180°

How-To: Transcode & stream videos on Xbox 360

Last week's Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard update added support for the Windows Media Video (WMV) video codec. The feature was a welcomed gain for non-Media Center users who have been limited to photo and music sharing between their Windows PCs and Xbox 360s -- and to anyone who's longed to watch video files on 360 via a thumb drive or CD/DVD.

Unfortunately, licensing fees and digital rights concerns have limited the patch to WMV-support only. Being Microsoft's proprietary format, WMV is neither popular or oft-used, taking a backseat to preferred codecs like DivX and XviD. And so, we're still left scrambling for a solution to getting our video content onto Xbox 360.

Windows Media Center users have enjoyed on-the-fly transcoding for some time, courtesy of Transcode 360. While the developer says he expects "someone to knock up a transcoding solution not too far down the line" for Windows Media Player 11 and Windows Media Connect (read: not Windows Media Center), he suggests that it won't be him doing it.

So, until Microsoft adds support for more codecs or offers up an application capable of transcoding (to WMV) and streaming on-the-fly (okay, that will never happen), we're forced to manually transcode our non-WMV files into WMVs and then, if we wish to stream, point our 360s at the WMV files (on our PCs). That's the solution. Now, we're gonna show you how it's done:

Luckily, Happy Beggar has already taken care of most of the legwork. The site recently compared three (WMV-capable) transcoding applications: VLC, WinAvi 7.7, and Windows Media Encoder. The clear winner, in both speed and quality, was VLC, an open source media player that has a history of proven functionality. VLC is what we'll use for this guide.

TheMART6395d ago (Edited 6395d ago )

So.. Since the fall update USB storage media can play video.

Buy an external HDD with USB 2.0 connection, put the movies on there and connect it to the 360 and PLAY

They're cheap, from 70 Euro's up (160 GB model) to 110 for a 320 GB (overhere in The Netherlands).

The cheapest next gen drive ever ;)

death monk6395d ago

you're exactly right. I was thinking about picking up a 40gb drive when it was on sale for $30, sadly I didn't get it in time.

shotty6395d ago

I have 512MB drive, but thinking of picking up a 200GB.

willymcd6395d ago

had a 500 GB one for $170 after rebates yesterday! but i just stream from my computer. if you are having problem streaming from WMP 11 you have to click the tiny little arrow below library then click on media sharing and allow the xbox. i had problems with the old media connect, but WMP 11 works very beautifully for me.
also another note for videos, is that you have to put the videos you want to watch in the "my videos" folder.

death monk6394d ago

I've put some of my converted full length videos in there but they don't always show up. So what I did instead was free up some space on my 20 gig Archos Gmini and streamed them off of that.

death monk6394d ago

I've been trying to figure out for the last couple of weeks how to convert .flv to .wmv. I tried using all of the software in the link and the first 15 seconds are converted, but nothing more. Those 15 seconds are further than I've ever got before though, and I was wondering if anyone knows why it would just stop when everything seemed to be going fine. I've already transcoded a couple of movies so I know my computer can do it. Any ideas on how to get this to work?

I've thought about transcoding from .flv to .avi and then from .avi to .wmv, but I'd prefer to avoid this to retain as much quality as possible. Thanks.

LuminousAphid6394d ago

I bought an external HD with usb 2.0, but it doesn't seem to work with my 360 for some reason. It's not a problem really, I can share it with windows media connect from another computer and just do it that way, but does anyone know why it would not be working? I'm thinking maybe it's because it shows up as an actual hard disk and not as a portable device, but I don't know. It's a 200gb g-money-maxtor, yo.

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Petebloodyonion24m ago

And still no marketing for this :(

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PrinceOfAnger4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

If sony want their games to be more successful on pc and to sell more they need to bring the games day-one like helldivers 2! , and not after 2 years.

-Foxtrot3h ago

If it's first party (can't speak on Helldivers) then the PS5 should be focused on first in my opinion rather than worrying about 2 versions.

PrinceOfAnger3h ago

Nixxes can help with the development and release the games at the same time..

Tacoboto8m ago

Nixxes takes completed code and ports that to PC. I'm sure they do work during primary development but I like this setup.

PS5 owners are treated as first class by their platform holder, PC players get the final complete version, and GaaS are treated separately. Win-win.

XiNatsuDragnel3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

First party ps5 games need to be ps5 only until 6 months imo because they need to sell consoles still and then focus on PC later.

shinoff21833h ago

I don't see a big deal. The sales also help future development. I'm all in.

thesoftware7301h ago

This makes sense, just now doing it shows how behind and short-sighted regarding PC they were to begin with.

shaenoide50m ago

If they release it day one many will not buy a playstation anymore (me included).

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