What was Microsoft saying about "choice" again?

[Dave Baumann]

Or a support issue.

Advertising you support other codecs, such as DiVX, opens you up to the support calls and costs when those 3rd party codecs don't work as expected. WMV in MS's own codec and they know it works as they expect it to - any support issues related to this are actually their issue.

 

[Ty]

jsut encode it into wmv files . It will still play them . It just wont play dvds through the network and I can understand that . The latancy from dvd - lan - player would be to long .

Encoding everything I have into WMVs would be a big pain in the rear. I have many different formats and I really would prefer NOT to bother encoding them.

I certainly don't care about the lack of DVDs through the network. Just the lack of streaming other media.

Can we stream mp3s or browse other data?

If I had content that was important enough to me that I was I upset about not being able to stream, I figure that content would also be important enough to me that I would have already burned it in order to save it in case my HDD went corrupt.

You definitely should always back up your data. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is a RAID server. It's just unfortunate that in this day of connectivity (heck we have refrigerators that can surf the net!) that the x360 can't easily connect to a simple PC network and become the media center I and apparently others were hoping it would be. Personally I think hunting for a backup DVD is a pain but that's me. I'd rather just have my content at my finger tips.

 

[jvd]

Can we stream mp3s or browse other data?

We know we can stream mp3s . They stream them off an ipod . So I don't see why not . We also know u can get jepgs and others through a psp .

Or a support issue.

Advertising you support other codecs, such as DiVX, opens you up to the support calls and costs when those 3rd party codecs don't work as expected. WMV in MS's own codec and they know it works as they expect it to - any support issues related to this are actually their issue.

that can also be true

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Or a basic Codecs issue with the hardware. Someone would have to write a QT codec for XeCPU, and a DivX codec for XeCPU, which of course MS wouldn't be allowed to do. I guess that's the limit of sending encoded data.

Which makes one wonder about PSP's browsing. Flash is being included. What about QT support? One would be inclined to believe that PSP will keep to open formats with Sony writing the codecs. Proprietary formats will be the responsibility of the codec creators who may not care to write a codec for console hardware.

Personally I hate the mish-mash of codecs! Just stick with one system that works and be done with it, instead of needing people to install half a dozen players to watch what is basically the same thing - video.

 

[seismologist]

What's the benefit of being able to stream it from your PC when the system itself already plays DVD's?

It sort of crushes the hope that you could add an HD-DVD drive to your PC and stream the video through the 360.

 

[Joe DeFuria]

Hmmmm...I was always under the impression XBox360 would only receive a single format from MCE...and that that MCE could / would transcode on the fly (based on whatever codecs are installed on MCE) for transmission to XBox360 in the required format.

I guess I was mistaken...

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Unless you encode 30GBs of HD-DVD into WMV

 

[PG2G]

As I understand, MCE has the capability to decode DivX + QuickTime. You can view these on MCE, but not stream them to XB360. PSP on the other hand hasn't support for different codecs, though they may be added at a later date.

I'm not gonna claim to be an expert at MCE, because I don't have it installed. But are you SURE that MCE can decode DivX and/or QuickTime out of the box? I'd assume that these are external codecs being used by Media Center, just like if you were to do the same with Media Player...

And I guess it'd make sense to have the MCE comp transcode the files to one format, but I can see how that would cause problems (especially with HD media) on most people's setups.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Unless you encode 30GBs of HD-DVD into WMV

Holy crap, I wonder what the estimation time on that would be. I would probably go to sleep while it encodes...

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I'm not gonna claim to be an expert at MCE, because I don't have it installed. But are you SURE that MCE can decode DivX and/or QuickTime out of the box?

Nope. I think I meant to say MC, not MCE, as I used MCE to mean Media Centre Edition whih probably isn't even a real acronym. I should'a used MCPC. Media PC's have no relevance to my life at all so I don't know what I'm talking about

 

[Magnum PI]

that's lame. it should be able to reencode it to the appropriate format on the fly.

it is no problem for vlc which i use it to play media file in different format and codecs on a media extender that can onlyu play mpeg3. it just works perfectly.

 

[Dave Baumann]

Nope. I think I meant to say MC, not MCE, as I used MCE to mean Media Centre Edition whih probably isn't even a real acronym. I should'a used MCPC. Media PC's have no relevance to my life at all so I don't know what I'm talking about

MCE is the correct ackronym for Media Center (Edition). Alternatively "HTPC" (home theater PC) could be used, which could encompass MCE.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

So I wasn't wrong Is there an official acronym for a Media Centre Extender or has MCE become confused?

 

[scooby_dooby]

jsut encode it into wmv files . It will still play them . It just wont play dvds through the network and I can understand that . The latancy from dvd - lan - player would be to long .

no way. my wired network to my XBOX is only running at 10mbits/s and I can stream DVD's simply by sharing my dvd-rom drive using XBMC, it only buffers around 50MB's, so it's easily possible. They're just limiting functionality, period.

Shifty, extender = WMCE ( Windows Media Centre Extender)

 

[scooby_dooby]

I'm not gonna claim to be an expert at MCE, because I don't have it installed. But are you SURE that MCE can decode DivX and/or QuickTime out of the box? I'd assume that these are external codecs being used by Media Center, just like if you were to do the same with Media Player...

And I guess it'd make sense to have the MCE comp transcode the files to one format, but I can see how that would cause problems (especially with HD media) on most people's setups.

MCE doesn't decode anything out of the box. Just basic windows formats.

The official word used to be that WMCE would use any codecs the user had installed on the PC, and for the most part if it played on the PC it should play on the x360. Now apparantly, that's been scaled back.

I think the idea of recoding is a joke IMO, The point of a Media Centre in your living room is added convenience, if you have the encode every video it's pretty pointless.

 

[Magnum PI]

there is no technical reason to this limitation, if opensource guys can do it why wouldn't microsoft, with the resources they have, be able to renconde

it is a commercial choice.

microsoft will do anything it can to promote its products and its formats.