as soon as it becomes available.

 

[TheGoldenTouch]

hopefully it will be out within two months.

 

[atifdarr]

Argh!! If that is the case, then maybe I will just go for the falcon. Can you point me to the thread that specifies how to locate a falcon?