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Xbox Media Player Contest

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the get-your-hack-on dept.

mliu writes "Xbox Media Player, the GPL application that turns everyone's favorite hackable console (the Xbox) into a set-top-Divx/Xvid-playing- Shoutcast-radio-streaming- lean-mean-Mp3/Ogg-music-playing-all-while- sporting-a-pretty-user-interface-machine is holding a contest. They're in desperate need of help in terms of more developers and are holding a giveaway of 25 top of the line X2 Pro modchips for the 25 best patch submissions between now and March 31. If you don't know what Xbox Media Player is and/or feel the need to ask why bother hacking the Xbox, you have definitely gotta check it out. It turns the Xbox from Bill Gates' insidious plot to get into the living room into a set top box that can play practically everything even while sporting a sleek black look that won't stick out in your home theater system, and a user interface that your grandmother could use. And you can even run Linux on it in your spare time. It's no $100,000 but it's for a cause that is both more practical and useful if you ask me." The X-Box has proven itself an entertaining platform for hackers, and the XBMP is really excellent. When it has visualization plug-ins, I think it'll be a great way to put MP3s in your stereo.

13 of 187 comments (clear)

  1. XBox and media... by KefkaFloyd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The XBox would be a nice media player, yes, but wouldn't this sort of take sales away from MS Media Center machines?

    --

    Conglom-O: We Own You (TM).
    1. Re:XBox and media... by doofusclam · · Score: 5, Informative

      There are already mpeg2 USB solutions for win32 that could be used for the xbox with an adaptor, including those by hauppauge. You could also put one on the ethernet port though that would need different hardware. I'm personally waiting for hauppauge dec-2000t support, this usb box picks up mpeg2 from digital terrestrial transmissions in the UK and passes them thru USB. It's not impossible and people are already looking at it.

  2. just a question by quick_dry_3 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    given that you need a mod-chip in order to run your own code on an Xbox, wouldn't the Xbox hackers that are interested in the contest have chips already?

    1. Re:just a question by JBark · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm sure they do, but since they have been hacking at the XBox for quite a while, they probably have one of the first gen modchips that don't support a lot of the newer features available on something like the X2.

  3. why not? by doofusclam · · Score: 5, Informative

    Maybe but if it turns out the developers of XBMP are making a product that the public want, without all that DRM crap, then why shouldn't they take sales away from MS?

    I use XBMP daily and it absolutely rocks - the only thing missing is MPC audio support but divx/xvid/mp3/jpg playback is nearly flawless and everyone who sees it is amazed (I even have my home videos I took with my DVCAM on there converted to XVid and its so much nicer than whipping out a VHS videotape)

    seany

  4. Visualizations Smisualizations by tunders · · Score: 5, Insightful
    When it has visualization plug-ins, I think it'll be a great way to put MP3s in your stereo.

    Is it just me who thinks that visualizations are completely unneccessary? When I am listening to music, I don't want some annoying repetitive picture flickering away in the background. They are an interesting toy, but add nothing to the experience.

    1. Re:Visualizations Smisualizations by Vagary · · Score: 5, Funny

      Clearly, you're not doing enough drugs.

  5. Re:So what? by doofusclam · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because it now comes with a 20gb drive.

    Because it has a 10/100 ethernet port and FTP support.

    Because it comes with ALL xvid/divx variants unlike that new Kiss xvid/dvd player which doesn't support qpel and gmc from the latest divx builds.

    Because it lets you listen to shoutcast stations.

    Because it can stream from smb shares on a pc or linux server

    Should I go on?

  6. Sponsored in part by a generous donation from M$ by pr0f3550r · · Score: 4, Funny

    How ironic the the banner I get this morning on the slashdot site is for Microsoft SBS2000 preloaded on an HP. Which technically means the advertising for the XBox contest is funded by M$. Man, they do have their hands in everything.

  7. don't give Microsoft the numbers by g4dget · · Score: 4, Interesting
    What Microsoft needs most is sales numbers for XBox: that's what they need to attract developers. If you give them that, they will take over this part of the computer market as well, and you can bet that they sooner or later figure out how to make their consoles secure. Then you can kiss GPL or open source projects on that platform goodbye. Or do you think Microsoft is just kidding with Palladium?

    If you want a low-cost system for playing music and videos, get yourself a Mini-ITX system; they start at around $200. For gaming, pay a little bit more and get yourself a real PC with a high-end graphics card.

  8. Re:Linux? by doofusclam · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Does everything have to turn into a religious turf war where MS are concerned?

    Listen: XBMP is a damn fine project running on damn fine and CHEAP hardware. It's ideal for running Linux or Win32 ports 'cos its essentially standard x86 hardware and it's officially the coolest way to play *media* (very vague term that) in the living room. You may be an uber-geek but most of us don't want big fat beige PCs from WalMart next to our TVs.

    I don't care if MS lose or make money from my purchase - I just want to use the best tools for the job and XBMP on the XBox is this. In my house the Xbox remote control is used as much as the TV remote which says a lot about how useful non-geeks find it.

    So is there any chance of quitting this sort of crap? I don't care about kernels, beowulf clusters or Linus I just want to play my media and the Xbox does it magnificently. Credit where credits due eh?

    seany

  9. Dreamcast... by EverStoned · · Score: 4, Informative

    " turns everyone's favorite hackable console (the Xbox) "

    Hey! The Dreamcast Scene is just as hot right now, especially now that SDL has been ported!

  10. broadq Qcast Tuner for PS2 by nuxx · · Score: 5, Informative

    Although slightly off topic, if you are interested in something like this for your PS2, check out the broadq QCast Tuner for PS2. It too plays MP3s, OGG Vorbis, DiVX/xvid, MPEG-1, etc. It doesn't require a mod chip, which is nice, but it does requre the ~$40 PS2 network adapter. The developers are also extremely active on the forum, making it simple to get help.

    And no, I'm not a broadq employee, I'm just a really satisfied customer.

    -Steve