Media Center question

Jumpman213 · 28-08-2005, 06:16 AM

hey u guys, i am reallly excited about the Xbox 360's media center features, but i was wondering if i needed to actually buy a 360 wireless adapter or some other accessories of some sort to stream my media from my Media center edition PC, or is it possible to actually stream all the media through an ethernet cable???? and more thing if i am going to stream my media does my PC needs to be on while i am doing the streaming of the media???? explain the whole process of it cuz i am very confused. PLZ guys help me out i would be very thankful if u guys did so.

Jacksmith28 · 28-08-2005, 08:03 AM

i think u need a usb connection between ur pc and 360

daniel.isaac.h · 31-08-2005, 02:18 PM

Ethernet connection to the computer would work... I think there is only one ethernet port though so you'd have to have two ethernet ports on your computer... One for the 360, one connected to the internet... That's my rough guess though... Really we'll have to wait and see unfortunately.

cmalton · 06-09-2005, 11:28 AM

If you have a wired home network you should be able to plug your PC and the 360 into your router and that should be it. If you have a wireless network you'll need to buy the 360 USB wireless adapter to connect it to your network. Also your PC does need to be on when streaming data from it to the 360. For Media Center you also need Windows XP Media Center Edition and a TV tuner card (if you want to use your 360 as a PVR).

hussain21 · 07-09-2005, 08:14 PM

this is true, you need someway to network the PC and the xbox, you don't need a Windows XP Media Center to stream music, and videos(?) windows media connect will allow you to use the xbox 360 to stream music from your non-media center PC, to what extent I'm not sure. will it be as nice as streaming from a media center? no, if you want to use it like shown on the videos you WILL need a windows XP media center.

G4everX · 07-09-2005, 09:21 PM

What I'm going to do, and recommend, is pick up a External Hard drive. I just picked a 250Gb external hard drive for $160 (site below). I've made a copy of my intire computer on it, and I've been putting a crap load of other stuff on it. I'm also have high hopes that I can save Microsoft downloadable content on it and game saves.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3584920

xxxHedpexxx · 08-09-2005, 10:53 AM

What are you going to do if you can't use it for saves or downloads from the 360? As far as I know its not going to accept external harddrives.

Aquanox · 08-09-2005, 11:46 AM

The best you can do is setup an Ethernet LAN. Wireless isn't anything you really want for a console, lets remember that it's not a Notebook, which means that you won't be moving it from place to place, in fact, it should be in the same place the 99.9% of the time, except when you re arrange your room. The problem with wireless networking is that it's not nearly as fast and stable as Ethernet, and that's something you do need for gamming and heavy *** media files streaming. That's why Microsoft avoided pricing up the console by not including it as standard and that's why I recommend you to go wired.

scutterboy · 08-09-2005, 01:51 PM

Quite apart from the fact that your Mrs (or perhaps mom

) isn't going to rip orf your danglies for messing up the living room....

Wireless networking is perfect for online gaming. The xbox deluxe kit adapter connection is 802.11g, aka wireless G aka 54Mbps connection. Bearing in mind most live players will be using 2Mbps or lower broadband connections 54 is ample.
It's also plenty of headroom to stream media. A CAT5e wired connection would be more robust but it isn't likely to show much improvement over a wireless adapter.

Get a decent wireless router for your home network/broadband connection and you'll not look back.
MIMO pre-n is the current fave. It allows multiple 54g channels to operate simultaneously and therefore provides thoeretical 108Mbps to suitable adapters.

Belkin, Netgear and Linksys are some of the best brands. Linksys are owned by Cisco and Cisco is the daddy of networking.

edit..... also if you used a 10Mbps wired hub or router it would be slower than 54g.... it would have to be 100Mbps connection to be better!!

scutterboy · 08-09-2005, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmalton

If you have a wired home network you should be able to plug your PC and the 360 into your router and that should be it. If you have a wireless network you'll need to buy the 360 USB wireless adapter to connect it to your network. Also your PC does need to be on when streaming data from it to the 360. For Media Center you also need Windows XP Media Center Edition and a TV tuner card (if you want to use your 360 as a PVR).

Like what he said.. where is the nodding emoticon??

Jeet · 08-09-2005, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxxHedpexxx

What are you going to do if you can't use it for saves or downloads from the 360? As far as I know its not going to accept external harddrives.

Im pretty sure that you can still run music and movie through it.

TRouBLe · 08-09-2005, 02:26 PM

G4everX i don't understand what are you gonna do with the external hard drive.
But you surely cannot use it on xbox360. The slot is for 2.5" drives (like the ones on notebooks) And they are a lot expensive

Jeet · 08-09-2005, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRouBLe

G4everX i don't understand what are you gonna do with the external hard drive.
But you surely cannot use it on xbox360. The slot is for 2.5" drives (like the ones on notebooks) And they are a lot expensive

as long as you hook up the harddrive through the usb ports, everything should be fine, you wont be able to transfer LIVE stuff through it or game saves

hussain21 · 08-09-2005, 08:11 PM

an external drive is usually USB, I've read that unfortunetly the USB ports are read only.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquanox

The best you can do is setup an Ethernet LAN.

I'm pretty sure I bought a wireless network for 2 reasons, I don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on cables and 2 the laptop at home is wireless. So I have a wireless network, but I should spend hundreds of dollars to run cables from room to room also I've played MMORPG on my wireless network, with a couple other people doing some stuff online, no problem here, I've even streamed media.

MS didn't include the wireless adapter cause it was too expensive to include in the console (b/g), So they decided to include seperatly, that means MS doesn't loose money on the majority of owners who don't use wi-fi, the consumers don't fork out more money for something they don't use, and MS was able to add 802.11a to the wi-fi adapter, so the adapater is compatible with a(the best type, but more expensive)/b(too slow)/g networks.

Also my xbox never stays in the same room for more than a month, I don't think that'll change with the 360. Which rooms, well the rooms that include an HDTV, TV, and well a TV sorta in middle, not nice, not bad. So instead of running the cable throught the whole house, having to actually probably setting up all this expensive cable, I just have a wireless network.

G4everX · 08-09-2005, 08:18 PM

Uhh, wow, lot's of responses

The EXTERNAL hard drive plugs into one of the Xbox 360's USB ports. My intelligent side never thought that I could put my save games on it, or downloadable content (just wishful thinking).

It's just, if you want more space to save all your music, I would go with an external hard drive. It works better then streaming, and you don't have to have a computer on to do it.

Just throwing in my two cents.

Understand?

If not let me know.

Jumpman213 · 09-09-2005, 03:13 AM

thank you guys so much for helping me out, although more comments means more help

so keep the comments coming. thanks a lot guys.

Aquanox · 09-09-2005, 10:06 AM

Yes, that's totally understood, but there haven't been words about the Xbox 360 being able to connect to an external USB hard drive. However, the 20gb drive will be more than enough for savegames and some music, if you want to use your hard drive to store big media files (like videos) then you can still connect it to your PC and stream them through your x360 (That only if you can't directly use it through USB).

As for the Wireless Lan, it depends on your particular situation, for example, hussain21 already had a wireless network and has the particular case in which his console isn't always in the same room, it also depends on how far is your Pc from your router/hub, and if you already have one. In my case I already had a Router, and only had to spend on cables, it also depends where do you buy them, I only spent around 10$ on cables and that was it, but I don't live in the USA. However there must be a place where you can buy long cables without all the candies at a more reasonable price. Remember that, in the other hand, you'd still need to but the Wireless adapter for the x360 (99$) and a wireless router if you still don't have one.

Said this, I think you've got enough arguments to make up your mind in a proper way, i hope this have been useful.

Diamond · 15-09-2005, 04:18 AM

Yeah, I live in Canada. I'd spend the money on the cables, but it's not an option for me. I'd have to run the cables halfway through my house, up a flight of stairs and down the hall. I can't imagine who I'd be pissing off with this one. I gotta go wireless. I paid 130$ Canadian for the Xbox Wireless Adapter. Plus another 30$ for the warranty. I'd love nothing more than to go back to wired, but what choice do I have?