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Xbox 360 Spring 2007 Dashboard Update Hands-On

Posted by Zonk on from the no-red-rings-please dept.

Engadget writes "Well, that Xbox 360 Spring 2007 Dashboard update did land at about 2:00AM PST as expected, and brought with it a few fun features we were hot to test out -- but none more than the Xbox's expanded video playback capabilities. We were able to play back 720p and even 1080p MPEG-4 and H.264 content on our Xbox 360. Technically speaking the Xbox 360 now officially beats out the Apple TV in the digital video arena, both in resolution and bitrate. (At best the ATV only does up to 720p at 5Mbps, while the Xbox does 1080p up to 10Mbps; neither supports higher than stereo audio.) In other words, if you're an Xbox owner thinking about an Apple TV for playing back video in your living room, you might want to think again."

19 of 88 comments (clear)

  1. What about DivX? by MBraynard · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Does it have all of the codecs needed to play the DivX (.avi) stuff I have on my puter?

    I really like being able to stream stuff off of my PC to my TV, but it only likes WMA pre-update.

    1. Re:What about DivX? by wilsonthecat · · Score: 3, Informative

      transcode 360 does this, although the project hasn't been updated for sometime.

      http://runtime360.com/projects/transcode-360/

      The problem is rewind/forwarding doesn't work too well.

    2. Re:What about DivX? by blackmonday · · Score: 2, Informative

      No Divx, either on disc or streamed. I hated the streaming features anyway, the rewind/forward is a pain. Get a cheap DVD player that supports DIVX, I have an Oppo but there are cheaper options, I think Philips makes one. Burn your files on a DVD/CD or copy to memory stick and watch, with much better responsiveness.

    3. Re:What about DivX? by cptgrudge · · Score: 2, Informative

      You know, the streaming performance would be a lot better if they just allowed native decoding through codecs on the 360, instead of us needing these damn hacks to transcode a simple file. For fuck's sake, we're being shoehorned into Microsoft's own little locked in world. Transcoding? What really grinds my gears is that it's so unecessary; there are just these artificial blocks set in our way by Microsoft.

      XBMC on the original XBox has ruined any of the flaccid, crippled media functionality that Microsoft has deemed "appropriate" for us. The setup I have operates at a tenth of the hardware and software cost with ten times the functionality when compared to that which Microsoft has cooked up. Microsoft's attempts at wringing every last bit of money out of the consumer, while sorely lacking any sort of courage to support more media types that might offend the "content producers", has completely turned me off to the 360. Even to the point of me thinking less of the video games and the product as a whole, because the crippling is so blatant.

      Why would I use Microsoft's lacking product, when I could just get something like this, and stream my media at will? I've put XBMC in three times already in other peoples' houses, and it's kept them from getting a 360.

      Bloody hell Microsoft, get with the program.

      --
      Qualitas edurus commercium, nullus penitus net rimor, nullus deus beneficium
    4. Re:What about DivX? by MBraynard · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Microsoft's attempts at wringing every last bit of money out of the consumer, while sorely lacking any sort of courage to support more media types that might offend the "content producers", has completely turned me off to the 360.

      I know you want to be angry about something, and MS looks like a good target for your anger, but let me assure you that this is NOT MS's choice and if they could legally give you the codec they would. Perhaps be angry at the content producers. Note that MS is in the business of making money - and no one is making money doing what you mention - XBMC is a FREE program. So look to FREE PROGRAMS to solve the 360 limitations - and it looks like it's been done.

    5. Re:What about DivX? by cptgrudge · · Score: 2, Informative

      Note that MS is in the business of making money - and no one is making money doing what you mention - XBMC is a FREE program.

      I understand that MS is in the business of making money, and I applaud it. They are certainly doing right by their shareholders. I'm sure they did a cost benefit analysis and came up with the setup that they offer as the one that can leverage the most money. But because of the way they have done it, there are four instances (that I personally know of) where potential consumers have skipped the 360 because it didn't do what XBMC could do. Instead, they will probably get Wiis all around.

      This situation can't be unique, but I'm not sure how prevalent it is; I don't know the numbers. If MS had included the functionality of XBMC within the 360, codecs and all, I'd wager that they would have dominated the living room. Would that have been worth more? We may never know.

      And yeah, I'm kinda angry, cause if I want a next-gen system, now I need two boxes to do what it took one to do before. I won't be pissed anymore when/if a decent softmod surfaces for the 360. I might pick one up at that point, if I don't have something else.

      --
      Qualitas edurus commercium, nullus penitus net rimor, nullus deus beneficium
  2. Does not brick modified 360s by Durrok · · Score: 2, Informative

    This update also does not appear to do any harm if you have a modified 360. Felt like I was playing Russian Roulette while I was updating though...

    --
    I keep telling myself I'm not the desperate type.
    1. Re:Does not brick modified 360s by Durrok · · Score: 2, Informative

      To play pirated games or game backups.

      --
      I keep telling myself I'm not the desperate type.
  3. Right... by suv4x4 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In other words, if you're an Xbox owner thinking about an Apple TV for playing back video in your living room, you might want to think again.

    Raise your hands everybody who has Xbox and was "thinking about an Apple TV for playing back video". Anyone? Anyone...?

    In the same line of constructing long sentences that convey no additional information at ALL:

    If you're a calculator owner who was thinking of calculating the square root of a 10 digit number with a pen and paper, you may want to think again.

    If you're a car owner who has to travel 40 miles every day to work and thought walking foot, you may want to think again.

    If you're a wrist watch owner and you want to stop random people asking them what's the time on the street anyway, you may want to think again. ...

    1. Re:Right... by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 3, Funny

      /raises hand. I went as far as ordering an Apple TV unit and then I sent it back. OK, so maybe I was the only one.

      --
      Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
    2. Re:Right... by furball · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Raise your hands everybody who has Xbox and was "thinking about an Apple TV for playing back video". Anyone? Anyone...?


      If Xbox could play my iTunes content, sure. Unfortunately, it doesn't. So I own an ATV along my Xbox. And countless other consoles.
  4. Messenger on the 360 by mikazo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    My friends are annoyed enough when I don't reply to their MSN conversations while I'm playing games on my PC. Without the keyboard attachement on the 360 controller, it will take even longer to reply and will give me even more reason to ignore their messages. If I'm on the Xbox, it's to play games. If I want to have an MSN conversation, I'll go on my PC. The Windows Live Messenger addition just doesn't seem like something I'll use.

    --
    I was only 28,931 registrations away from having a 6-digit UID
    1. Re:Messenger on the 360 by ben0207 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well, its something I'll use. Complaining about a free feature you may or may not use is somewhat pointless, don't you think?

      --
      cmd-q.co.uk - some sort of stupid fucking internet bullshit
  5. What's that? No XviD? by MrPerfekt · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'll stick with my AppleTV for streaming content that I actually have to my TV.

    I do love the actual GAMING features of the 360 update though. Finally, "powered off" downloads, yay.

    --
    I just wasted your mod points! HA!
  6. Now if only... by reanjr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Now if only it would just read SMB shares...

  7. Try TVersity by Nerdfest · · Score: 4, Informative

    Check out the TVersity audio/video server. It's pretty cool in that it's free (as in beer) and does transcode on the fly for the xbox 360. It will even do HD transcoding if your PC has the processing power. It's also a lot more stable than Windows Media Connect.

  8. Uh-oh by PopeRatzo · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now you did it. You said something like "If you've got an Xbox 360, you should think twice about buying an AppleTV".

    Batten down the hatches. Last time someone said something negative about an Apple product, there were riots. I don't know about you, but I'm buying plastic sheeting and duct tape.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  9. Here's the secret... by MS-06FZ · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You ready for it? It's great stuff. Here you go...

    The secret is, not everyone here - not even all the Linux fans around here - is a pretentious prick.

    Really a wild idea, isn't it?

    --
    ---GEC
    I'm but the humble pupil, seeking to snatch the scratchbuilt pebble from the master's fully articulated hand
  10. STILL no audio fast forward. by Dster76 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I applied the update at lunch.

    Still no way to scan (fast forward/rewind) within an audio track.

    What year is this?