Xbox 360: now with H.264, MPEG-4, PlaysForSure
by Ryan Block 
posted Apr 9th 2007 at 2:19PM
Color us tickled, but we totally missed some of the finest points of all in Microsoft's Xbox 360 spring Dashboard update: they're totally tricking out the video (finally!). No longer will we be confined to our very least favorite video codec, WMV -- the new update will enable Windows Media Connect or Media Center streaming MPEG-4 up to 8Mbps, H.264 up to 15Mbps, and PlaysForSure WMV videos (and, as we understand it, PlaysForSure audio as well). Wow, finally we can actually use the 360 to play video that wasn't recorded off our Media Center or converted by our Zune software (cough, hack). See, was that so hard, Microsoft? Now just hold on to your asses until the week of May 7th, Xbox fans, that's all you've gotta do.
Filed under: Media streamers, Others
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Don-Don @ Apr 9th 2007 2:52PM
Unless I won't have to re-encode my "archived" movie files, I still can't retire my XBMC Xbox. But choking on H.264 video is its only drawback for me.
Shawn @ Apr 9th 2007 3:34PM
Is this only going to be available through media center...or will windows media connect work as well?
Big Sam @ Apr 9th 2007 3:08PM
Getting there. I'll still have to rock Transcode360 for my Xvid files.
Me @ Apr 9th 2007 4:12PM
Why will you have to do that, XviD is MPEG-4 ASP, it should play without the need for any transcoding.
andre_sala @ Apr 9th 2007 3:58PM
So wait, does this mean that .mp4 files or .m4v files will stream through the Media Center??? Everyone's gotta have a dream.
uanime @ Apr 9th 2007 7:59PM
Unfortunatly it's been downgraded to 10 Mbps max for H.264 and it won't do profile 5.0 or higher which is what most x264, XviD, ect HD encodes are done in. This will be great for H.264 TV caps and SD stuff, but it looks like WMV is still the only way to get good compressed HD on it.
dukrous @ Apr 10th 2007 6:11AM
I just checked some of my HD h264 vids. Most of the 720p stuff I have is less than 8Mb/s, and the 1080p stuff I have is around 9Mb/s. This means I should be able to stream both to the Xbox 360.
At least...I hope so...
HiTek @ Apr 9th 2007 11:05PM
xBox360 won't stream H.264 / MPEG-2 from Media Center. This update has nothing to do with MC Extender functionality - it's a Dashboard functionality only.
Check this thread on TGB: http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/180987.aspx
I guess would be too much to ask of Engadget to check the facts first :)
Mark Gillespie @ Apr 10th 2007 2:33PM
Hmm, PS3 does all that out the box, if I am not mistaken. It certainly does H.264
deSmo @ Apr 12th 2007 4:01PM
I have been watching 1080i 25 Mbps content that I haven't recorded off Media Center since I bought the box a year ago. I am not a MS fanboy for sure, but they got this right. For once.
Aaron P @ May 10th 2007 11:36PM
I think you are mistaken Mark. The ps3 does not stream video. It only plays media plugged into it or saved on its hard drive. I have both so it doesn't matter a whole lot to me, but maybe next time you should look into all of the details.