“It’s a fact that every review is biased, because every reviewer has their own point of view. Bias is not necessarily bad, as long as you can recognize it as such and take it into account as you read the review. With this said I would like to point out that ISO-420 Reviews is one of the most non-biased (hence our logo) scene review sites. It does not matter if I pay for the product in question or do not get along with the company I will still give an honest and valid review.” - <i>Laurie Rozakis, Ph.D, Alpha Books, 2004</i>
Introduction
If you fall into the category of people who have modded their GameCube you will want to read this review as a replacement case is your only option at a quick, easy and professional looking solution for using full sized DVD media.
The first part of this review focuses on Team Xecuter who established itself as a scrupulous company that produces top of the line products for the XBOX and has recently entered the GameCube modification scene by presenting a high-quality complete replacement case in a variety of colors and jam packed with electrifying features.
The case dubbed “IcedCube” has had a long development history reaching as far back to when the first full sized solutions were created. Unlike the first cases to be released, Xecuter took their time to design, test and release a quality product that luckily only comes with a few minor flaws.
Packaging
I chose to order the case from Divineo Canada who shipped the product the next day, but did overcharge on the shipping costs. The first thing I noticed when opening the package was the quality of the cardboard box the case comes in. Yes, I know this isn’t a really important factor, but compared to the first case that came out onto the market I would say the cardboard box itself held more quality then it did.
Contents of the Package
Top of the Case
Bottom of the Case
Back Replacement Plate
Custom Jewel
Jewel Housing
Four Optional Port Stickers
Warning Sticker
Installation
Installing a full replacement case will take a lot longer then just replacing the top (as is the situation with all of the other replacement cases), but in the end it is worth it. Don’t get me wrong as it’s not hard to do. If it’s not your first time opening your GameCube it will be like a walk in the park and if it is indeed your first time it will be like a walk in a park you’ve never been in, but has a nice paved trail to walk on.
Once I had the GameCube completely disassembled I began to fit the case. The first thing you must do is to fit the three screw posts used for grounding into the new bottom. The two on the left side fit great, but the one I the right side required some unnecessary force and alignment to get it set straight.
Next you take the extension port and screw it in. I noticed now and during the entire duration of fitting the case that you would get the screw half way in and then have to use a lot of force to get them to go all the way down and once they were down they would not come out. So I would make sure to triple check every step of the process. (I forgot to fit the Viper GC’s programmer and can no longer open the case to do so)
After this you have the option of mounting the external programmer for your Viper GC or Qoob Pro on the back replacement panel. Sadly as I stated above I forgot to do this before the next step.
Once all of the components are swapped you are ready to fit the top half of the case. Now for this to work both halves need to be properly square and unlike the other replacement cases on the market, Xecuter used a better company to mold the cases and in the end came out with a perfectly square top and bottom.
The next thing I did, which was completely optional on my behalf was to take the LED assembly from the Xtender v1 GameCube case and place it on the right side of the DVD drive. Also you will notice in the pictures I’ve taken of the GameCube that the controller ports have LEDs in them; this is not a feature of the IcedCude, but a custom modification I did prior to the review.
Usage
The power, reset and eject buttons worked out well and the lid itself did not fly open like a bat out of hell, but due to alignment issues which are commonly know to plague the Xecuter’s, case some modifications were required so that full sized DVD media would properly.
There are two alignment issues commonly known around the scene which are easily fixed using a few small objects such as parts of a toothpick or pieces of paper. The first issue is that the DVD drive is not centered therefore causing full sized media to snag the edge of the case, which results it in not spinning. The second issue is that when the lid is closed the disc will snag the front of it and not spin and sounds like a broken airplane engine. Each of these defects should be addressed as leaving them as-is will result in you not being able to boot your discs and possibly damage to the motor.
To fix the first issue, simply insert some small objects between the DVD drive assembly and the case on the side(s) that the disc is snagged on. To determine the side it gets snagged on you must manually rotate the disc and watch for where it is making contact with the case.
When trying to solve the second defect you are presented with a few options which are commonly known to fix this issue. The first option is to simply leave the lid open. The second one I’ve tested is to place a small piece of tape on the inside front of the lid’s lip, but this causes unneeded wear on the DVD drive motor. I’ve also talked with some people who had lubricated the lip with various substances and said this worked fine, but I did not like the idea of having to maintenance the GameCube every week or so. The last option, which is the best in my opinion, is to use some more toothpicks and not only align the DVD assembly to avoid hitting the inside of the case, but not to hit the lip too.
Comparison Introduction
While you have been reading this review you might have thought to yourself “I thought this was a comparison?” Don’t fret my fried as I’ve saved the best for last.
I am comparing the currently available cases on the market so that you, the consumer, will have something to base your purchasing decision on. I will be comparing the cases using various factors such as price, quality and usability based on the order of importance gathered from sources such as: forums, polls and word of mouth.
The current cases I will be comparing are the only ones available on the market as of the date of this review: Xecuter, Xtender v1, Xtender v2 and HushTrap.
Similarities
The purpose of each case is to allow the use of full sized DVD media and all of the cases do get the job done.
Each case can be purchased in a variety of colors including, but not limited to the original case colors.
All of the cases will allow you to use some form of jewel to enhance the visual factor of your GameCube.
Common Differences
When purchasing anything most people first compare the prices of the products. The Xecuter case ranks in at the highest price costing an average of $39.99, the Xtender v2 at $29.99, then Xtender v1 $22.99 and the HushTrap is the least and goes for $19.99.
One must also take into the consideration is the availability of the products which will ultimately effect the shipping costs. Due to exclusive deals with Xecuter you can only purchase the IcedCude case from three online stores which greatly reduces your options and forces you to pay outrageous shipping amounts. Currently these three stores are price gouging and overcharging for shipping. (Expect to pay $20-$40 for just shipping) Both the Xtender and HushTrap cases can be found online in stores around the globe.
Minor Differences
Now I’m going to take a look at the less popular features, but are features none the less that should be considered when purchasing any of these cases.
The least worried about feature is how hard it is to install the case. If you’ve already fitted a chip you won’t even think twice about doing this and if you haven’t fitted a chip is a hundred times more difficult then replacing the case. Both Xtender cases are simple to install, the HushTrap is moderate and the Xecuter is difficult. The Xtender v2 simply slides into place and nothing more is required. The Xtender v1 might require modification (see below). The Hushtrap case requires modification and is plagued with alignment issues due to the fact that the case itself is not square. The Xecuter case is a complete case it is the most difficult to install.
Some cases require unneeded modification to them before and/or after installing due to overlooked (in HushTrap’s case ignored) defects. The HushTrap case requires heavy modification which involves removing various plastic from the case, fixing buttons and fixing the lid so it will open correctly. The Xecuter case requires you to align the DVD drive assembly after installation. If you are using a Viper GC which has been fitted in its default location then you must cut off a screw post to fit the Xtender v1 case. The Xtender v2 case requires no modifications.
Using the case, which just boils down to how easy it is to power the GameCube on, open/close the lid and remove the media, ranked in next and works out like so:
If not aligned correctly the HushTrap case might cause you to not be able to power on the GameCube, the lid eject button randomly sticks down and has to be lifted up with a small knife and the removable of the media is very difficult as there is barely any space to do so.
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Links
Complete Review with Pictures, Videos and Complete Links Section
lol, nub 
Like I said in the review if you do force the screw in all the way don't plan on opening your case without a hacksaw.
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