xBox - Media Center

Posted by: SE_Sport_Driver

xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 02:16

Video of XBox in action

I'm considering buying my cousin's xBox to do this.. I saw only one or two mentions of this software for the Xbox in the BBS, but no threads dedicated to the XBox version. I'm wondering what the quality will be like of the DVD output. Progressive scan?

I'd still rather use my empeg w. the mlord docking station as far as music goes, but this is pretty cool for video.
Posted by: msaeger

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 03:53

What format is the video supposed to be I can't get it to play.

I modded my broken Xbox to try out XBMC and it's pretty cool especially considering that it's an underground kind of thing. I didn't play with it much though because I wanted it for the audio playback and it didn't have the features I want.

What are you planing on doing playing DVD rips from the HDD / network or are you talking about playing actual DVDs ?
Posted by: msaeger

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 03:55

I remember it being pretty hard to find and having to go through several websites to get a IRC server to connect to and download it.
Posted by: RobotCaleb

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 04:17

there are a few people on the boards that know a little about XBMC

that is an old build in the video. with the proper software, XBMC can be built from the source available on SF.

XBMC now has support for smb://, which makes reading from windows shares a lot easier than setting up custom streaming software. it can be made to do way more than be a media center, using the Python scripting built in.

http://www.xboxmediacenter.de

http://www.xbmc.org/

#xbins on efnet
Posted by: eliceo

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 14:46

The current version of XBMC does support SMB and works pretty well with it to play most formats. Some codecs get a bit weird and the settings can be tricky to figure out. XBMC does not have dvd menu support, but it is a planned feature. You can play vob files directly over network and it can pickup the logic (ie this vob is the next one and play it automatically) The switch between vob files can be noticed at times though.

XBMC does support 420p , 720p ( i think), and 1080i , DVD/movie playback looked weird to me in 1080i on an hdtv. 480 P looked ok for dvds, but I think the progressive output sony dvd looked much better.

It isnt really tough to update XBMC if you have a dashboard that can do it like avalaunch. IF you dont you just have to go to an IRC channel , get an ftp site then download the binaries. Once you have the binaries you can ftp them over to the xbox.
Posted by: SE_Sport_Driver

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 20:54

Part of me is amazed at the stuff you can do with this, but I still can't see myself ever using it unless I was into pirating games and DVDs.
Posted by: matthew_k

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 21:06

Quote:
Part of me is amazed at the stuff you can do with this, but I still can't see myself ever using it unless I was into pirating games and DVDs.

That argument's the same argument people have against an empeg. Freeing oneself from scratched/lost/broken dvd's would be great. I realize some move execs don't agree with me, but I still feel I should be able to watch any of 40 DVD's I had stolen a few years ago, and if I'd backed them up I would be able to. I'd also have the benefit of being able to watch any of them simply by turning on the xbox.

Matthew
Posted by: pca

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 22:02

But surely the MPAA would argue that since the original DVDs are no longer in your possession, you do not have the right to watch them? The thief now has that right

pca
Posted by: matthew_k

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 22:20

I don't actually know the law, but I beleive they're still my property, even if they're not in my posession. Just because the British stole the Elgin Marbles doesn't mean they stopped being the property of the Greeks, right?

Matthew
Posted by: tfabris

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 22:21

I thought the old saying was "posession is nine tenths of the law"?

Or is that not what they meant?
Posted by: pca

Re: xBox - Media Center - 30/11/2004 22:23

No, that only applies to demonic organisations like the RIAA There, possession really counts!

pca
Posted by: robricc

Re: xBox - Media Center - 01/12/2004 00:27

I think that if a theif stole your laptop with Windows license key stuck to the bottom, they now own that copy of Windows. Even if you copied the key elsewhere you probably wouldn't be able to activate it.

Sounds crappy to me, but if I were Microsoft I would love a business model that makes people buy the same thing multiple times.
Posted by: eliceo

Re: xBox - Media Center - 01/12/2004 01:32

Sure it makes sense to me.
Posted by: srhodes

Re: xBox - Media Center - 01/12/2004 06:16

I've just downloaded the latest version of XBMC from a torrent site. It has been much improved since the last version I had. There are imdb look-ups, if you get the name of films matching properly you'll get the icon for the film for any that you have on the XBOX or network shares. There is even weather and my friend has got his hooked up so he can view the latest trailers on-line and you can stream radio from the net.

The whole thing just hooks into my network using a bridge (although I think I need to upgrade to 54G). When the empeg isn't connected I can use this for streaming music along with streaming pictures and video. But, best of all, I have an ST emulator on there which lets me play Oids whenever I want.
Posted by: drakino

Re: xBox - Media Center - 01/12/2004 07:48

Quote:
Part of me is amazed at the stuff you can do with this, but I still can't see myself ever using it unless I was into pirating games and DVDs.

One big use I would have of it if I had multiple TVs would be as a unit to stream video off the ReplayTV unit in the living room. Anyone tried this yet? And if so, does the XBox ReplayTV component read the commercial skip markers? Since the markers are there even on a 5500, it could be a way for people to keep automatic commercial skip.
Posted by: SE_Sport_Driver

Re: xBox - Media Center - 01/12/2004 10:55

I assume you could stream mp3s from the empeg to the Xbox too right?
Posted by: eliceo

Re: xBox - Media Center - 01/12/2004 14:45

The replay support works good enough to play shows. It doesnt seem to pickup the extra data like commercial information so it doesnt skip. Some of the ease of use is lost in XBMC and overall the video just looks "fuzzier". I don't really know how to explain the way it looks, but it does look different than when a replay is playiing the same file.
Posted by: crazymelki

Re: xBox - Media Center - 01/12/2004 16:23

Yee I did this in the past, when Mark and Speedy67 was visiting me in 2003. We did stream the music form the Empeg placed in my car via WLAN to my XBox in the living room.

bye