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IDF August 2005 :: XBOX 360 - Media Extender, and VISTA

by David Ross on 25 August 2005, 00:00

Tags: Xbox 360, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Xbox 360

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IDF 2005 We spent some time talking to Microsoft about Media Centre and XBox 360. We've got good news, and even better news if you are planning to upgrade to VISTA. Currently, XBox 360 will run a Media Centre enviroment and, while this will need you to install some special PC tools on your Media Centre, setup is simple.

The difference from it being a normal Media Centre is that the XBox 360 uses some of its processing power to render the Media Centre Screens - so it feels as if you are actually using a Media Centre.

The biggest news which we have heard is that when Windows Vista ships it will be Media Centre enabled as standard. This will also be able to talk to XBox 360 and the enviroment will change.

If you wish to play a DVD via the Media Centre you can not stream this - it is only avaliable over the LAN, you can only do this with a local disk.

One other downfall is that the Media Centre Extender can not play anything bar WMV9 encoded video, even if you do install the DIVX codecs on your main Media Centre system.

Here we can see the familar XBox 360 standing up and running

XBOX Gaming Menu

XBOX Menu

XBOX360 Connecting to the Media Centre Box

XBOX Profile Screen Shot

XBOX360 Rear Shot

Screen Output (HD Cable showing)

HD Cable end on.

XBOX360 Front USB Ports



HEXUS Forums :: 16 Comments

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PhWOAR!

Me likey. Did you have access to the remote at all? Would be interested in knowing what the buttons are like.
This is going to be one hell of a gaming Christmas :) First time I've ever really been excited about a console launch
What kind of video cable is that?

The connector looks like nothing I have seen before, Could it be that Microsoft have deleberately created a new connector, so that they can maintian the XBox's clean lines (While having an ungly break out box on the end of a dongle), or perhaps to create something incompatible, so they can charge us $30 for replacement or longer cables.
That sucks that it can only handle the one type of video format :( And no dvd over lan?!?! balls to that…
http://img.hexus.net/v2/internationalevents/idf2005august/day2/P1010063.JPG That screen is a freaking monster, the sort of circus clown of TV's

Nice article, that 360 is one v sexy beast. Yes, I can imagine it sitting nicely next to my computer :D