Watch downloads on your TV

By Craig Simms on 22 January 2008

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Media Center Extender and Transcode360

You can also use the Windows Media Center interface on your Xbox 360 to stream video from your PC, and if you've got a TV tuner, you can also stream that! In practice we found a few oddities compared to WMP11 streaming — one extra MPG file would play, but a whole raft of XviD/DivX files we previously had no problems with refused to play. There is, however, an interesting way around this.

So let's set up the Xbox 360 as a Media Extender. On your Xbox 360, go to the Media blade and select Media Center, then on the next screen Windows Media Center. Write down the eight digit set-up key it gives you. Return to your PC.

Vista will tell you that a Media Center Extender has been found, specifically, the XBox 360 Extender. Click the "Yes" button when asked if you want to set it up now, and Media Center will load.

If you've run Media Center already, you'll need to go to the tasks section and choose "Add Extender", then skip the next paragraph.

If you've not run Media Center before, you'll be prompted to run a set-up routine and you'll have to answer a few more questions. Don't worry, it's all very straightforward. When you get to the Optional Setup screen, choose Set up Extender, then click Next twice.

You'll be prompted to enter the key you wrote down from the Xbox 360. Enter it, then hit Next.

Hit next again, and you'll reach the Extender Media Settings — you'll want to choose "Yes (recommended)" here, so the 360 can see your media files on the PC, and browse folders as well.

Click Next, and the PC will start setting up the Xbox 360 as a Media Extender, and the Xbox 360 should start loading the Media Center interface, and after you choose a few more personal options, you're all done! You don't even need Media Center open on your PC to run it on your Xbox, so have fun!

Transcode 360

You can run unsupported videos through your Media Center Extender by installing Transcode 360.

First, grab a copy of the K-Lite Codec Pack and install it. For most people, all the default options should be fine. This will ensure your PC will play a large amount of video and audio formats.

Next, install Transcode 360. During installation, choose the automatic set-up, and when it's finished restart your PC. Go to your Xbox and load Media Center. Select the problem video file that won't play, and hit the More Info button on your remote, or X on the control pad. Select More, and then Transcode. It'll take a little while to respond as it buffers, but your movie should soon play. We had reasonable success with everything except mkv audio, although the quality of the video seemed to suffer a little.

Topics: divx, download, media, mpeg, mpg, playstation 3, router, streaming, xbox 360, xvid, music, video

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Comments (10)

  • CB commented on 04/03/2008 07:27

    >Great advice, i went out and put together this (PS3 & DLink dns 323) My problem is that i get a "DNLA Protocol error 2113" when i try to view any media on the server?? Any answers?

    download the new firmware 1.4 to fix that exact problem.

  • TP commented on 29/02/2008 02:17

    Where do we find the 8 digit code on the Playstation 3? I have the connection through the Windows Media Player, but I would love to use the media center. Thanks

  • JamesG commented on 13/02/2008 14:19

    Mugen,
    my system:
    MS Vista Home Premium, Intel Core 2 Duo E4300, 2GB Kingmax RAM, Nvidia 7800GTX, 80GBsataII & 250GBsataII, DVico dual digital tuner, Gigabyte mb, MS infrared cordless kboard & remote, Samsung 81cm LCD.

    Yes, the kb & remote do all that theyre meant to in Media Center. Ive done a few reg tweaks and other things (easily found on the net) to make my Media Center behave like a TV, i.e when I power it up Vista automatically launches Media Center and then automatically goes into live TV.

    My fave thing about this system is downloading movies & TV shows (whole seasons at a time) via torrents.

  • Mugen commented on 08/02/2008 12:33

    JamesG - Thst $1200 sounds very reasonable, any chance you can list the pc specs and tuner card you used you used. I'm looking for a dual ditigal and analogue tuner. The case model would be really goos also. Is yours fully Media Centre compatable - ie. you can use the remote control for everything?

  • Wozza commented on 04/02/2008 21:08

    Great advice, i went out and put together this (PS3 & DLink dns 323)
    My problem is that i get a "DNLA Protocol error 2113" when i try to view any media on the server??
    Any answers?

  • JamesG commented on 01/02/2008 15:25

    mugen

    i built mine for about $1200 by buying the parts from a Canberra computer fair. The case was about $100. I have an MSDN subscription so was able to get Vista Home Premium for free - this has Media Center.

    the website to start at is www.xpmediacentre.com.au

    My 32" Samsung LCD is 720p and costs about $1400-1500 these days.

  • Mugen commented on 01/02/2008 12:22

    I love to setup a HTPC but the cost for good case - with a volume control nad LCD dispaly espcially the glossly black ones (hehe) alone can be $500+. To Play full HD and have HD sound and a digital tuner, add software and you have a masive bill $$$. I've seen pre made systems go for $4000+. Though the result with a Media Centre remote looks and feels great. I'm think of the TVIX 4130 (plays just about everything and has a digital tuner) add the biggest HDD I can find and it should do me over for now. Unless anyone havs any tips on setting up/purchsing a HTPC for a similar price.

  • JamesG commented on 25/01/2008 11:59

    Who doesnt want a stylish PC in their loungeroom? My Media Center PC is a gloss black finish and doesnt resemble a PC at all. Indeed its the only thing in my entertainment system apart from the LCD up top.

    Personally im not one for massive collections so a single large HDD is currently all I need for fave TV shows and movies.

  • Craig Simms commented on 23/01/2008 17:13

    Spot on James, although Linux alternatives like MythTV (and eventually XBMC when it's fully ported) provide good solutions too, as long as there's internet access then you've got a great system right there.

    Some however don't like a PC being in their living room -- and even if it's disguised well as a piece of home theatre equipment, then there's often not much physical room for disk storage, which means if your collection grows out of control you'll have to rely on a networked fileserver of some sort anyway.

    In saying that, most will be happy with a single terabyte drive, even if losing so much data in one hit due to mechanical failure would be a nightmare.

  • JamesG commented on 23/01/2008 14:43

    The simplest solution is Windows Media Center and it rocks.

    It lets you:
    watch high def digital TV (no need for set-top box)
    record straight to HDD (no need for PVRs, VCRs or DVD recorders)
    play DVDs (throw out DVD player)

    Just put a digital tuner card in a PC, plonk Windows Vista on it, attach an LCD TV and youre off and running!

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