Streaming Video to X360?

[McHuj]

I think I've read that the Xbox360 can only stream WMV video from a Windows Media Center PC. Is this is correct? Can someone tell me what exactly distinguishes Windows XP from Windows MCE? It still XP, so other then some software extensions its the same thing, no?

One of the reasons I'm interested in X360 is its streaming ability. However, the requirement for Windows MCE is really bother some. I'm not buying another OS so that i could just stream video to a console.

I wonder if it is somehow possible to trick the Xbox into thinking that it is seeing an a MCE pc when all ithere is a XP pc on the network. Any thoughts?

 

[kyleb]

I wouldn't be suprised if someone hacks something together eventually, but I doubt there is anything out yet.

 

[expletive]

I think I've read that the Xbox360 can only stream WMV video from a Windows Media Center PC. Is this is correct? Can someone tell me what exactly distinguishes Windows XP from Windows MCE? It still XP, so other then some software extensions its the same thing, no?

One of the reasons I'm interested in X360 is its streaming ability. However, the requirement for Windows MCE is really bother some. I'm not buying another OS so that i could just stream video to a console.

I wonder if it is somehow possible to trick the Xbox into thinking that it is seeing an a MCE pc when all ithere is a XP pc on the network. Any thoughts?

I believe MCE comes on 2 disks where the first is XP and the 2nd is all the MCE software,extensions, etc

I'll be building one soon so i'll let you know how it goes.

 

[BlueTsunami]

I'm working off of MCE 2005 (which I acquired recently) and its EXACTLY LIKE WINDOWS XP. When I was installing it I was like, "I think I got the wrong disks" When the installation finished, you can notice the different GUI but the layout is EXACTLY LIKE WINDOWS XP. The only thing that is truly different (functionality wise) is the Media Center APPLICATION. Yep, all it is, is an application. It seems like something that can be added to Windows XP as an Update.

Microsoft does it again. MCE is worthless and is Microsofts way of making money on a new OS. What I find the most bothersome is that MCE 2004 users get the same functionality (out of the 360) as regular XP users. They can't stream video either. Thats only for MCE 2005 users. I stress that you find MCE 2005 in a unsactioned way in protest.

 

[Boke]

Yep, all it is, is an application. It seems like something that can be added to Windows XP as an Update.

I would like to know why they don't do that. I would think they would make more money if it was sold as a stand-alone app. After all... I have been told *cough* that it runs just fine on a standard XP install.

 

[NavNucST3]

I'm working off of MCE 2005 (which I acquired recently) and its EXACTLY LIKE WINDOWS XP. When I was installing it I was like, "I think I got the wrong disks" When the installation finished, you can notice the different GUI but the layout is EXACTLY LIKE WINDOWS XP. The only thing that is truly different (functionality wise) is the Media Center APPLICATION. Yep, all it is, is an application. It seems like something that can be added to Windows XP as an Update.

Microsoft does it again. MCE is worthless and is Microsofts way of making money on a new OS. What I find the most bothersome is that MCE 2004 users get the same functionality (out of the 360) as regular XP users. They can't stream video either. Thats only for MCE 2005 users. I stress that you find MCE 2005 in a unsactioned way in protest.

If you want to find something really funny, how about this... XP media center edition discs, depending on which code you use, will give you either Tablet PC (if you have a tablet pc code), Media Center Edition if you use the MCE code, and regular XP pro if you use a regular xp code. It is true that MCE and Tablet PC are actually on the second disc.

 

[scooby_dooby]

I downloaded MCE and it came on 2 discs, it just asks for one during the install, then youy have to put the first one back in to finish.

It's basically exactly like regular XP, but has a little green button you press to launch MCE.

You might want to hold off on this until Windows Vista, which will support it natively.

If you don't mind upgrading your OS, it's basically identical to normal XP so you won't notice any difference and all you programs/hardware etc will wtill work just fine.

 

[NavNucST3]

I have also tried to get Virtual PC (for Mac) to recognize the 360 to no avail. I am not sure if the PC version of vpc works differently, if it does that is always an option, or maybe VMware, for those that don't feel like wiping their machines and starting over.Of course, there is always partition magic if you want to dual boot...lots of possibilities.

 

[expletive]

Microsoft does it again. MCE is worthless and is Microsofts way of making money on a new OS. What I find the most bothersome is that MCE 2004 users get the same functionality (out of the 360) as regular XP users. They can't stream video either. Thats only for MCE 2005 users. I stress that you find MCE 2005 in a unsactioned way in protest.

Why is it worthless? I think its going to be great to have a media hub and then just extenders around the house.

I think MCE 2005 is actually cheaper than WIn XP Pro. I am pricing out a del PC for my parents and if you want to 'upgrade' to XP Pro, its another $100.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Why is it worthless? I think its going to be great to have a media hub and then just extenders around the house.

I think MCE 2005 is actually cheaper than WIn XP Pro. I am pricing out a del PC for my parents and if you want to 'upgrade' to XP Pro, its another $100.

Well, its not worthless if you have Windows 2000 but if your a current owner of XP (Home or Professional) then Windows MCE is pretty much not worth the cost of buying a completley whole new OS just to used overpriced extenders. I can't believe that Microsoft has the balls to release so many different OSs like this with such little differences.

 

[expletive]

Well, its not worthless if you have Windows 2000 but if your a current owner of XP (Home or Professional) then Windows MCE is pretty much not worth the cost of buying a completley whole new OS just to used overpriced extenders. I can't believe that Microsoft has the balls to release so many different OSs like this with such little differences.

I understand youre point but when you take into consideration what MCE adds to XP it is a whole new level of functionality that, imo, goes beyond the customary definition of an 'application'. Word is an appplication but MCE has functionality that extends (pun intended) beyond the pc itself and interfaces with many complex pieces of hardware and dleivers the content in many different ways.

I agree its wacky that you cant just pay an 'upgrade' price for the MCE functionality but im sure the logistics of doing that and tracking registered upgraders is just too overwhelming to be worthwhile at this point. Vista is going to be the way to go in the end, cablecard support for HD recording off cable!

 

[BlueTsunami]

I understand youre point but when you take into consideration what MCE adds to XP it is a whole new level of functionality that, imo, goes beyond the customary definition of an 'application'. Word is an appplication but MCE has functionality that extends (pun intended) beyond the pc itself and interfaces with many complex pieces of hardware and dleivers the content in many different ways.

I agree its wacky that you cant just pay an 'upgrade' price for the MCE functionality but im sure the logistics of doing that and tracking registered upgraders is just too overwhelming to be worthwhile at this point. Vista is going to be the way to go in the end, cablecard support for HD recording off cable!

I will admit that I like the MCE aspect of MCE 2005 but I find it rediculous that the actual GUI itself is the same as XP. To use the Media Center aspects (as Scooby said) you just press this little green windows button that brings up the MCE application. This little button (and the program that is started) is something that can easily can be sold as a separate application and not "marketed" as completley whole new OS.

 

[expletive]

I will admit that I like the MCE aspect of MCE 2005 but I find it rediculous that the actual GUI itself is the same as XP. To use the Media Center aspects (as Scooby said) you just press this little green windows button that brings up the MCE application. This little button (and the program that is started) is something that can easily can be sold as a separate application and not "marketed" as completley whole new OS.

Possibly. THey may be jsut marketing it as something different now for branding purposes or to have consumers be able to acknowledge the new functionality. When vista comes along it seems like theyll be only one anyway so theyre heading in that direction.

 

[Tap In]

I will admit that I like the MCE aspect of MCE 2005 but I find it rediculous that the actual GUI itself is the same as XP. To use the Media Center aspects (as Scooby said) you just press this little green windows button that brings up the MCE application. This little button (and the program that is started) is something that can easily can be sold as a separate application and not "marketed" as completley whole new OS.

maybe it's to "keep it simple stupid" for those in the new PC market. I'm sure selling new PCs (with media in mind) is more important to MS's hardware partners (Intel, Dell etc) than selling upgrades.

but I agree it would be nice for ME to just add it on to my XP Pro.

 

[scooby_dooby]

I have to agree with BlueTsunami though, they should offer MCE as a downloadable upgrade, or some sort of add-on in the $50 range. There's no reason why they shouldn't.

The saving grace is Vista, after Vista this will be a non-issue, and the MCE version of Vista, codenamed Diamond I think, is a totally different OS so it is worth the money, it will require 2GB of ram minimum last I read.

 

[hey69]

best thing is a modded xbox with xboxmediacenter on it.
best invention ever.
STREAM, play over network , of local harddisk, of local dvd drive
every format under the sun.

xbox360 wmv streaming is a nice gimmick.. thats all it is

 

[scooby_dooby]

like I said in another thread, MCE Extender has many advantages over XBMC.

I can't browse my TV listing, schedule recording or pause live TV using XBMC, I can't freely browse my HDD and set up shares and custom playlists usingt the XBMC GUI. I can't playback MCE tv recording using XBMC as it doesn't support the m2v format of the files(this sucks cause I can't use XBMC to watch my recorded shows, have to use TV-out..till now!).

XBMC plays more video types, but that's it's only advantage, otherwise MCE Extender is superior.

There are some bugs in the extender though:

1 - If you FF using the bumper buttons, you cannot play again! You have to get up get the remote and press play. Whoops!

2- FF tops out at 3times, this is pathetic, should have 32x like XBMC

3 - trigger skip by 30second intervals, however holding this down does not continously skip as it should, instead it skips to the end of your file(maybe it's doing a chapter skip), when combined with #2, this results in there being no effective way to quickly FF or Rewind your video file.

4 - when leacving the extender and returning to the Dash, the system will launch the game that is in your disc drive, this is obviously an oversight, it should not launch the game when you are simply transvering the menu's. It's not a big deal, cause a quick ppess of the "X" button will open the 360 QUI, then you can quickly tap Y to go back to the dash, but still it's an obvious mistake.

Man....MS should hire me for their testing team! They must have monkey's working there to miss stuff like this, a FF button that won't stop! That's bad!

p.s. If any MS reps read this, please forward these to QA. I'm anxiously awaiting my dashboard update #1!

 

[BlueTsunami]

When streaming from a MCE PC, what does the decoding of video files? The extender (Either a generic extender or the X360) or does the MCE PC streaming the files decode the video?

 

[scooby_dooby]

to the best of my knowledge everything is done on the MCE machine, all the extender is seeing is literally the output screen from MCE. So all apps run on the PC, and decoding is done on the PC etc

 

[PG2G]

to the best of my knowledge everything is done on the MCE machine, all the extender is seeing is literally the output screen from MCE. So all apps run on the PC, and decoding is done on the PC etc

If that were the case, it seems like the Extenders would support any format that has codecs on the MCE PC. That isn't the case though, and I'd assume that transmitting uncompressed video over a wireless network is a bad idea.