360 media center

[Bacardi151]

I have used tversity along with several other service programs to stream music and video streams from the net onto the 360. This weekend i got a new rig which had vista on it. I decided to try out the media extender stuff.

I was blown away. I converted several of my anime dvd's to wmv and just streamed the stuff from my new rig. I never bothered doing this before, which is why i am a little late to the party, but it was just amazing being able to watch cowboy bebop and ghost in the shell:stand alone complex in wide screen coming from my pc.

Up until this point i never realized how handy it is to put all your dvd's on a machine and stream it to the 360. It changes the whole media experience and makes it so much easier to do all of this. Now i am feeling the need to do it with all my dvd's, and pics, and anything else i can think of.

I know, as i mentioned i am probably behind the times in finally doing this, but i just had to share.

[born_bad]

I guess I don't understand what's better about that than just watching the movie on DVD player on your TV. Why go through the process of putting all the movies on your computer (and the memory needed to do so) when you can just pop the DVD in a player and watch it on the same TV (in widescreen).

[Bacardi151]

Quote: Originally Posted by born_bad

I guess I don't understand what's better about that than just watching the movie on DVD player on your TV. Why go through the process of putting all the movies on your computer (and the memory needed to do so) when you can just pop the DVD in a player and watch it on the same TV (in widescreen).

Cause you dont have to get up and switch dvd's. For movies, not a big deal. For multiple dvd set type stuff, you dont have to get up at all. Plus the fact of having your dvd media on a hard drive to me is the same as having your music on your pc. I prefer having my media on a hard drive.

Also, directv will eventually roll out the ability to stream stored content onto their receivers using your existing network to other receivers around the house. No related to the 360 but i mention it cause you can use the same media.

[ExtremeGamer]

I'm excited for the IPTV starting with the 360's Fall Update. Since I have U-Verse, which is an IPTV provider, I'll be able to use this. Even the demo on youtube from MS, they are using my cable to show it off. Should be pretty cool having my 360 be a DVR as well.

[born_bad]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bacardi151

Cause you dont have to get up and switch dvd's. For movies, not a big deal. For multiple dvd set type stuff, you dont have to get up at all. Plus the fact of having your dvd media on a hard drive to me is the same as having your music on your pc. I prefer having my media on a hard drive. Also, directv will eventually roll out the ability to stream stored content onto their receivers using your existing network to other receivers around the house. No related to the 360 but i mention it cause you can use the same media.

Oh, ok. I guess to me the work involved with getting all my DVDs onto my PC and converting them to wmv is greater than very occassionaly having to get up to switch the DVD. I have a 5 DVD player, too, so I can usually get away with not having to get up to switch the disc.

If you prefer having things on our hard drive it makes sense, though.

[Heelfan71]

get a big external hd and put all your movies / pics / music on it.

[Bacardi151]

Quote: Originally Posted by Heelfan71

get a big external hd and put all your movies / pics / music on it.

done and done!

[bergie56]

Also download Transcode 360 for Vista so that you can stream .avi's as well.

The media center integration with the 360 is amazing and is very beneficial for me as it allows me to watch HD over the air channels on my TV since it doesn't have a HD tuner built into it. I also like using my computer as a DVR. It saves me some money.